Middleville DDA

December 2, 2021 at 12:00 Noon at the Jachim’s Barn

The Village of Middleville Downtown Development Authority’s Christmas on the River Committee will hold a committee meeting on Thursday, December 2, 2021 at 12:00 Noon at the Jachim’s pole barn, 3175 N. Loop Court, Middleville, MI 49333 to finish creating and painting display elements for the festival and finalize other event details. The meeting is open to the public, and volunteers are welcome to join us. 

Alternatively, to participate in the meeting by providing public comment, you may email your public comment to the following email address schmidtk@villageofmiddleville.org. Emails received prior to the meeting at the above-listed address will be read aloud during public comment. Persons with special needs who wish to attend should contact the Village Clerk to make arrangements for participation.  In all other respects, this committee meeting will be held in accordance with Michigan’s Open Meetings Act and the DDA Bylaws, as those rules may be modified from time to time.

The Middleville DDA and surrounding businesses and community organizations invite you to join us for Christmas on the River, a new three-day Yuletide celebration. The event encompasses many traditional activities and as well as some fun, new events:

• Thursday, December 9 is the Holiday Business Open House! Take your picture with real live Reindeer, visit Santa under the Gazebo, and ride the Holly Trolly to local businesses offering crafts, activities, and goodies for children, free of charge. Festivities run from 5-8 pm, and you will also have an opportunity to give back students in need at our own local school district through Classmates Care!

• Friday, December 10, meet on Main Street at 6pm for our Night of Lights Luminary Walk (donations benefit Serenity Village Hospice House), explore our Charlie Brown Winter Wonderland, snap “Elfie” photos, enjoy music, and much more. Then, grab a map, hop in the car, and help us judge the Christmas Light Decorating contest!

• Saturday, December 11, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be back for a Christmas Tea & Cocoa under the pavilion (3:30-5:30pm). Come visit them, and then explore the Holiday Market on Main Street (open noon-4pm), where you can find unique, artisan crafted gifts and more. Join us at 6:00 pm for our Christmas Parade. Help “Feed Middleville Families” by helping us fill a trailer with donations for local food pantries and Christmas meal baskets for those in need.

Thank you to our community partners, including Advanced Stone & Tile, Balanced Counseling, Highpoint Community Bank, Jason Parks Farm Bureau, Left Field Café on Main, and MKP CPA, and all of our other volunteers!

NEW THIS YEAR: The Joy of Giving

While the events of the Christmas on the River festival are all free (thanks to our generous community partners), each night, there will be an opportunity to support a local charitable cause.

Thursday, December 9th will focus on Classmates Care: Help keep the students and families of the TK School District warm this winter! Donate new or gently used warm winter apparel (all sizes welcome!) or make a financial contribution to help “shop” for a special size. Students at TK Schools help provide over 500 other children in need with hats, mittens, coats, boots, and more to stay warm. Drop of your donations to MKP CPA, My Sister’s Closet, Opus, or other participating locations (complete list coming soon) before or during the Holiday Business Open House on December 9th. After that, the students will organize everything and make sure it gets to those who need it most.

Friday, December 10th will raise funds to help build Serenity Village Hospice House: For a suggested donation of $5 or more, you can decorate a white luminary bag to honor a lost loved one or celebrate a special memory. We will then place the bag downtown or along the Paul Henry trail with a light inside during our luminary walk on December 10th, from 6-9pm. All donations will do directly to Serenity Village Hospice House, so that the terminally ill can live out their final days in peace and dignity, surrounded by those they love. Bags are currently available at: Jason Parks Farm Bureau, Community West Credit Union, My Sister’s Closet, Dearly Loved, Opus, and the DDA office.

Learn more about Serenity Village:

Saturday, December 11th will focus on “Feeding Middleville Families”—Together, we can make sure that none of our friends and neighbors go hungry during the holiday. Bring a non-perishable item when you come the events downtown and help us fill a trailer with food to help with Christmas baskets and stock our Middleville food pantries. Stay tuned for a list of places where the trailer will be in the weeks ahead or bring your donation on December 11th when you come to the events downtown.

The Middleville Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors and administrative staff cordially invite you to a Special Informational Meeting October 19, 2021 at 5:00 pm in the Council Chambers at Village Hall.

We will review completed projects, explore the use of DDA funds in 2021, and seek your input on the 2022-2023 DDA budget. Additionally, We will discuss the ongoing economic development as it relates to business growth and property value as we seek to foster a culture of community engagement that works to preserve the rich history of the District. Light refreshments will also be served.

The Village of Middleville Downtown Development Authority will hold a special informational meeting on Wednesday, October 19, 2021 at 5:00 pm in the Council Chambers at Village Hall at 100 E. Main St. The purpose of this special meeting is to provide interactive and transparent reporting on what the Authority has accomplished throughout the year and to obtain public input as we plan future projects. The meeting is open to the public and all are welcome to attend and share thoughts and ideas. Alternatively, to participate in the meeting by providing public comment, you may email your public comment to the following email address schmidtk@villageofmiddleville.org. Emails received prior to noon on October 18, 2021 at the above-listed address will be read aloud during public comment. Persons with special needs who wish to attend should contact the Village Clerk to make arrangements for participation. In all other respects, this committee meeting will be held in accordance with Michigan’s Open Meetings Act and the DDA Bylaws, as those rules may be modified from time to time.