Praises for good work are often in short supply. We spend countless hours discussing problems, criticizing projects, and worrying about what isn’t working in our communities. Yet when something is done exceptionally well, we too often move on without taking a moment to express our appreciation.
The new roundabout at the intersection of M-72 and M-22 is one of those successes that deserves recognition. Anyone who has driven through that intersection over the years knows how congested and frustrating it could become, especially during the busy summer months. Today, traffic moves more smoothly and safely, and the project has transformed what was once a bottleneck into an attractive gateway to our region. The State of Michigan, the engineers, the contractors, and the skilled men and women who built this project deserve our sincere thanks. Their planning, craftsmanship, and hard work have created something that will benefit residents and visitors alike for decades to come.
Too often we take these accomplishments for granted. This roundabout is more than just a transportation improvement—it is an investment in the quality of life for everyone who lives in or visits the Grand Traverse region. So, rather than simply complaining about the next inconvenience or construction project, let’s pause to acknowledge a job well done. To everyone who helped bring this project to completion, thank you. Your work is noticed, appreciated, and has made our community better.
Catherine Schmitt | Traverse City
CORRECTION: In last week’s paper, we told you about an art exhibit called “Tasting Notes.” That exhibit will be shown in the Traverse City Visitors Center, not Allium Hill, as originally reported.
Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC.
Publisher: Luke Haase PO Box 4020 Traverse City, Michigan 49685 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com
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Contributors: Joseph Beyer, Ross Boissoneau, Ren Brabenec, Art Bukowski, Eric Cox, Anna Faller, Kierstin Gunsberg, Karl Klockars, Craig Manning, Stephen Tuttle
Distribution: Marc Morris, Gerald Morris, Dave Anderson, Joe Evancho, Jason Ritter, Sherri Ritter, Roger Racine, Sarah Racine, Brandy Grames, Rachel Cara, Jackson Price, Lisa Price, Peggy Bell
Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold
Cover photo courtesy of Studio Anatomy
top ten
The folks behind the year-round Lively Neighborfood Farm Market in Leelanau County are putting on a fabulous show Aug. 7 and 8 on the property, dubbed “Lively Acres.” The first annual Backyard Blues, Brews & BBQ will feature (in order of the title) Detroit-based and nationally acclaimed Thornetta Davis—along with other Michigan blues talent; BBQ pork and beef from local farmers Recker Swine Farm and Noonan and Sons, respectively; and brews from Stormcloud Brewing of Frankfort. There will be plenty of other food, including gluten-free and vegetarian fare, plus wines from Mawby and Big Little Wines. Lively Acres even has campsites available for blues fans! And don’t miss the opening event on Friday night, a campfire gathering with Sugar Mae Owens, publisher of Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine. Get all the details and tickets at livelyacres.com/events/backyard-blues-brews-bbq.
Though we don’t know the Muffin Man personally, we suspect a similar magic is at play at Leelanau Sourdough Co. in Traverse City, where the scratch-made muffins are the stuff of legend. This time of year, it’s all about the blueberries, which this micro-bakery sources from Bulldog Berries (also Traverse City) and incorporates fresh into every batch for a satisfyingly fruity pop. Add to that a tender crumb made moist and airy by a touch of Greek yogurt and the gut-boosting benefits of an active sourdough starter, and you’ve got the perfect berry-vanilla bite in grab-and-go form. Muffin Man, eat your heart out! Psst—these babies are also available in vibrant lemon poppyseed. Get the fresh-baked goods from Leelanau Sourdough Co. at the Vander Farm stand in Traverse City (5765 E Traverse Hwy). instagram. com/vander_farm
Friday Night Live
at Friday
Hey, watch It! High Potential
We love discovering a TV show that already has more than one season, so you can imagine our delight at finding ABC’s High Potential (renewed for a third season!) streaming on Hulu. The show follows Morgan Gillory, a (mostly stable) genius whose ability to notice everything has been more of a burden than a gift. She’s struggled with jobs, relationships, and just keeping her head on straight…at least until she helps the LAPD solve a murder/kidnapping case. A consultant job offer follows, and suddenly Morgan’s life takes a turn for the better. And while Morgan takes pride in helping solve crimes—with a great deal of hilarity, we might add—she has her own motives as she searches for a long-lost friend. Other stars include Judy Reyes (Scrubs) and Daniel Sunjata (Rescue Me), but lead actress Kaitlin Olson steals every scene as she catches criminals and teaches the audience a thing or two in this fresh take on a procedural.
Free fun
Night Live! This downtown Traverse City block party (on Front St., between Union and Park) celebrates community and camaraderie to wind down the summer. Entertainment on Aug. 7 from 6-9pm includes live music with Molly, Bauer Jones (The Wax) / Tower of Bauer, and Midnight Blue Band; Old Town Playhouse live performances featuring songs from “Hadestown”; Stand Out Stilting, and much more. It’s also the downtown Street Sale, so bring your wallet! Head back on Friday, Aug. 14, for more fun. downtowntc.com
Pictured: Thornetta Davis (photo from Davis’ Facebook page)
If you need more goats in your life (who doesn’t?), then head to Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay this week for two livestock adventures. On Aug. 4 and 5 from 3-6pm, the winery offers Happy Hour with the Goats, which includes time with the farm’s friendliest residents, half off select wines by the glass, and 10 percent off bottles to go. See more details at blackstarfarms.com/experience. Then, Aug. 6-9, find your zen with goat yoga at 10am. The class—which is about 45 minutes long, plus 15 minutes reserved for cuddling the goats!—is appropriate for all yoga experience levels. Plus, your ticket ($45) includes a glass of wine, a cocktail/mocktail, or another NA beverage. BYO mat, though they’ll have a few extras if you forget. Purchase tickets at blackstarfarms.com/series/goat-yoga.
Stuff We Love: Sand Cloud Towels
Our annual Pets issue is coming soon! As part of that issue, we create a collage of pet photos from readers. We invite you to send us photos of your best bud—cat, dog, horse, parrot, you name it—for a chance to see them featured in our Sept. 14 paper. You can be in the shot with your pet, or they can be the star of the show. Your submission must meet the following guidelines: 1) Send only one photo per pet. 2) The photo file size must fall between 150KB and 5MB. 3) Photos must be in color, not black and white. 4) Send your photo to info@northernexpress.com with the subject line “Pet Issue Photo” and include your name, your NoMi city of residence, and the name of your pet. We will collect submissions through Sept. 4.
You may have seen these bad boys on Instagram, but believe this writer— who has had Sand Cloud beach and bath towels for at least three years— when I say, these 100 percent Turkish organic cotton towels are a game changer. No more wet sand stuck to every wrinkle of your beach towel after a swim. No more taking hours to dry on the deck railing when the humidity spikes. And no more taking up valuable space in your beach bag that should be filled with food, drinks, books, and the latest copy of the Express. (Seriously, these things don’t weigh much more than the paper!) Head to the Dam Shop in Elk Rapids (118 Bridge Street) to shop an array of Sand Cloud offerings, or scope out the full selection at sandcloud.com. bottoms up Tacos & Tequila’s Frozen Mango Marg Send in Photos of Your Four-Legged Friends
In Traverse City, you never quite know when a new restaurant is going to become the hottest ticket in town or fly under the radar. Tacos & Tequila, which opened in the former Pacificoast space, falls into the latter category. Our opinion? The place deserves more love! In particular, Tacos & Tequila lives up to the equal billing it gives to its booze component, with almost an entire page of its menu devoted to margaritas. We tried the frozen mango margarita (delicious!), but could have gone for any of the other available flavors (strawberry, raspberry, pina colada, blueberry, cherry, peach, kiwi, or pineapple), to say nothing of more adventurous options like the “Frozen Blue Moscato Margarita,” or the “Strawberry Cheesecake Margarita.” Can’t make up your mind? Margarita flights are an option, too! Try them all at 123 W Front St. in TC.
spectator
By steven Tuttle
Four local politicians, who shall remain nameless because they do not deserve the attention, recently sent a letter to Ontario’s leaders demanding something be done about their wildfire smoke. The letter even suggested if they don’t, the U.S. will do it ourselves.
Sigh.
beginning and now facing ongoing drought, will force additional water restrictions for all users.
Even Minnesota and Wisconsin, with nearly 27,000 lakes between them, are experiencing moderate drought conditions, and both North and South Dakota are considered to be in extreme drought conditions.
During the worst of our smoky days, there were a stunning 800 plus wildfires burning in Canada, including many far away from any way to access them for mitigation or fire prevention, sometimes without roads for tens of miles in any direction.
Our intrepid politicians, always on the lookout for some election year publicity, should have been aware some of that smoke was coming from wildfires in Minnesota and Montana. In fact, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), there are currently 78 major fires in the U.S. consuming 1.6 million acres, including more than 850,000 acres burning in Oregon alone. So far this year, a staggering 41,000 U.S. wildfires have burned more than 4.1 million acres. (The NIFC counts any unplanned non-structure fire requiring suppression efforts, regardless of size, to be a wildfire.) This is a significant increase from historical averages, and the fire season is not yet over.
It isn’t just North America burning. Huge, record wildfires in both France and Spain have forced the evacuation of more than 250,000 residents and are still out of control as this is being written. Already a record fire season in those countries, most of Europe is still at risk.
Here in the U.S., persistent regional droughts continue to be part of the problem. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, fully 38 percent of the country is experiencing some level of drought conditions ranging from moderate, which can be at least partially alleviated with normal rainfall, to extreme, which might
Lake Mead and Lake Powell are large reservoirs on the Colorado River providing water for some 40 million people in Nevada, California, and Arizona, plus Colorado and parts of New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and 20 indigenous tribal nations. More than 70 percent of that water is used for farming
But Lake Mead is shrinking, down to just 49 percent of its capacity, and Lake Powell is even worse, down to just 38 percent of its capacity, both historic lows based on Bureau of Reclamation data. Arizona has already had to restrict their share of Colorado River water, and other states will soon have to follow. The Colorado River water allotment, oversubscribed from the
But ground zero for water issues right now could be Corpus Christi, Texas, located on the Gulf of Mexico and home to 300,000 people who are quickly running out of water. Despite the water issue—their aquifer has about a year’s worth of water left unless they get some serious rainfall very soon—they issued more than 3,000 new building permits last year and seem fine with a plastics factory just outside of town using more water than the entire city. They’re either in denial or simply oblivious to reality.
The villain in all this, as we’ve known for decades, is our insatiable need for and use of fossil fuels. There was a brief period when we had politicians who understood and tried to formulate policies that moved us away from those fuels and into far less destructive renewable forms of energy.
That was then, and we now have an administration gung-ho to find, extract, transport, and burn ever more fossil fuels. They will go anywhere to do it.
According to the White House’s own website, President Trump, by proclamation, has reduced the size of previously protected Bear Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments in Utah each by more than a million acres or 90 percent. Why? To allow for “multi-use management” and “mineral extraction.” There was more.
Trump removed protection from 330,000 acres of the Chaco Canyon area of New Mexico with all of its sacred and historical indigenous people’s sites to open it to oil and coal development. He also removed the mineral withdrawal restrictions (mining) from the Ruby Mountain area of Nevada and the Upper Pecos watershed in New Mexico.
And in a particularly grotesque decision, he exempted oil and gas drillers in the Gulf of Mexico from sections of the Endangered Species Act specifically created to protect the critically endangered Rice’s whale, which calls the region home.
This comes on the heels of trying to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas leasing, exploration, and extraction and approving expanded, aggressive logging operations in national forests.
Are we tired of winning, yet? Or just tired of breathing?
MUSICAL NOTES
GUEST OPINION
by Karen Mulvahill
The first musical instrument was the human voice, and prehistoric people imitated the sounds of nature. About 35,000 years ago, the Neanderthals created a flute out of bone. Confucius thought musical knowledge was critically important, saying, “only the superior man who can understand music is equipped to govern.”
Britannica says the music is “art concerned with combining vocal or instrumental sounds for beauty of form or emotional expression.” That’s the what. The how is vibration. For example, the vibration of a guitar string creates waves that reach your ear and are interpreted as sound. I don’t have space here to delve deeply into it, but the speed of the vibration determines the pitch, and loudness is experienced when the wave is higher. When they reach the inner ear, the waves are converted to
we were familiar with, the song continued for another four minutes. This was our discovery of FM radio, specifically WABX in Detroit, and our introduction to all sorts of music that was “inappropriate” for the AM airwaves—and possibly for young teens!
Because of its obvious impact on human emotion and behavior, music has often been deemed dangerous. Plato thought certain kinds of music should be censored for their potential ill effects on the soul. Jazz, blues, and rap have all experienced censorship for representation of free thought, for political messages, and due to prejudice against Black artists.
At MSU in the early 1970s, much of the music my friends and I listened to protested the Vietnam War. It was a profound, social experience that united an entire
Music can improve your mood, reduce your pain, unite you with others, make you dance, and inspire you to sing.
electrical signals and sent to the brain, which interprets them as sound.
Knowing how music impacts the brain has generated applications for music therapy. Listening to, singing, and composing music have all been found to have health benefits. Learning to play an instrument enhances memory, creativity, and empathy.
The first time I cried to a song, it was a hot summer night. My sister, my two girl cousins, and I, 10 or 11 years old, were sitting in the car in the driveway listening to the AM radio. The Cavaliers’ hit song of 1964, “Last Kiss”, blasted through the tinny speakers. The story of the car crash that killed the singer’s girlfriend had all the melodrama, tragedy, and romance a young girl could want. To this day, that song prompts a smarting behind my eyes, testifying to the emotional resonance of music and its powerful effect on memory.
Music strongly affects the brain’s medial prefrontal cortex, which governs the brain’s reward system. “… music you love isn’t just rewarding, but it also feels like it’s ‘ours.’ It’s part of our identity.” (Psyche Loui, PhD, Northeastern University) It’s because of that link to identity, formed in adolescence, that the music of our youth resonates so strongly.
It’s said that when you’re dying, your life flashes before your eyes. That happens to me every time I listen to the classic rock station on satellite radio. I am transported from time to time and place to place and recollections of friends, some living, some gone.
I can still picture dancing with my sister in the living room, when we were 14 or 15 years old, to The Doors’ song “Light My Fire.” After the three-minute version
generation. And one of the best was written by Michigan’s own Bob Seger, who recorded “2+2=?” for his first album. That song still gives me the shivers.
Music’s ability to unite people might be one of its most powerful aspects. “When you go into a church, the music takes over the mental faculties of all the people who are attending. It puts everyone in the same emotional space.” (Patrick Whelan, Harvard Medical School) In a church, the shared emotion is likely to be spiritual awe. Other music and venues unite people around different emotions, ranging from joy to rage and everything in between.
Anyone who’s ever attended a concert in a big arena knows the feeling. I was fortunate to see Neil Young’s Love Earth Tour at Pine Knob last year. Standing there, listening to one of my favorite musicians belt out “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World,” I felt the power of many people united in their love of the music and inspired by the message it conveyed.
Music can improve your mood, reduce your pain, unite you with others, make you dance, and inspire you to sing. One key to unlocking all these benefits is to listen intentionally. Too often, music is relegated to background sound.
Next time you’re watching a band, close your eyes, forget what the musicians look like or what the people around you are doing and just focus on the music. Home alone, don a pair of headphones, lay back and listen. Suggested track: “People Have the Power” by Patti Smith. Grab your sister and dance.
Karen Mulvahill is a writer living in northern Michigan. Her new book, The Lost Woman, is now available.
Doo the Dew
In his quest to retrieve a bottle of Mountain Dew, a Kansas City, Missouri, man fell into a portable restroom toilet tank and was stuck there for eight hours -with the lid closed! -- before being rescued. According to Fox 4 News, on July 14, a driver with Patriot Portable Restrooms was trying to collect the structures that had been set up for a World Cup watch party when he encountered the trapped occupant. The driver flagged down a nearby police officer, who helped him unlock the door. "When we opened the door and didn't see anybody, we honestly thought we were talking to a ghost, and then his head popped up out of the tank like a game of whack-a-mole, or Oscar the Grouch coming out of his can," a company representative said. KCFD had to cut the man out of the toilet and then blasted him with the fire hose to rinse him off. "In the portable restroom business, you kind of expect the unexpected," the representative said. "But in six years, I never thought I'd find someone alive inside one of our units."
[FOX4, 7/17/26]
In the Heights
In Wilmington, Illinois, a man was rescued after being stuck in a gas station sign for several hours on July 21. The man, a maintenance worker, used a special lift to get up to the 130-foot-tall sign to do some work on it. The lift, however, would not come down, leaving the man stranded until emergency personnel were able to procure a crane from nearby Joliet. ABC7 reported that the man appeared to be in good spirits and refused medical treatment. [ABC7, 7/21/26]
Clothing Optional
Witnesses in northeastern Colorado were met with a startling image on July 16 -- a man surfing a moving Union Pacific locomotive ... while in the buff. Daniel Ray Ballance of Arizona allegedly broke a window to get into the train and climbed to the top while it was moving, Fox News reported. Ballance faces misdemeanor and felony charges, and authorities have not released a motivation for Ballance's antics or whether anyone was injured in the process. "Daniel is spending some time at an all-expenses-paid stay in jail, where he is presumed innocent until proven guilty," the Sedgwick County Sherriff's Office said in a social media post. [Fox News, 7/18/26]
Authorities in Ellisville, Mississippi, are also stumped as to why Katelyn Maxwell, 22, was operating a vehicle -- in this case, a 2017 Dodge Challenger -- while wholly unclothed. The Smoking Gun reported that on July 12, Maxwell was pulled over during a traffic stop after officers observed the car driving erratically; police reported that she appeared to be inebriated and that the vehicle smelled strongly of pot. They also discovered five firearms and a bag of marijuana. Maxwell faces felony and misdemeanor charges and is in jail on a $35,000 bond. [The Smoking Gun, 7/17/26]
Eyewitness News
An Odessa, Texas, man is reeling after learning that the odor that had been emitting for weeks from a clothes donation box in his neighborhood belonged to a dead
body. "I never knew where it came from, I just smelled it," Juan Enriquez said. "But I thought it was a trashcan, you know how it smells during the summertime." KOSA reported that police found the body on July 17 and are working to identify the deceased, but authorities say there is no evidence of foul play. [KOSA, 7/20/26]
Police Report
During a traffic stop, police in St. Petersburg, Florida, arrested the driver for a window tint violation ... and the passenger for several bags of fentanyl that kept falling from her person. The Smoking Gun reported on July 17 that when Yoneshe Smith, 26, stepped out of the passenger side of the car, officers noted baggies on the seat and near the ground. Then, while walking to the police van, another bag "fell from her buttocks area," according to the police report. But wait, there's more -while Smith was being booked into custody, officers confiscated two more baggies "from the defendant's vaginal cavity ... and right breast area." Smith faces charges of drug trafficking and possession of a controlled substance in a detention facility. [The Smoking Gun, 7/17/26]
The Tech Revolution
Humanoid robot surgeons have successfully completed two gallbladder removals on large animals, paving the way for human surgeries to be performed by robots. Metro News UK reported on July 14 that engineers and surgeons at the University of California San Diego performed the procedures -- during one, a human surgeon was assisted by a robotic one, and in the other, two robot surgeons made up the surgical team. The humanlike robots are about 5 feet tall; they also weigh less and take up less space than current robotic surgery machines. "Remotely operated and autonomous humanoid robots have real potential for expanding access to critical surgeries that patients would otherwise not receive," Professor Michael Yip, one of the researchers, said. [Metro UK, 7/14/26]
Small World
It sounds like the plot of a psychological thriller: You go on vacation and stay at a rental where you've never been before. Inside, you admire a framed beach photo on the wall ... only to recognize yourself and several family members in the picture. That's what happened to Utah sisters Libby Birrell and Aubrey Birrell, who were visiting Oceanside, California, with extended family for their grandfather's 80th birthday, Fox News reported on July 18. "I will say we were creeped out," Aubrey, 26, said. "Did they know we were coming?" The sisters posted a video to social media, and the host informed them that the decorator of the rental is a local photographer who sells aerial beach prints to vacation rental hosts; when the sisters' video went viral, several commenters agreed that they had seen the same photo in different rentals. Judging by their swimsuit styles in the photo, the family believes the picture was snapped during a trip they took about 10 years ago to a nearby beach. Now the sisters find the incident funny and are working to obtain a print from the photographer. [Fox News, 7/18/26]
WISE GUYS AT THE BAR
Petoskey’s TAP30 morphs into two new spaces
By Karl Klockars
Change is always scary. Rebranding a popular longtime beer-focused destination like Petoskey’s TAP30 Pour House in a craftbeverage-loving state like Michigan comes with its own set of concerns. Will locals respond to the new idea? Will tourists give it a shot? Will a menu that doesn’t focus on burgers and fries be able to connect with customers throughout the year?
For manager Todd Chinnock and Chef Ray Kumm, their recent pivot to a new concept comes on the heels of their rebrand of the neighboring space from POUR Kitchen to Leto’s Osteria, so they had a good idea of what was in front of them.
Today, what was once known as TAP30 has two different but complementary identities. There’s the Front Bar, where pours of affordable, palate-friendly beers find a home alongside affordable cocktails. And there’s Wise Guys Hoagies, where generously-stuffed sandwiches come with a side of mafioso swagger. (If you recognize the movie quote “go home and get your shinebox,” you’ll do well with this menu.)
Making the Switch
When you’ve run a restaurant for over a decade, the regulars can feel as close to a place as the actual proprietors, meaning a well-managed change starts with your biggest fans.
“There certainly is a sense of ownership that is inevitable amongst regular customers of a place that was there for 12 years,” Chinnock says. “Honestly, treating them with kindness and trying to expose them to what we’re doing, and get them excited
about it—that can be an uphill battle at times. There’s nothing to do except do what we do, and do it well, and give people great hospitality.”
Changing the “what we do” part was well considered, with options being discussed over the span of weeks. A few ideas were tossed around “but none of them got too far,” Chef Ray says, mentioning the potential of a barbecue spot or even a ramen concept.
“Running that [ramen shop] would have been a lot of fun, but I just don’t think the market here is quite large enough to sustain it—when your busiest time is July and August, and you’re serving hot soup, it’s not the best combination,” he says, with corresponding laughter from Chinnock.
A few big factors went into making this change, starting with the current corrective slide that craft beer is on (down about 8 percent nationwide over the past two years, per data from the Brewers Association) and a corresponding overall drop in generational drinking appetites, according to Chinnock.
“TAP30 was here for 12 years, and the craft beer thing has kind of run its course, but also became pretty saturated in the market up here,” he says.
The second is economics. “We definitely wanted to go back to lighter and cheap beers,” Chinnock tells us, noting that “everybody’s drinking lighter stuff now, and people are drinking more affordable beers than a $9 double IPA.”
The Front Bar
That’s not an arbitrary price point, either—every draft, bottle, and canned beer on the Front Bar menu clocks in at $8 or under, as are seltzers and NA options.
Multiple selections (mostly macro beers) are even available for $4-$5, but you can also crack a can of Keweenaw Red Jacket or Modelo for that price.
Simple and economical is one thing; affordable value is another, and a good mixed drink for $12 is right in that sweet spot as well.
“We also wanted to be a place where you can get a proper cocktail, with some pretty tenured, deeply experienced bartenders who are creative," Todd says, noting that their bartender in charge of the drink program recently joined them from the now-closed Ernesto’s Cigar Lounge and Bar.
A visit to the new Front Bar has a few surprises in store, especially if you’re a sports fan.
“We turned this into more of a sports bar and entertainment space,” Todd says, noting the 10 new TVs mounted around the space “and a new sound system that we can cast audio from all the games. We’re also adding a foosball table, some entertainment stuff to make it feel a bit more fun.”
Wise Guys
With an Italian restaurant operating next door (and even sharing a prep kitchen), it makes sense that the new menu would skew hard towards the East Coast hoagie side of things, largely populated by hefty 12-inch sandwiches named for fictional gangsters like the Carmine Lupertazzi, loaded with soppressata, mortadella, provolone, and that Sopranos favorite, “gabagool.”
One of the surprise favorites is the Janice Rossi, topped with some not-veryItalian sliced turkey, Plath’s bacon, and sharp cheddar (“I didn’t expect to sell so many
turkey sandwiches,” Ray says, “but we are in the Midwest”), along with interesting sides like fried raviolis, a St. Louis specialty that’s hard to find this side of the Mississippi and north of the 45th parallel.
And when you order up one of these hearty hoagies, you’re getting some seriously well-sourced and houseprepared ingredients.
“The bread comes from South Jersey, the hoagie capital of the world. We make the chicken cutlets in house, the deli turkey in house, the roast beef in house, the mozzarella and raviolis are all prepared in house ... the value in what you’re getting greatly exceeds what you can get elsewhere, in our humble opinion,” Chef Ray says.
That connection to quality comes at the tradeoff of having a more limited menu, which is one that Ray is willing to make. “Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, we just wanted to make the absolute best sandwiches available up here by leaps and bounds,” he says. “I’m firmly of the belief that doing a couple things at an exceedingly high level beats the heck out of doing 25 different things in a mediocre fashion.”
As Tony Soprano famously said about looking back, “‘Remember when’ is the lowest form of conversation.” Given their focus on scratch cooking, quality ingredients and affordability, it’s likely you won’t suffer too strong a bout of nostalgia for the old TAP30 after a visit to the Wise Guys and the Front Bar.
Find Wise Guys and the Front Bar at 422 East Mitchell Street in Petoskey. wiseguyspetoskey.com
ROCKIN’ IN THE RELIC THEATER
By Art Bukowski
Yes, it may have been a long (and sometimes bumpy) ride. But if you ask Brian Chamberlain, it was worth the wait.
After several months of hoping for approval from Traverse City officials, Chamberlain’s Studio Anatomy is primed to open a new music and event venue dubbed The Relic Theater in the Con Foster building along Grandview Parkway. The historic structure most recently housed Bijou By the Bay, a movie theater run by the Traverse City Film Festival that closed more than two years ago.
There’s a very short list of places in town that possess the visibility, charm, and location of Con Foster, and Chamberlain can’t wait to bring the space back to life.
“We’re coming from this underground basement hidden in some building to this iconic, historic building with all of
this exposure on the main parkway,” Chamberlain says. “It’s an honor to be taking over this space, and I’m so confident that it’s going to be an amazing venue.”
Arcade Beginnings
Chamberlain started Studio Anatomy in a small space above the Camera Shop before moving to the basement of the Arcade Building in 2012. He settled there in the former home of a music shop called Good News Music Center, but Chamberlain—nudged on by those in the community hungry for another venue— envisioned more.
Simply put, he wanted a space to jam. And a space for others to jam. And a space, most importantly, where everyone could come and see those jams.
“We wanted to do all-ages shows, because at the time, there were only a couple places in town doing those types of events,”
Chamberlain said. “There really was a big need for it.”
Studio Anatomy went on to host over 300 shows during its 10-year run in the Arcade. The space really seemed to resonate with people, Chamberlain says.
“It was literally an underground event space,” he says. “As Traverse City was getting wealthier and bougier and everything was growing so fast and changing, people still wanted that underground facility to watch up-and-coming bands.”
The jig was up in 2022, when their landlord kicked them (and everyone else there) out as Cherry Republic planned to buy and use the building. It was a gut punch, even if the landlord did let them know well in advance that the building was on the market and such an outcome might transpire.
“We were planning on staying there forever because we had completely remodeled the whole space; put a lot of
money into it,” Chamberlain says. “It had turned into a really awesome space. People loved it.”
After leaving that space, Chamberlain focused on another endeavor, Eugene’s Record Co-op (in the basement of the Coin Slot building) and continued to explore other opportunities.
Then to Now
It was November of 2024 when Michael Moore announced that the Traverse City Film Festival would vacate the Bijou By the Bay, which it had run for several years. Even before this announcement, the wheels were turning in Chamberlain’s head as the space sat unused (no films had been shown since May of that year). As it is a city-owned space, he called over to the Governmental Center.
“I was reaching out and was like, ‘Hey, what’s going on with the theater? Are they
closing? What’s going on?’” he says. “[Deputy City Manager Deb Allen] and I were in touch for a couple of years almost, kind of going back and forth.”
Eventually Allen let Chamberlain know that the city planned to issue a request for proposals for a new tenant for the space, which it did in January of 2026. But things did not go smoothly.
After a very tight turnaround time on the RFP, confusion around the extensive RFP requirements and communication issues led to both Studio Anatomy and the lone competing proposal—a sauna/wellness center from Paper Birch Properties—initially being rejected in March. What’s worse, they weren’t even notified, only finding out when a public city meeting packet was posted.
But in May, commissioners revisited the proposals and voted to have staff enter contract negotiations with Studio Anatomy, believing it to be the best use for the space. In early July, commissioners voted to ink a fiveyear agreement with Studio Anatomy.
“It was a rollercoaster, because we thought we didn’t have it, and then maybe, and then no, and then oops, we screwed up, [and then yes],” Chamberlain says. “We had ups and downs, but in the past month or so, the city is really excited about our proposal.”
A Bright Future
Chamberlain and his partner Matt Stafford (who has extensive experience in visual displays tied to sound and music) are hoping to open sometime in the fall. According to their contract with the city, the group must provide a minimum of one ticketed and one free public event per week.
But before then, they want to improve the space a bit, planning to invest at least $60,000 in various improvements, including removing existing seating and making lighting, sound, and other upgrades. They also plan to obtain a liquor license.
The lease starts at $20,000 per year and grows to $40,000 by the end of the fiveyear agreement. Chamberlain and Stafford say they already are involved in a lot of the live music happening in town and have no concerns about the venue being profitable. The demand is there and ready to be tapped into, they say.
“The lease agreement is reasonable
enough that we can make this happen without a bunch of trepidation,” Stafford says.
The bottom line? The pair is beyond excited to get in and get moving.
“It’s going to be an amazing venue, an amazing space, and I’m confident we’re going to do a really good job and the venue is going to have a really big impact,” Chamberlain says. “I think this is the perfect building and the perfect scenario, and what we’re doing fits perfectly. The community is going to love it.”
For its own part, the city is also pumped. City Manager Benjamin Marentette says he expects the partnership will be a “beautiful thing” that creates great experiences for visitors and locals alike, particularly young people.
“For years, I’ve spoken in our area high schools and asked students how Traverse City could be more for them. And I’ve heard time and time again that they want to have access to the arts and performances; something exciting to do and to focus on that engages their creative brains,” he says. “And on top of that, this is the perfect example of using a publicly owned asset to deliver really exciting experiences to all sorts of members of our community.”
Stafford and Chamberlain in the Bijou
PUTTING HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Eight Traverse City choir kids who shine
By Craig Manning
Each year, the Verdi Opera Theatre of Michigan hosts a classical vocal competition for high schoolers from throughout the state of Michigan. This past spring, six of the 10 finalists hailed from either Traverse City Central High School or Traverse City West Senior High. It’s just one data point that indicates the depth of vocal music talent on offer at northern Michigan’s two biggest high schools. For this year’s local music issue, Northern Express sits down with eight singers to watch from Central and West.
Origin story: Ever since she started singing as a toddler, Furlong has been enraptured by the magic she feels while performing. In addition to choral music, she’s tried out musical theater, plays, piano, dance, “and any sort of performance I could.”
Claim to fame: As a freshman, Furlong earned a Sutton Foster Award nomination for her role as Jojo in Central High School’s November 2024 production of the musical Seussical. Presented by the Wharton Center Institute for Arts & Creativity at Michigan State University, that award recognizes “excellence in individual artistry, vocal, dance, and acting performance,” and feeds into the National Musical Theatre Awards, better known as the “Jimmy’s.”
This coming school year: This fall, Furlong will be back on the stage at Central, playing the role of the Mad Hatter in the school’s fall production of the musical Wonderland. She’s also a member of Central’s Choral-Aires, the school’s most advanced vocal ensemble.
Long-range plans: “After high school, I plan to go to college for musical theater and business, whether as a double major, a minor, or staggering my degrees,” Furlong says. “I want to continue singing and performing for as long as I possibly can, and will continue to pursue it wherever that takes me after graduation.”
On the playlist: “As a musical theater performer, I spend a lot of time listening to cast recordings, whether for fun or to study new material,” Furlong shares. Outside of the musical theater galaxy, though, her favorite artist is contemporary folk superstar Noah Kahan, who she says she’s been listening to with her dad “for years.”
Origin story: For Laurent, the story starts all the way back in kindergarten at Westwoods Elementary. “I remember walking into school with my dad, singing in the halls,” he says. “A teacher came out of her classroom and said to me, ‘You have a beautiful singing voice.’” The compliment, plus a passion for “going to see musicals whenever I could,” eventually led Laurent to the youth summer program at the Old Town Playhouse, and the rest was history.
Claim to fame: While Laurent admits he’s had some stage fright about singing solo in front of crowds, he had a big breakthrough this past winter in West’s production of Little Shop of Horrors. “Performing in front of a live crowd for seven consecutive nights was a massive milestone for me, and really reflected how far my confidence had come.”
This coming school year: In addition to singing with Choral-Aires, Laurent will step into the role of co-secretary on West’s executive choir board.
Long-range plans: “Singing is honestly one of the main things that brings me happiness,” Laurent says. “Even though I’m still not 100 percent sure what the future holds for my singing career, I’m definitely leaning toward minoring in music in college.”
On the playlist: Like Furlong, Laurent listens to musical soundtracks regularly, with his top three being The Greatest Showman, Pitch Perfect, and Mamma Mia!
1. CHARLOTTE FURLONG School: Traverse City Central Graduation year: 2028
2. JED LAURENT School: West Senior High Graduation year: 2028
3. CLAYTON LOOMIS
School: Central High School
Graduation year: 2027
Origin story: Loomis started singing in church when he was young, following in the footsteps of his mom and his grandparents. “It was inspiring to sing with multiple generations of my family who all share a love for music,” he says.
Claim to fame: You may have seen Loomis last fall in Central’s production of the musical Urinetown, in which he played the psychopathic Hot Blades Harry. He’s also heading into his third year as part of Choral-Aires.
This coming school year: Loomis will be co-president this year of Central’s choir council, sharing the position with fellow student Lucy Leppien. He’ll also play the role of El Gato in Wonderland, the musical’s take on the Cheshire Cat.
Long-range plans: Though he’s still considering his options for college at the moment, Loomis says his goal is “to continue with music, especially musical theater, after graduation.”
On the playlist: “Honestly, my playlist is full of musical theater that I sing along to in the car,” Loomis laughs. Otherwise, his favorite artist is Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey, whose music he describes as a hybrid between pop and classical.
4. MAXWELL MORROW School: West Senior High Graduation year: 2028
Origin story: Morrow joined choir in fifth grade and fell in love with it. “That was when I realized that music and singing was something that I’d like to get better at and spend lots of time doing,” he says.
Claim to fame: “My proudest accomplishment so far was in eighth grade, when I was one of two recipients of the West Middle School choir program’s Outstanding Contributions Award,” Morrow says.
This coming school year: As West welcomes its new choral director, TCAPS boomerang Duncan Cooper, Morrow says he is most looking forward to the learning opportunities that such a big change will present. “I'm excited to get to grow as a singer, because not only will I get to work with someone who will teach choir a different way, but I always love challenges.”
Long-range plans: While he’s eyeing theoretical physics as his eventual college major, Morrow pledges that “music will not be out of the picture” and that he plans to perform in a school choir or choral club.
On the playlist: Morrow points to pop star/actress Sabrina Carpenter as a major “motivator” and role model. “I love performing, and her art is very performance-based, which is something I enjoy and look up to,” he says.
5. LAUREN NICHOLS School: Central High School Graduation year: 2028
Origin story: Though she doesn’t come from a musical family, Nichols says she’s always been interested in singing, particularly after seeing her first-ever live musical at the Old Town Playhouse years ago. “I've just always believed that music and song is such a meaningful way to connect with other people,” she says.
Claim to fame: Each spring, the Michigan State Vocal Music Association (MSVMA) selects 20 or so singers from around the state to perform at its annual all-state festival. This year, Nichols made the cut, as a sophomore. She was also one of the aforementioned six Traverse City singers to reach the finals of this year’s Verdi Opera Theatre vocal competition. This coming school year: Catch Nichols this fall in the lead role of Alice in Central’s production of Wonderland. She’ll also be singing with Central’s Chorale and Choral-Aires this year, and pursuing competitive opportunities like Verdi, the Schmidt Vocal Arts contest, and the YoungArts awards.
Long-range plans: Though she’ll only be a junior this fall, Nichols is already eyeing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in vocal performance. And after spending part of the summer at University of Michigan’s MPulse Vocal Arts Institute program, she’s setting her sights on U of M.
On the playlist: Though her music taste ranges from the classic (Fleetwood Mac, ABBA) to the contemporary (Taylor Swift, Harry Styles), the album of the moment for Nichols is Olivia Rodrigo’s brand-new You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love.
6. EMMY SPENCE
School: West Senior High Graduation year: 2028
Origin story: While Disney princesses, the Beastie Boys, and worship music have seemingly little in common on the surface, Spence says they all played into her budding interest in music as a child.
Claim to fame: Spence played the key role of Rayon in West’s production of Little Shop of Horrors earlier this year, but says her proudest accomplishment has been getting elected as co-secretary of the West choir program’s executive board. “Knowing that the choir students trust me to lead this program gives me a confidence like no other,” she says.
This coming school year: In her new leadership role, Spence says she’s looking forward to working with the rest of the executive board to welcome Mr. Cooper, and to work with him “to build an even stronger choral program than before.”
Long-range plans: Though she’s planning a non-musical road after high school—“I want to continue in a path of psychology, working to be a pediatric pathologist,” Spence says—she also hopes to keep music a part of the equation and is hoping to land at Cedarville University in Ohio.
On the playlist: Beyond Christian worship music, Spence’s listening also spans artists like Mac DeMarco, Lord Huron, Jack Johnson, and Fleetwood Mac.
Wardrobe Essentials
Loomis started singing in church when he was young, following in the footsteps of his mom and his grandparents. “It was inspiring to sing with multiple generations of my family who all share a love for music,” he says.
gifts * footwear * accessories
You may have seen Loomis last fall in Central’s production of the in which he played the psychopathic Hot Blades Harry. He’s also heading into his third year as part of Choral-Aires. Loomis will be co-president this year of Central’s choir council, sharing the position with fellow student Lucy Leppien. He’ll also play the role the musical’s take on the Cheshire Cat.
Long-range plans: Though he’s still considering his options for college at the moment, Loomis says his goal is “to continue with music, especially musical theater, after graduation.”
On the playlist: “Honestly, my playlist is full of musical theater that I sing along to in the car,” Loomis laughs. Otherwise, his favorite artist is Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey, whose music he describes as a hybrid between pop and classical.
5.
LAUREN NICHOLS
School: Central High School Graduation year: 2028
Origin story: Though she doesn’t come from a musical family, Nichols says she’s always been interested in singing, particularly after seeing her first-ever live musical at the Old Town Playhouse years ago. “I've just always believed that music and song is such a meaningful way to connect with other people,” she says.
Claim to fame: Each spring, the Michigan State Vocal Music Association (MSVMA) selects 20 or so singers from around the state to perform at its annual all-state festival. This year, Nichols made the cut, as a sophomore. She was also one of the aforementioned six Traverse City singers to reach the finals of this year’s Verdi Opera Theatre vocal competition. This coming school year: Catch Nichols this fall in the lead role of Alice in Central’s production of Wonderland. She’ll also be singing with Central’s Chorale and Choral-Aires this year, and pursuing competitive opportunities like Verdi, the Schmidt Vocal Arts contest, and the YoungArts awards.
Long-range plans: Though she’ll only be a junior this fall, Nichols is already eyeing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in vocal performance. And after spending part of the summer at University of Michigan’s MPulse Vocal Arts Institute program, she’s setting her sights on U of M.
4.
West Senior High Graduation year: 2028
Origin story: Morrow joined choir in fifth grade and fell in love with it. “That was when I realized that music and singing was something that I’d like to get better at and spend lots of time doing,” he says.
Claim to fame: “My proudest accomplishment so far was in eighth grade, when I was one of two recipients of the West Middle School choir program’s Outstanding Contributions Award,” Morrow says.
This coming school year: As West welcomes its new choral director, TCAPS boomerang Duncan Cooper, Morrow says he is most looking forward to the learning opportunities that such a big change will present. “I'm excited to get to grow as a singer, because not only will I get to work with someone who will teach choir a different way, but I always love challenges.”
Long-range plans: While he’s eyeing theoretical physics as his eventual college major, Morrow pledges that “music will not be out of the picture” and that he plans to perform in a school choir or choral club.
On the playlist: Morrow points to pop star/actress Sabrina Carpenter as a major “motivator” and role model. “I love performing, and her art is very performance-based, which is something I enjoy and look up to,” he says.
On the playlist: Though her music taste ranges from the classic (Fleetwood Mac, ABBA) to the contemporary (Taylor Swift, Harry Styles), the album of the moment for Nichols is Olivia Rodrigo’s brand-new You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love.
6. EMMY SPENCE
School: West Senior High Graduation year: 2028
Origin story: While Disney princesses, the Beastie Boys, and worship music have seemingly little in common on the surface, Spence says they all played into her budding interest in music as a child.
Claim to fame: Spence played the key role of Rayon in West’s production of Little Shop of Horrors earlier this year, but says her proudest accomplishment has been getting elected as co-secretary of the West choir program’s executive board. “Knowing that the choir students trust me to lead this program gives me a confidence like no other,” she says.
This coming school year: In her new leadership role, Spence says she’s looking forward to working with the rest of the executive board to welcome Mr. Cooper, and to work with him “to build an even stronger choral program than before.”
Long-range plans: Though she’s planning a non-musical road after high school—“I want to continue in a path of psychology, working to be a pediatric pathologist,” Spence says—she also hopes to keep music a part of the equation and is hoping to land at Cedarville University in Ohio.
On the playlist: Beyond Christian worship music, Spence’s listening also spans artists like Mac DeMarco, Lord Huron, Jack Johnson, and Fleetwood Mac.
MAXWELL MORROW School:
Origin story: Walter caught the performance bug after her mom signed her up to be part of the NMC Children’s Choir summer camp as a kid, an experience that led her to audition for her first musical (Annie) in third grade. “From that point on I haven’t stopped performing,” she says.
Claim to fame: Walter played both the narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat in 2025 and the lead role of Audrey in this year’s Little Shop of Horrors. She also co-chairs West’s choir council and just recently spent the summer honing her chops at a musical theater program at Boston’s famed Berklee College of Music.
This coming school year: Walter is already looking ahead to this year’s West musical, even though it won’t be cast for months. She’ll also be student-directing a production as part of West’s Theater 2 class, and continuing to lead the choir council.
Long-range plans: “My current goal is to get a bachelor of fine arts in musical theater, or to get my certification in music therapy,” Walter says. “Some of the schools that I am applying to include the University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, Oberlin Conservatory, Boston Conservatory of Music, and Berklee.”
Origin story: “We moved back to Michigan in 2017 after my dad retired from the Navy,” Wares says. “It was then that I joined the NMC Children’s Choir, and that’s how I first fell in love with singing.”
Claim to fame: Wares has both classical and jazz bona fides. On the classical side, she was a finalist in this past spring’s Verdi Opera Competition, and sings with Central’s Chorale and Choral-Aires. On the jazz side, she plays rhythm guitar in the school’s jazz band, and has even collaborated with that ensemble as a jazz vocalist. According to Central choir teacher Tami Williams, Wares is also a budding choral director in her own right, having “conducted her first piece with Chorale last year.”
This coming school year: Look for Wares this fall as the Queen of Hearts in Wonderland. In addition to her continued involvement in choir and jazz band, she says she’s also “learning and playing trumpet in marching band” this fall.
Long-range plans: Wares hopes to pursue a career in music education, noting: “After job shadowing and conducting a piece with Mrs. Williams, I feel like teaching music is where I am supposed to be.”
On the playlist: Singer-songwriter Olivia Dean—whose smash hit “The Man I Need” has dominated the Billboard charts for the better part of a year—is Walter’s go-to. “She promotes self-love and helps me feel less anxious with my busy schedule inside and outside and school,” Walter says of Dean.
On the playlist: True to her versatility as a music performer, Wares’ listening runs the gamut, from quiet indie folk to heavy metal. As for her favorite band, she points to local hometown heroes The Accidentals, noting: “I love the incorporation of cello into their music and the sway vibe of their songs.”
7. WREN WALTER
School: West Senior High Graduation year: 2027
8. ALYSSA WARES
School: Central High School
Graduation year: 2027
NEW KIDS ON THE RADIO BLOCK
Getting to know the Gen Z classical music hosts of IPR
By Kierstin Gunsberg
Grande, Rodrigo, and… Tchaikovsky?! That’s who kids these days are listening to, with the under-35 crowd adding classical composers to their playlists at a rate that outpaces their synth-pop loving parents. For younger millennials and Gen Z, the growing appreciation for sonatas and symphonies comes, in part, as a response to social media fatigue and influencer culture burnout, with these listeners finding comfort in the nostalgia of off-screen, analog eras they weren’t around for.
So it’s no surprise that in its 63rd year on the air, IPR’s not only working to reach the demographic with in-person music events like this summer’s weekly Happy Hour series at downtown TC’s Little Fleet, but also ushering in a wave of young hosts like Tyler Castellanos, Isabel Li, and Emma Stadelmann, who are eager to carry the classical music torch.
“What excites me about this new generation of hosts is they seem to want to make music communal again, not just something people experience alone through their ear buds,” says IPR executive director Peter Payette. “I think that’s the direction public radio needs to go, humans listening together…”
TYLER CASTELLANOS – 29
Ringing in 2026, Tyler Castellanos had no plans to hit the airwaves. “I can’t say my path to being a radio host was very conventional,” or even “something I ever really saw myself doing,” says the Zillennial (that is, born in that gray area between Tamagotchi fever and Y2K panic).
Instead, Castellanos’ trajectory was aimed at music education. With a Doctorate of Musical Arts in trumpet, he moved to northern Michigan from his home state of Georgia in 2024 to be Interlochen’s Academy band and orchestra manager before seeing a posting for the radio host role over this past spring break.
“And I told my wife, ‘hey, I’m going to apply for this thing. It’s a shot in the dark, but I think it would be cool to do.’”
After an April interview blitz, he landed the spot. But getting behind the mic didn’t temper his academic inclinations. “Finding ways to make the 50-second talk breaks interesting and educational between pieces is what is fun about it for me.”
The classical composer he’d most want to grab dinner with: Richard Wagner, so he can ask why the Bridal Chorus and Ride of the Valkyries composer wrote the trumpet sections to constantly switch keys. “Which back then meant the trumpeters had to physically change their instruments, and in modern day has led to us learning how to transpose to all different keys,” explains Castellanos, noting transposition is now standard for trumpet pedagogy and playing. “And it mostly stems back to Wagner and his
chaotic orchestrations.”
On his early intro to classical instruments: “In 5th grade, the middle school jazz band came to my school and played a concert for us and did a sort of instrument showoff to us that really got my brain going.”
Favorite pieces to play for listeners: “I’ve been playing a lot of movie and video game music on the air since I’ve been here,” says Castellanos, with themes from Interstellar, Star Wars, The Legend of Zelda, and Halo making it into his lineup.
When to catch him: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 123pm for Music at Midday, then again for Music by Request on Saturdays from 9am–12pm (with a Sunday reprise of that show from 12-3pm).
ISABEL LI – 23
Hailing from Los Angeles, where winter highs hover around 70, IPR fellow Isabel Li was just a little taken aback by her “first true winter,” which featured NoMi’s 2025/2026 record-breaking snowfall.
“I’ll never forget opening my door and seeing three feet of unplowed snow blocking my way,” she says.
But with only the summer left before her fellowship wraps up and plans to return to California to pursue her PhD in Musicology (that means she’ll be digging into the anthropology, history, and science of music), Li’s eating up her time Up North, where she says locals are some of the “sweetest people ever” and where random run-ins with listeners—like the one who recently recognized her by voice at Cherry Republic—will have her missing the area next year. “I’m just overwhelmed by the amount of support I receive.”
On how long she’s been into classical music: “There’s a video of me as a threeyear-old dancing to Mozart that my mom would play on the CD player,” says Li. A year later, she started playing violin and hasn’t put it down since. By high school, she was looping Dvořák and Mendelssohn’s quartets “for hours and hours on end,” and when the pandemic hit during her junior year, she’d end each of her long days tuning into LA’s classical station, KUSC. “I've always had this innate affinity for classical music.”
She’s even written and directed a short film about a 17 year-old Chinese-American cellist (2024’s Play, Then) which explores classical music through the perspective of a Gen Z protagonist while featuring a demographic of underrepresented
EMMA STADELMANN – 24
IPR’s newest host Emma Stadelmann is in the full swing of things after starting with the station in June. But it’s not her first stint in broadcast. She spent the summer of 2024 hosting for Jazz 88.3 KCCK FM back in her home state of Iowa, but with a yearning to switch over to public radio, and having heard great things about Interlochen from friends who’d attended the Academy and camps, Stadelmann headed Up North.
Though she lists jazz as one of her favorite musical genres, the University of Notre Dame graduate spent her college days pulling all-nighters against the background sounds of late 19th century composer and pianist Alexander Scribian (“especially his Symphony No. 1 in E Major and Piano Concerto in F-Sharp Minor ”).
“Honestly, I had a lot of friends in college who loved classical music just as much as I did or even more,” she says, adding that classical music is far from passe for her generation. “In fact, I think Gen Z is very open to it.”
Her favorite thing about her IPR community so far: “Everyone loves music,” says Stadelmann, who grew up playing the trumpet and French Horn while frequenting classical concerts. “But also books, movies, games, podcasts, anything, really. They care deeply about the media they consume.”
On radio as the anecdote to algorithms: “Listening to radio is a serendipitous activity,” she says. “You, as a listener, are surprised and guided by someone else who thoughtfully chooses music and programming.” That makes the curation of radio fundamentally human. “A real person picks out everything you hear and chats with
musicians. “Whenever I watch films about classical music, they almost never feature Asian classical musicians, even though there’s a huge proportion of AAPI artists in this genre,” Li notes.
Why you won’t find her turning up the classical tunes with friends: “...I understand that not everyone wants to listen to a 40-minute Brahms symphony,” says Li. “Which makes my interactions with classical music even more special, and in a way, spiritual, because it’s so individual.”
Her favorite non-classical music: Film and television scores from titles including Cinema Paradiso, House of Hummingbird, and Past Lives.
When to catch her: Friday afternoons from 12–3pm for Music at Midday, plus some impromptu on-air moments.
listeners because they truly care about providing a good experience,” but an algorithm, not so much.
Why algorithms and social media won’t be taking classical music down: “Short form content… can be creative and beautiful in its own way,” notes Stadelmann, who sees musicians trimming their pieces to their most climactic, viral moments for TikTok and Instagram as a way of making the genre more accessible to audiences by finding them where they’re at. “It keeps those melodies and sounds alive.”
Still, she hopes those whose attention span has waned over years of Reels and Shorts consumption can strike a balance in time, especially because “listening to a whole classical piece all the way through does feel almost meditative in comparison, and fulfilling in a different way.”
When to catch her: Weekdays from 3-6pm.
by Joseph beyer
The Odyssey TRAVERSE
Spoiler alert: the book was better. But in a postliterate world (and in the hands of translator and director Christopher Nolan), The Odyssey has roared back to life 3,000+ years after the first telling not just as the epic and mythic Greek tale attributed to the poet Homer and handed down for millennia, but now as an IMAX bigscreen movie experience playing on almost 4,000 screens across America while becoming a contemporary cultural phenomenon.
How it came to be that the Oscar-winning director Nolan launched this creative act of bravery and succeeded, only the gods can explain. But we, the audiences, are the beneficiaries of perhaps the oldest example of “existing IP” in movie studio history.
From the opening salvo delivered by rap artist Travis Scott in the spirit of oral storytelling and the lyrical verses of Homer’s original, to the final frames that come quicker than the 2 hour 52 minute running time might suggest, Nolan and his (mostly) exceptional cast deliver what is sure to be the most lauded drama of the year.
If you prefer CliffsNotes, then you probably know the basic arc of the warrior Odysseus (Matt Damon in an inspired turn), who spends a precious amount of his life trying to get home after the Trojan War and must fight against the gods, nature, man, and himself to get there. Drawing him back is his deep desire to be reunited with wife Penelope (a fiery and unexpected Anne Hathaway) and a son he hardly knew, Telemachus (played without gusto by Tom Holland).
We learn how Odysseus lost his way, what happened in the bloody war, and what the gods have in mind for his future. Homer’s original is roughly 120,000 words long, but in the hands of Nolan—working here as sole writer as well as director—this Odyssey sings in the colloquial and feels remarkably relatable and passionate even as it strips itself of verse and exaggerated effects. The audience is trusted to pick up the film’s language and style and navigate a complex web of truths and consequences in a time long ago and far away, but still just as violent and unpredictable as today.
No one and nothing lingers in The Odyssey, and the pace of time and space Nolan blends is relentless and gripping in tempo, enhanced by the subdued but powerful score
by composer Ludwig Göransson, who creates a post-modernistic soundscape for the past, present, and future spanned in the adaptation.
Commanding the praise alongside Nolan is Damon as Odysseus, who brings all the pathos and passion to a role of a lifetime and creates an inner journey of immense feeling.
He’s backed by an ensemble of star performances that are riveting and unexpected from an unrecognizable John Leguizamo as Eumaeus, to a subtle and manipulative dance from Charlize Theron as Calypso, to Robert Pattinson as the conniving suitor Antinous. Never to be forgotten is Samantha Morton as the mesmerizing Circe, who curses Odysseus’ crew with a feminine energy combining prosciutto and Pussy Riot vibes.
If The Odyssey had any shortcomings for me, they would first and foremost be the sometimes dismal dialogue editing, which had everyone straining to understand what seemed, at times, like critical information, creating a maddening soft mumblecore that seemed entirely unbefitting of Dolby.
The other would be Holland’s sometimes lackluster performance as a son seeking to avenge his father, even as he has to be provoked like Hamlet to take up the journey and seek the truth about his fate. At times the innocence worked, but later fell short for me and felt out of equilibrium with the stakes at hand.
Some familiar chapters of the story are also less saucy than you might remember, but others are more profound and mythological. The brilliant and sophisticated treatment of the gods and the mystical, an amazing visual landscape fit for a moral canvas of choice and destiny, and a true conversation piece with friends is more than we can usually expect for the price of a ticket. Nolan and his collaborators delivered, reminding hungry audiences what a sweeping and all-encompassing experience cinema can be, still.
In a world of attention management chaos and micro-dialogue, The Odyssey of 2026 has managed to slow it down and remind us of a human thread we come from, when the thunder and lightning and oceans were the realm of the magical and a story could connect us all.
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WELCOME BACK, EARTHWORK
Beloved Lake City family farm is back with new programming, events, and educational opportunities.
By Ren Brabenec
We said goodbye to Earthwork Farm’s popular Harvest Gathering festival in 2024, but the farm is back with a new vision and big plans to make the 181-acre farm a center for community building.
Earthwork is a multigenerational family farm founded in 1977 with the intent to engage in regenerative agriculture and serve as a community hub. The farm hosted its annual Harvest Gathering festival from 2001 through 2024, garnering statewide and national attention. Now, owner Seth Bernard tells us the farm is pivoting to focus on more frequent events and programming spread throughout the calendar year.
“With the help of former executive director of Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, Hans Voss, we’re transitioning to a nonprofit organization that centers educational programming, farming workshops, team-building activities, and music and art retreats/residencies,” Bernard says. “We believe this shift will allow us to
reach more people and build an even larger community than we had before.”
“I spent 29 years with the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, 25 of which as executive director,” Voss adds.
“Building on that background, now I’m identifying priorities, developing plans, and configuring fundraising, strategic partnerships, organizational management, and financial administration for Earthwork.”
The Farm: Regenerative Agriculture
Touring the farm and understanding all of its operations takes at least a day, ideally a weekend.
To start, Earthwork raises grass-fed cows, as well as pigs, chickens, turkeys, and ducks. The farm has a large greenhouse that has been in continuous operation for about 40 years. There is also a medicinal herb garden and a Three Sisters garden where Indigenous agricultural methods are practiced. Earthwork also has a dedicated pumpkin patch that becomes the highlight of the farm every October.
There are numerous flower beds placed throughout the farm, inviting pollinators. And speaking of pollinators, Earthwork hosts an apiary, also known as a “bee yard,” where honey bee colonies have lived for years.
The farm even has a sugar maple forest with a working maple syrup operation and several walking trails that traverse a variety of ecosystems and habitats, providing opportunities for plant identification and foraging.
“The connection between the health of the soil and the health of human beings can’t be stressed enough,” Bernard says when we asked what regenerative agriculture means to him. “We are connected to soil, ecosystems, and the land, but we often forget we need healthy ecosystems in order to survive as a species, and we have agency when it comes to influencing those ecosystems for the better, or for the worse.”
Bernard also believes that because regenerative agriculture is simply a return to how farming has been done for thousands of years, it connects people to their
history, reminding them that commercial agriculture is a recent phenomenon and can deplete soil health and cause a host of other environmental and ecological problems.
To Bernard, the benefits of regenerative agriculture are most evident in the workshops Earthwork hosts.
“You may do a variety of professional endeavors in your lifetime where your passion comes alive, and your purpose ignites,” Bernard says. “Perhaps farming isn’t what you see yourself doing full-time, but we live in a time when things feel impossible and chaotic with the advent of mass-produced technologies and widespread environmental degradation. Learning ancestral agricultural methods in simple, practical ways you can replicate in your own backyard, or even on your porch or in your window planters, gives you agency and makes you multi-talented.”
Bernard continues, “Through regenerative agriculture, you learn creativity and a connection to community and nature, and those things are rapidly becoming lifeboats in our modern age.”
Michigan artist Molly performs on the Cedar stage at Earthwork Harvest Gathering. Photo credit: Vincent Brady
The Programming: Youth Education
One of the biggest focuses of Earthwork is youth education.
“Young people will inherit the world we give them,” Bernard tells us. “They are the leaders of tomorrow, but how they lead in that tomorrow will be greatly influenced by how we lead them today, and one of our preeminent goals at Earthwork is to set children and teens up for success by helping them develop essential skills.”
Earthwork currently hosts a day camp and farm school for three weeks every summer, with the goal to expand it to an eight-week program over the next five years.
“When kids see the food systems in their entirety, from seedling to table, they learn how they can get food for themselves and their communities,” Bernard adds. “Our goal is to lead the region in competency-based learning, and there’s no better way to do that than by passing on the skills of regenerative agriculture.”
According to Bernard, everything about the farm’s youth programming centers on connecting children to talented professionals and mentors. From botanists to chefs, musicians, artists, writers, poets, biologists, nutritionists, foragers, apiologists (honey bee experts), and maple syrup makers, Earthwork centers its vision on knowledge-sharing and helping people of all ages learn how to better care for themselves and others.
Bernard also tells us that none of this would be possible without Earthwork’s long-standing relationship with Lake City Area Schools.
“Superintendent Dr. Timothy Hejnal
of that activity, skill, or trade so they can find purpose in it.”
The Next Adventure: The Barn
Another major project Earthwork is actively engaged in is a complete renovation of the farm’s barn.
“We want the space to be something we can use year-round, so we’re building a community hall in the barn,” Bernard says. “It’ll be a place where we can host day camps and after-school programming in the fall, winter, and spring, rather than farm camp just being a summer activity.”
Both Bernard and Voss emphasize
UPCOMING EVENTS
Earthwork Farm School. July 27-30, August 4-7, and 11-14. Featuring Recording Studio and Beatlab, Instrument Petting Zoo, Singing, Songwriting, Drawing and Illustration, Nature Journaling, Poetry, Creative Writing, Cooking, Nutrition, Gardening, Foraging, and Botany Walks.
Youth Camp Fundraiser. October 4. Featuring Grammy-winning Michigan legend, Harmonica virtuoso Peter Madcat Ruth, and renowned cellist Jordan Hamilton.
Rock Concert to Benefit the School of Rock. (October date TBD)
Students from the Interlochen Arts Academy Singer Songwriter program in the workshop space in the woods on their annual trip to Earthwork Farm for Harvest Gathering. Photo credit: Myrna Jacobs
A dancing workshop in Maddie's Circle at Earthwork Harvest Gathering. Photo credit: Myrna Jacobs
WILL STRUM FOR SMILES
Petoskey Ukulele Players are a local hit
By Eric Cox
Maybe it’s the maritime climate and close proximity to Beaver and Mackinac islands that make the ukulele—Hawaii’s iconic instrument—so popular in northern Michigan.
But, it could be the ukulele’s compact size, nylon strings, and user-friendly reputation that draw so many would-be musicians looking to let loose their own little lullabies.
Whatever the cause, the ukulele, a member of the lute or ancient guitar family, has enjoyed a major resurgence in the last few decades. Both Petoskey and Charlevoix have their own groups of musicians who regularly gather to strum, sing, smile, and laugh. And they have a funny habit of causing others to do the same.
How It Started
Retired Petoskey nurse Kathy Brady caught the bug after her friend, Mary Clinton, encouraged her to try out her ukulele. As she was departing for vacation one day, Clinton dropped it off at Brady’s house, insisting she give it a whirl.
She did, teaching herself a few chords in the process. Having a professional musician for a father as well as a background in piano, Brady already had a head start on most
ukulele players, many of whom are complete novices.
“I found out how easy it is to play the ukulele,” Brady tells Northern Express. “And once I learned, I wanted others to learn, and I wanted to have others to play with.”
It was 2018, and Brady was eager to form a group. She put a notice in a local senior citizens publication, and quickly found other interested people. Her efforts were boosted by a professionally-taught ukulele class at Petoskey’s Crooked Tree Art Center, which saw a few members migrate to Brady’s newborn Petoskey Ukulele Players (PUPs) group.
Today, PUPs has about 25 active members, with 15 of them regular participants. They practice weekly, perform publicly, and smile regularly. It’s really all Brady had hoped for.
“The ukulele has really changed my life,” Brady says, gratitude spilling through her voice. “I’ve met so many great people and had so much fun.”
How It’s Going
Not long after it formed, COVID muted PUPs’ in-person rehearsals and performances. But they emerged from the pandemic as enthusiastic as ever, strumming and singing away—and in a new home.
The group had been meeting at Petoskey’s Friendship Center. But when scheduling got
dicey, they had to find new digs. Petoskey District Library opened its doors to PUPs, giving them dedicated space and even some new technology to help them learn.
At a recent rehearsal, about a dozen players, in a spectacular range of ages (14-79), showed up for a two-hour practice session. Situated in a u-shaped configuration of tables, the PUPs, each with their own unique instrument, focused on their electronic tablets and paper tablature, as well as a large central screen on which they can all follow the songs’ chords and lyrics.
They start off with a Beatles selection, a PUPs favorite, rolling through the number with ease. Next up are “A Horse with No Name,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” and “Blue Suede Shoes”—all 20th century classics, which Brady says seem to resonate with the nursing home crowds for whom PUPs mostly perform.
“We only know two songs from this century,” Brady laughs. “We were trying to learn some current kids’ songs, but we realized our audiences don’t know any of them.”
What they do know, she says, are songs they heard throughout their lives, whether they’re country or pop or patriotic songs, or even holiday tunes. PUPs try to make room for a little bit of everything.
How to Hear Them Play
That works well for residents at Independence Village of Petoskey, a retirement home where the PUPs have rocked. According to Independence Village Life Enrichment Director Judy Eccker, the ukulele show is among the most popular of the village’s entertainment offerings.
“They’ve performed here two or three times, and our residents are very enthusiastic about it,” Eccker explains. “I think they feel it is really a creative and enjoyable experience to watch and listen to this group, who are basically lay people who have picked up and learned the ukulele. These aren’t professionals. They’re just people who want to put their time forward and put together a very lovely show. Our residents really appreciate them volunteering their time to do so.”
Eccker says the PUPs’ last performance was just before St. Patrick’s Day, so the group assembled a repertoire of Irish standards. The music coincided with Independence Village’s weekly happy hour, which featured Irish hors d’ouvres and beverages.
“We’d love to have them back,” Eccker notes. “They’re always welcome. Our residents just enjoy it. There’s so much energy and camaraderie. It’s almost like a kitchen band, because some of them play different instruments. It’s really homey and
fun for everyone.”
Brady said the group often polls retirement community residents to better understand their musical tastes. But, she says they often don’t get many responses.
“That leaves us guessing at what to play, but we make educated guesses,” Brady explains. PUPs must be doing something right.
They have upcoming gigs and they’re always working on new material. They meet each Thursday from 12:30-3pm in the Petoskey District Library basement classroom. Participation is completely free and open to all ages and experience levels. For more information, contact Kathy Brady at kathypoqa@yahoo.com.
HAWAIIAN BY REPUTATION, PORTUGUESE BY BIRTH
Though the ukulele is firmly rooted in Hawaiian culture, its early 1800s origins are actually Portuguese, having originated as the “machete,” a small four-stringed guitar, among sugar cane farmers on Portugal’s Madeira archipelago.
In the 1870s, faced with a collapsing economy, some of those farmers migrated to Hawaii, then the Sandwich Islands, known for their vast sugar plantations. There, those same farmers shared their love of the instrument with the natives, who soon adopted it as their own.
The small guitar’s popularity grew among Hawaiians, and their musical skills grew. Some of the best pickers reportedly had agile fingers that hopped over the strings like a bug. So they started calling their beloved new instrument a ukulele, which is Hawaiian for “jumping flea.”
After its 1898 American annexation and eventual statehood, Hawaii became a tourist destination, and the island’s customs began permeating North American culture. The ukulele was particularly popular after World War I, as Americans embraced the fun, easy-to-play, and low-cost instrument. Indeed, flappers, much like the PUPs, used the ukulele to inject a lot of fun and singing into the already Roaring Twenties.
But the ukulele’s pleasing island sound faded as the Great Depression took hold. It wasn’t until the 1950s and the advent of cheap plastics when it enjoyed a rousing, but short-lived resurgence. Though manufacturers sold hundreds of thousands of plastic ukes, the fad was fading by decade’s end. The six-string guitar had drowned out its smaller cousin, all but muting its sound until a few decades later.
It was 1993 when native Hawaiian musician Israel Kamakawiwo’ole burst onto the global music scene with his iconic, soothing, and inspiring medley of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World”. Set to his own excellent ukulele playing, Kamakawiwo’ole’s velvet voice sails high over the bed of soft, four-string strums, and it is quite touching.
His rendition was an instant hit, and it inspired millions to seek out this gentle, user-friendly instrument—the Hawaiian jumping flea, the bite of which leaves its victims itching for island melodies, easy smiles, and the friends that go along with them.
ALEXIA BRANDT
Alexia Brandt has been selected in recognition of her outstanding athletic achievements, leadership, and character. A three-sport athlete in volleyball, wrestling, and softball, Alexia placed 6th in the state this year in the 170-pound weight class for girls wrestling. She is a leader among her peers and represents the dedication, work ethic, and positive attitude we hope to see in all of our students.
TADL Waves is a free local music streaming service that showcases northern Michigan artists, helps you reach new listeners, and gives the community an easy way to discover homegrown music.
Jump in, the water’s fine!
2026 Submissions Window: Aug 1 - 31
Jury Selection: September 1 - 15
New wave of artists announced: Late September
If selected you will have the opportunity to upload any song(s) you choose to the platform - and earn a $250 stipend!
22: J Hobbs
AUG 1: Chris Sterr
AUG 5: The Friday’s
AUG 6: Lee Fayssoux
AUG 7: Derek Boik
AUG 8: Kenny Thompson
AUG 12: Nick Vasquez
AUG 13: Jeff Socia
AUG 14: Darrell Boger
AUG 15: The Headwaters Band
AUG 19: Levi Britton
AUG 20: Derek Boik
AUG 21: Short Stop + Braxton Hicks & The Contractions
26: Patrick Ryan AUG 27: John Bassett AUG 28: Darrell Boger AUG 29: Kenny Thompson
FROM THE LONDON UNDERGROUND TO INTERLOCHEN
By Ross Boissoneau
They may be in their 60s, but these cats can still strut their stuff. Lee Rocker, Slim Jim Phantom, and Brian Setzer are again (still?) touring the country, rocking this town and that town, including a show at Interlochen Aug. 11.
“We still have that youthful energy,” maintains Phantom.
The band came together when Long Island school pals James McDonnell and Leon Drucker, aka Slim Jim Phantom and Lee Rocker, teamed up with vocalist and guitarist Brian Setzer. “We were all in the same school. Brian was two years ahead of us,” Phantom recalls.
They all had musical ambitions. Phantom took drum lessons and listened to everything: Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochrane, The Who, The Beatles, the Rolling Stones. He studied rock and jazz players alike. “Charlie Watts, DJ Fontana, Back to Jazz, Papa Jo Jones, Art Blakey. … I could play along with anything,” he says. “I was trying to find my niche.”
The niche came to him as he researched where the music he loved originated. It all seemed to have a common point in ’50s rock and roll, particularly with the album Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps. The band found its groove and began to play and write music associated with rockabilly, performing anywhere they could, including such legendary New York City underground punk clubs as CBGB and Max’s Kansas City.
“We wanted it to happen fast. We wanted to make a record, be around others that got it,” Phantom says. England was already
Stray Cats to rock the night away Up North
seeing an upturn in interest in the music, with people like Dave Edmunds, The Jets, and The Rockats, and a music press ready for the music to re-emerge.
Going Underground
So the Stray Cats jetted off to London, where they knew…nobody. “We didn’t know anything or anyone. We had no work permit,” Phantom says.
Facing potential deportation, Phantom says the band relied on its wits and work ethic. “We slipped into the underground, the underbelly. We’d knock on doors, show up, talk to people.” He says what saved them was the fact they were well-schooled in music and always ready to rock. “We were very good,” he says without any false modesty.
They began to attract attention from people like Chrissie Hynds (the rock writer turned leader of The Pretenders), Joe Strummer of The Clash, Captain Sensible of the Damned, and Lemmy from Motörhead. The aforementioned Edmunds offered to produce the band. The result was their selftitled debut album. Released in 1981, it peaked at No. 6 on the UK albums chart with three top 40 hits.
A year later, they broke in the U.S., where two of the three UK hits made it to the Top 10: “Stray Cat Strut” went all the way to No. 3, while the rousing “Rock This Town” followed, peaking at No. 9. The latter is actually listed as one of the 500 most important songs in the history of rock and roll music by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Rolling Stones were impressed enough they enlisted the Stray Cats as their opening band for a U.S. tour. That led
to interest from U.S. labels. “BMG got us proper work visas, and somewhere to live,” Phantom says.
Over the Years
Fast-forward through the decades, and the band broke up, reconvened, broke up again, regrouped again, etc.
In those intervening years, Setzer’s solo career helped spur the resurgence of another style. The 17-piece Brian Setzer Orchestra was among the high-profile bands in the ’90s swing revival. For their part, Rocker and Phantom remained active as solo artists and teamed up with a number of other players, more often than not in a rockabilly style, including another trio with guitarist Earl Slick. Phantom, Rocker & Slick released two albums in the mid-80s.
Despite the ups and downs of band life, the three continue to revisit their decadeslong partnership. Setzer had a health scare last year, battling an auto-immune disease that left him unable to play guitar. Following treatment at the Mayo Clinic, he recovered his ability and returned to the road with the band. “He’s back and better than ever,” says Phantom. “He sounds good.”
And they are still at it, grooving their way through the good times of the music they consider timeless. And audiences still enjoy it. “I think we’re the best at it. We may be … a certain age, but we’re pretty fit and we look good. We take care of ourselves.”
Phantom says that’s especially important as the years go by. He says his devotion to the music means he has to be just as devoted to his health. “I keep it together because I don’t want to be the one
that’s not 100 percent. Everyone has that feeling since we were kids.”
Ready to Rock
That drive to excel, play music they love, and be original saw them adopt the look of the ’50s musicians of whom they were enamored, even as they put their own spin on it.
“I knew I had to make something else, we had to come up with something our own. I’ll never be as good as Gregg Bissonette,” he says, referring to the drummer who has played with David Lee Roth, Toto, Ringo Starr, guitarists Andy Summers and Joe Satriani, and a slew of others. “I love and respect other drummers.”
Phantom still favors a minimalist setup, with just a bass drum, snare, and a couple cymbals. He also stands up while he plays, a style favored by drummer Dickie Harrell of The Blue Caps as seen on the album cover. Years later, Phantom discovered Harrell didn’t really play that way, it was just for the cover photo. By then he’d grown used to it.
Today, more than 40 years after the scuffling band started out, the group continues to gain new fans and has become an inspiration to a new generation.
“We’re part of someone’s story,” he says, noting he’s had young people tell him “Stray Cat Strut” was part of their prom. “Kids seek an alternative.”
Phantom ascribes the band’s ongoing success to hard work, talent, and a modicum of luck. “We let it happen. If we try something and it works, let it bloom. We were wise and lucky. I wish I could tell you I’m that smart.”
Catch the Stray Cats at Interlochen on Aug. 11. Tickets at interlochen.org/concerts-and-events.
Saturday
PORT ONEIDA RUN:
6:30am, Port Oneida Heritage Center, Big Red Barn, Maple City. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 5K, 10K, & Half Marathon. The only run where the courses traverse through the scenic hills & pathways of the Port Oneida Rural Historic District, within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. $40-$110. phsb.org/port-oneida-run-2
51ST ANNUAL BOYNE FALLS POLISH FESTIVAL: July 30 - Aug. 2. Today is Family Day/Plaid Party. Includes the Andy Place Polish Race - 5K, Grand Royale Parade, Recognition of Royale Parade winners & more at Polka Tent, Cornhole Tournament, live music by The Mix, Kielbasa Kings, New Generation, Waylon Hanel, & more. boynefallspolishfestival.com/schedule-of-events
NO SLEEP TILL GLACIAL: 8am, Glacial Hills Natural Area, Bellaire. 1st Annual 24Hour Mountain Bike Marathon. Register at BikeReg.com. Camping available. $60/person. facebook.com/search/top?q=no%20 sleep%20till%20glacial%20
DOG DAY OF SUMMER GROUP HIKE: 9am, Postle Farm Preserve, Boyne Falls. Dogs must be kept on a 6’ leash, & owners are required to bring & use waste bags. Register. Free. walloon.org/get-involved/events
DOWNTOWN PETOSKEY SIDEWALK SALES: Downtown Petoskey, July 31 - Aug. 1.
PETOSKEY ANTIQUES SHOW: 9am-4pm, Emmet County Fairgrounds, Petoskey. $10/ person; good for both days.
SUTTONS BAY BOOK SALE: 9am-5pm, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, outside, near beach. Hosted by Friends of the Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library. Featuring thousands of books of various genres & puzzles. Donations. information@sbbdl.org
63RD ANNUAL PORTSIDE ART FAIR: 10am-4pm, Elm Pointe, 1.5 miles north of East Jordan on M66. portsideartsfair.org
SUTTONS BAY ART FESTIVAL: 10am5pm, Suttons Bay Marina. Featuring 100 artists along with community groups, a community library book sale, food vendors & a children’s area. suttonsbaychamber.com/ suttons-bay-art-festival
THE INVITATIONAL AT BAYVIEW INN: 10am-5pm, Stafford’s Bayview Inn, back lawns, Petoskey. Feauring a quick draw paint out, art & craft show, wine tasting & much more. Free admission. blueribbonevent. com/michigan-shows
OBJECTS FOR PASSING: ART FOR GRIEF, CARE & LIFE TRANSITIONS: 11am, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Catie Newell, architect & professor at the UM A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, will present this workshop using work from her own artistic practice. $0-$10. simpletix.com/e/objects-forpassing-art-for-grief-care-lif-tickets-270829
WOODLAND HOME: A HISTORY OF A PLACE: 11am, Glen Arbor Arts Center. Dave Fenlon (Interpretive Park Ranger with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore) & Mae Wright (Tribal Historic Preservation Officer with the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians) bring to life the world of northern Michigan’s woodland 250 years before at the time of the nation’s founding & after. Free. glenarborart.org/product/woodland-home-a-history-of-a-place
MEET THE CREATORS: LOCAL BOOK
SIGNING: Noon-5pm, Gilchrist Farm Winery, Suttons Bay. Meet author & illustrator of the book, “And It Was So,” that reveals a gracious & orderly God who fashioned a consistent & orderly Universe. Free. katdakota.com/book
IN-STORE BOOK SIGNING WITH TOM BARRAT: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Meet the man behind the new Traverse City coffee table book! horizonbooks.com/event/2026-08-01/ store-book-signing-tom-barrat
ROCK-N-HOLE GOLF TOURNAMENT & CONCERT: Elmbrook Golf Course, TC. Legendary guitarist Kenny Olson hosts this event. Scramble tourney starts at 1pm. Concert featuring Olson & special guests starts at 7pm. Bring lawn chair. Proceeds support Hallie’s Hearts Endowment at Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation, to help women impacted by ovarian cancer, in memory of Olson’s late cousin Hallie Olson Wastell. Cindy Johnson: 231-392-9379. $30 for concert only; golf is $150-$550.
“SHAKESPEARE’S GOT TALENT!”: 2pm & 6pm, The MATCH Theatre at Cherryland Mall, TC. GA: $15. purchase.oldtownplayhouse.com/ChooseSeats/57602
TC ROLLER DERBY TRIPLE-HEADER: GT County Civic Center, TC. 3pm: Juniors Mixed Scrimmage; 5pm: TCRD A vs. Windy City C; 7pm: TCRD B vs. Windy City D. $10 advance; $12 door. facebook. com/events/s/tc-roller-derby-triple-header-/1393407179027821
Part concert, part cinematic experience, and part visual art installation… Renée Fleming’s “Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene” blends Renée’s incredible voice with the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra, stunning National Geographic imagery, and a story about our connection to the natural world, taking place in Kresge Auditorium, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Sat., Aug. 8 at 7:30pm. Tickets start at $51 and are going quick! interlochen.org/events/renee-fleming-2026-08-08
FUTURE CHAMPIONS ARRIVE IN TC: 3:45pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. Featuring the $116,000 CSI3* Grand Prix & FEI North American Youth Championship U25 Grand Prix Freestyle. Traversecityhorseshows.com/visit. $15 & up.
TCDP SUMMER TOUR: TRAVERSE CITY:
Open Space, TC. The Traverse City Dance Project returns with a six-stop summer tour celebrating dance & live music, featuring seven professional dancers from across the country. Live music begins at 6:30pm with the Charlie Millard Band, & the performance starts at 7:30pm. Free. tcdanceproject.org
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM AT THE LAKESIDE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL: 7pm, Tank Hill, Frankfort. Professional Chicago actors perform Shakespeare in the park in Frankfort. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a family-friendly romantic comedy, is a story of mixed-up lovers & mischievous fairies, & in this version, directed by Sarafina Vecchio, is set at a tropical resort. Pay-whatyou-can, suggested $30 for adults, $10 for kids. theworldsastage.org/events
SATURDAYS IN THE PARK: DÁ VEONCE & DAFUNK GANG: 7pm, GT County Civic Center, Amphitheater, TC. High-energy hip-
VIRIDIAN STRINGS: UNDERCURRENTS: 7pm, Oliver Art Center, Frankfort. OAC Resident Ensemble Viridian Strings presents “Undercurrents,” exploring the emotional intensity & inner turbulence of the Romantic piano quartet tradition. Pre-show talk at 6:10pm. oliverart.org. $10. tickettailor.com/ events/oliverart/2193967
TC PIT SPITTERS VS. RICHMOND FLYING MUMMIES: WANDS & WIZARDS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters
MUSIC IN MACKINAW: SASHAY QUARTET & LUMOS QUARTET: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Roth Performance Shell, Mackinaw City. Enjoy a cappella harmonies.
aug 02
sunday
51ST ANNUAL BOYNE FALLS POLISH FESTIVAL: July 30 - Aug. 2. Today is Family Day/Hat Night. Includes Mass celebrated under the polka tent; Boyne Valley History Ex-
hibit located in the Twp. Hall next to the Polka Tent, with coffee & cookies after Mass in tent; Native Amusements Carnival; 4-Wheel Drive Mud Run; live music by Virgil Baker, Rod Loper, & Ty Parkin, & much more. boynefallspolishfestival.com/schedule-of-events
PETOSKEY ANTIQUES SHOW: (See Sat., Aug. 1)
SUTTONS BAY BOOK SALE: (See Sat. Aug. 1, except today’s time is 9am-4pm.)
63RD ANNUAL PORTSIDE ART FAIR: (See Sat., Aug. 1)
SUTTONS BAY ART FESTIVAL: (See Sat., Aug. 1, except today’s hours are 10am-4pm.)
THE INVITATIONAL AT BAYVIEW INN: (See Sat., Aug. 1)
SCOTTISH MUSIC & DANCE WITH ST. ANDREWS SOCIETY OF NORTHWESTERN
MICHIGAN: Noon, Silver Lake Recreation Area, covered pavilion, TC. Bring a dish for the potluck & something to grill if you’d like. Scottish folk dances will be called by Lee Gwyn. You do not need to bring your own partner. Email questions to: cmonroe@chartermi.net.
THE NEXT GENERATION COMPETES IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN: 1pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. Enjoy international equestrian talent in an Olympic-style championship atmosphere. traversecityhorseshows. com/visit. $15 & up.
SUNDAY MUSIC IN THE PARK: RIVERTOWN JAZZ BAND: 4-6pm, Marina Park, Harbor Springs.
PETOSKEY’S BAYSIDE MUSIC SERIES: 5-7pm, Bayfront Park, Petoskey. Featuring The Tweed Tones.
TC PIT SPITTERS VS. RICHMOND FLYING
MUMMIES: FAMILY DAYS: 5:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/ traverse-city-pit-spitters
TCDP SUMMER TOUR: PETOSKEY: Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Rooftop Terrace, Bay Harbor. The Traverse City Dance Project returns with a six-stop summer tour celebrating dance & live music, featuring seven professional dancers from across the country. Live music begins at 6:30pm with the Charlie Millard Band, & the performance starts at 7:30pm. tcdanceproject.org. $38/person.
NWS: MARC BERMAN PH.D: 7pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. Health & Wellness: Author Conversations featuring Herm Triezenberg & Elizabeth Mostrom. Dr. Marc Berman, author of “Nature and the Mind: The Science of How Nature Improves Cognitive, Physical, and Social Well-Being,” uses science to show that spending time in natural environments can ultimately boost our ability to direct attention. Berman is the world’s leading environmental neuroscientist, & founder & director of the Environmental Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Chicago. He will be joined in conversation with Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy Board member Terrie Taylor. $20-$38. nationalwritersseries.org/author-event/dr-marc-berman
BAY VIEW VESPER CONCERT: 8-9:30pm, Bay View Association, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. We Shall Overcome: Civil Rights Music that has bound communities together in a celebration of the unique contributions of People of Color throughout history. $20-$23.50; free for under 18. bayviewassociation.org/events/vesper-concert-we-shallovercome/?occurrence=2026-08-02
aug 03
monday
STRING-A-PALOOZA!:
6pm, GT County Civic Center, Amphitheater, TC. A community concert where you can hear the range of TC Philharmonic’s string programs— from members of the Traverse City Suzuki School to the Cello Club, plus the multigenerational Civic Summer Pops String Orchestra. Free. tcphil.org/events/string-a-palooza-2
AUTHOR BETSY RUBINER: 7pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Join for a conversation with Betsy Rubin, author of “Our Diaries, Ourselves.” Her new book is a dive into the tradition of diary writing, profiling famous diarists from across history, while also exploring how diaries help us to better understand & express ourselves. Sarah Bearup-Neal of the GA Arts Center will lead the discussion. glenlakelibrary.net
TC PIT SPITTERS VS. LAKESHORE CHINOOKS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pitspitters/2026-schedule
BAY VIEW MONDAY NIGHT MOVIES: 7:30pm, Bay View Association, Voorhies Hall, Petoskey. Featuring “Those Who Remained,” which reveals the healing process of Holocaust survivors through the eyes of a young girl in post-World War II Hungary. Free.
THE AMAZING BUBBLE FACTORY: 7:30pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. Experience the art of bubbles! A self-proclaimed Bubbleologist, Jamie’s brand of humor & showmanship entertains the crowd as he creates thousands of bubbles. The Amazing Bubble Factory shows are performed with live music, bells, & audience participation! $10-$15. theoperahouse.org
aug 04
tuesday
32ND ANNUAL 18TH CENTURY MACKINAW TRADE FAIR: Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. A living history experience. Aug. 4-9.
This free event includes cannon & musket firing demonstrations, a street battle with Native Americans & Militia, music & entertainment of 1776, Cook-Off Contest, Mackinaw City Trade Fair Talent Show & much more. facebook.com/mackinawrendezvous
SUSTAINABLE SHORELINES WORKSHOP: 10am, The Talcott Event Center, Walloon Lake. Join WLAC for a presentation followed by a field site visit to a Walloon Lake shoreline. Learn how shoreline design & vegetation choices influence water quality, reduce erosion, & enhance wildlife habitat, plus more. Register. Free. walloon.org/allevents/?event=4068
MEET & GREET WITH ERIC HALL: 1-3pm, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey. Author Eric Hall will celebrate his book, “Controlled Chaos: Lessons They Didn’t Teach You in Teacher School.” mcleanandeakin.com/ event/2026-08-04/eric-hall-controlled-chaos
READER’S THEATRE: 7pm, St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Beulah. This program is presented on the theme of old time radio, including a play from the old radio show “Suspense,” a play from Garrison Keillor’s “News from Lake Wobegone” & some old commercials.
aug 05
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BLUE COUCH JAZZ SERIES: 7:30pm, The Bohemian Social Club, City Opera House, TC. Enjoy The Will Unger Quartet featuring Bill Sears, Jose Valenzuela & Jack Dryden. Performing, Aug. 4, 11 & 18. Series tickets for $75 or a $30 suggested donation at door each evening, pending availability. cityoperahouse.org/events/blue-couch-jazzseries-%40-the-bohemian-social-club
COMEDIAN MIKE GOODWIN: 7:30pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Mike is a southern gentleman with a curious mind, love for people, & heart for God. His signature bowtie represents his expectation-defying brand of comedy. Starting at $32. greatlakescfa. org/events/detail/comedian-mike-goodwin
CHARLEVOIX CITY BAND CONCERT: 8pm, East Park, downtown Charlevoix.
STRAITS AREA CONCERT BAND: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City.
wednesday
05 aug 06
32ND ANNUAL 18TH CENTURY MACKINAW TRADE FAIR: (See Tues., Aug. 4)
ELK RAPIDS HARBOR
DAYS: Aug. 5-8. Today features a Senior Luncheon & Bingo, Arnold’s Amusements Carnival, & Elk Rapids Harbor Days Opening Ceremonies & Evenings on River Street. elkrapidsharbordays.org/events
CONCERTS IN THE PARK: FINDING FEATHERS: Noon, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey. This Michigan-based duo consists of Seth Brown & Desiree Brown. They blend folk, country roots, & Americana influences. Free.
EVENING ON RIVER STREET: HARBOR
DAYS KICK-OFF: 6-9pm, downtown Elk Rapids. Launch the annual Harbor Days celebration with performances by Jelly Roll Blues Band & ShortStop.
EVENINGS AT THE GAZEBO SUMMER MUSIC SERIES: MELISSA & JAKE: 6-8pm, Old City Park Gazebo, Boyne City. Bring a lawn chair or blanket.
ELLSWORTH CONCERTS ON THE SQUARE: FOGHORN JAZZ BAND: 7-9pm, Community Square, downtown Ellsworth. Bring a blanket or chair. Free. -
FLOURISH BENEFIT CONCERT: 7pm, The Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. Flourish... playing it forward. Concert to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Bands include The Backroom Gang & TC West Lab Rats. Free. tcpresby.org/updates-and-events
MUSIC ON THE MOUNTAIN: 7-9pm, The Homestead Resort, atop the ski hill, Glen Arbor. Featuring Jabo Bihlman, Emmy winner & local blues rock legend. $22. tickettailor.com/ events/musiconthemountain
THE WORLD FAMOUS GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA: 7:30pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. This popular big band performs for both concert & swing dance engagements. Hear classics like Pennsylvania 6-500, In the Mood, Moonlight Serenade, Little Brown Jug & more. $10-$40. theoperahouse.org
LIVE AT THE BAY: TRILLIUM GROOVE: 8pm, The Bay Community Theatre, Suttons Bay. Enjoy a blend of indie-pop, jazz & soul. thebaytheatre.org/movie/live-at-the-bay-trillium-groove
thur sday
ELK RAPIDS HARBOR
DAYS: Aug. 5-8. Today includes a Group Guided Meditation, Yoga on the Beach, Elk Rapids Early Bird Paddle, Summer Car Show, Ice Cream Eating Contest, Harbor Voices & more. elkrapidsharbordays.org/events
32ND ANNUAL 18TH CENTURY MACKINAW TRADE FAIR: (See Tues., Aug. 4)
COFFEE @ TEN, PETOSKEY: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. “Photography & Motion” featuring Emeritus Professor of Photography and CTAC Board Chair, John Fergus-Jean. crookedtree. org/events-and-exhibitions/events
LUNCHEON LECTURE: PROTECTING OUR MONARCH BUTTERFLIES: 11:30am, NCMC, Library Conference Center, Petoskey. Lauri Juday will bring live caterpillars, eggs & butterflies to show the life cycle of these delicate creatures & explain how all of us can do our part to preserve their habitat in our community. $15. ncmclifelonglearning. com/event-6724225
ONEKAMA DAYS: Aug. 6-10. Car show, parade, 5K, fireworks, arts & crafts, food, nature & recreation activities, Bump n’ Run & Demo Derby, DJ, beer tent & much more. Free. onekama.info
FPCL ANNUAL USED BOOK SALE: 3-7pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Stock up on books, puzzles, games, DVDs & CDs. Members-only shopping is Aug. 6 from 3-7pm (join at the door!). $5 bags on Aug. 11. Proceeds support Peninsula Community Library programs & services. Free to attend. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org/event_image/annual-book-sale
NMRPOA MEETING: 5pm, TC Elks Club. NMRPOA, a non-profit organization assisting landlords & real estate, will have their dinner meeting. Featuring a guest speaker followed by dinner. The guest speaker is Liz Keegan, director of education and outreach of Northwest Mi Fair Housing. Free with dinner purchase. RPOAonline.org
SONS OF NORWAY PICNIC: 5:30pm, Cherry Bend Community Park, picnic shelter, Elmwood Twp. 231-642-1528.
BOYNE CITY PIRATE FEST: Aug. 6-8. Street performers, costumes, kid’s area, parade, vendors, live music, beer tent, pirates & much more! boynecitypiratefest.com
HARBOR SPRINGS STREET MUSIQUE: WOMEN OF STREET MUSIQUE: 6:308:30pm, downtown Harbor Springs. Featuring Elizabeth Landry, I.AM.JAMES, Hazel James Band, Sunshine String Band, Robin Lee Berry, Lord of the Gourd, & Blush Face Painting.
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS WITH AREA JOURNALISTS: 7pm, Elberta Heritage Center. Featuring Ed Ronco, news director at IPR, & Jacob Wheeler, editor of the Glen Arbor Sun. Free. elbertalaborheritagecenter.org/event/1582
CONCERTS ON THE LAWN: REMEMBERING PATSY CLINE WITH JUDY HARRISON: 7pm, GT Pavilions, TC. Free. gtpavilions.org/ news-events/2026-concerts-on-the-lawn
LIVE ON THE LAKE: THE MARSUPIALS: 7pm, East Park, Odmark Pavilion, Charlevoix.
SUMMER SOUNDS CONCERT: JACOB
MCLEOD: 7pm, Michigan Legacy Art Park, Amphitheater, Thompsonville. $15-$20. crystalmountain.com/events-activities/events/ event-calendar/summer-sounds-concert
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WEST SIDE STORY: 7pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. In the heart of 1950s New York City, the iconic rivalry between the Jets & the Sharks threatens to tear the city apart. Amidst the chaos, two young lovers defy the odds. Enjoy songs like “I Feel Pretty” & “Maria.” Aug. 9 performance is SOLD OUT. $21-$36. interlochen. org/events/west-side-story-2026-08-06
ANNUAL HIROSHIMA CANDLE FLOAT ON THE BOARDMAN RIVER: 8:30pm, Sara Hardy Farmers Market (Parking Lot B, SW corner of E Grandview Pkwy & Cass St), TC. Make candle floats with provided materials, launch them on the Boardman River, & join a silent walk along the riverbank & bridges as the lights drift downstream. Local kayakers & canoeists will guide & collect the floats. Free.
friday
ELK RAPIDS HARBOR
DAYS: Aug. 5-8. Today includes farmers market & arts & crafts show, Inland Seas Discovery Tour, child safety seat check, $100,000 Hole-In-One Contest Qualifying, Penny Scramble, Pet Show, Fireman’s Waterball Contest, & much more. elkrapidsharbordays.org/events/list/page/3
MICHIGAN FOREST PRODUCTS SHOW:
8am-6pm, The Ellison Place, Gaylord. Hundreds of vendors, equipment dealers, manufacturers, forestry professionals, & industry experts. Lumberjacks & Jills will host a lumberjack competition on Fri., Aug. 7 from 10am3pm. Visit web site for a full schedule. $20; 12 & under, free. michigantimbermen.com/show
STREET SALE & FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE: Downtown TC. Shop sales & special promotions during the all-day Street Sale on Aug. 7, & then stay for Friday Night Live from 6-9pm on Aug. 7 & 14, featuring live music, performers, interactive nonprofit activities, food vendors, & more. Free. downtowntc. com/events/downtown-street-sale.html
ONEKAMA DAYS: (See Thurs., Aug. 6)
32ND ANNUAL 18TH CENTURY MACKINAW TRADE FAIR: (See Tues., Aug. 4)
3RD ANNUAL HOUSE WALK: 10am. Join in the Elk Rapids Area Historical Society’s Third Annual Historic Walk. Wear comfortable shoes for this one-mile round trip walk. Meet at the Elk Rapids History Museum to start. Donations accepted. elkrapidshistory.org
DOWNTOWN HARBOR SPRINGS SIDEWALK SALES: Enjoy shopping with seasonal savings, live music & food trucks. downtownharborsprings.com/downtownharbor-springs-sidewalk-sales
FPCL ANNUAL USED BOOK SALE: (See Thurs., Aug. 6, except today’s time is 10am4pm.)
PORT ONEIDA FAIR: The Port Oneida Rural Historic District in Sleeping Bear comes alive with activity true to the period when it was a community of robust settlers. Step back in time at the two-day Fair to experience life as it was in the late 1800s & early 1900s. Take the shuttle bus, hike, bike, or drive to visit four historic farms & a one-room schoolhouse. phsb.org/port-oneida-fair
SKETCHING THE MODERN MOVEMENT: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. A drop-in figure drawing session set amid the photography of Barbara Morgan. Artists of all levels are welcome to draw from live models while surrounded by her dynamic, inspiring work. Bring your own materials & enjoy a relaxed, creative space to practice, experiment, & refine your skills. Free. crookedtree.app. neoncrm.com/np/clients/crookedtree/event. jsp?event=25593&
SUTTONS BAY SIDEWALK SALES: 10am, Suttons Bay. Suttons Bay retailers offer the end of season products at big discounts to clean the shelves for new fall merchandise. Free parking. suttonsbaychamber.com/sidewalk-sales
OUTDOOR EXPLORERS: 11am, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Rain or shine, kids ages 5-12 join the Woodsy Dude to learn hands on outdoor skills to carry through life! An RSVP is required, as well as a signed release & waiver form. Free.
CONCERTS IN THE PARK: OVER THERE!: Noon, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/events
BOYNE CITY PIRATE FEST: (See Thurs., Aug. 6)
HARMONY AT PEACE RANCH, AN EVENING WITH MIRIAM PICO & RYAN YOUNCE: 5-8pm, Peace Ranch, TC. Ticket includes two glasses of wine or beer. Food will be available for purchase from Sabores Y Colores, & Moomers. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on. $45/person. zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/ harmony-at-peace-ranch-with-miriam-picoand-ryan-younce
LAVENDER GOES PINK WITH THORNETTA DAVIS: 6-9pm, Lavender Hill Farm, Boyne City. Join Detroit’s Queen of the Blues, Thornetta Davis, for live music (7:30pm), themed beverages, Dos Locos Tacos food truck, specialty cookies, picnicking, & a silent auction to benefit the McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation for Breast Health. Local Ground artist, Robin Lee Berry, will perform first at 6pm. Visit web site for tickets. lavenderhillfarm.com/lavender-goes-pink
FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC IN THE PARK: 6:308:30pm, Marina Park, Harbor Springs. Featuring Mr. Jake. Bring a lawn chair or blanket.
DOWNTOWN GAYLORD SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: 7-9pm, Claude Shannon Park, Gaylord. Featuring The Galactic Sherpas.
EJ MUSIC IN THE PARK: THE ROCK SHOW TRIBUTE BAND: 7-9pm, Memorial Park, East Jordan. Bring a chair or blanket. Free
SALLY ROGERS & CLAUDIA SCHMIDT: 7pm, Grow Benzie, Benzonia. Rogers & Schmidt have been weaving their voices & the music of their dulcimers & guitars together for decades. Rogers performs traditional, contemporary & original ballads & songs. Schmidt’s performances are a mix of music, poetry, story, laughter, drama, & celebrating the moment. 941-8667. $25-$30.
SOUNDS OF SUMMER: LEVITATOR BAND: 7pm, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey.
WEST SIDE STORY: (See Thurs., Aug. 6)
TC PIT SPITTERS VS. BATTLE CREEK BATTLE JACKS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. Fireworks following the game. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pitspitters/2026-schedule
MARRAKESH EXPRESS: A CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG EXPERIENCE: 7:30pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. Marrakesh Express has played to tens of thousands of fans, including headlining a Woodstock 40th Anniversary Tribute Concert. $10-$40. theoperahouse.org
MOVIES IN THE PARK AT DARK: 9:30pm, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey. Featuring “The Goonies.” Starts at dusk. Bring a blanket. Free. petoskeydowntown.com/events/ movie-in-the-park-at-dark-2
saturday
CRYSTAL LAKE TEAM
MARATHON: 7am, 284 S. Benzie Blvd., Beulah. Featuring the Crystal Lake Solo Marathon (26.2 miles) & Crystal Lake Team Marathons. See web site to register & for various starting times. $20-$35. runsignup.com/CrystalLakeTeamMarathon
ELK RAPIDS HARBOR DAYS: Aug. 5-8. Today includes the Harborun, Rotary Roundup Breakfast & BBQ, Grande Parade, Sand Sculpture Contest, Paddlebuoy Race, Cornhole Tournament, $100,000 Hole-In-One Contest Final Round, Boat Lighting Contest & Dinghy Parade, fireworks & more. elkrapidsharbordays.org/events/list/page/4
MICHIGAN FOREST PRODUCTS SHOW: (See Fri., Aug. 7, except today’s time is 8am2pm.)
ONEKAMA DAYS: (See Thurs., Aug. 6)
SWIM FOR GRAND TRAVERSE BAY: 8am, Greilickville Harbor Park. Celebrate clean, healthy water in Grand Traverse Bay with a unique open water swim event to benefit The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, a non-profit that works to protect the bay & its 1,000-square-mile watershed. $55/person. swimforgtbay.org
FIGHTING THE FIGHT WITHIN 5K: 9am, Veterans Serving Veterans Community Park, Cadillac. Featuring a 5K timed run & a 1-Mile Tribute Walk. $22-$35. runsignup. com/Race/Events/MI/Cadillac/FFW5K
WATERFRONT ART FAIR: 9am-6pm, East Park, downtown Charlevoix. visitcharlevoix. com/events/Waterfront-Art-Fair
29TH ANNUAL NORTHPORT DOG PARADE: PAW-TY LIKE A ROCKSTAR!: Marina Pavilion, Northport. This parade benefits the Great Lakes Humane Society, Cherryland Humane Society, The Fisher Fund, & Leelanau Christian Neighbors. 9:30am in-person registration & check-in; 10:30am judging; 11:30am parade line-up; noon parade start. facebook.com/annualnorthportdogparade
32ND ANNUAL 18TH CENTURY MACKINAW TRADE FAIR: (See Tues., Aug. 4)
3RD ANNUAL HOUSE WALK: 10am, Elk Rapids History Museum. Join in the Elk Rapids Area Historical Society’s Third Annual Historic Walk. Wear comfortable shoes for this one-mile round trip walk. Donations accepted. elkrapidshistory.org
42ND ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL IRONWORKERS FESTIVAL: Mackinaw City High School, Aug. 7-9. Today includes a parade, kid’s events, skilled events, live band & dancing & more. iwfestival.com/#events
BOYNE CITY PIRATE FEST: (See Thurs., Aug. 6)
DOWNTOWN HARBOR SPRINGS SIDEWALK SALES: (See Fri., Aug. 7)
FPCL ANNUAL USED BOOK SALE: (See Thurs., Aug. 6, except today’s time is 10am2pm.)
SUTTONS BAY SIDEWALK SALES: (See Fri., Aug. 7)
IKEBANA POP-UP EXHIBIT: 11am, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. TC’s local Ikebana International chapter returns for the third year, presenting original floral arrangements in the sculpture court & galleries for visitors to enjoy. $0-$10. simpletix.com/e/ikebana-popup-exhibit-tickets-270814 -
GREAT LAKES EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL: 1pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. Tickets available online or at the gate. traversecityhorseshows.com/visit. $15 & up.
DISNEY’S FINDING NEMO KIDS: 2pm & 5pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. $15. oldtownplayhouse.com
BACKYARD BLUES, BREWS & BBQ FESTIVAL: 3pm, Lively Acres, Empire. A weekend of blues & boogie, fine brews & great BBQ! Camping available. Featuring Thornetta Davis – Detroit’s Queen of Blues - with Fabulous Horndogs; local boogie band Brendon Linsley Band – semi-finalist in the Memphis Intl. Blues Challenge; Captain Dirk – authentic Mississippi blues artist & more. Gates open at 2pm. $35/person. livelyacres.com/events/backyard-blues-brewsbbq?source=ticker-calendar
SATURDAYS IN THE PARK: PLANET D NONET: 7pm, GT County Civic Center, Amphitheater, TC. Award winning, jazzy, bluesy, down ‘n dirty Detroit swing. Free; donations welcome. scullytour.com -
WEST SIDE STORY: (See Thurs., Aug. 6)
TC PIT SPITTERS VS. BATTLE CREEK BATTLE JACKS: (See Fri., Aug. 7)
RENÉE FLEMING: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Internationally renowned soprano Renée Fleming joins Interlochen’s World Youth Symphony Orchestra for “Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene,” a program exploring the beauty & fragility of the natural world with video imagery provided by the National Geographic Society. Led by acclaimed conductor Robert Moody, this performance blends artistry & environmental storytelling into an unforgettable concert experience. Tickets start at $51. interlochen.org/ events/renee-fleming-2026-08-08
LOPE FOR LOONS 6K TRAIL RUN: 8:45pm, 09223 McSauba Rd., Charlevoix. Featuring a 6K Trail Race & Kids Fun Run. See web site to register & for different starting times. $12-$35. runsignup.com/Race/Events/MI/Charlevoix/ LopeForLoonsTrailRunK
sunday
NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN FAIR: NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN FAirgrounds, TC, Aug. 9-15. Today includes a pancake breakfast, animal showings, TNT Bump & Run, Arnold Amusements Midway, & much more. northwesternmichiganfair.net/events
ONEKAMA DAYS: (See Thurs., Aug. 6)
ODAWA HOMECOMING POW WOW: (See Sat., Aug. 8)
THE BAY TO BRAMAN BOLT 7: ULTIMATE UPHILL CHALLENGE: 9:30am, 105 Rose St., Northport. A 1.1-mile uphill challenge beginning beside Northport Bay, continuing through downtown & along the Nagonaba Footpath, & finishing at the summit of Braman Hill. $0-$40. runsignup.com/Race/ Events/MI/Northport/thebolt6
32ND ANNUAL 18TH CENTURY MACKINAW TRADE FAIR: (See Tues., Aug. 4)
42ND ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL IRONWORKERS FESTIVAL: Mackinaw City High School, Aug. 7-9. Today includes Old Timer’s events, the World Champion Column Climb, & awards ceremony. iwfestival.com/#events
FPCL ANNUAL USED BOOK SALE: (See Thurs., Aug. 6, except today’s time is 10am3pm.)
CHILDREN’S SENSORY GARDEN’S 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY: 1pm, The Botanic Garden, Historic Barns Park, TC. See how much this space has grown! Free. thebotanicgarden.org/events
HISTORY OF THE GRINNELL BROTHERS MUSIC COMPANY - THE LARGEST MUSIC COMPANY IN THE WORLD!: 2pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Hear the story of three young orphaned brothers from New York who followed their older sister to Adrian, Michigan in 1867. With no plans for the future, they sold sewing machines & other household items to earn money. In 1879 they changed their focus and founded the music house. Free. tadl. org/GrinnellMusic
WEST SIDE STORY: (See Thurs., Aug. 6, except today’s time is 2pm.)
AN AFTERNOON WITH JEFF DANIELS: BOTH SHOWS SOLD OUT: 3pm & 6pm, Northport Performing Arts Center, Auditorium, Northport Public School. An afternoon of music & storytelling from Emmy Award-winning American actor, musician, & playwright Jeff Daniels. northportperformingarts.org/jeff-daniels
NWS: GENERATION AI: WHO - OR WHAT - WILL WE BECOME?: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Drawing on evolutionary biology, social science, & progress in advanced technologies, renowned scientist-philosopher Gregory Stock offers the most comprehensive analysis yet of how AI will reshape not just our world, but our very nature. $12-$25. cityoperahouse.org/events/gen-ai
ongoing
BOYNE CITY’S STROLL THE STREETS: Downtown Boyne City. Held Fri. evenings from 6-9pm. Enjoy live music, children’s activities, & much more.
LELAND COMMUNITY SUNDAY NIGHT
SING: Sundays, 7:30pm at Leland Country Club. A summer tradition for over 100 years. Join to sing your favorites with scores of your closest friends. “Leelanau, Leelanau, land that I love!” facebook.com/share/g/1BXL9Pu9bo
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS PICNIC PARTY: Palmer Park Pavilion, Mancelona. Grand Traverse Industries of Mancelona is hosting this series of live entertainment on Tuesdays through Aug. 4 from 11:30am1:30pm. Featuring live music & storytelling, arts & crafts, face painting & more. grandtraverseindustries.com
BALANCE BIKE MEET UPS (ER): Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30am, Rotary Park, Elk Rapids. For first-time riders, ages 2-5. These low-key, drop-in affairs are fun for everyone. No need to bring your bike; Norte has plenty to lend out. norteyouthcycling.org/calendar/ balance-bike-meet-ups-traverse-city-7z4k7ps3n5-7xkbm-je4by-3g2fj
BALANCE BIKE MEET UPS (TC): Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30am, Norte Clubhouse, GT County Civic Center, TC. For first-time riders, ages 2-5. These low-key, drop-in affairs are fun for everyone. No need to bring your bike; Norte has plenty to lend out. norteyouthcycling.org/calendar/balance-bike-meet-upstraverse-city-7z4k7-ps3n5-7xkbm-je4by-3g2fj
OUTDOOR STORY TIME: Tuesdays, 10:30am, held outside the Suttons Bay Bingham District Library, overlooking the beach. Please bring a blanket for your family to sit on. These story times are geared toward prek to second graders & their caregivers, but fun for all who attend. sbbdl.org
PROTEST ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE AGAINST PALESTINE: Saturdays, 11am, Grandview Parkway + Union St., TC. Israel continues committing brutal genocide in Gaza & stealing more Palestinian land in the West Bank. Elected leaders are owned by Israel as the Epstein files show. It’s up to ordinary people to insist on justice. Stand together every Sat. mideastjustpeace.net
NORTE: BIKES FOR ALL: Tuesdays, 10:3011:30am, Norte Clubhouse, GT County Civic Center, TC. Open to anyone, regardless of age or ability. Offering adaptive bikes specially modified to accommodate individuals with special needs, disabilities, or mobility challenges, so that everyone can enjoy the thrill of riding. norteyouthcycling.org
WEEKLY WILDFLOWER WALK: Tuesdays, 10:30am, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Take a leisurely stroll through the scenic trails of Grass River Nature Area alongside knowledgeable docent Lyn Petty. Discover the variety of wildflowers & learn to identify their unique beauty. Keep an ear out for the melodies of the birds that call Grass River home. grassriver.or
“Jonesin” Crosswords
"When They Go Lo..."--you know what to do. by Matt Jones
1. "Quiet!"
Chilled
"Say again?"
Kitchen appliance manufacturer
Drift around
Bug
Head snake? 19. School attended by Ian Fleming
20. Greater or Lesser islands
21. Large numbers
23. Rep.'s rival 24. Milk sugar
25. Incinerator debris
28. "Don't do drugs" ad, e.g. 30. Employee of Santa
31. Zhou En-___
32. Objects
35. "Benevolent" lodge members
38. Keystone structure
40. Openly disobey
41. 2021 TimothÈe Chalamet movie
42. "Just Do It" company
43. Genetically doubled
45. Middling grade
46. Host Shapiro or Melber
48. Greek wedding shout
49. "Star Trek: TNG" first officer
51. "Game of Thrones" character who's told that he knows nothing
54. Director Craven
55. Commonplace
56. "The Phantom Menace" designation
61. Velodrome vehicle
62. Vacation spot full of bees?
64. Judith of "Designing Women"
65. Reduce a sentence?
66. "SNL" alum Murphy
67. "Say Hey" Hall of Famer
68. Part
69. Scans in
Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Hadid
2. Hacker's exclamation of success (or so movies tell me)
3. It's behind you
4. Behind closed doors
5. World's ___ Thermometer (attraction in Baker, Calif.)
6. "Dies ___" (Latin hymn)
7. New England fishes
8. Genesis figure
9. Skin layer
10. Went to the mat
11. #1 songs that bring good fortune?
12. Lotion additives
13. All wound up
18. Shade tree
22. Royal flush card
24. ___ Beach (Orange County city)
25. "Beauty and the Beast" composer Menken
26. Madras wrap
27. Requirement to decode the jargon of a guy from the sticks?
28. Feather-filled item
29. Meddlesome sort
33. Compound used in air conditioning to replace the more potent "chloro-" version
34. Sault ___ Marie, Ontario
36. On bended ___
37. Prognosticator
39. Letters on a bar?
44. Bedroom furniture piece
47. TV chef Garten
50. Tristan's operatic lover
51. "The Girl From Ipanema" composer
52. '60s-'70s Twins star Tony
53. Last questionnaire option, often
54. Console whose last games were released in 2020
56. Wicked
57. Comedian Holmes
58. Nihilistic art genre
59. Author Blyton
60. Monthly midpoint
63. Vow phrase
lOGY
AUG 03 - AUG 09
BY ROB BREZSNY
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Within most galaxies are dense clouds of gas and dust that astronomers call “star factories.” Here and there, the magic of gravity gradually gathers together diffuse material into concentrated clusters until nuclear fusion ignites, creating brilliant new suns. I suspect you will be operating a metaphorical star factory in the coming weeks and months, Leo. Small ideas, fragments of plans, or tentative experiments could coalesce in productive ways. Through your patient attention and care, luminous concentrations of useful beauty will emerge.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo biologist Stephen Jay Gould argued that evolution isn't a ladder of progress but a branching bush of experimentation. Most species that ever existed are extinct, but they weren't failures. For a very long time, they were successful experiments in being alive, well adapted to their environment. When conditions changed, they ended. That's how evolution works. Let's apply this lesson to your life, Virgo. If a part of your world is concluding, celebrate and thank it, then bid it a fond farewell. Feel grateful that it succeeded completely at what it was meant to do and gave you all it had to give.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your sense of purpose is intensifying. Your people need you more than ever, and your gifts are ripening just as they are most valuable to your community. But must add that the road ahead will not be frictionless. You will have to outmaneuver diversionary tactics and dispel pockets of confusion. To serve as a shimmering catalyst of beauty and truth for your allies—and a shrewd strategist in the presence of deflections—lean into the paradoxical counsel attributed to Jesus: Be gentle and pure like a dove, yet keenly perceptive and discerning like a serpent.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Concrete continues to cure beyond the time when it's first poured. After seven days, it has 70 percent of its ultimate strength, and after 14 days, 90 percent. It usually keeps getting sturdier for a few months, even years. I propose that we use this as a metaphor for what you’re working on, Scorpio. The foundations you established a while back are still solidifying. Projects that are working pretty well are still developing potency. This is a good thing! Everything is slowly improving through processes you're not actively managing.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Here’s your assignment: Find yourself a pair of enchanted pants that will bring you good luck and stir up fun. How will you know that they’re authentically charmed? Because when you put them on, you will instinctively wander toward adventures that expand your understandings about life. They may also lead you to explore places and situations that aren’t truly forbidden or taboo, but which you have oddly avoided as if they were forbidden or taboo. Finally, your enchanted pants are likely to inspire you to dream up a few crazy good ideas that will turn out not to be mostly good and not at all crazy.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In classical music, a "fermata" is a symbol on the sheet music that instructs the instrumentalist to hold a note longer than its written duration. How long? It's unpredictable. The musician decides. I think your life would benefit from a metaphorical fermata or two, Capricorn—maybe even more. You won't come to a protracted pause, but you will engage in strategic prolonging, extending certain notes beyond their expected duration. Examples? Lingering longer in a conversation from which you're inclined to exit early; staying with an ambiguous emotion rather than rushing to resolution; allowing a project to develop more leisurely than you might if you were simply pushing for sheer efficiency. Opt for what's soulful instead of what's crisp and neat.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Fate is subtly but insistently pressuring you to stop squandering energy on half-hearted, handme-down desires. Why? So your real, holy obsessions can move to the center of your attention. The tepid wishes and lukewarm yearnings are being exposed for what they are: distractions that nibble
away at your time and passion without fully feeding your soul. As these mediocre drives fade in importance, you'll be exultant to see how much more fire, clarity, and juice you have available for the few burning, churning yearnings that truly belong to you.
PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): The Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean is so deep that if Mount Everest were located at the bottom, its peak would be over a mile underwater. The deepest point in the ocean could swallow the highest point on land with room to spare. The world holds more below than above. Please meditate on this fun fact, Pisces. I hope it inspires you to understand that your most interesting power often lies in the depths, not the peaks. While others are summiting, you're descending into the mysterious, fathomless interiors. Your explorations may not photograph well because they happen in darkness. But they are the source of your strength.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the early days of aviation, navigation instruments were rudimentary, and the skies were often a blur of clouds, darkness, or featureless horizons. Pilots sometimes relied on a technique called “dead reckoning”: good instinct bolstered by simple instruments like compasses and stopwatches. I suspect you will benefit from practicing a metaphorical version of dead reckoning in the coming weeks. You may not have all the data you would like, and the path ahead might be less than clear. But you already possess enough hints and inklings to make thoughtful approximations. If you're alert and flexible, listening to subtle signals within you and around you, your evolving estimates will guide you uncannily close to the right destination.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Nineteenthcentury poet Emily Dickinson rarely left her comfortable home in Amherst, Massachusetts. Her favorite activity was to sit in her bedroom and compose her odd, unique, brilliant poems. Eventually, she wrote 1,800 of them, though few were published during her lifetime. Today she is renowned as one of America’s great literary geniuses. Her story reminds us that magnificent growth may emerge from simple and humble circumstances. I suspect you will thrive if you borrow her strategy during the coming weeks. You don’t need a hubbub of flashy events to evoke your beauty. A period of creative stillness could amplify your imagination and inspire your dazzle.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In Renaissance workshops, apprentice painters learned their craft by assisting masters with small tasks. They mixed pigments, prepared canvases, and cleaned up. There was a valuable trade-off for this humble work. Being in proximity to mature brilliance often spurred the fledgling artists to harness their own creative powers. I suspect this dynamic is relevant for you, Gemini. Now is a favorable time to be alert for unexpected teachers and lessons. Be ready to apprentice yourself to captivating experiences where you might learn what you didn't even realize you needed to know. Your willingness to be a curious, gracious student is your superpower.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): If you knew you were going to live to 95 in reasonably good health, what additional careers or adventures might you pursue? Visualize your lifespan stretching out before you like a wide winding road, where you will have plenty of time not just to survive, but to experiment, wander, and reinvent yourself. Would you train for a new craft or profession? Would you move to another country for a while and apprentice yourself to a language, landscape, or tradition that has always piqued your curiosity? invite you to take a concrete step that moves you in the direction of interesting future fun.
9 BEAN ROWS, SUTTONS BAY
1-3:
8/2 -- Charlie Arnett
8/9 -- Lipstick & Dipstick
BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR
8/1 -- Larz Cabot, 3:30
8/2 -- Larry Perkins, 3:30
8/4 -- Drew Hale, 5:30
8/7 -- Delilah DeWylde, 5:30
8/8 -- Clint Weaner, 3:30
8/9 -- Nick Veine, 3:30
BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU
8/2 -- Luke Woltanski & John Piatek, 4-6:30
8/5 -- Bryan Poirier, 5:30-8
8/9 -- Highway North, 4-6:30
CRYSTAL RIVER OUTFITTERS, GLEN ARBOR
8/1 - Billy & The Kid, 3-5
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE
LEVEL4 LOUNGE, 8:30-10:30:
8/1 -- Dominic Fortuna
8/2 -- Jakob Abraham
8/5 -- Sydni K
8/6 -- Loren Kranz
8/7 -- Perfect Parity
8/9 -- Nick Vasquez
THE YURT, 6-9:
8/5 -- Luke Woltanski
DUNE BIRD WINERY, NORTHPORT
8/2 -- Loose Change, 3
8/6 -- Rhett & John, 3-6
8/9 -- Zinnia Dungjen, 3-6
FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR
8/3 -- Larz Cabot, 4
8/6 -- Keith Scott, 4
8/7 -- The Insiders, 4-7
HOP LOT BREWING, SUTTONS BAY
8/1 -- Vertical Limit, 5-8
8/3 -- Billy & The Kid, 5-8
8/4 -- The Fridays, 5-8
8/5 -- Zak Bunce & Denny Richards, 5-8
Leelanau & Benzie
8/7 -- Rock Bottom Remedy, 5-8
8/8 -- Mike Moran, 5-8
IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE
8/1 -- Highway North, 5:30-7:30
8/2 -- Brian Curran, 5:30-7:30
8/6 -- Chris Karl, 5:30-7:30
8/7 -- Sean Miller, 5:30-7:30
8/8 -- Tali Snowden, 5:30-7:30
8/9 -- Matt Gabriel, 5:30-7:30
JACOBSON MARINA, FRANKFORT
8/1 & 8/8 -- Jim Hawley, 3-6
LAKE ANN BREWING CO.
8/1 -- The Whiskey Charmers, 3-6; Knee Deep, 7-10, 3
THE GREENHOUSE - WILLOW/ PRIMOS, CADILLAC 8/5 -- Trivia & Music Bingo, 6-9
LOST CELLARS, CHARLEVOIX
8/7 - Jeffrey Joseph, 5-8
MUSKRAT DISTILLING, BOYNE CITY
8/5 -- Karaoke Night, 9 8/7 -- Dave Cisco, 6-9
SHORT'S PUB, BEER GARDEN, BELLAIRE
8/1 -- M22, 7-9:30
8/2,8/9 -- Trivia, 6-8
8/7 -- The BMcC Jamboree, 7-9:30
8/8 -- The Big Greasy Funk Band, 7-9:30
WATERFIRE VINEYARDS, KEWADIN
8/1 -- Joel Jacobson, 4-7
8/6 -- Zeke Clemons, 2-5
8/8 -- Keith Scott Blues, 4
Emmet & Cheboygan
NORTHERN EXPRESS CLASSIFIEDS
FUDGE/CANDY MAKER: Mackinac IslandLooking for someone who is committed for 6 months.Free housing. Will train the right candidate if no experience.Must be task oriented, organized and willing to learn the trade.Position now open thru 10/31/26, then late 4/27 to end of 10/27, and each season afterwards.Prefer someone with food service background. kelps49686@yahoo.com
HIROSHIMA CANDLE FLOAT ON THE BOARDMAN RIVER: Family Friendly Event
Aug 6th 8:30 PM at the Sara Hardy Farmers Market (Parking Lot B, SW corner of E Grandview Pkwy & Cass St). Make candle floats with provided materials, launch them on the Boardman River, and join a silent walk along the riverbank & bridges as the lights drift downstream. Local kayakers and canoeists will guide and collect the floats.
FREE WEEKLY ORIGINAL HOT YOGA COMMUNITY CLASS: EVERY WED. @ 7:30PM - 845 S. GARFIELD AVE. ORIGINALHOTYOGATC.COM 231-392-4798
GUITAR LESSONS IN TRAVERSE CITY: All ages, all levels, Robert Abate, 231-421-1401, robertabatemusic@gmail.com
WANTED: BASIC RENTAL OR FLEX SPACE W/SHOWER: Needs tlc OK. TC Area. Single responsible man, non-smoker, no pets 231357-0362
NIGHTLY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY STAYS NEAR TC!: “The Suites” Turnkey Homes & Motel. Travelers/Construction crews 231-633-5464
CARPET INSTALLERS NEEDED: Bodamer Brothers Flooring is looking for 1 full-time carpet installation person or team. Paying $10 yard + extras. Paid once a week. Insured and experienced only. 231-941-8446 Dan
SEWING, ALTERATIONS, MENDING & REPAIRS. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248
Enthusiastic & Experienced
231-499-4249 | 231-929-7900
4186 Aquila Court
$1,100,000 | MLS 1945224
• Brand-new luxury home with countryside and bay views
• 4 bedrooms, 4 baths with main-level living
• Spa-inspired primary suite & covered rear deck
• Finished walkout lower level with family room
• Minutes to downtown, Munson & miles of trails
14935 N Cathead Bay Drive
$595,000 | MLS 1941736
• 100’ of private Lake Michigan frontage
• Sandy beach in a protected Cathead Bay cove
• Nearly one acre with wooded privacy
• Waterside building site with sunset views
• EGLE-Approved Building Site
Unit 1 LaFranier Road
$185,000 | MLS 1944832
• Nearly one-acre level parcel
• Prime location in a thriving business corridor
• Excellent visibility and convenient access
• Ideal for retail, office or mixed-use development
