About The DDA

About The DDA
DDA Info

The Downtown Ludington Board is a non-profit organization that aims to support businesses within the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) district via special events and projects, marketing and education.

STAY INFORMED

Downtown Ludington Board/DDA
Board Meetings: First Monday of the month (except July) at 3:00pm at City Hall
Marketing Meetings: First Thursday of the month at 8:30am at City Hall
Building & Grounds: Third Thursday of the month at 10am at City Hall

Board Members, Agenda & Minutes: 
http://www.ludington.mi.us/293/Downtown-Ludington-Board-DDA

CONTACTS
Jen Tooman – Marketing & Communications Manager
Jen@DowntownLudington.org
845-6237

Heather Tykoski – Community Development Director
HTykoski@ci.Ludington.mi.us
845-6237

KEEP US INFORMED

Please keep us in the loop regarding any news, events, sales, promotions, etc. so that we can pass this information along to our email lists and social media fans.

Email:
downtownludington@gmail.com
jen@downtownludington.org

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/jentooman
Invite Jen to your Facebook events
Send a PM with a quick note about news

Google Calendar:
We can link your Google Calendar (free) to our community calendar.
Please contact Jen about how to do this.

DOWNTOWN CLUB

Meetings: First Tuesday of every month to discuss upcoming events and other Downtown happenings.
Who is in the club: Downtown business owners, managers and landlords
Communication: Facebook and Email List

The Downtown Ludington Club is open (and FREE!) to all owners, managers and landlords from businesses within our DDA boundries. Monthly meetings are the hub for business education, brainstorming and open discussion about anything and everything that happens Downtown.

Facebook Group:
Once you add Jen as a friend on Facebook, she can add you to the “secret” Downtown Ludington Club group. Conversations in this group are only seen by the members and to be a member you must own property, a business or manage a business in Downtown Ludington.

EVENTS

Request an event packet with event info, including a checklist for each event.

View the Sponsorship Opportunity Page with information on how you can contribute.

VOLUNTEERS

All of our events are volunteer driven. If you or someone you know would like to help out at a DDA event, you can use these links to get more information.

Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/downtownludingtonvolunteers/

Volunteer Sign Up Page
https://signup.com/Group/736701044079/

DONATIONS

Your donation to the Downtown Ludington Board helps to fund special projects.

Ways to Donate

  1. Send a check to:
    Downtown Ludington Board Donations
    400 S Harrison St
    Ludington, MI  49431
  2. PayPal
  3. Smile.Amazon.com
    Of course we want you to shop local! But if you happen to find yourself shopping on Amazon, visit this URL and Amazon will donate a portion back to the Downtown Ludington Board.

IMPORTANT INFO

VIEW THE FAQ

FILES

TRASH REMOVAL

Every business in the DDA is allowed to dump 2 yards of trash per week into one of the City of Ludington provided dumpsters. These dumpsters are for DDA business owners ONLY. No public dumping is allowed. If you see public dumping, please contact the Ludington Police Department immediately at (231) 843-3425 with a vehicle description and license plate.

Dumpsters are located:

  • Court & Rath
  • Court & James
  • Loomis & James
  • Loomis Harrison

SIGNAGE

  • View Sign Ordinance
  • For assistance with the sign ordinance, contact Planning & Zoning:
    Carol Anne Foote
    231-845-6237
    cafoote@ci.ludington.mi.us
  • Sandwich boards are allowed, but please keep 5′ of clearance to ahead to accessibility requirements.
  • Street flags are allowed, however on Ludington Ave and James St – due to MDOT restrictions – flags must be generic. No business names are allowed. Examples of acceptable signage: Open, Wine Tastings, Ice Cream

OUTDOOR DINING

Outdoor dining areas are permitted on the same lot as the eating establishment. If a sidewalk is used for outdoor dining, it shall be immediately adjacent to and abutting the eating establishment with the exception of those establishments on corners that do not have parallel parking spaces. Egress from the building must be maintained free of obstruction per the Michigan Building Code and the National Fire Prevention Code.

FUN LUDINGTON FACTS

SS Badger
The SS Badger is the last steam powered carferry on the Great Lakes and was designated in 2016 as a National Historic Landmark. It brings over 100,000 passengers to Ludington each year during it’s sailing season from May to October.

Ludington State Park
One of the highest ranking state parks in Michigan, our state park consists 5300 aces including 21.5 miles of hiking trails.
It is open all year round for camping and hosts many events including Lantern Lit and Guided Snowshoe Hikes in the winter and live music in the summer. The state park brings thousands of visitors to the Ludington area annually.

LOCAL RESOURCES

LUDINGTON & SCOTTVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
http://www.ludington.org/

LUDINGTON AREA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
http://pureludington.com/

S.C.O.R.E.
https://ludington.score.org/

Mason County Growth Alliance
http://www.ludington.org/about-mcga/

SEASONAL INFO

Busiest Season:
Mid-June (when school gets out) until Mid-August

Large Events = Large Crowds

  • NYE Ball Drop – December 31
  • BrrrewFest Winter Beer Festival – January
  • St Patrick’s Day Celebration – March
  • Gus Macker – June
  • Lakestrike Half Marathon – June
  • Independence Day – July 4
  • West Shore Art Fair – July
  • Offshore Classic Fishing Tournament – July
  • Friday Night Live – July/August
  • Suds On The Shore – August
  • Gold Coast Art Fair – August
  • Lighthouse Triathlon – August
  • Octoberfest – Last weekend of September
  • Aglow on the Avenue – November
  • Small Business Saturday – November

DDA PROJECTS

The Downtown Ludington Board (DDA) contributes financially to special projects throughout Downtown.

Annual Projects
Downtown Brochure/Map
Petunia Baskets
Baby Badger Upkeep
Advertising and Marketing Pieces
Live Music
Lawn Care & Landscaping
Repair & Maintenance

2015 Completed Projects
James Street Plaza restroom facility remodel
Installed LED streetlights throughout

2016 Completed Projects
Downtown WiFi
Resident Parking Sticker Program

2017 Completed Projects
Platform stage for James Street Plaza

2018 Completed Projects In Progress
Public James Street Parking Lot
James Street Plaza Synthetic Ice Rink
New umbrellas and yard games for James Street Plaza

2019 Projects
Fundraising for Legacy Plaza
Alley Repave/Closure on 100 block of Ludington Ave, between James and Rath.
DDA Street Tree Plan Implementation
Purchased 8 Street-side Planters

2020 Current Projects
James Street Plaza (Legacy Plaza) Revamp
Added 8 street-side planters
Digital Kiosk
COVID Support & Regulations
Pocket Park behind Blu Moon/HumaniTea

Future Projects
Streetscape Plan

On The Radar
Design Guidelines

SUGGESTIONS

The DDA welcomes public comment! Getting feedback from business owners, locals and visitors helps to fine tune our events and provide ideas for future projects. Feel free to contact the board with ideas, praise and constructive criticism.