Christmas in the 'Ville lands on Saturday, December 5, but its first deadline comes five weeks early. After 11:59 p.m. EDT on Friday, October 30, the price goes up for the Dashing Through The Snow 5K, the race that runs downtown that afternoon before the balloons fill Grand River Avenue. Halloween in Fowlerville hasn't happened yet, and the holiday season already has a deadline.
The rest of the run-up follows the same pattern. Between now and the parade, most of the calendar takes place in small rooms: the Fowlerville District Library, a church parking lot on West Grand River, a parish breakfast, and a new pub on North Grand Street.
The First Christmas Deadline Comes Before Halloween
If the 5K is on your list, the eight days from this Thursday to October 30 are your window to sign up before the price changes, according to the race's RunSignup page. On December 5, packet pickup and race-day registration open at 2:30 p.m. at Showerman's Garage, and the race starts at 3:30 p.m.
A 3:30 start matters for the rest of the day. Downtown closes to traffic at noon, and the parade steps off at 6:00 p.m. That puts runners back on Grand River Avenue with roughly two hours to change, eat and find a spot along the route.
The Knights of Columbus at St. Agnes Parish start their own countdown on Saturday, October 24. Through November 15, the council is collecting new white socks and T-shirts for patients at the Ann Arbor VA. If you pick up a pack of each on a regular errand run this week, you've done your part before the Halloween candy is gone.
Halloween Week Belongs to the Library and a Church Lot
The last week of October in Fowlerville isn't built around one big event. It's three smaller ones, spread over four days:
- Wednesday, October 28, 1 p.m. The Fowlerville District Library screens its "Spooky Special" film.
- Thursday, October 29, 6 p.m. The library hosts a Halloween-themed Puzzle Challenge.
- Saturday, October 31, 6 to 7 p.m. Fowlerville UB Church holds its Trunk-or-Treat at 9300 W. Grand River Ave.
The Trunk-or-Treat runs one hour, so arriving early makes a difference. The church is asking for decorated trunks that aren't scary, which suits families with younger trick-or-treaters, and it's also accepting candy donations. If you'd rather hand out candy than hunt for it, decorating a trunk is the way to join in.
November Fills Up One Evening at a Time
Once Halloween is over, the calendar settles into evening talks, a Sunday breakfast and one big night downtown. The library carries most of it, according to the upcoming events list published by Fowlerville News & Views:
- Thursday, November 5, 6:30 p.m. "American Indian Boarding Schools in Michigan," with journalist Sierra Biidaaban Nadeau.
- Tuesday, November 10, 6:30 p.m. Eric Toups on the history of Thanksgiving.
- Tuesday, November 17, 6 p.m. "Unraveling the Ribbon," which pairs a film and a book with an Indigenous tea tasting.
- Friday, November 20, 10 to 11 a.m. Sensory Playtime for young children.
- Saturday, November 21, 10 a.m. to noon. Repair Cafe.
The Repair Cafe is the most practical date on the list. It falls two weeks before the parade, which makes it a good time to bring in the string of lights that went dark last January or the small appliance you were about to throw out.
On Sunday, November 8, the St. Agnes Knights of Columbus hold a breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m., paid for by donations. It's in the middle of their VA drive, so if your socks and T-shirts are still in the car, the breakfast is a good time to drop them off.
The busiest evening of the month is the Village Wide Ladies Night on Thursday, November 12, starting at 5 p.m. The library is taking part with live entertainment from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., refreshments and a children's craft show, according to its LocalHop listing. That listing says the night ends at 7:45 p.m., while the library's newsletter listing says 8 p.m. To be safe, plan on the earlier time.
A New Pub in the Old Lucky's Building
Downtown has a new place to eat this season. Lucky Duck Pub held its grand opening on October 1 at 119 N. Grand St., a few days after a soft opening, according to Livingston Daily's report. The building used to be Lucky's Pub, which closed in 2012.
The layout fits the next six weeks well. There's a bar, a separate dining room, and a private event space downstairs that's taking reservations. If you're planning a team dinner, a book club's December meeting or a family get-together before the parade, Fowlerville now has one more room to ask about.
Livingston Daily reports that most of the menu is made in-house, including the meatloaf blend, the meatballs and the pizza dough. Dishes range from burgers and meatball hoagies to balsamic glazed meatloaf, lasagna and bourbon salmon. Sous Chef Andrew Martin told the paper the menu is "dynamic" and that the kitchen is open to feedback.
The pub is run by Grand River Ventures, the Michigan restaurant group that also operates the Bloated Goat Saloon in Fowlerville, as well as 2Fog's Pub and the Log Cabin in Howell, Champs Pub in Brighton and the New Hudson Inn. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. The Saturday hours run well past the end of the parade on December 5.
Lucky Duck isn't the only downtown opening this year. Torch 180 Corner Shoppes opened on March 12 at 102 E. Grand River Ave., selling general merchandise, goods made by students and baked goods. With the parade coming down Grand River Avenue, it's an easy stop for small gifts.
December 5, Hour by Hour
Everything above leads up to one Saturday. The Christmas in the 'Ville organizers say the full 2026 schedule is still coming, but they've already published the outline of the day:
- Noon. Downtown closes to traffic. Activities open at businesses across downtown, including a kids' scavenger hunt, Santa's workshop, treat decorating, storytime, live reindeer and a chili dinner fundraiser.
- 2:30 p.m. 5K packet pickup and race-day registration open at Showerman's Garage.
- 3:30 p.m. The Dashing Through The Snow 5K starts.
- 6:00 p.m. The village tree is lit, then the parade steps off.
The Fowlerville Rotary and the Fowlerville Business Association present the parade and holiday events. More than 40 hot air balloon pilots parade down Grand River Avenue, and the organizers say the glow can be seen for miles. Since the full schedule isn't out yet, check the event site again closer to the date for exact times at each business and the location of the chili dinner.
Before that 6:00 p.m. tree lighting, three dates come first. The 5K deadline is October 30, the VA drive closes November 15, and the Repair Cafe on November 21 leaves two weeks to get the lights working.
If you're thinking about what the next year looks like for your home, Karen Nouhan and the team at TREO Realty are glad to walk through your timing with you. Start the Conversation.
