TRAVERSE CITY -- If "just great movies" are the main attraction at the Traverse City Film Festival, downtown display windows celebrating cinema and its stars are helping to set the mood for the event.
In store windows lining Front Street, decorations like popcorn boxes, ticket strips, film canisters and movie slates pay tribute to the fourth annual film festival, which has brought thousands of visitors to the area.
At Krissie's jewelry store, miniature "Oscar" statuettes adorn glass shelves displaying lab created diamonds, while cardboard cutouts of film reels and movie cameras hang overhead. Nearby, several of Madonna's children's books, including her popular "The English Roses" series, occupy a prominent spot in the window of Up North Kids -- a nod to the star's festival appearance today.
"We got them a week ago," sales clerk Mai Vang said. "We figured, why not? She's going to be here. And she might walk around town and see them."
Liz Wildman, owner of Leaping Lizard, devoted an entire window to the movie theme. Gifts for sale include black steel silhouettes of Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe, dozens of laminated movie posters and custom-made rustic signs announcing, "Welcome to the Historic State Theatre."
"Some of it I ordered because of the film festival and some of it is because people are putting in theater rooms," said Wildman, whose favorite part of the retail business is creating window displays.
At Ella's, passersby are greeted with a display of his-and-her formal vintage wear and postcards of movie stars like Bette Davis, John Wayne and the Lone Ranger and Tonto.
"We always sell the Hollywood glamour look anyway," said owner Wendy Buhr-Dorman. "I just pulled from the store what I thought would be fun for people to wear to film festival events."
In the most elaborate display -- a take-off on the Hollywood Hills and its famous "Hollywood" sign -- a huge custom banner hanging from Federico's Design Jewelers depicts Traverse City and its surrounding hills. but instead of "Hollywood," the white letters against the hillside spell out "Traverse City Film Festival."
"It was just a vision that came to me," said owner George Wildman, who brainstormed with his staff and Britten Media on the idea. "Being around here and being on the bay ... it was perfect. I think it really defines how beautiful Traverse City is."
Wildman said the banner is getting plenty of attention from festival visitors and earned a special mention at this year's festival founder's party.
"We always try to be a little cutting edge, whether it's our jewelry or our promotion," he said.
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