A CROWD OF WOMEN shop and enter drawings at Grayson & Co. Jewelers in downtown Iron Mountain during the 2018 Girls’ Night Out. (Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — Downtown Iron Mountain will be bustling Thursday evening as women hunt for deals during the annual Girls’ Night Out event.

The Iron Mountain Downtown Development Authority organized the event, which takes place from 5 to 8 p.m., with many businesses offering specials and promotions to celebrate.

“Girls’ Night Out was created to promote economic growth to businesses in the downtown district and provides an opportunity for Yooper ladies to get out with friends the week of the opening day of hunting season,” said Amber Pipp, DDA program director.

Returning this year is the Girls’ Night Out punch card, which will be available at Iron Mountain City Hall or participating businesses. With each purchase, women will receive a “punch” on the card. Once the card is full, it can be deposited in the dropbox outside of Iron Mountain City Hall at 501 S. Stephenson Ave. The punch card does not have to be filled that same night; ladies have until Dec. 2 to fill and turn in their cards. All completed cards will be entered into a drawing to win a number of downtown gift certificates and prizes.

“We are looking forward to bringing back the punch card this year, as it promotes supporting these downtown businesses. The evening of Girls’ Night Out can be busy, and the goal is that ladies will go back into the businesses again after the event,” Pipp said.

A record-setting 55 businesses are participating in Girls’ Night Out. “We were blown away by the number of businesses that signed up this year. Many of these businesses are also new to the downtown, so it is extremely encouraging to see the growth,” Pipp said.

Those businesses include: 906 Quilting Services, Arrange For Change, Bijou Lovely, BK Enterprises-The Engraving Store, Blackstone Pizza Company, The Blind Pig 906, Braumart Theatre, Brick + Mortar, Charmaine’s Beauty Bar, Cloots & Swanson Supplies, Contrast Coffee, Core FunKtions, Da Vape Escape/Da Joynt, Dickinson County Library, Echo Boutique, Erickson Jewelers, Exhale 906, Extraordinary Interiors/Perennial, Flowerland Greenhouse, Flutterby Photography, The Good Earth Salon, Grayson & Co. Jewelers, Greenway Books/Lola’s Emporium, Heart to Heart Pet Salon, Hello Again Consignments and Décor, Hypnotic Solutions, Izzy B Boutique, The John Fornetti Dental Center, Kingsley North, Inc., Linnea & Kristine, Lydia’s, The Moose Jackson Café, Mully & Mo’s LLC, MULTI State Realty, Nic’s Boutique, Organic Grounds Coffeehouse, Paws and Claws Pet Grooming, Pigment Perfected LLC, Pistol CrossFit, Salon 323, Sarah Rice Life Coach/Gritty Girl Studio, The Savage Mane Salon & Day Spa, Sol Blu Lounge & Tap Room, Spiro’s Downtown Restaurant, Split Endz Salon, Step Ahead Boots & Clothing, Teena’s Healing Hands, Upper Peninsula Audiology, U.P. Sport and Spoke, Vision Source Kingsford, Westman Precision Firearms, LLC, Wild Horse Saloon, The Wishing Well Gifts, Zonta Club of Iron Mountain-Kingsford Area, as well as vendors and pop-up shops at a variety of locations.

Danyel Pipp, manager of Spiro’s Downtown Restaurant, said Girls’ Night Out is one of the busiest nights of the year, if not the busiest. “It’s getting bigger and bigger every year,” she said. “The reservations are coming a week in advance. The phone rang off the hook yesterday. We are doing several special features, including curried crab cakes, strawberry bruschetta and apple pie sangria. It’s a fun time of year.”

Brick + Mortar is excited to participate in its first Girls’ Night Out and is offering 20% off all already-potted succulents and arrangements as well as other in-store specials. “Brick + Mortar would like to raise a glass to our community for the great support and warm welcome and we invite the ladies to B+M to say thank you and share wine and laughter,” owner Mike Pearson said.

This year, the DDA is partnering with the Northern Light YMCA-Dickinson Center for a Parents’ Night Out event for women who hope to head to Girls’ Night Out without their kids. This program will be available from 5 to 8:30 p.m., with the YMCA providing dinner and snacks, gym games, a craft and more. Space is limited. Those interested in reserving a spot for their child are asked to call 906-774-4076 or go to www.nlymca.com/dickinson.

For a list of participating Girls’ Night Out businesses, with links to each business, official Girls’ Night Out map and more information, go to www.downtownironmountain.com/gno.