December 4, 2025
December in Sturgeon Bay has its own kind of soundtrack. Holiday lights glow a little brighter against the early sunsets, music spills out of lounges and waterfront venues, and small-town streets fill with shoppers, cocoa in hand, searching for just the right gifts.
Here at the Holiday Music Motel, we’re closing out the year the way we love best, celebrating local creativity, supporting our neighbors, and pointing you toward the can’t-miss events that make Door County feel extra magical this time of year.
A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play
Third Avenue PlayWorks is bringing festive cheer back to Third Avenue this season with A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play, running Dec. 3–28 at the Steve and Jackie Kane Theatre. This family-friendly 1940s-style radio production features colorful characters, inventive sound effects, and a talented cast under the direction of Elyse Edelman. Performances include evening shows, Sunday matinees, and a special pay-what-you-will preview benefiting TAP’s education program.
Holiday Shopping in Sturgeon Bay
December is the perfect time to turn a Sturgeon Bay getaway into a holiday shopping adventure. With locally owned boutiques, bookstores, galleries, and specialty shops just down the street, you’ll find plenty of ways to check off your list while supporting local, Door County businesses.
Christmas Gifts, Holiday Music Motel-Style
If you’re shopping for someone who loves music, stories, or a good bit of Holiday quirk, start right here at the motel. Our Holiday Music Motel storefront is stocked with an eclectic mix of merch, from T-shirts, mugs, and other Holiday-branded favorites. It’s a great stop for Holiday Music Motel fans, and the perfect way to bring a piece of your memorable stay back home.
Explore Downtown Shops
Step outside the motel and you’re just minutes from a downtown that’s made for wandering with a warm drink in hand. Sturgeon Bay’s small but mighty shopping district is rich with locally owned spots where you can find everything from antique treasures to contemporary design.
Pop into Within Things or The Pearl of Door County for artful curiosities and creative goods, browse Novel Bay Books and OtherWorlds Books for new reads, or hunt for unique décor and gifts at Varlets, The Marketplace, Dancing Bear, and Bayside Bargains. For something a bit more special, Peninsula Jewelers and Wilkens and Olander offer pieces that feel like keepsakes from the peninsula. Round things out with a stop at Madison Avenue Wine Shop for a bottle to share and Healthy Way Market for local treats and stocking stuffers.
From thoughtful one-of-a-kind finds to simple little surprises, downtown Sturgeon Bay makes it easy to finish your list while supporting local businesses along the way.
Step Into A Cherry Pie Christmas
If you’ve ever watched a cozy holiday rom-com and wished you could walk right into it, Door County’s new Christmas Movie Trail Pass makes that dream a reality. Destination Door County’s free, mobile-based pass guides you to real filming locations from A Cherry Pie Christmas (also titled A Wisconsin Christmas Pie), a holiday movie filmed entirely in Door County.
The trail highlights stops like coffee shops, bookstores, markets, and even Door County Christkindlmarkt, which all make appearances on screen. Watch the movie back at the Holiday, then spend a day visiting the places that brought it to life. It’s an easy way to turn a winter stay into a little “movie location” adventure.