| NEWSLETTER - October 2026 |
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Hello from the City of Iron Mountain Downtown Development Authority (DDA)! We’re excited to connect and share the latest DDA news, upcoming events, and ways to get involved in all the great things happening in Downtown Iron Mountain. We hope you enjoy this update and find it helpful! |
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| Pumpkin Walk Trunk & Treat Returns Next Saturday! |
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Get ready for a spooktacular afternoon in Downtown Iron Mountain! The Downtown Iron Mountain Pumpkin Walk Trunk & Treat returns Saturday, October 24, from 12-3 PM, bringing families together for an afternoon of Halloween fun, festive activities, and community spirit.
Kids can visit creatively decorated trunks to collect Halloween treats, enjoy FREE face painting by D’s Creative Faces, decorate their own mini-pumpkin to take home, and show off their costumes during the kids’ costume contest at 1 PM. Across the street at the Dickinson County Library, families can also enjoy Ghoulie Glowing Golfing, along with glow-in-the-dark coloring, cornhole, ring toss, and other Halloween-themed activities. Be sure to vote for your favorite decorated trunk during the event, too!
We’re grateful to our Signature Sponsors, DTE Energy Foundation and Sanford Health–Marshfield Clinic, along with our community partners and participating businesses, nonprofits, and school organizations who help make this event possible. Special thanks to Kiwanis of Iron Mountain-Kingsford and Key Club for helping coordinate mini-pumpkin decorating, and to Slagle’s Family Farm for providing a great deal on the pumpkins.
If you get hungry while enjoying the event, visit our vendors, Sugar Jets and Billies, for some delicious fall food and drinks!
There’s still time to join the fun! Businesses and organizations interested in participating in the Trunk & Treat portion of Pumpkin Walk can sign up through October 21. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with local families, show off your creativity, and be part of a favorite community Halloween tradition. The top two trunks in the decorating contest will each receive a DDA mini-grant worth $200 and $400!
We look forward to celebrating Halloween with our community and making another year of Pumpkin Walk memories. We hope to see you there! |
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| | | Thank You to RiZE & Volunteers for Downtown Flowers
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You may have noticed that the Downtown Flowers have been going away over the past two weeks. Our awesome volunteers cleared all the annuals out of a dozen pocket gardens a few weeks ago. Our awesome Department of Public Works took down the hanging baskets last week. This morning, the awesome RiZE volunteer crew (Mya, Gavin, Chris, Danny, Jon, Mick, Jesse, Tara, Franny, and Noel from left to right in the photo above) cleared out the sidewalk planters. We also want to thank Downtown Flowers Signature Sponsor RiZE for their generous financial support over the past 3 seasons, along with our other sponsors this year, including The Toro Company, First Bank, LiUNA Local 1329, Tractor Supply Co., Clover Leaf Conservatory, and Dickinson Area Community Foundation. Last, but not least, all of the plants come from Clover Leaf Conservatory, and they work with us throughout the year to obtain the best plants at the best prices.
The Downtown Flowers also come to Iron Mountain every summer thanks to a group of about 25 volunteers, including the DDA's Beautification Committee and the RiZE crew. All financial support comes from a group of sponsors and individual donors. The DDA staff (including Brian, Danielle, and Rob on the watering crew) do plenty of work behind the scenes with accounting, sourcing materials, coordinating occasional grant funds, coordinating activities, fixing the equipment, but the volunteers decide what to plant, when to plant, do the actual work, and help to maintain it all throughout the summer. |
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| | | Get Ready to Shop, Dine, & Socialize at Girls Night Out! |
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Grab your friends and get ready for a night out in Downtown Iron Mountain! Girls Night Out returns Thursday, November 12, from 5 PM to 9:30 PM, thanks to our Signature Sponsor, First Bank. This annual event brings an evening of shopping, dining, special promotions, giveaways, and fun throughout Downtown. Whether you’re looking to get a head start on holiday shopping, discover something new at your favorite local businesses, or simply enjoy a night out with friends, there’s something for everyone!
NEW THIS YEAR: Girls Night Out Business Passport! Shop your way through Downtown for a chance to win a gift basket filled with Downtown goodies! Passports will be available for pickup at select Downtown locations during the week of the event. Collect all six stamps by making purchases at participating Girls Night Out businesses to qualify for the drawing. Whether you’re grabbing dinner, shopping for something special, or purchasing a gift card for a future service, every stop is a chance to support local!
Once you’ve finished shopping, keep the fun going at the official Girls Night Out After Party at Iron & Aster from 7 PM to 9:30 PM! Enjoy music from DJ Seismic of Audion Entertainment, spinning the hits all evening long. A special thank you to Lume, our Music Sponsor, for helping make the entertainment possible.
For guests 21 and older, Girls Night Out is also a great opportunity to enjoy Downtown Iron Mountain’s Social District. Be sure to review the participating businesses and guidelines on our Social District webpage.
Downtown businesses: There’s still time to participate! Registration is open through November 4 at 11:59 PM. Sign up through our Girls Night Out webpage and join us for an evening of community, connection, and shopping local! |
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Best Season Ever for Farmers & Artisans Market |
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The Iron Mountain Downtown Farmers & Artisans Market (FAM) had its best season ever this summer. The season recently wrapped up last Saturday, October 10 and was Downtown at the corner of A Street and Iron Mountain Street for 19 Saturdays this summer. A big thanks to all of the vendors for participating in the 2026 season. There were generally 40-50 vendors present each Saturday, and the new record was 57 vendors on July 25. The average customer attendance was around 550 persons, with attendance peaking at roughly 800 persons per Saturday in July and August. The Market just keeps growing every year!
We also want to thank our incredible 2026 season sponsor, Incredible Bank, for financial support and for providing 1,000 reusable FAM-branded shopping bags. Our community partners, volunteers, and sponsors are essential to making great things happen Downtown, including the FAM! |
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| | | The Iron Mountain Downtown Development Authority (DDA) plans and conducts three major festivals and a series of smaller events every year in Downtown Iron Mountain. In total, these festivals and events bring some form of activity to Downtown on 35 dates each year. These are in addition to numerous other events conducted by various local organizations downtown every year. |
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| | | | May 3rd through May 9th
Small Business Week
Saturday, June 6th - 8:00am to 12:00pm Farmers & Artisans Market Opening Day
Thursday, June 11th - 11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, June 13th - 11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Saturday, June 18th -12:00pm to 5:00pm Out to Lunch
Saturday, June 20th - 12:00pm to 9:00pm Summer Roll Out
Thursday, June 25th -11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, July 2nd - 1:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, July 9th -11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, July 16th -11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, July 23rd -11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, July 30th - 11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, August 6th -11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Saturday, August 8th -12:00pm to 11:00pm Italian Fest
Thursday, August 13th - 11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Saturday, September 26th - 12:00pm to 9:00pm Oktoberfest
Saturday, October 10th - 8:00am to 12:00pm Last Farmers & Artisans Market Day
Saturday, October 24th - 12:00pm to 3:00pm Pumpkin Walk
Thursday, November 12th - 5:00pm to 9:30pm Girls Night Out
Friday, December 4th - 4:00pm to 6:00pm Christmas Walk |
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| | DDA MISSION: Our mission is to promote economic growth by organizing community events, attracting new businesses and advancing the beautification and historic preservation within the downtown district.
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| DDA BOARD MEMBERS: Anthony Miller (Chairperson), Lucas Davidson (Vice-Chairperson), Joe Linn (Treasurer), Sonja Matzke (Secretary), Jordan Stanchina (City Manager), Kim Webb, David Hendrickson, Megan Blomquist, Mark Klossner |
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