Downtown Cheboygan has so much going for it. But I’m really hooked on one particular spot: Festival Square! The downtown location is near all kinds of shops, restaurants, taverns, the Cheboygan River, the Kingston Theater, the Opera House, and Ottawa Art Park.

This perfect gathering spot is a venue for the Farmers Market, concerts, outdoor performances, meetings, festivals — even winter ice skating. Bicycle racks, tools and air pumps — plus drinking fountains — are available in Festival Square for people enjoying our town’s extensive bike trails.

This covered venue provides a dry, shaded spot to savor carry-out food from nearby cafes and restaurants. Luckily, ice cream treats are available close by, for enjoying at Festival Square’s picnic tables!

Large round concrete planters flank Festival Square on both Huron and Main streets. Each planter houses a large tree, which welcomes spring with white flowers. While the trees are setting their leaves, colorful flowers appear below, surrounding the trees with colorful blooms. This bright display echoes the cheerful floral hanging baskets which line Main Street.

The flowers in these large planters are a visual treat. Besides that, they’re also a testament to one of Cheboygan’s greatest assets: Community pride and involvement. Local businesses — Mulligan’s, Nauti-Inn Barstro, BK&C Insurance, Judicial Management Systems, and Farm Bureau Insurance Agency provide funding for the flowers. Planting and maintenance of the hundreds of flowers is done by Seedums Garden Club members … plus a local businesswoman who just can’t help herself!

Beautiful metal planters inside Festival Square also echo the garden theme. If you see folks planting and weeding, feel free to join in. Enjoy Festival Square and all of Cheboygan. I sure do!

— Susan Page is a member of two garden clubs, one of the Earth Week Plus founders, and is a downtown Cheboygan fan. She is also a serial volunteer.