(BPT) - Come to Ely for the holidays, and you'll swear you just woke up in a Hallmark movie. It's the perfect small town, all lit up for the holidays, surrounded by hundreds of miles of pristine wilderness and snow-covered pines.

Downtown's beauty comes to life when the sun goes down early on our long, late fall and winter nights. Our historically renovated State Theater shines brightly over our downtown district's large windows. Real spruce boughs adorn every lamppost. And we can almost guarantee you'll see it all as though you're looking into a snow globe, with white, fluffy snow lightly falling around you.

Here in the Northwoods, our winter starts around Thanksgiving. Imagine celebrating the season in a cozy cabin in the woods, in front of a blazing fire.

Here are a couple of events that will bring the magic of the holidays into your life this year.
 

Northwoods Partners 17th Annual Festival of the Trees

Grand Ely Lodge, 5 p.m. to midnight, Nov. 28 to Dec. 8
Lighting ceremony, 5 p.m. Nov. 28

Holiday magic transforms the lobby of the Grand Ely Lodge into a winter wonderland, complete with beautifully decorated Christmas trees, wreaths and a holiday boutique. Join in on the fun during the Lighting Ceremony, when all the trees are lit, and enjoy refreshments and a walk through our fabulous silent auction. Haven't done your holiday shopping yet? No problem! We've got you covered. The Christmas Boutique features a selection of locally handmade gifts. There's also a raffle for a chance to win a handmade queen size quilt, which will be held on Dec. 8, when the silent auction ends. It's truly a magical time, and all of the proceeds go to a very good cause: Northwoods Partners, an organization dedicated to improve the lives of our seniors every day.
 

Ely's Small Town Christmas Celebration

All day Nov. 30

Cue the Hallmark credits, because this is a storybook small town Christmas. Begin your day browsing through the shops downtown to finish up your holiday shopping. Then join us for our annual Christmas Parade (dress warm!) followed by the City Tree Lighting in Whiteside Park. If you've never been to a small town parade, you're in for a treat. Enjoy cocoa, cider and cookies and a visit from Santa!

After all of that holiday cheer, retreat to your cozy cabin in the silent, snowy woods, stare up at the sky filled with millions of stars, and soak in the magic of holiday time in Ely.