Latest News - Marquette Township Business Association

MTBA Board Members Needed!

The Marquette Township Business Association is looking for a few new members to join the board. By joining the MTBA, you add to our strength and voice and help create a strong, prominent, and respected organization. By becoming a board member, you will have the ability to directly affect what our association does to help, support, and promote all members of the MTBA.

Board meetings are once a month, on the third Tuesday of every month, at noon. Board meetings are typically held at Hudson’s Classic Grill.

If you are interested in becoming a board member, please reach out to Frank Stabile at frank@superioroasis.com or Sarah Stabile at sarah@superioroasis.com.

Join us at the Catch the Christmas Spirit Tree Lighting Ceremony!

The Tree Lighting Ceremony 2021 Poster (Click for Large View!)

Marquette, MI – November 1, 2021 – Come Catch the Christmas Spirit this November at the 2021 Tree Lighting Ceremony in Marquette Township. Come see Santa Light up the Big Christmas Tree on November 23rd from 6-9 pm.

The event will take place in the Westwood Mall Parking Lot between Applebee’s & Aspen Dental. The ceremony will begin at 6p with Santa’s arrival! Santa will also be taking Christmas lists from the kids, and don’t forget your camera so you can get pictures with Santa as well!

Super One Foods of Marquette will provide food & drink in the Westwood Mall, and Jet’s Pizza is bringing Candy for the kids! Students from Studio Dance Arts will be performing on the big stage too during the event! And don’t forget sing-alongs with Linda Smith Christmas!

Will the GRINCH steal Christmas this year?! Tune into Sunny 101.9 from 9 am to 6 pm the day of the event for updates on the Grinch.

A special thanks to North Country Tree Care for taking care of the tree over the holiday season this year!

The 2021 Catch the Vision Car Show & Cruise Hosted Over 100 Vehicles

Cars Cars Cars!

Marquette, MI – June 17, 2021 – The Westwood Mall hosted this year’s “Catch the Vision” Car Show and Cruise! The event featured vehicles and one motorcycle, old and new, put together by the Marquette Township Business Association in Marquette Charter Township.

This was the perfect way to spend part of the weekend with Dad for Father’s Day or entertain the kids on a sunny Saturday! On June 19th, car registration starts at 10am, and the exhibit and brat lunch will follow at 11am.

At 11:30am our favorite “Rev It Up” event commenced! Exhibitionists took turns revving their engines for the audience. From 1:30 – 2pm there was a 30 minute raffle for participants prizes and the best of show award. There were many prizes, 50/50 raffle, and the People’s Choice prize.

Finally, a little after 2pm, the Classic Car Cruise began! Participating vehicles left from the Westwood Mall Parking lot, down Werner Street, up Ontario Ave, then looped back on Wright Street before turning onto Commerce Drive, then came back to the Westwood Mall Parking lot.

Pink Panther was even there with his awesome truck!

This year we met our previous record of 108 vehicles coming together! If you have a unique or vintage car, be sure to come along next year to help us break the record!

Though admission was free, people were asked to bring along 5 cans of food for the Salvation Army. Thank you to everyone that donated!

Special thanks to our sponsors – Marquette Township, the Westwood Mall, Super One Foods, TV6/FoxUP, and mediaBrew Communications.

See Photos from the Car Show:

: Todd Noordyk was emceeing the event!

: Cars Cars Cars!

: Come back next year for the Catch the Vision Car Show and Cruise!

: 1927 Model T Ford!

: Anyone missing a motor?

: We met our record of 108 vehicles!

: A 1951 custom Ford!

: Check out this cool Chevy Bel-Air from 1956!

: Keep an eye out for this one on the streets!

: What a sexy car!

: Cars as far as the eye can see!

: 1966 Imperial Crown Convertible

: Eveything from Fords to Chevys were at the show.

: Our very own Bill Tibor brought the only motorcycle at the show!

: Pink Panther was even there with his awesome truck!

: Attendance was free, but everyone was asked to bring 5 cans of food for the Salvation Army.

: Registration was open for any cars that wanted to be shown off!

: All cars old and new are at the Car Show today!

: Super One had brats, chips and drinks for everyone!

: Super One Foods was on sight with their brat lunch!

: Compare the 1965 and 1969 Pontiac GTOs!

: There was even a 1965 Pontiac GTO!

: Take a look at this pristine Chevy!

: Some hoods were open to take a look at the motor.

: As usual the car show was in the Westwood Mall.

: People could take a look at all the vehicles from 11a – 2p.

: There was a wide variety of vehicles at the show.

: There was a great turn out!

People Caught The Christmas Spirit During Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

What a beautiful tree!

Marquette Township, Michigan – November 24, 2020 – After talking about it all day on Sunny 101.9, the Christmas Spirit swept through Marquette Township tonight as we celebrated with the annual “Catch the Christmas Spirit” Tree Lighting Ceremony.

To avoid canceling Christmas, Marquette Charter Township, The Marquette Township Business Association, and mediaBrew Communications worked hard to alter the usual festivities to follow Michigan Department of Health & Human Services guidelines for social distancing.

As usual, the big stage was set up in the Westwood Mall parking lot and Mark and Walt started things off with a big “Welcome” and some “Thank Yous”. The guys spoke with Township Manager Jon Kangas and Christmas Music from 106.1 The Sound played through the speakers!

Guests listened from their vehicles tuning into 106.1 The Sound to hear some Christmas Sound Classics before Linda Smith took over for a live performance on the stage!

Linda Smith came to sing some Christmas Classics.

That sneaky Grinch tried to steal Christmas, but the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department was on site to save the day. They tied the Grinch up and hauled him off to jail for “Crimes Against Christmas”!

Shortly after, Santa made his grand entrance on a Township Firetruck, arriving to spread the holiday cheer and light our massive tree! After a countdown, Santa flipped the switch and the lights on our Christmas tree flickered to life, shining brightly in the dark.

Visitors rolled down their windows to sing along and once it was their turn, crowds of 25 were allowed to get out and go see Santa! Kids ran up to give their Christmas Lists to Ol’ Saint Nick, snap a picture, and grab some candy donated by Jet’s Pizza!

Thanks to Andra Ziems, Secretary & Cashier at Marquette Township for donating the tree. Also thank you to the following sponsors for helping make this event possible: mediaBrew Communications, Sunny 101.9, 106.1 The Sound, Marquette Charter Township, Marquette Township Business Association, North Country Tree Care, Super One Foods, The Lions, Westwood Mall, the Marquette Township Fire Department, the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department, Jet’s Pizza, and Honor Credit Union.

See Photos From Tonight

: Santa’s lookin good with his mask!

: What a beautiful tree!

: Thanks to Santa for lighting the tree!

: Santa Clause has the honor of lighting the Christmas Tree!

: Santa makes his way to the stage.

: The Sheriff has arrived to take the Grinch away!

: The Sheriff finally cuts the Grinch’s mischief short.

: The Grinch has taken over!

: Uh oh… what’s he up to?!

: Waiting for the man of the hour to make an appearance

: The Sheriff’s department is on sight for any shenanigans that might happen

: There was a good turn out this year

: People practiced social distancing by wearing masks and staying in their cars.

: The big switch to turn on the Christmas lights.

: Santa gave out candy canes!

: The stage is set for a fun night!

: Santa Clause has come to town!

: Kids came out to give their wish lists to Santa

: Even Santa wore a mask!

: What a pretty tree!

: Kids came just to see the man himself, Santa!

: Some kids were more shy than others.

: He’ll check your list twice!

: Santa’s at the ready to take all the kids’ wishlists and give them candy canes!

: The tree is all lit! Drive by the Westwood Mall in Marquette to see it.

: Santa has arrived!!

: The big man himself made it to the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

: The fire department has arrived with Santa!

: Mark, Walt, and Todd held down the fort.

: Mark and Walt and Todd ran the show

: The sheriff took the Grinch away!

: Don’t let the Grinch steal the show!

: Oh boy, he’s made it on stage!

: The snow wasn’t enough to stop people from coming to the Ceremony!

: Linda Smith came to sing some Christmas Classics.

: There was a great turn out tonight!

: Mark and Walt started the show!

Join Us For the Annual Catch the Christmas Spirit Tree Lighting Ceremony in the Township

Attend the 2020 Tree Lighting Ceremony in the Township

Marquette Township, MI – November 18, 2020 – It’s time to “Catch the Christmas Spirit” once again in Marquette Township! This year our Tree Lighting Ceremony will be run a little differently, but we’re still bringing the holiday cheer and a big glowing tree to the township!

Santa has informed us that he in still intends to make his grand entrance by Marquette Township Firetruck around 6:30pm, so join us on Tuesday, November 24th in the Westwood Mall parking lot. We’ll have festivities from 6-9pm so you can enjoy your favorite Christmas songs with Linda Smith and 106.1 The Sound!

To follow Michigan Health Department guidelines for social distancing, we will be asking families to stay in their cars this year, allowing for crowd sizes up to 25 people at a time. When promoted, families will be allowed to come up to the stage for kids to give their Christmas Lists to Santa and grab some candy donated by Jet’s Pizza! All attendees must wear a mask during the event.

As usual, the Sheriff’s Department will be on stand by watching out for the Grinch. He won’t be ruining anyone’s Christmas this year, so come out on join us from 6-9pm next Tuesday!

See Photos From Past Years:

: The beautiful tree from The Wiegand family.

: Thanks to the Marquette Township Business Association for their hard work.

: Santa rides in on a township fire truck each year.

: The Negaunee Male Chorus lead us in some great Christmas carols.

: See more photos from the 2017 Tree Lighting on Sunny.FM

: The Grinch was out there sneaking around!

Community Days and Catch the Vision Car Show – Cancelled

Marquette, MI – This year, the Marquette Township Board officially cancelled the Catch the Vision Car Show and Cruise on June 20th as well as Community Days on Saturday, August 1st, due to COVID-19, Executive Orders and related financial constraints from decreased revenues.

Community Days include the annual softball tournament held as Lions Field Recreation Center. The Board plans to continue holding the annual events next year.

See Photos From Last Year’s Community Days

: 2019 Community Days softball tournament!

: Flat Broke Blues took the stage after The Crunge to rock out with the community

: Community Days inflatables

: SuperOne provided great food at Community Days

: The Crunge at Community Days.

: Lawn chairs gathered to listen to the Flat Broke Blues!

Purchase Gifts and Enjoy Music in the Mall

Marquette, MI – March 11, 2020 – Join us next week at the Westwood Mall for another Farm Market & Gifts and Music in the Mall. There will be local vendors selling handcrafted items and locally sourced foods. Vendors will included Seeds and Spores, Huron Moutain Lapidary and Davin’s Chocolates. The live music will run 5-7pm with The Reveal at The STAGE, John Kibit playing piano by AAA and Marlee Matthews singing near Bath & Body Works. New Attitudes Dance Studio will be preforming at 5:30 & 6:30pm near Trade Home Shoes.

See the flyer for more details:

Marquette Township Business Association Annual Event Dates Announced

Plenty of kids events happening within Community Day

Marquette, MI – February 13, 2020 – The Marquette Township Business Association Community Events Committee recently met to discuss dates for annual events hosted by the MTBA.

This year the organization will bring back at least three of their annual events. The expected dates are as follows.

Tentative Dates:

“Catch the Vision” Car Show & Cruise – Saturday, June 20, 2020
“Catch the Vision” Community Day – Saturday, August 1, 2020
“Catch the Christmas Spirit” Tree Lighting Ceremony – Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Have questions? Send us a message!

Stop by and Check out Music in the Mall!

MTBA Hosts Annual “Catch the Christmas Spirit” Tree Lighting Ceremony in Marquette Township

Marquette, MI – November 26, 2019 – A piece of Christmas brought a whole lot of holiday cheer this evening as the community met in the Applebee’s parking lot for the annual “Catch the Christmas Spirit” Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Hosted by Marquette Township Business Association and Marquette Charter Township, this annual event brings hundreds of people to the Township each year to capture the Christmas Spirit. This evening we started things off with some holiday carols led by da Upper Yoopers’ Barbershop⁺ Chorus.

With the Marquette County Sheriff Deputies on standby after hearing reports that the Grinch might make an appearance, everyone felt a little safer knowing law enforcement was there to protect Christmas! As predicted, the Grinch crept in, sneaking his way through the crowd toward the power switch for the tree lights! Just in time, the Sheriff’s Department grabbed the green Christmas thief and spoiled his plan to steal Christmas! All of the kids cheered as the Grinch was hauled away and put in the back of a law enforcement vehicle, and just in time, too!

Wailing sirens started as the man of the hour made his grand entrance on the side of a township fire truck! Santa climbed out of the rig and slowly made his way through the crowd giving out hugs and high-fives to Marquette Township’s children along the way.

Once Santa got on stage, he helped us light up Christmas! The whole crowd counted down with us to zero and Santa powered up the tree. The lights flickered on and the flashing star at the top of the tree shown brightly in the night!

With the tree all lit up, it was time to head inside to warm up with snacks, hot cocoa, and pictures with Santa! Super One Foods brought cookies and juice, plus hot dogs and water. The township was there serving hot chocolate to warm everyone up and Honor Credit Union gave out tasty popcorn to munch on while waiting in line for Santa. With The Christmas Station 106.1 The Gift playing overhead, it was truly a wonderful way to welcome in the holiday season.