SAUGATUCK — If your mom is the type of woman who loves fashion, then treating her to a trip up to Saugatuck might just the best present you could give her this Mother’s Day weekend.

From May 8 through May 11, the Saugatuck-Douglas area will be transformed into a fashion mecca, with four uniquely-themed fashion shows taking place at various venues.

“We see this as an opportunity for several generations of family members to get together for Mother’s Day,” said Felicia Fairchild, executive director of the Saugatuck-Douglas Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Co-sponsored by the Saugatuck-Douglas Convention Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Saugatuck-Douglas Area Business Association (SABA), “A Taste of Fashion” will present event-goers with the opportunity to view works of art alongside the new lines of spring and summer apparel and accessories that are available at shops and boutiques in the area.

“I can just see mothers and daughters having a really good time at this event,” Fairchild said. “And, we have lots of other great activities for fathers who may not find a fashion show that interesting. For example, the dads could go over to the Saugatuck Brewing Company and brew their own beer there.”

“Each of the shows will be set up a little differently, said Courtney Burnham, owner of the Ship-N-Shore Hotel and a board member of the CVB. “At each one, we’ll have food and a cash bar available.”

Burnham, a fashion-lover herself, came up with the idea for the four-day event.

“I got the idea because I was thinking of Fashion Week, and I thought we could do something along those lines,” Burnham explained. “Instead of making a whole week out of it, we decided to focus on doing just a few shows this year. We hope that the event grows in the future.”

The events will kick off on Thursday evening at 8 p.m. with a show called “Throwback Thursday” at Wick’s Park Bar & Grille.

“That show will feature clothes from the decades of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s,” Burnham said. “We’ll have fashions from Chantal Fashion Apparel, as well as from Del Sol, Glik’s, LandSharks, Laura Jean and Saugatuck Drug.”

Friday evening’s show will take place at Zing Eat/Drink beginning at 6 p.m. Featuring classic fashion trends, the runway-style show will present models wearing evening dress, cocktail party wear, and club wear from Allé Rue, Chantal Fashion Apparel, Grins, LandSharks, Laura Jean and Saugatuck Traders.

“Some of the models will be featuring pieces from Thomas Green,” Burnham said. “He has gorgeous jewelry. He sells everything gift-wise—clothing, jewelry, unique gifts items, and so forth.”

From Friday’s focus of classic eveningwear fashions, Saturday afternoon’s event will shift attention to a “Beach Party” theme at the Ship-N-Shore Hotel.

“There will be clothing for pets, children and adults—everything you’d need for the whole family for beach attire,” Burnham said. “There will also be beach equipment and supplies from Shaka Surf—the paddle board company— and Just Add Water.”

Participating merchants also include Art & Angels, Del Sol, Fresh Produce, Glik’s, Grins, LandSharks, Laura Jean, Saugatuck Drug Store and Saugatuck Traders. Groovy Paws will be supplying pet fashions.

The final event, which is scheduled to take place at the Convention and Visitors Bureau on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., is being billed as “Wearable Wonders and Spectacular Works of Art.”

“While the others are runway-style shows, the event on Sunday is structured a little bit differently. It will be set up like an open house,” Burnham said. “Again, there will be food and a cash bar, but this will be more of an accessories show. It will present the art of fashion, and there will be jewelry, handbags and also a gallery with pieces of art on display.”

If event-goers see something that catches their eye, maps with the locations for the participating shops and boutiques will be available at all of the shows.

“You can literally walk to every store that is participating,” Burnham said. “Store owners will also be there to answer questions about the featured merchandise.”

Additionally, guests will receive entry into a raffle for the chance to win weekend getaway packages that include free lodging and gift certificates to local restaurants and shops. More information about Saugatuck’s weekend of fashion is available at www.saugatuck.com/TasteOfFashion.html.

Individual fashion show tickets are $15 each, and “A Taste of Fashion” weekend pass, good for all the shows, can be purchased for $50 by contacting the CVB at (269) 857-1701 or at staff@saugatuck.com. Tickets for the shows will also be available at the door of each event.

“We’re hoping it’s going to be a great event, and people should come down and check out what we’ve got here,” Burnham said. “Come get your fashion on!”