"The cutest little small town celebration": Oh Ole Night 2023 lights up the start of the holiday season
Nov 27, 2023 04:52PM ● By Content Editor
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - November 27, 2023
It's an annual tradition that feels right out of a cheesy holiday movie in the best way: Visit Cook County's Oh Ole Night.
The event takes place the Friday after Thanksgiving in downtown Grand Marais in late afternoon/early evening, and starts with a holiday parade open to anyone who wants to participate. Spectators line up along the street enjoying homemade holiday cookies from Crosby Bakery or a Skizzle from World's Best Donuts, and watch as floats go by, twice, decked out in festive decorations.
Visit Cook County, the organization that puts on the event, gives awards to different floats each year. The 2023 year winners are:
- Traveling Gnome Award: Buck's Hardware
- Most Holiday Spirit Award: Coldwell Banker
- Biggest Float Award: Cook County Towing
- Most Adorable Animal Award: Ann Sullivan with Tundra
- Cutest Kiddo Award: The Chocolate Dog
- Best Scandinavian Award: The Norwegian Elk Hounds, Ruffin & Rawnya
After the parade, attendees gather in Grand Marais' Harbor Park for the lighting of the Christmas Tree. This year the tree was donated from a farm in Grand Rapids, MN to the city of Grand Marais, according to the Cook County News Herald. This year, the lighting ceremony countdown was led by Grand Marais Mayor Tracy Benson. You can watch the full tree lighting portion of the event below.
Immediately after the tree lighting, fireworks were launched over Grand Marais harbor to finish the evening.
Oh Ole Night attendees begin arriving on Friday lateW afternoon/early evening for the event
World's Best Donuts opened especially for the event to sell Skizzles
Sugar, chocolate crinkles, and ginger cookies were available for all to enjoy
The crowd eagerly awaits the start of the parade
The Color Guard marked the start of the parade
Coldwell Banker won the Most Holiday Spirit award
Cook County Towing won biggest float award
Cook County Towing won biggest float award
Cook County Highway Department brought out the MVP of winter
Siverton Art Gallery honored Howard Siverton with the Red Suspenders Club
The Chocolate Dog is a new endeavor from Chelsea Pusc, who recently announced the closing of her current business Gunflint Mercantile in February. The float also won "cutest kid award".
Buck's Hardware won the Traveling Gnome award
Goats even joined in on the fun!
The Norwegian Elk Hounds, Ruffin & Rawnya won Best Scandinavian Award
Java Moose employees and family were all decked out in festive gear
Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply and Santa signaled the end of the parade
The crowd counts down from 10 during the tree lighting ceremony
Fireworks over the harbor
