The stop signs at the M-88 turn in downtown Bellaire are scheduled to stop being a trial this week. On Oct. 12 and 13, Michigan Department of Transportation electricians are taking down the overhead beacon at Cayuga and Bridge streets and putting solar-powered red flashing beacons above the stop signs. MDOT says the work, which it estimates will wrap up Oct. 13, will make the four-way stop permanent. The stop started as a trial in August 2025.
The timing works out. The county's calendar from now through Thanksgiving gathers its biggest days onto a few Saturdays, and most of them are on Bridge Street or a short drive from it. The one big exception comes in mid-November, when the action moves south to Mancelona for two days and then returns to Bellaire's storefronts.
What MDOT Changed at the Turn
Highway traffic makes a 90-degree turn at this corner. Before the trial, M-88 through-traffic didn't stop there. MDOT says that setup confused drivers who didn't know the intersection, led to some crashes, held up side-street traffic waiting to get in, and left few chances for safe crosswalks at the turn.
Expect single-lane closures and traffic shifts during this week's two-day job. Crosswalks are the next step, and MDOT has them planned for 2027. Until then, every car, stroller and costumed kid crossing downtown this fall goes through a stop-controlled corner with no painted crosswalks yet. On Oct. 24, that corner will be busy.
Oct. 24 Puts Three Events on One Saturday
The Village of Bellaire DDA is holding the Bellaire Witch Project on Bridge Street on Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. It includes the first Witchy Rubber Ducky Hunt. The Flying Pig will offer tarot card readings, refreshments and a sidewalk sale, and Nifty & Neat will offer tea leaf readings. The DDA says more details are coming.
That afternoon, Grass River Natural Area hosts Fall Fairy Houses at 1 p.m. It's a two-hour class where participants turn a pretend pumpkin into a fairy house. It costs $10 per participant and is open to adults and to kids old enough to use a hot glue gun. Central Lake's village calendar also lists a Halloween Downtown Event for the same date, but it's still marked TBA with no location or program yet.
Friday night sets up the weekend. Here's how the two days line up:
| When | What | Where | Before you go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Oct. 23, 7 p.m. | Moonlight Owl Prowl | Grass River Natural Area | $10, preregistration requested, about a mile on uneven trails |
| Sat., Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. | Bellaire Witch Project | Bridge Street, Bellaire | DDA says more details are coming |
| Sat., Oct. 24, 1 p.m. | Fall Fairy Houses | Grass River Natural Area | $10 per participant |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Halloween Downtown Event | Central Lake | Listed as TBA |
The Owl Prowl starts with a presentation on local owls and their conservation, then heads out on a night hike. Grass River suggests bringing a light in case it's cloudy.
The week before also centers on Bellaire. On Oct. 17, The Flying Pig runs a Paint Your Junk Workshop from 4 to 6 p.m., and you'll need to register ahead. Earlier that day, Grass River hosts a Crosshatch Felt Embroidery Workshop at 1 p.m. Kim of Fran & Judy leads it, and each participant makes a Cozy Cottage ornament. The cost is $65: $50 for the workshop and $15 for materials. On Thursday, Oct. 22, the Blood Bus will be at the Short's Brewing Bellaire Pub from 2 to 7 p.m.
Halloween Spreads Out, Then Comes Back to Bellaire
Oct. 31 is a Saturday, and it's the one night this fall when the main events aren't all in one place. The Lakeview Hotel at Shanty Creek hosts a trunk-or-treat in its parking lot from 4:30 to 8 p.m.
Later that night, things move back toward downtown Bellaire. The Short's Brewing Bellaire Pub has a Halloween party with themed food and beer, a costume contest and GLO the Party Band. Fireside Lounge has its own Halloween party with DJ Mark the same night.
Nov. 7 Is the Second Stacked Saturday
A week later, two events share another Saturday. The Bellaire Chamber holds its 43rd Annual Holiday Gift Fair on Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bellaire Middle School. The Chamber bills it as the start of the holiday season.
The Wild Turkey Trot 5K at Grass River starts at 11 a.m. that day, from the Grass River Center, while the gift fair is open. You can register by buying the race T-shirt or sweatshirt, which gets mailed to you, or by paying the fee without a shirt. Proceeds support Grass River's educational programs. Prizes go to the top three male and female finishers on race day.
The race also helps if the two events conflict. Grass River lets runners do the 5K on their own schedule and submit their time later. That means one household can cover both the gift fair and the race, even with only one morning free.
If you have kids under 5, Grass River's free Family Playgroup meets that same week on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 10:30 a.m. It meets on the first and third Thursdays of each month, and you don't need to register.
Mid-November Belongs to Mancelona
For one weekend, the county's biggest gathering is south of Bellaire. The Mancelona Chamber of Commerce holds the 72nd annual Mancelona Buck Pole on Nov. 15 and 16, 2026. The Chamber's posted rules keep things simple:
- Eligibility: Field-dressed deer taken Nov. 15 or 16 within 50 miles of Mancelona
- Entry: $5 per deer
- Deadline: Hung by 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 16
- Awards: Prizes handed out at 7 p.m. that evening
The Chamber's standing prize list includes $10 for the first deer hung, $150 for the heaviest, $100 for the most points, $75 for the widest rack, and a Lucky Hunter drawing with a $200 minimum. Raffle prizes vary. The Chamber publishes this list as general information, so check it again closer to the weekend. The Chamber says the event also has a heated pavilion, a bonfire, food booths, deer photos and a community raffle.
Mancelona's weekly market uses the same site. The Mancelona Farmers Market runs Thursdays at the Buck Pole/Railroad Park pavilion. Its hours are 2 to 6 p.m. most of the season and shift to 2 to 5 p.m. on Thursdays in November and December. On the Thursdays around the Buck Pole, that pavilion goes from market stalls to the deer pole and back, and the market closes an hour earlier.
Late November Shortens the Week, Then Comes Back to Bridge Street
After the Buck Pole, more places post shorter hours. Fireside Lounge is open Monday 4 to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday 4 to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 4 to 10 p.m. In November, it's closed on Nov. 21, Thanksgiving on Nov. 26 and Black Friday on Nov. 27, and happy hour moves to Tuesday through Friday, 4 to 6 p.m.
The season's last dated downtown event brings things back to where they started. The DDA lists Small Business Saturday in Bellaire for Nov. 28, with deals from participating merchants and swag bags planned. Where to pick up the bags and other details haven't been announced. Like the Witch Project in October, it happens on the blocks next to the Cayuga and Bridge turn, at an intersection where MDOT has planned permanent stop signs and flashing beacons for this fall and crosswalks for 2027.
The new beacons go up this week, and Bellaire's busiest fall Saturdays are coming soon. If you're weighing what seasons like this one mean for owning a home on Torch Lake, the Chain of Lakes or in downtown Bellaire, Shawn Schmidt Group can talk it through with you. Request a Private Consultation.
