Northern Express

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Stop Speeding on The Loop

I was enjoying a beautiful walk with friends on the TART Trail at Logan’s Landing/Boardman Lake as I often do. Bike riders, PLEASE take note of this request. I was nearly hit by a speeding cyclist on the TART Trail this morning.

First and most importantly, I am hearing impaired and use walking sticks. I wear hearing aids and do not hear well behind me. Is it too much to ask for you to ring a bell, or perhaps say something like “on your left” or “passing on your left”? A heads up would be so appreciated. I would gladly move to the side to give you more room if I knew you were there. Please be considerate of those who come to enjoy the beauty of the lake each at their own pace. There are wildflowers to enjoy, bird nests to watch, forest bathing, and so much more.

Secondly, when did the Logan’s Landing/ Boardman Lake TART Trail become a racetrack for cyclists? There are many curves and blind corners with toddlers, strollers, pedestrians, and dogs enjoying the trail and views of the lake. It would be such a tragedy for a serious injury or death simply because of speed and silence. Use your voice, please.

Kristie McNeil | Traverse City

CORRECTION: Last week’s “15 Under-theRadar Concerts” had an incorrect location for the Dags Und Timmah! show. Catch them at the Gazebo at Veterans Park in Boyne City on Aug. 6.

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

Editor: Jillian Manning Finance Manager: Libby Shutler

Distribution Manager: Roger Racine

Sales: Lisa Gillespie, Kim Murray, Kaitlyn Nance, Abby Walton Porter, Michele Young, For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948

Creative Director: Kyra Cross Poehlman

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

Contributors: Ren Brabenec, Geri Dietze, Matt Dursum, Anna Faller, Ellen Miller, Marla Miller, Greg Tasker, Stephen Tuttle

top ten

Three Days of Art in Cadillac

The Cadillac Festival of the Arts kicks off on Thursday, July 17, with the Up North Arts Color Fun Run at 6pm at City Dock. The art adventures start in earnest on Friday with an art fair and artisan market running alongside the Cadillac Farmers Market and a library book sale. And don’t miss Taste of Cadillac, where local eateries and Lake Street businesses will offer tasty treats. Saturday is more of the same, plus a Kids Art Zone, a Garden Club floral demonstration, a magician, and a final “public art celebration” from 5-7:30pm. Throughout the weekend, you’ll see performances from Metro Soul Band, Northern Lights Irish Dancers, Landing Dance Academy, Cadillac Area Symphony Orchestra, Full Cord, the Women’s Philharmonic Choir, Amen Chorus, Bells of Peace Handbell Choir, and Flames ’N Dames. Get all the details at cadillacmichigan.com/cadillac-festival-of-the-arts.

2 tastemaker

Red Mesa’s Chicken ‘N’ Waffle

This spring, Boyne City’s Red Mesa got a new look and a new menu. On the looks side, local artist Kelly Gilbert installed a vibrant, Latin American-inspired mural behind the restaurant’s bar. On the food side, patrons can try a host of new dishes, including the Chicken ‘N’ Waffle ($12.99) from the appetizer section of the menu. A fresh take on the classic, Red Mesa’s version includes roasted chicken and an arepas corn waffle before being topped with onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and a hearty drizzle of hot honey. And while you’re snacking and admiring the mural, be sure to order one of their famous margaritas (we’re thinking strawberry, for summertime) from the bar. Find Red Mesa at 117 Water St. in Boyne City or their sister location at 1544 US-31 N in Traverse City. magnumhospitality.com/redmesa

A Weekend for Cyclists

Two big biking events roll through northern Michigan this weekend. Friday, July 18, TART Trails celebrates the Tour de TART, a 14-mile, family-friendly ride along the Leelanau Trail with stops for snacks, dinner, and a ride back to town! Rest your legs on Saturday, and then on Sunday join the Cherry Capital Cycling Club for Ride Around Torch, the state’s “most scenic bike tour” with 26-, 40-, and 63-mile options around Torch Lake. Visit traversetrails.org and cherrycapitalcyclingclub.org to get all the details.

4 Hey, read It! Atmosphere: A Love Story

This writer is a Taylor Jenkins Reid fan to start, so going into a new book from her always feels exciting and a little scary. How will she live up to her last amazing work? Well, TJR has done it again, and then some. Atmosphere is the tale of a (fictional) group of astronauts in training during the 1980s Space Shuttle program, following our main character Joan Goodwin from a university teaching gig to NASA to the stars. As always, Reid’s characters are beautifully, achingly drawn in the full technicolor of their hopes, dreams, failures, and connections. The plotting is propulsive as we switch back and forth between Joan’s early days at NASA and a world-shattering calamity on the shuttle years later. And the love stories—both the romantic ones and the familial ones—at the heart of the book will make you cry your eyes out in the last few chapters. (Seriously. Be prepared.) We give this book all the stars in the night sky.

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Pond Hill Turns 30!

Pond Hill Farm does a little bit of everything. It’s a brewery and a winery. A cafe and a market. A pizza joint and a live music hot spot. And on Saturday, July 19, this Harbor Springs farm (and then some) turns 30. To mark the occasion, there will be cake and celebrations all evening, and the M119 Band will be rocking out from 5-8pm. Once there, you can order one of the farm’s 13 pizzas, and beer, wine, and cider (plus NA beverages) will be available for purchase as well. Admission is free, and the party will be kid friendly (they’ll love the farm animals, trout pond, gnome house hunt, and playground) and pet friendly (doggos will have a blast on the on-site trails). Join the fun at 5699 South Lake Shore Drive in Harbor Springs, and learn more at pondhill.com.

Measles Update for GT County

Last week, measles cases in the U.S. hit an all-time high since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. Here in Grand Traverse County, we are still operating under a measles outbreak status. This is the first time since 2019 that measles has been confirmed in the county, and an outbreak is defined as three or more cases. If you believe you have measles or have been exposed, the GTCHD has a measles hotline at (231) 995-6800. Anyone experiencing symptoms is urged to call their healthcare provider. Symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days later and include high fever; cough; runny nose; red, watery eyes; tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums, and roof of the mouth (Koplik Spots); a rash that is red, raised, blotchy; usually starts on the face, spreads to trunk, arms, and legs. Learn more at gtcountymi.gov/2694/Communicable-Disease.

Stuff We Love: Adaptive Sailing

For this Beaches, Boats, & BBQ issue, we wanted to give a shoutout to Traverse Area Community Sailing (TACS) and their free adaptive sailing program. Since 2009, TACS has offered inclusive sailing opportunities to folks with physical or cognitive disabilities, serious health concerns, or other mobility issues. Summer Thursdays (July 17, 24, 31 and Aug. 7, 14, 21), you can get out on the water from 4:30-8pm, launching from the Cornwell Sailing Center at the end of Hannah Ave behind the Traverse Area District Library (650 Hannah Ave.). TACS has four Hansa (Access) 303 boats known for their stability and maneuverability, and per their website, accommodations can “also made for students using our regular fleet of boats, and individualized instruction.” Registration is required, and donations are appreciated: tacsailing.org/registration.

bottoms up Shady Lane Cellars’ Golden Hour

What’s better than catching a pastel sunset over the lake? Pairing it with a glass of the 2023 Golden Hour from Shady Lane Cellars in Suttons Bay! Named for the pinky-orange hue of pre-dusk, this gorgeous pinot gris (which, believe it or not, are red-skinned grapes!) features estate-grown fruit “cold-soaked,” aka crushed and allowed to sit in the press, for about 12 hours prior to fermentation. This creates a unique opportunity for the juice to absorb extra aromas and tannins, resulting in a white wine rife with notes of flowers and bright strawberry with a fuller body and rounder palette that nearly veers into rosé territory. Enjoy it alone or alongside dishes like plank-grilled salmon or herby poultry. Pick up a bottle ($28) at Shady Lane Cellars (9580 E Shady Ln) in Suttons Bay, or visit them online at shadylanecellars.com.

Photo by Kayla Mari Photography

spectator

By steven Tuttle

We can’t seem to move away from magical thinking when it comes to doubting climate change reality. Never mind the overwhelming science now decades in the making, and never mind the evidence piling up before our very eyes with one catastrophic weather event after another.

Even those denials are not the most distressing rhetoric of the science-deniers. No, that would be their conspiracy theories about nearly everything and outright lies concerning renewable energy.

Let’s start with the latest conspiracy idiocy, courtesy of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia. She is a strong believer in nearly all things conspiratorial, and you might remember she theorized California’s devastating wildfires might have been started by space lasers or “blue lights from space” controlled by some unnamed Jewish cabal. We all sort of laughed at the preposterous notion but only lightly condemned the overt antisemitism.

same area can reduce sunlight but at the same time trap heat, either of which can impact temperatures. They can even turn into a form of wispy cirrus clouds, but chemicals are not involved.

(As an aside, yes, there are some western drought-plagued states, nine of them altogether, still attempting to utilize cloud seeding to generate more rain. That might seem absurd given recent flooding events, but in some regions rain is more valuable than gold. Moisture-laden clouds must already exist, then usually tiny silver iodide particles are dropped or “seeded” into the clouds around which the moisture can condense and fall as rain or snow. There is no consensus on whether this technique actually works.)

Which moves us into the realm of blatant untruths. They generally go like this: environmental damage caused by the creation of solar panels is worse than the benefit, and wind turbines are even worse. Our current president is especially fond of these lies.

Undeterred by that flight of fancy, Greene now intends to introduce legislation to ban the creation and use of “weather modification, weather manipulation and geoengineering” negatively impacting our day-to-day weather. What in the world is she talking about? Glad you asked, because Rep. Greene is out to pass laws that ban “chemtrails,” which already don’t exist.

The theory here is that those white streaks we occasionally see in the sky are not just contrails caused when the hot gas of a jet engine exhaust hits the extremely cold air at altitude causing condensation which freezes and becomes visible. (It’s the same process at play that lets us see our breath on cold winter days.) No, those are some kind of chemicals being released into the air for some undefined but clearly nefarious purpose, according to the conspiracy theorists.

This is, they claim, an attempt by the government or some less obvious entity to exercise mind or behavior control or create disease or cause climate change or…something. It’s not exactly clear who would benefit from this conspiracy, but surely it’s somebody.

Where all those chemicals end up as they are tumbling through the air is unknown, and we’ll just ignore that while the “conspiracy” seems to be pretty new, contrails have been around since aircraft started flying at altitude. And, really, since these contrails are clearly visible in old WWII newsreel films, it’s a mystery why we didn’t use chemtrails on the enemy back then.

It should be noted that contrails can minimally impact weather in certain circumstances. Enough of them in the

There is no perfectly clean energy production method or system. Both solar and wind have issues in manufacturing and end-of-life phases of their existence, but they do not pollute while generating energy. Fossil fuels pollute at every stage.

We are getting better at cleaner manufacturing of solar panels, which now are the cheapest producers of electricity. In fact, the International Energy Agency says solar is now the “cheapest electricity in history.” Even better, a company in New Zealand has developed a system to successfully recycle 90 percent of solar panels by weight.

Then there are wind turbines. Donald Trump, at various times, has claimed wind turbines cause cancer, migraines, and autism and are responsible for “billions and billions” of bird deaths every year. Most recently, he claimed China doesn’t even have any wind farms of their own. The truth is China manufactures 60 percent of the world’s wind turbines, according to the Global Wind Energy Council, and uses half the wind power on the planet including one wind farm alone, producing enough electricity to power 2.4 million homes.

The birds? Alas, according to the American Bird Conservancy the leading cause of bird death, by miles, are domestic cats, which kill 3.4 billion birds annually.

There are no chemtrails, and the economic and environmental benefits of both solar and wind power far outweigh any disadvantages and are exponentially cleaner and far more responsible than filthy fossil fuels. And that’s not a lie or a conspiracy.

WHAT KINDS OF TIMES ARE THESE?

GUEST OPINION

by Karen Mulvahill

What kinds of times are these, when To talk about trees is almost a crime Because it implies silence about so many horrors?

—Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956), from To Those Born Later

Summer in northern Michigan is inexpressibly transcendent. Everywhere we look, everything we touch, smell, or feel reminds us that we live in paradise on earth. I want to celebrate that, in this splendid season.

I want to write about the patch of milkweed that seeded itself in my garden, inviting Monarch butterflies to a feast. But I think about the collapse of the Monarch

I love sitting on the deck with my coffee, writing this column. Yet other people are getting snatched off the streets for expressing an opinion.

To feel empathy for everyone and everything that is in crisis and pain these days is overwhelming. Psychologists call it “compassion fatigue.” It is “the experience of any empathetic individual who is acutely conscious of societal needs but feels helpless to solve them.” (Psychology Today)

Elon Musk’s idea of Western civilization is clearly at odds with mine. In his view, too much empathy is a crucial problem of Western civilization. Empathy makes actions like cutting Medicaid and food assistance

I love sitting on the deck with my coffee, writing this column. Yet other people are getting snatched off the streets for expressing an opinion.

population due to pesticides, climate change, and habitat loss.

I want to write about the scent of the air in early summer, when it’s both warm and cold and suffused with notes of grass, damp sand, flowers, and suntan lotion. But I think about the elimination of air quality regulations, the promotion of coal-fired power plants, and increased forest fires, all of which will result in reduced air quality.

It awes me, the way the lake is turquoise and navy blue and green and, at sunset, pink. What color will it be if Enbridge’s gas pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac fails?

Paradise to me is reading a book on the beach with a bowl of cherries at my feet. Will more and more books be banned until I can only read what the government allows?

That first swim of the season sends a shock to my system that reminds me I’m alive. But climate change is warming the water, and invasive mussels cause bouts of smelly algae that poisons seabirds.

Trees laden with golden apricots, ripe peaches, crisp apples. The immigrants we depend on for the harvest may not be allowed to come here or may be afraid to come.

Hiking through Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore with its rivers and ghost forest and sand dunes is an annual tradition. But will our National Parks have the staff to stay open? Will the parks be privatized and turned into resorts for the wealthy?

I’m so grateful for our wonderful local foods and farmers markets. What will happen to those people whose food assistance gets cut off?

programs difficult. Empathy wouldn’t allow you to cut USAID programs that save children’s lives. Were you empathic, you wouldn’t be able to arrest people and throw them in foreign prisons where they are likely to experience torturous conditions. If you cared about future generations, you wouldn’t cut medical research funding that would lead to cures for diseases.

Is it a requirement for a corporate CEO to be without empathy? How about a politician? Can empathy be excised by reading enough right-wing propaganda about how all immigrants are criminals and climate change is a hoax? Or do money and power trump empathy (pun intended)?

Compassion fatigue can result in depression or PTSD. “Techniques like mindfulness, meditation or yoga, and time with loved ones or in nature, or devoted to interests or hobbies outside of work have been found to lessen the symptoms.” (Psychology Today)

Bertolt Brecht fled Germany in 1933, when the Nazis came to power. He wrote To Those Born Later in 1940. Brecht inserts a note of hope near the end of his poem, suggesting that the dark times will not last forever.

You who will emerge from the flood In which we have gone under Bring to mind When you speak of our failings Bring to mind also the dark times That you have escaped.

May we all escape. For now, I will go walk in the summer rain.

Karen Mulvahill is a writer living in northern Michigan. Her new book, The Lost Woman, is now available.

A FUN-FILLED MEET AND GREET WITH

ERIK ESTRADA

FRIDAY, july 25 9:30PM ‒ 10:30PM

Don’t miss your chance to meet TV legend Erik Estrada for a one-time-only meet and greet on the casino floor! Join us for this exclusive oppurtunity to say hello, snap a photo, and relive the nostalgia with the iconic star of CHiPS.

Chippewa Indians.

GardenParty Party

A Cautionary Tale

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A couple in Thailand went to the hospital three times after the woman swallowed a fish bone while eating fish soup, Oddity Central reported on June 27. She tried various home remedies, but couldn't dislodge it from her throat, and at the hospital, doctors couldn't see anything on an X-ray. The wife, Sang Lan, still felt pain, but assumed the bone had moved on. When her neck became swollen, she returned to the hospital, but again X-rays were negative. At home, the woman was applying a pain relief patch to her neck when she saw a pointy object poking her skin from within. She applied pressure, and the fish bone poked through her skin. Back at the hospital, doctors removed the 2-centimeter bone; they said they had never seen anything like it before.

rattling beads inside the toy was a human fingernail. Davies said she was "disgusted" and added, "My concern is, if things like this are getting into a baby's toy, then what are their standards for health and safety?" Oh, Rona. Shein offered her a refund and 100 Shein points, which Davies called "a joke really, because that's not the point of it." Shein had no comment.

The Tech Revolution

We here at Weird World Headquarters are ardent belittlers of AI, so it's with great glee that we bring you this item: MSN reported on July 2 that a Tesla in "self-driving mode" tried to mix it up with a train in mid-June in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania. Western Berks Fire Commissioner Jared Renshaw said the vehicle turned left onto some train tracks; the three people inside the car were able to get out and gather their belongings before a train came along an adjacent track a few minutes later. The Tesla suffered only a damaged mirror, but it had to be lifted with a crane off the tracks so as not to disturb its highly flammable battery. "We've had accidents involving Teslas," Renshaw said, "but nobody has expressed to us that the vehicle was in self-drive mode when it happened."

Awesome!

A 77-year-old woman in Michigan won $4 million in the state's instant lottery recently, the Detroit Free Press reported on July 1. The woman, who is choosing to remain anonymous, said she plays the game "all the time" and was "frozen in her seat" for a while after scratching the winning ticket. Curiously (in light of her age), the winner chose to receive annual payments of about $133,000 for the next 30 years instead of taking the lump sum of about $2.7 million. She's planning to donate some, do home repairs and share the winnings with her family.

That Rule Doesn't Apply to Me

On July 1, real estate agent Jon Beaulieu of Manayunk, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to one year of probation, a $200 fine and reimbursing American Airlines the $59,143 it cost to cancel a flight on June 26, 2024. Philadelphia magazine reported that on that night, Beaulieu went to great lengths to skip the security line at Philadelphia International Airport, trying to enter Terminal C through an exit line. When he was stopped, he threw a $50 bill at the security guard and asked her if that would get him in. Eventually, Beaulieu got away from her and disappeared into the terminal -- and onto his flight, which was still at the gate. When officials informed the pilot that a passenger hadn't gone through security, they canceled the flight.

Fail

At Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, riders of the newly opened Siren's Curse roller coaster got a break in their experience when the coaster "experienced a delay," the Akron Beacon Journal reported. The stop, on June 28, left riders suspended in midair for about 10 minutes; park spokesman Tony Clark said the "coaster's safety system performed as designed, the ride was restarted, and guests continued their ride."

Ewwwwwww

Rona Davies of Sittingbourne, England, ordered a baby rattle from Shein for her stepdaughter's 5-monthold, Kent Online reported on July 2, but what she saw inside turned her off of online shopping for good. Among the

Jason Singer of Portland, Maine, became a "Jeopardy!" champion on July 1, ABC News reported. Four years earlier, Singer's wife, Susan McMillan, won the title on the show. "Jeopardy!" officials say the brainiacs are believed to be the first already-married couple to both win. McMillan said she coached her husband: "I told him he really needs to be on point with the buzzer timing," she said. "Everyone there knows pretty much all the information."

Police Report

Raleigh, North Carolina, police were called to the scene of a robbery on July 1, WRAL-TV reported. Victims told officers that a naked man with a wooden post approached them and demanded access to their car. The man also assaulted a woman sitting in her car, hitting her on the arm with the post. He then tried to drive away but couldn't shift the car out of park. He fled and hid in a storage room before being captured and taken into custody. Police didn't release the names of the victims or the suspect.

It's

a Mystery

In Wirral, England, residents are unsettled by someone in a black cat costume who's been prowling around secluded beach areas, the BBC reported on July 3. One witness wrote on Facebook that she "heard a man making cat noises, shone a torch he was waving his arms at me before crawling up the hill. Never been so scared." A man who was walking his dog along the beach was more amused than frightened: "I don't know his name, I think it's just a wind-up. He's definitely not out to frighten people, he does it for fun," he said. "He just likes being a giant cat." Well, yeah, who doesn't?

Taking Tipsy Canoe Out for a Paddle

Summer adventure “tips” from the Platte River livery and tiki bar

By Marla Miller

Tipsy Canoe Rental & Brew is bringing tropical vibes to northern Michigan’s short summers, so pull up a stool, add a dollar bill to the bar, and enjoy a cool cocktail at this open-air tiki joint overlooking the Platte River.

When Zelda Gray purchased 10 acres along U.S. 31 and the Platte River near Honor, she always envisioned opening up the riverfront for others to enjoy. It took nearly 20 years, but her vision is finally a reality. Tipsy Canoe Rental & Brew includes a canoe livery, a tiki bar and restaurant, and an ice cream shop.

“It was just so beautiful, why not share it with everyone?” Gray says, standing behind the bar at the Tipsy Tavern preparing to open on a Friday afternoon.

In 2023, the Tipsy Tiki opened overlooking the Platte River, at the spot where a bridge on US-31 crosses the river near Marshall Road before entering Honor.

“Really, it just came to me one day,” she says of the tiki bar. “I wanted to help people feel like they’re on vacation. Where do you go on vacation? A tiki bar.”

Vacation Vibes

Gray, who grew up in Frankfort, bought the property in 2004 and built a car dealership and auto repair shop, Northern Auto & Tire Inc., which her adult sons now mostly manage. The automotive service center, at 10155 Honor Highway, sprang from Gray growing up in the car business.

Looking to utilize her riverfront property, she launched the canoe livery business a decade ago. Tipsy Canoe offers canoe and kayak trips on the upper, middle, and lower Platte River as well as pontoon and SUP rentals and guided excursions.

Then she had another idea: “I wanted people to be able to have a hot dog and a beer on the river.”

The Tipsy Tiki—now decorated with

dollar bills reminiscent of a Key West vibe—features local craft beer and summery cocktails with live music on the weekends. Patrons can watch kayakers float by or come in for a landing after a trip on the Upper Platte, or relax around a fire and enjoy a summer night along the river.

“I really did think it was going to be for the kayakers and canoers, but I have more locals,” she says. “People started putting dollar bills up around the bar. I have a stapler out all the time.”

Gray says the word is starting to get out about Tipsy Tiki, attracting more attention from passersby on the highway.

“I think it’s going well,” Gray says. “I just had an idea and kept slowly working on it. It is awesome to see a dream come to fruition. Perseverance always prevails.”

Tiki bar patrons can also order food from the Tipsy Tavern’s menu, which includes burgers freshly ground at the nearby Honor Family Market and 100 percent angus beef hot dogs with custom toppings. Pizzas, subs, salads, fries, pretzel bites, brat bites, and other pub fare rounds out the menu. The adjacent Tipsy Scoop is a walk-up ice cream shop, featuring Hudsonville Ice Cream and other cool treats.

Gray attempted to wrap and heat the tiki bar and open it during the winter, but the winter of 2025 proved to be a snowy and cold one. Stay tuned because she may try it again! She also spent the off-season renovating the interior of the Tipsy Tavern, even creating a table made of driftwood and Petoskey stones and painting a mural of a summer lake scene on the wall.

Water Outings

Now that the weather has warmed up, Gray is back to business as usual. Tipsy Canoe offers kayak and canoe trips on the Platte from spring through the September salmon run and fall color tour. Guests can start early and enjoy a quiet, lazy sunrise float or book a guided sunset paddle on Lake Michigan. Tipsy Canoe also rents stand-up

paddleboards and tubes and delivers rental fishing and pontoon boats to inland lakes.

For the river-faring clientele, Gray recommends launching before 11am or after 3pm to avoid the party scene and high-traffic areas, especially on the Lower Platte, which ends at the outlet near Lake Michigan and Platte River Beach in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Gray’s trips vary in length, from a 45-minute paddle on the Middle Platte for the nature lovers to nearly four-hour floats on the Upper and Lower Platte. The Upper Platte is recommended for experienced kayakers.

According to the trip description on the website, “The tipsy rate on the Upper Platte is higher than the Lower Platte and the launch is fast and furious. The river and fauna on this trip are breathtaking and worth getting wet for!”

“It’s super clear and beautiful,” Gray says of the Upper Platte. “It’s more exciting and challenging, and there’s not as many people.”

Gray has some crystal kayaks if you want to see the water as you kayak, plus equipment with LED lights for sunset excursions. Her team can customize group trips, help

celebrate special occasions, or take you out on a guided paddle.

“I have some college girls who love to do the guided trips,” Gray says. “We have guided sunset paddles where we float down into Lake Michigan, and the kayaks have lights.”

To avoid crowds and enjoy nature, Gray says to try a paddle on the Betsie River, a designated Michigan Natural River, for a slower, more scenic experience.

The Tipsy Canoe team handles all the details, from launching to loading and shuttle service for all tours. They also rent coolers and sell snacks and supplies in case you forget to bring anything.

“All you have to do is show up and we take care of the rest,” Gray says.

Gray also encourages best practices on the river—don’t get too tipsy (in alcohol parlance), be good stewards of nature, and collect your trash along the way—and likes to share information about the watersheds and how to be responsible on the water with guests.

Find Tipsy Canoe Rental & Brew at 10187 Honor Hwy in Honor. Visit their Facebook page for hours, live music, and specials. (231) 325-1234; tipsycanoeandbrew.com

Microplastics Are Everywhere

Investigations into microplastic pollution are producing alarming results

By Ren Brabenec

At a glance, Michigan’s lakes, rivers, and streams look healthy. However, a quirk of human psychology is such that while obvious signs of pollution, like the 2010 Enbridge oil spill in the Kalamazoo River, usually lead to mass mobilization, equally ominous pollution threats that can’t be seen with the naked eye tend to go unnoticed.

And that nearly invisible ominous pollution threat is microplastic.

According to The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, approximately 22 million pounds of plastic debris enter the Great Lakes every year, plastics that break down into tiny pollutants that are now present literally everywhere.

The Science Behind Microplastics

Microplastics are defined as pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters in size. They can be as small (and even smaller) than one micron in size, which is 70 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

“We’ve known about microplastics for decades, particularly in the context of ocean pollution,” says Heather Smith, a scientist and waterkeeper for The Watershed Center. “But it’s only been since the early 2000s that researchers began finding microplastics in the Great Lakes and other Michigan waterways.”

Microplastics are made by the “sloughing off” of plastic material from other, larger objects. According to Smith, every time a polyester jacket is worn, washed, or dried, tiny plastic fibers abrade off the material. Smith identifies polyester, fleece, synthetic textiles, rugs, upholstery, frisbees, kayaks, plastic utensils, water bottles, and a host of other common items that shed tiny bits of plastic as “secondary microplastics.”

“Also, we have what are called primary

microplastics, which are plastics that are intentionally made to be that small,” Smith says. “A good example are these minuscule, prefabrication plastic pellets called nurdles designed to be easily modified into other products.” She also points to styrofoam, paint removers, household and industrial cleaning products, reflective paint, and cosmetics as containing primary microplastics.

Whether they were designed to be small or it became that way due to abrasion, according to Smith, once microplastics enter the environment, they begin to break down further via contact with tougher materials and exposure to UV rays and freeze/ thaw conditions, all of which make the increasingly smaller (and more numerous) plastics that much more difficult to clean up.

Critically, despite the speed with which plastics break down into smaller and smaller pieces, even extremely small bits of plastic still take approximately 10,000 years to biodegrade fully.

Where are Microplastics Being Found?

“Everywhere we’ve looked, we’ve found microplastics,” Northwestern Michigan College science and math instructor Nick Roster says. “From urban samples right here in town to rural waterways with low population densities, they’re everywhere.”

Roster and his students have been conducting field research since 2022, testing the Boardman-Ottaway and Platte rivers, residential groundwater wells, Traverse City drinking water, and local lakes. “We’ve done air and dirt samples,” Roster says. “We’ve even tested rainwater and earthworms. Every test has found microplastics.”

Now in their fourth year of research, it has not mattered where Roster and his students have tested, what time of year the tests took place, what the water flow of a waterway was like at the time of the

test, or the temperature, weather patterns, or population density. In all 22 sites in the Boardman-Ottaway that the team examined, they found microplastics, about 80-85 percent of which were microfibers from clothing.

Further, Roster and his students aren’t the only ones who’ve tested for microplastics in the Grand Traverse area. Their findings were bolstered by the Inland Seas Education Association, which has spent years using its sailboat and a special net to trawl sections of Grand Traverse Bay. That organization has calculated, based on the number of microplastic pieces found per square kilometer, that there are millions of pieces of plastic just in Grand Traverse Bay alone.

Why Should We Be Concerned?

“The simple answer? Microplastics bioaccumulate,” Roster said.

Tiny organisms and fish consume microplastics, and the plastic becomes lodged inside their bodies. Additionally, trillions of microscopic organisms throughout the Great Lakes chew on microplastics, breaking them down into even smaller particles.

Studies on humans are still being done, but there’s evidence to suggest microplastics both collect and contain forever chemicals that can be carcinogenic and toxic. There’s also a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that links microplastic pollution to cardiovascular disease.

Perhaps most unsettling, Smithsonian Magazine reported in February that a study from Nature Medicine journal found “the human brain may contain up to a spoon’s worth of tiny plastic shards—not a spoonful, but the same weight (about seven grams) as a plastic spoon.” They also note that “the amount of microplastics in the human brain appears to be increasing over time: Concentrations rose by roughly 50 percent

between 2016 and 2024.”

“For a broader answer about why we should be concerned about microplastics, we have to ask, ‘Why do we want a clean environment in the first place?’” Roster adds.

“Beyond all the physical health implications, there’s also the mental health consequences of living in a polluted environment. It’s depressing to see tiny bits of plastic on the beach. It has a psychological effect, which isn’t nothing.”

Science-Based Solutions

Thankfully, the same scientists who are discovering microplastics in northern Michigan are also deeply involved in remediation efforts. The Watershed Center joined the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup in 2022, a joint effort between Pollution Probe

Heather Smith

and the bi-national Council of the Great Lakes Region aimed at taking action to clean up Michigan’s waterways.

“Through this partnership and funding provided by Meijer, we started using autonomous robots to clean up beaches and nearshore waterway areas along Grand Traverse Bay,” Smith says.

Smith emphasized that in addition to collecting microplastics, the robots also collect data, which scientists then analyze to determine pollution concentrations. The Watershed Center has also installed devices in parking lot stormwater runoff systems as a way to collect plastics before they enter stormwater drains.

“The robots are also a great community outreach tool,” Smith added. “We train schoolchildren on how to use them, which allows kids to see the value in cleaning up the environment. It’s a great way to inform the community while inspiring action and showing people that while plastics have been a boon to the human race, there is also a downside. We can’t currently live without plastics, but we also have to figure out how to live with them.”

State Policy Needed

Individual efforts towards removing the metaphorical dung heap that is microplastic pollution have value (see the sidebar for tips). But it can feel like using that plastic brain spoon to move a mountain, and Art Hirsch says that state policymaking can make it so the mountain doesn’t exist in the first place…or at least that it isn’t being constantly added to.

Hirsch is a former environmental consultant who now heads the Michigan Microplastics Coalition (MMC), an advocacy group he co-founded in 2022. “The average person consumes about five grams of microplastics per week,” he says, pulling from memory what he calls his list of “not-

so-fun fun facts about microplastics.”

“Scientists have found microplastics in zooplankton, meaning plastic is in the bodies of organisms that comprise the very foundation of the food web,” he says. “We should care about the existence of microplastics in our water, air, and food, as they’re not a natural part of the environment and they have negative health implications.”

Soon after founding MMC, Hirsch and his colleagues realized Michigan was decades behind other states in terms of a policy framework that could analyze and clean up microplastic pollution while also regulating future pollution. “Michigan is just one of 12 states that has a ban on local governments imposing bans on single-use plastics,” Hirsch says. “Despite being a leader on so many other environmental issues, Michigan is far behind on microplastics.”

Hirsch says his organization quickly moved to lobby the State of Michigan, and, with the help of a sponsor in State Rep. Rachel Hood, a Democrat from Grand Rapids, MMC put forth a coalition of five bills in 2024:

1. Implement a Microplastics Strategy Plan that will determine how to confront microplastic pollution.

2. Require all washing machines owned by the State of Michigan to use Microfiber Filtration Units and provide a tax rebate for residents.

3. Ban the use of microbeads in things like cosmetics, cleaning materials, and laundry detergents.

4. Develop a pilot study for monitoring drinking water and analyzing microplastic concentration.

5. Require Michigan to enforce regulations on microplastic manufacturers and prevent them from putting microplastics into stormwater systems.

Unfortunately, none of the bills reached the required committees, the legislative

Naturalized and bioengineered shorelines deliver a softer and more resilient solution that works with nature - not against it. inhabitect.com

session ended, and the makeup of the state House of Representatives shifted following the 2024 election, forcing Hirsch to start over.

“Source control is everything,” Hirsch says with a sigh. “Recycling won’t cut it. Only 9 percent of plastics in Michigan are actually recycled. You have to regulate production and reduce consumption, because once plastic gets into the environment, it’s impossible to clean it up completely. So you have to pressure governments on the local, state, and federal level to regulate corporations and municipalities and simply make them stop polluting.”

Hirsch becomes somber at the end of our interview. “It’s not our choice, but we

“It seems daunting but there are things we can do to address this pollution via voicing concerns to our legislators, instituting stormwater controls, and changing individual choices we make when purchasing plastic materials. Source control to reduce the manufacturing and disposal of plastics into the environment is the key to managing microplastic pollution in our precious Great Lakes.”

Individual Actions

There’s a lot that Michiganders can do to reduce their plastic pollution output, though both Roster and Smith indicated that lifestyle and consumption habit changes will be required to make a meaningful impact:

• Move away from single-use plastic. Use a steel, reusable water bottle, stop using plastic straws and utensils, and use reusable bags at the grocery store.

• Buy and wear natural fabrics rather than synthetic materials, and opt for cotton linens and towels.

• Clean up plastic in the environment when you see it.

• Don’t buy plastic-encapsulated fertilizer or plastic landscaping fabric for the home garden, and pressure local farmers and co-ops to also forgo these items.

• Line-dry clothes as much as possible, and consider installing washing machine filters. A Philadelphia-based startup called Baleena won first prize at the TC-hosted 2024 Aquahacking challenge for innovating a washing machine filter that can capture microplastics.

• Join groups like The Last Plastic Straw TC, spread the word to community members, and lobby favorite brands to shift away from using plastic in their products.

Roster gave a final comment before hoofing it to his next class. “We first started making plastic in the late 1800s,” he says. “Why? To solve a problem. We started using plastic to make billiard balls, because we had been making them out of ivory. We invented plastic as a way to save the elephants, but just like humans always do, we created a solution that has had its own problems. Now it’s time to start looking for a new solution.”

Nick Roster

Plastic nurdles in a fish. Photo courtesy of Michigan State University

A Watershed Center intern pilots the Pixie Drone to collect waste in the Suttons Bay marina.

Kids sort through plastic trash on the beach after a cleanup with a beach combing robot. Photo by RJ Kane

CATERING Easy

and the bi-national Council of the Great Lakes Region aimed at taking action to clean up Michigan’s waterways.

“Through this partnership and funding provided by Meijer, we started using autonomous robots to clean up beaches and nearshore waterway areas along Grand Traverse Bay,” Smith says.

so-fun fun facts about microplastics.”

session ended, and the makeup of the state House of Representatives shifted following the 2024 election, forcing Hirsch to start over.

Hirsch becomes somber at the end of our interview. “It’s not our choice, but we

all ingest microplastic materials from the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. These materials are made from carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting chemicals that include PFAS,” he says. “It seems daunting but there are things we can do to address this pollution via voicing concerns to our legislators, instituting stormwater controls, and changing individual choices we make when purchasing plastic materials. Source control to reduce the manufacturing and disposal of plastics into the environment is the key to managing microplastic pollution in our precious Great Lakes.”

Individual Actions

1. Implement a Microplastics Strategy Plan that will determine how to confront microplastic pollution.

2. Require all washing machines owned by the State of Michigan to use Microfiber Filtration Units and provide a tax rebate for

3. Ban the use of microbeads in things like cosmetics, cleaning materials, and laundry detergents.

• Move away from single-use plastic. Use a steel, reusable water bottle, stop using plastic straws and utensils, and use reusable bags at the grocery store.

• Buy and wear natural fabrics rather than synthetic materials, and opt for cotton linens and towels.

• Clean up plastic in the environment when you see it.

• Don’t buy plastic-encapsulated fertilizer or plastic landscaping fabric for the home garden, and pressure local farmers and co-ops to also forgo these items.

4. Develop a pilot study for monitoring drinking water and analyzing microplastic concentration.

5. Require Michigan to enforce regulations on microplastic manufacturers and prevent them from putting microplastics into stormwater systems.

Unfortunately, none of the bills reached the required committees, the legislative

• Join groups like The Last Plastic Straw TC, spread the word to community members, and lobby favorite brands to shift away from using plastic in their products.

Nick Roster

Plastic nurdles in a fish. Photo courtesy of Michigan State University Kids sort through plastic trash on the beach after a cleanup with a beach combing robot. Photo by RJ Kane

Shoring Up Coastal Resiliency

How northern Michigan nonprofits are advocating for our shorelines

By Ellen Miller

Michigan has almost 4,200 miles of coastline, more than any other state except for Alaska. And in recent years here in northern Michigan, the swing in lake levels has been particularly apparent, with high water causing major damage in 2020.

There have always been fluctuations in the lake levels, says Liz Kirkwood, executive director of Flow Water Advocates (formerly FLOW, For Love of Water). The difference is that the amplitude is increasing, and the unpredictability of highs and lows is also increasing.

“The Great Lakes is a very complex and extraordinary ecosystem that scientists have been monitoring for the past 100 plus years,” says Kirkwood, noting there is water level data all the way back to 1918.

“When the lakes don’t freeze, it actually accelerates coastal erosion,” she explains. “Up north when there’s the frozen lake, it almost buttresses these steep cliffs. But when you don’t have a frozen lake, you have this constant power of the waves continually pummelling the lakeshore.”

Kirkwood says that because the intervals between high and low water levels used to be so long, you might not have been able to identify the impacts of the changing water levels in the same way that you can today. She points to the scenic overlook at Pierce Stocking Drive, where an observation platform had to be removed just this year. “Coastal resilience is about ensuring that our infrastructure is not in harm’s way,” she says.

Coastal Resiliency in Action

Helping prepare communities for coastal hazards often looks like advising different areas on their coastal resiliency strategy,

says Heather Smith, waterkeeper for The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay.

The nonprofit works to “support our communities to have more capacity to withstand and recover from water level fluctuations in the Great Lakes and more broadly our changing climate futures, which will have more coastal storms and flooding events,” says Smith. The Watershed Center’s priority is the long-term health of our coastal areas and our communities, and how they support communities varies widely depending on their location and coastal experience.

For example, Leelanau County is considering a deeper watershed setback along the Great Lakes, and The Watershed Center is supporting that process by providing examples from other communities, connecting them with technical and legal resources, attending planning commission meetings, reviewing drafts of the zoning ordinance, and meeting with planning staff.

“East Bay Township just redid their zoning ordinance, and we worked with them in a similar capacity, advocating for changes that would help them prepare and position themselves to withstand and recover from extreme events,” says Smith. (See the sidebar for more details on this process!)

Education is also a major component of The Watershed Center’s work; in addition to the organization’s robust website, Smith and colleagues frequently give presentations and attend community meetings about coastal flooding, climate change, and lake levels, to help folks understand what’s happening and what can they do on their own shoreline property and as a community.

Build at Your Own Risk

According to our sister publication, The

Ticker, in 2020 record high-water levels, which measured three feet above the longterm average, “inflicted nearly $1 million in damages in Traverse City, according to city staff estimates.” That included overwhelmed sewer systems, flooding in homes and businesses, erosion on public beaches, and more.

On Old Mission Peninsula, those high water levels led to an indefinite closure of a section of Bluff Road, and in Leland’s historic Fishtown, several key structures were damaged, including flooding of the beloved Village Cheese Shanty.

So what’s a property owner to do?

Kirkwood and Smith say that building in coastal zones is regulated for a reason. “These are highly variable and dynamic ecosystems,” Kirkwood reminds us.

The first instinct, especially for a homeowner, would be to “harden” the shoreline with seawalls or rocks to protect their house, but such measures can cause more damage in the long run. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) notes that “The hard reflection of waves bouncing off of vertical walls can result in increased turbidity, bottomland scouring, damage to adjacent properties, decreased water quality, and proliferation of aquatic invasive species.”

Additionally, projects being done within 500 feet of water or 100 feet of a wetland almost always require a soil erosion permit from Grand Traverse County. Any projects involving shoreline on inland lakes will also require permits from EGLE. Projects involving Lake Michigan shoreline—including shoreline along Grand Traverse Bay—demand permits from both EGLE and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

“Try to live with a little erosion as a

property owner,” says Smith. “For people who are afraid of losing their beach, it will come back in a low water year. It might look different, but think about stepping back and letting the lake breathe.”

“Coastal resilience requires intensive scientific understanding and it also requires intensive planning and also compromise,” adds Kirkwood. “It’s a complicated dance that really benefits when there is open communication from all the different stakeholders.”

Other coastal resiliency strategies include ensuring that septic systems are regularly pumped, repaired, and replaced so that the water isn’t contaminated during flooding events; having certain setbacks from waterways; decreasing impervious surfaces; filtering and treating stormwater; planting trees (particularly in the aftermath the March 2025 ice storm); and preservation of wetlands, the latter of which is a very important strategy because of their ability to serve as buffers during flooding events, says Kirkwood.

“Those are some of the more classic coastal resiliency, green city things that communities are doing,” she says. “The other piece is making sure that the community is investing in their water infrastructure, making sure that the water rates remain affordable for folks, and working at the state and federal level to advocate and demand that the federal and state governments invest in water systems.”

Navigating the Landscape

Right now, The Watershed Center is trying to update its shoreline survey, which helps them to identify areas of concern (e.g., erosion, invasive species, lack of vegetation, and shoreline hardening). “This will help us identify areas of high quality habitat, where

A natural shoreline with dune grass on Old Mission Peninsula. Photo by Rick Kane

restoration efforts will be most beneficial. It can help us assess and prioritize where resources are spent, depending on those coastal conditions,” says Smith.

One of the biggest challenges to the work being done by The Watershed Center and Flow is funding. Government funding is always tricky, and recent efforts by the Trump administration have made things even trickier with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the government agency that is responsible for coastal resiliency, under threat.

“Now there are fewer dollars to help support local, smaller communities with less resources

to prepare for the future,” explains Kirkwood.

Kirkwood also notes that recent cuts mean that “we also don’t have NOAA’s weather service and GLISSA—the other scientific arm—there are not enough scientists to help tell us about algal bloom in Lake Erie and other bodies. That’s also handicapping communities in the Great Lakes because you’re not going to have warning systems that will alert municipal water systems to shut down if there are harmful algal blooms.”

“These are illustrations of why the network of local, federal, and state partnerships are vital to build and sustain long-term coastal resilience,” Kirkwood continues.

Case Study: East Bay Township

“East Bay Township is a little different; we don’t have any critical dunes, and we don’t get a lot of storm surge—with the bay we are pretty protected,” says Claire Karner, director of planning & zoning for the township. “We got a big grant from a coastal zone management program to do coastal resiliency planning along the US-31 corridor and just wrapped up a nine-month intense planning process.”

The process was multifaceted, with the township trying to create a brand and identity for the East Bay business district through the lens of coastal resiliency. They worked closely with The Watershed Center, and the Land Information Access Association (LIAA), a nonprofit that does community planning across Michigan, also helped with some mapping.

The township hosted an open house that displayed maps from different years showing how the coastline has changed and how water levels have changed over time to help hotel owners and business owners understand how that impacts zoning. Ultimately that process resulted in increasing the setback requirement in East Bay.

“It’s not as much as it should be; we are constrained by existing hotel use,” says Karner.

Moving forward, East Bay Township is establishing a corridor improvement authority to implement the priorities that were identified in the planning process. One high priority project is to develop a public pier at 4 Mile Road.

“The public wants access to the water and a better connection between land and water,” Karner tells us. “The corridor was built and developed for tourists, but we can reclaim it for the locals.”

s h o w c a s e s n e w d a n c e w o r k s b y R e s i d e n t C h o r e o g r a p h e r J e n n i f e r M c Q u i s t o n L o t t a n d r e c e n t J u i l l i a r d g r a d u a t e J u l i a C i e s i e l s k a , i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n w t h l i v e c e l l i s t K y e S t a c h n i k T h e s e c o n d h a l f o f t h e p r o g r a m w l l s p o t l i g h t c h o r e o g r a p h y b y A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r B r e n t W h i t n e y s e t t o t h e i c o n i c m u s i c o f Q u e e n E n j o y p r e - s h o w t u n e s b y D J E r i c P T h e s u m m e r s e a s o n c o n c l u d e s w t h G a l a i n t h e G a r d e n s a m a g i c a e v e n i n g s u p p o r t n g t h e f u t u r e g r o w t h o f t h e T r a v e r s e C i t y D a n c e P r o j e c t N o t e : A l l o f t h e s h o w s e x c e p t f o r F r a n k f o r t a r e o u t d o o r s B r i n g y o u r o w n c h a i r / b a n k e t f o r t h e C h a r l e v o i x a n d T r a v e r s e C i t y p e r f o r m a n c e s a s s e a t i n g w i l n o t b e p r o v d e d S u p p o r t e r s : R o t a r y C h a r t i e s o f T r a v e r s e C i t y K e t t e r i n g F a m y F o u n d a t i o n B e g o n a C h a r t a b l e F o u n d a t i o n D a n c e A r t s A c a d e m y T h e G a r d e n T h e a t e r K a k a s k a D o w n t o w n D e v e l o p m e n t A u t h o r i t y C i t y o f C h a r l e v o i x R e c r e a t i o n D e p a r t m e n t M i c h i g a n A r t s a n d C u l t u r e C o u n

2025 RED DRIVE CONCERT SERIES

THE LUKE WOLTANSKI BAND June 20th

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SPONSORS:

Red Dr. Traverse City, MI www.leftfootcharley.com

Past coastal flooding in Traverse City.

Photo by Holly Wright

Natural shoreline stabalization on East Bay by Traverse City firm InHabitect.

Boater Trends for 2025

Five questions for Irish Boat Shop

By Greg Tasker

Cast your eyes on any lake in northern Michigan this time of year and you’re likely to see a floatilla—power boats, sailboats, pontoons and more—soaking up the early days of summer. It’s no wonder. In Michigan, you’re never more than six miles away from a lake, river, or stream.

What’s more, Michigan boasts more than 1,000 public boat launches and 82 public harbors across the state, providing boaters with easy access to miles of Great Lakes shoreline, 11,000 inland lakes, and countless rivers and streams.

If you’re wondering how serious Michiganders are about recreational boating, consider this: Michigan ranks third in the nation in recreational powerboat sales with $1.6 billion in receipts during 2023, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Michigan is home to more than one million registered boaters, second only to California, says Discover Boating, an online source and guide to recreational boating.

Keeping a pulse on the boating scene Up North is Irish Boat Shop, Inc., which has been providing recreational boat services for more than 60 years, initially from Harbor Springs.

Today, the family-owned company boasts waterfront locations in Harbor Springs and Charlevoix, where its services include new boat sales and brokerage, dockage, maintenance and repair services for power and sail, parts and accessories, and storage. The company also has a dealership in Traverse City, opened in 2018, which includes indoor heated storage, added in 2023.

Besides its boating expertise, Irish Boat Shop is known for its variety of marine

events. Among them is its annual Shrink Wrap Recycle Day held in May. Most of the shrink wrap collected is turned over to Trex, a manufacturer of eco-friendly composite decks. Other events include boat shows, water rendezvous, and photo contests.

We asked them five questions about boating in 2025, and here’s what we learned.

1. Which Boats Sell Best?

The desires of boat customers run the gamut. Just look out at a lake. There are new boats. Used boats. Fast boats. Family boats. Sailboats. And pontoons.

“Most customers are looking for a way to spend quality time with family and friends. The exact type of boat and activity varies greatly, but the bottom line is people want to disconnect from their busy lives and slow down a bit out on the water with the ones they care about the most,” says Edward Bartoszewski, who is vice president of sales at Irish Boat Shop.

Irish Boat Shop sells both new and used power boats and sailboats. While powerboats have become more popular in recent years—a trend mirrored across the country—the company still has an “active community of sailors that we cater to,” Bartoszewski says.

“There are advantages and disadvantages of both new and used boats and we sell a large number of both,” he says. “I believe if budget were not an issue, most people would prefer a new boat, but used boats do make up a bit more than 50 percent of our sales.”

From the perspective of Irish Boat Shop, the traditional motorboat continues to be the most popular. Bartoszewski describes motorboats as bow rider and cabin cruiser boats—watercraft typically used by families. Powerboats, on the other hand, are the

Cigarette/Donzi/Fountain-style boats designed for speed.

“High performance speed boats have had a bit of a revival in the last few years with poker runs and outlaw challenges regaining some popularity, and there is a huge market for pontoons, especially for inland lakes, but the bulk of the business for the Irish Boat Shop comes from the traditional motorboat,” Bartoszewski says.

2. What Size Is Most Popular?

The size of the boat for most customers depends on where they intend to recreate on the water.

“The most popular length really depends on the local market. Boaters who want the best all-purpose boat for nearshore fun love Boston Whalers, with the 17 Montauk being one of our most popular models,” he says.

Boaters looking to spend time in the deeper waters of Lake Michigan want something in the 28-foot to 40-foot range, like the Boston Whaler 350 Realm. Inland lake customers want a fun boat for the whole family like the Nautique G23 or the Chaparral 270 OSX, both in the 20-foot to 30-foot range.

3. What Extra Gear Do You Recommend?

New boat customers are always provided with all the safety gear required by the U.S. Coast Guard. This includes life jackets for all on board, a noise maker (which could be a whistle or an air horn), a flare kit, an anchor, and a throwable floatation device.

Lines and fenders are also provided to all new boat purchases at Irish Boat Shop.

If you’re looking for some fun gear, Bartoszewski recommends trying out a

towable tube. Tubes can be great fun for the family and don’t take a ton of time to learn. “If you want to take it to the next level, try wake surfing,” he suggests.

4. Will We Go Electric?

While electric vehicles are showing up more and more on Michigan roads, is that the same for electric boats on Michigan waters?

For a number of years, the Irish Boat Shop has been offering electric Torqeedo motors for smaller sailboats as well as Zodiac tenders (aka inflatable dinghies). Customers “love them because they are quiet, clean, and easy to use,” Bartoszewski says.

“I believe this application for electric motors is here to stay. The long-term success of larger boats with electric motors remains to be seen,” he adds. “Safety and reliability concerns remain, but as technology advances, I would not be surprised to see larger electric boats become a reality.”

5. Are Prices Rising?

Although tariffs have sparked concerns across the country with the prospect of rising prices for consumers, that has not been an issue so far at Irish Boat Shop.

“For the most part, our brands are manufactured here in the USA, something we are proud of at IBS, so there aren’t any direct tariff impacts, although some of the boat components and materials are imported, so we may see an impact down the road,” Bartoszewski says.

Used boat pricing has been stable in the northern Michigan market, but Bartoszewski says the company is hearing from its manufacturers to expect a price increase of 3 percent to 5 percent for the next model year on new boats.

GENOCIDE WARNING AT HOME

guest opinion

by Quinn De Vecchi

Since January, Trump has deported over 70,000 people in the U.S. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are allowed to hide their identities as they illegally arrest, capture, and deport migrants or others. Some migrants have been detained and still have not been heard from—effectively, they’ve been “disappeared” by the U.S. government and ICE.

The targets of the deportations and detentions are mostly Latin American immigrants. (Trump has been vehement about his feelings toward Latino people.) By focusing on Latino people and people of color, the Trump Administration is essentially partaking in a modern ethnic cleansing of people of color.

Another term for ethnic cleansing is “genocide.” In 1987, Gregory Stanton, a professor at law and the founder and president of Genocide Watch, created the “Eight Stages of Genocide”—then, in 2012, he expanded the list by making it 10 stages. The Holocaust Explained, an educational site created by The Wiener Holocaust Library, delves further into these 10 stages:

1. Classification – Dividing people into “them” and “us.”

2. Symbolization – Forcing groups to wear or be associated with symbols which identify them as different.

3. Discrimination – Excluding groups from participating in civil society, such as by excluding them from voting or certain places. In Nazi Germany, for example, Jews were not allowed to sit on certain park benches.

4. Dehumanization – To deny the humanity of one group, and associate them with animals or diseases in order to belittle them.

5. Organization – Training police or army units and providing them with weapons and knowledge in order to persecute a group in future.

6. Polarization – Using propaganda to polarise society, create distance and exclude a group further.

7. Preparation – Planning of mass murder and identifying specific victims.

8. Persecution – Incarcerating groups in ghettos or concentration camps, forcibly displacing groups, expropriating property, belongings or wealth.

9. Extermination – Committing mass murder.

10. Denial – Denial of any crimes. This does not necessarily mean denying that the acts of murder happened, but denying that these acts were a crime, and were in fact justified.

On the Genocide Watch’s official overview of the United States, they’ve classified our country’s status under “warning.” Genocide Watch writes that the “genocide stage” the U.S. is currently in is “dehumanization,” specifically targeting Native Americans, Black Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Latino Americans, and those that are Jewish.

I would argue that the United States has already surpassed stage four, and is already on stage eight: persecution. The ICE units being deployed by the Trump Administration is an example of stage five’s “organization.”

The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), a nonpartisan data

distribution organization that was founded in 1989 at Syracuse University, publicly publishes immigration reports and statistics within the U.S. Within one report focusing on ICE detention centers, TRAC wrote that at least 49,184 people have been held in detention as of April. And out of that number, a staggering amount of 21,997 detained people have no criminal record at all. TRAC writes on their site, “Many more have only minor offenses, including traffic violations.”

After stage five comes stage six: polarization. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) writes on the topic of media and how immigrants are portrayed. A two-year report focused on the astounding $247 million that was spent on ads targeting immigration. There, they found that “around 20 percent of the ads referred to migrants as ‘illegals’ or ‘aliens,’ with around seven percent choosing harsher words like ‘trafficker,’ ‘rapist,’ or ‘murderer.’”

“Numerous international human rights documents firmly establish the principle that no human being can be ‘illegal’ or outside the protection of the law,” ACLU writes further on their site. “Federal immigration enforcement policies have led to an increase in racial profiling, border killings, and denial of due process rights. Immigrant workers are often abused, exploited, and have become scapegoats and victims of racism and stereotyping.”

While it is unclear whether measures for step seven—preparation—have been taken out by the government, step eight is already underway. Just when Trump was recently elected, he began sending mostly Venezuelan immigrants to Guantanamo Bay.

There, migrants were often living in inhumane conditions. Soon after, many of the migrants were taken out of GTMO and moved to other ICE facilities within the States.

The Trump Administration has also renovated the mostly unused Dade-Collier Training Airport located in Florida’s Everglades to create what they call “Alligator Alcatraz.” Built with disaster relief tents and trailers—and surrounded by the Everglades marshland— the facility could hold up to 3,000 people. Though called an immigration detention facility, “Alligator Alcatraz” matches the Encyclopædia Britannica definition of a concentration camp (britannica.com/topic/ concentration-camp).

And now as well, as of June 23, the Trump Administration is allowed to deport immigrants to “third countries”—countries they aren’t even from.

There is no telling when or whether or not the next stages of genocide will happen. But we have seen this happen before in the past with the U.S., going so far back as with the genocide of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. The only thing we can do is make sure that it goes no further, and that the government finally takes ownership of their actions.

Quinn De Vecchi is a creative writing senior at Interlochen Arts Academy.

Mystery Waters of Northern Michigan

Uncovering the cultural legacy of lost craft in the Great Lakes

By Matt Dursum

Sunken ships and lost aircraft draw international curiosity, especially in places like Drake’s Passage and the Bermuda Triangle. But the dark, frigid waters of the Great Lakes also hold their share of haunting maritime mysteries.

Gordon Lightfoot’s 1976 ballad, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” brought attention to the treacherous waters of Lake Superior. But thousands of other craft, and their mysteries, remain.

“It’s not that one story is more important than the other. All these people who went down on these vessels deserved to be remembered,” says Corey Adkins, communications/content director at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society.

The organization operates the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. At the museum, visitors can see the 200-pound bronze bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald and other famous relics lost to the lakes.

Estimates for the number of shipwrecks in the Great Lakes reach as high as 6,000. Besides the Edmund Fitzgerald, freighters such as the Western Reserve and the Arlington have cemented Lake Superior’s

reputation as a ship graveyard. Yet, lost ships and aircraft are scattered across the bottom of all five Great Lakes, and researchers are keen to find them.

Meticulous Work and Mussel Damage

Research teams often spend days combing the lake floor, working with narrow windows of good weather. “It’s incredibly tedious and boring until you find a wreck,” says Adkins.

Once a wreck is found, the researchers sometimes spend years collecting data on the site before announcing their finds to the public. “We’ll put the ROV down, study it, and make sure we have the full story. We don’t just, you know, blurt it out on Facebook.”

With all the technology we now have, it is getting easier to find wrecks. But that being said, the vast size, depth, and unpredictable surface conditions on the lakes still make locating lost ships and aircraft incredibly difficult.

To find the wrecks, researchers use modern sonar mapping technology and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). John R. Lutchko, Director of the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute at Northwestern Michigan College, says most discoveries

happen with the help of side-scan sonars towed from boats or ROVs. “You’re getting a really high resolution detail of the bottom up to 100 meters out on either side.”

To prepare for real-world expeditions in the Great Lakes and beyond, students at the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute train on shipwrecks and unmarked objects in the Grand Traverse Bay.

“We actually have an array of cages out in the bay of various sizes, and we use those to practice,” says Lutchko. Researchers must be experts at setting resolution, depth, and sonar frequency, as well as piloting underwater vehicles. “Is it a plane that’s broken up on impact, where you’re just looking for a debris field, or is it a 300-footlong freighter that sank 100 years ago? It’s all about what you’re looking for.”

Although Lake Superior is the largest and deepest of the Great Lakes, its cold and invasive-mussel-free waters help preserve wrecks, making them easier to identify. “The wrecks in Superior are relatively free of zebra and quagga mussels, where the other four [lakes] are just covered in them,” says Adkins.

“That’s becoming an additional challenge to people who are trying to identify them, because we’ve lost the ability to see

nameplates and other identifying features,” adds Lutchko. Besides hiding identifiable features, the long-term effects of the mussels are unknown. “It’s kind of sad because we don’t see shipwrecks anymore; we see the outline of shipwrecks coated in quagga mussels.”

Mysteries Remain

Despite advances in sonar and underwater robotics, many lost craft go undiscovered in the Great Lakes. “They estimate that there are still thousands out there that have not yet been discovered,” says Lutchko.

And yet, the mysteries of the past beckon. The wrecks, as Lutchko points out, are important from a research standpoint and for the culture of the region. “You’re talking about people who have lost their lives on these wrecks. They’re culturally significant to the history of the Great Lakes and the history of the region. So I think it’s very important.”

And when it comes to mysteries, we have our own Bermuda Triangle of sorts. Between the Manitou Islands, Fox Island, and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore lies the Manitou Passage. The underwater preserve contains multiple diving sites, such

Photo courtesy of Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

as the Francisco Morazan, which visitors to South Manitou can view from shore. The passage also hides famous wrecks such as the Carl D. Bradley, a 638-foot-long steamer that sank in bad weather in 1958.

Many of the Great Lakes’ most soughtafter mystery ships and lost planes are thought to have met their fate in and around the passage, such as the Aero L-39 Albatross that was lost in 1998 on its approach to the Cherry Capital Airport. Of these wrecks, few are as legendary as the W.H. Gilcher. “The Gilcher is the largest shipwreck in Lake Michigan yet to be found,” says Ric Mixter, author and Great Lakes shipwreck researcher.

The Gilcher was a 300-foot-long steelhulled steamer that sank off the Western Coast of Michigan on October 28, 1892.

“They found debris on North Manitou Island that was marked the Gilcher, so it’s got to be somewhere in that vicinity of where it went down,” says Mixter, who says the SS W.H. Gilcher would be the next big discovery to make international headlines.

Wreck hunters and researchers are also actively pursuing the French-built Le Griffon, which was lost in Lake Michigan in 1679.

“There’s a lot of nonsense about the Griffon that gets on the air and goes into newspapers, but the truth is, it’s out there,” says Mixter.

(Per a Sept. 2024 Detroit Free Press article, Charlevoix residents Steve and Kathie Libert believe to have found Le Griffon, called “the holy grail” of shipwrecks, in the U.P. nearly two decades ago, and have been working to prove it ever since. It’s a long read, but a

fascinating one: freep.com/story/news/local/ michigan/2024/09/22/griffon-shipwreckgreat-lakes-lake-michigan-steve-kathielibert/74956091007.)

In his book, Bottled Goodbyes: Final Farewells from Maritime and Aviation Disasters, Mixter investigates the messages in bottles left by sailors during the tragic accidents.

“In the 1913 storm, we found a message in a bottle in Manistee, and the guy that wrote the letter sadly came ashore near there as well,” says Mixter, who believes the message was from a sailor who lost his life during the tragic sinking of the lumber barge The Plymouth. According to Mixter, the message read something like, “‘been in the storm for 40 hours. Goodbye, dear ones. I might see

you in heaven.’ And at the very bottom of the letter, he said, ‘The shipping company or the logging company owes me 35 bucks…’”

Whether a wreck or a message in a bottle, each piece of history tells the story of ambition, tragedy, or resilience on the mighty Great Lakes. “For me, it’s all about telling the stories that didn’t have Gordon Lightfoot to sing a song about them,” says Mixter.

Mixter says preserving the memories of the ships and the people lost in the lakes is just as exciting as the discovery itself. “My job is to make sure we don’t forget about the Carl Bradley, which most people had, or the Cedarville, or the Griffon.”

When asked about which discovery excites them the most, Adkins, Lutchko, and Mixter all agree, “the next one.”

Photo courtesy of Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

John R. Lutchko and crew

Fire Up the Smoker

Cordwood BBQ has the meats

By Geri Dietze

Walt Lach has a pretty sweet—and savory—deal: After the launch of Cordwood BBQ 10 years ago, the 2007 Great Lakes Culinary Institute grad continues to grow his business, which remains solidly among Traverse City’s favored venues for authentic smoked eats, plus all the fixings.

Seven days a week in the summer, you can find Cordwood at The Little Fleet, where it has maintained its position since 2015. Lach says the food truck owners there are “like a family.”

In 2024, Lach followed up with a brick-andmortar storefront, named Cordwood BBQ at Eighth, which he shares with Grand Traverse Sauce Co., the veteran-owned purveyor of small-batch hot sauce. Find them at Traverse City’s new East Side Social District, at Eighth and Garfield. The venue can seat about 25 folks both inside at tables and bar seating and

at outside tables. Expect the same great menu available year around. (A license to serve adult libations might be in the future.)

In the shoulder season, Cordwood will also pop up in other locales, from the Michigan Sauna Fest to the Iceman Cometh Challenge.

No matter where the truck goes, Lach tends the main smoker, a repurposed 500-gallon propane tank, and follows a schedule which demands patience: “It’s labor intensive,” he says of the process. Lach says that a brisket takes about 12 to 14 hours, and pork between 8 and 10 hours.

Lach feeds the fire every 20 to 30 minutes with a mix of red and white oak, sourced from a supplier in Kalkaska and balanced for optimal flavor. Low temps guarantee even cooking and tenderness without drying out the finished product, and the long smoke time imparts deep, memorable flavors.

And that smoker is busy: He estimates

that in one week during the busy season he might sell over 300 rice bowls, around 700 sandwiches, and over 800 sides. “It’s a lot of work,” he admits, “but everyone appreciates the food.”

Cooked Low and Slow; Eaten Hot and Fast

First, let’s talk sandwiches. The 8th Street Special is a pile of smoked pulled pork, with slaw, pickles, and pickled red onions. The Piggy Back features smoked pulled pork, topped with creamy mac and cheese. And then there’s the Castaway Chicken, combining smoked pulled chicken with mac and cheese, and the What What, which serves up smoked beef brisket, slaw, pickles, pickled red onions, and white Alabama BBQ sauce. All of the above sandwiches are served on a tender brioche bun with fresh BBQ sauce.

Yes, this is a BBQ joint, but vegetarians will love the flavors in the Bomb Diggety,

complete with fried tempeh, queso blanco, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and crème fraîche on brioche.

Now, let’s mix it up a bit with your favorite BBQ side: mac and cheese. Go Hog Wild for a combo of creamy mac and cheese and smoked pulled pork, topped with BBQ sauce. Or try the Brisket Mac with mac and cheese, smoked beef brisket, and sweet BBQ sauce. The Chicken Run pairs mac and cheese with smoked pulled chicken, topped with BBQ sauce.

Lach also experiments with international flavors. The Korean Rice Bowl features ginger jasmine rice, house made Korean pickled cucumbers and carrots, sliced radish, jalapeno, and scallions with house made Korean BBQ sauce and a bit of Sriracha. Add a protein if you wish. “The rice bowl is a big hit this year,” Lach says.

And don’t forget about the A la Cart Meats, served by the half-pound, with Brickman’s

pickles, house made pickled red onions, and BBQ sauce. (Lach says “I know something about pickles,” and Brickman’s are the best.)

Traditional Sides and Sauces

What’s BBQ without something extra?

The Mac and Cheese is an obvious choice, but don’t sleep on the Cowboy Beans—shout out to the vaqueros of northern Mexico— tender baked pintos with a spicy and savory finish. There’s also a Creamy Redskin Potato Salad, with red onions, dill and parsley, mustard, mayo and a splash of vinaigrette;

and Sweet Vinaigrette Coleslaw with cabbage carrots, radish, scallions, and cilantro in a sweet lemon/vinegar dressing.

Oh, and don’t leave without fresh corn bread, sweet or jalapeño style.

As for the sauces, there’s the House Sweet and the Hot Honey, along with two others that might not be as well known in these parts. Carolina Gold is a blend of yellow mustard, cider vinegar, honey or brown sugar, and cayenne. And the White Alabama is mayonnaise-based with cider vinegar, brown mustard, and horseradish.

Wash it all down with a classic soda or one of Lach’s homemade flavored lemonades.

What Else to Know

At the moment, visitors will see a couple of temporary changes to the truck: The enormous longhorn steer horns normally rest atop the Cordwood sign, but they are in the shop, and the rustic frieze of log discs, arranged to resemble stacked wood, which run along the side of the truck, is being refurbished. It’s a really cool truck, but you’re not here for the décor, so dig right in.

As summer flies by, watch for specials like holiday smoked hams and turkeys heading into November. And don’t forget that Cordwood BBQ has a full-service catering business for weddings and gatherings of all sorts.

Last but not least, if you need a meal on the go, you can order online or via the Clover app for in-store pick-up, DoorDash, Postmates, or UberEats.

Find Cordwood BBQ at The Little Fleet, 448 E. Front St. or at 1125 E. Eighth St. in Traverse City. cordwoodbbq.com

“Jonesin” Crosswords

ACROSS

1. Haydn's nickname

5. "White Christmas" record label

10. Big bikes

14. Faucet issue

15. Eyed lewdly

16. LGBT rights activist Windsor

17. Twain protagonist

18. Black, in Bordeaux

19. Regal title

20. Marvel series from 2013-2020

23. Conical cooker

24. "Boy king" of Egypt

25. Info that often gets encrypted

34. Geller who claims paranormal ability

35. Memo taker

36. Like failed goals

37. Speakers between woofers and tweeters, for short

39. Like some baskets

41. Domesticated

42. To have, in Le Havre

44. Neared, with "to"

46. Former Portuguese colony in India

47. It only has 60 feet between bases

50. Part of RSVP

51. Winnipeg-to-Memphis dir.

52. How additional items are described in toy ads (and a hint to the circled letters)

60. ___ gobi (Indian potato dish)

61. "Lady Bird" actress Saoirse

62. Still-life fruit

64. Tabby noise

65. Bar mixer

66. Pie crust ingredient

67. X Games airer

68. Refuge from the sun

69. "Where the Sidewalk ___" (Shel Silverstein book)

DOWN

1. Adobe export

2. Operatic solo

3. Send an e-notification to

4. Nonprofit journalism org.

5. "Ya got me"

6. They may easily bruise

7. Ad agency award

8. "What's My Line?" panelist Bennett

9. "___ Fideles" (Christmas carol)

10. Unsure

11. "Garfield" canine

12. St. Pauli ___ (beer brand)

13. Pomegranate bit

21. Halfway through the day

22. "Hotel Rwanda" group

25. Alternative to Nikes

26. "Wicked" star Cynthia

27. Free from

28. Maldives landform

29. Video game stage

30. "Judge ___" (1995 Stallone movie)

31. Adult insect

32. ___ chiffon (pale yellow color)

33. Position

38. Can't stand anymore?

40. Bother

43. Slugger's stats

45. Over and done with

48. Push notices

49. Small human-shaped board game piece

52. Unaltered

53. Soccer cheers

54. Curved path

55. Friend of Piglet

56. "The King and I" character

57. Viking's mission

58. Rest (against)

59. Short gridiron gain

63. Map lines, for short

"Peddle Pieces" some vend diagrams. by Matt Jones

Saturday

60TH ANNUAL GAYLORD

Medical Office Building For Sale! - 11,486

Windows providing lots of natural light. Excellent for Physical Therapy, Patient Assessments, Gym Related Activities! Current tenant (month to month) is utilizing the lower level (some lab space), and approx. 2/3's of the main floor. The owner is using approx. 1/3 of the main floor & shared common areas. Owner leaseback is negotiable or buyer could use the entire building if needed. Many individual offices of various sizes. Close to Munson Hospital surrounded by a variety of Medical Practices. Virtual tour Online –MLS# 1919691 - $1,499,000.

Main Level is 6,187 Sq/Ft. Walkout Lower Level is 5,299 Sq/Ft and Features a Large Open Area w/Picture Windows providing lots of natural light. Excellent for Physical Therapy, Patient Assessments, Gym Related Activities! Current tenant

Area w/Picture Windows providing lots of natural light. Excellent for Physical Therapy, Patient As sessments, Gym Related Activities! Current ten ant (month to month) is utilizing the lower level (some lab space), and approx. 2/3's of the main floor. The owner is using approx. 1/3 of the main floor & shared common areas. Owner leaseback is negotiable or buyer could use the entire build ing if needed. Many individual offices of various sizes. Close to Munson Hospital surrounded by a variety of Medical Practices. Virtual tour Online –MLS# 1919691 - $1,499,000.

Sq/Ft. Main Level is 6,187 Sq/Ft. Walkout Lower Level is 5,299 Sq/Ft and Features a Large Open Area w/Picture Windows providing lots of natural light. Excellent for Physical Therapy, Patient Assessments, Gym Related Activities! Current tenant (month to month) is utilizing the lower level (some lab space), and approx. 2/3's of the main floor. The owner is using approx. 1/3 of the main floor & shared common areas. Owner leaseback is negotiable or buyer could use the entire building if needed. Many individual offices of various sizes. Close to Munson Hospital surrounded by a variety of Medical Practices. Virtual tour Online MLS# 1919691 - $1,499,000.

Medical Office Building For Sale! - 11,486 Sq/Ft. Main Level is 6,187 Sq/Ft. Walkout Lower Level is 5,299 Sq/Ft and Features a Large Open Area w/Picture Windows providing lots of natural light. Excellent for Physical Therapy, Patient Assessments, Gym Related Activities! Current tenant (month to month) is utilizing the lower level (some lab space), and approx. 2/3's of the main floor. The owner is using approx. 1/3 of the main floor & shared common areas. Owner leaseback is negotiable or buyer could use the entire building if needed. Many individual offices of various sizes. Close to Munson Hospital surrounded by a variety of Medical Practices. Virtual tour Online –MLS# 1919691 - $1,499,000.

12 - Great Opportunity - One Building a Large (40x44) Insulated Warehouse -15 ft Sidewalls -14x20 Sliding

ALPENFEST: Downtown Gaylord, July 8-12. Today includes the Alpenfest Run - 10K, 5K, 1 Mile Fun Run, Grand Parade, Grand Traverse Pipes and Drums, Petoskey Steel Drum Band Concert, Walking Tacos, Mysty Blues, Line Dancing, Main Street Soul & much more. gaylordalpenfest.com/2025-schedule

11TH ANNUAL SWEATY YETI 5K & MAKE A MEMORY MILE FUN RUN: Boswell Stadium, East Jordan. 5K is at 8am & Fun Run at 9am. $15-$35. runsignup.com/sweatyyetirun

OPEN AIR SERIES: BEACH YOGA & PADDLE BOARDING IN SUTTONS BAY: 8am, Leland River Studio. This intimate beachside class invites you to move with the rhythm of the lake. All donations from this class go directly to the Leelanau Conservancy, whose work helps preserve the shoreline & clean water. River Studio will match every dollar raised. After class, enjoy a complimentary paddle boarding session (9–10am). Limited to 15 participants. Please bring a beach towel instead of a yoga mat. Minimum donation requested: $10. lelandriverstudio.com/ events/openair01

PLATTE RIVER CLEAN SWEEP: Join

walls - Epoxy Floors - Steel Ceilings - 3 Sink Stainless - Double Doors for Deliveries in Main Workspace w/4 Individual Work Rooms. Could be Opened up for One Large Space. Light Manufacturing could be a great Contractor or Woodworking Workshop! Rental or Cleaning Business, etc. etc. US-31 Highway Frontage & Exposure for Signage on Building. Improvements include 3 phase electric in both buildings - Paved & Plumbed w/ New Drainfield, & Security System. MLS# 1922900 $459,900.

COMMERCIAL - Great Opportunity - One Building a Large (40x44) Insulated Warehouse -15 ft Sidewalls -14x20 Sliding Doors Large Second Building has a Reception - Office - Restroom Area and a Unique Building Attached with 11 ft Sidewalls - Epoxy Floors - Ceilings - Sink Stainless - Double Doors for Deliveries in Main Workspace w/4 Individual Work Rooms. Could be Opened up for One Large Space. Light Manufacturing could be a great Contractor or Woodworking Workshop! Rental or Cleaning Business, etc. etc. US-31 Highway Frontage & Exposure for Signage on Building. Improvements include 3 phase electric in both buildings - Paved & Plumbed w/ New Drainfield, & Security System. MLS# 1922900 $459,900.

Second Building has a Reception - Office - Restroom Area and a Unique Building Attached with 11 ft Sidewalls - Epoxy Floors - Steel Ceilings - 3 Sink Stainless - Double Doors for Deliveries in Main Workspace w/4 Individual Work Rooms. Could be Opened up for One Large Space. Light Manufacturing could be a great Contractor or Woodworking Workshop! Rental or Cleaning Business, etc. etc. US-31 Highway Frontage & Exposure for Signage on Building. Improvements include 3 phase electric in both buildings - Paved & Plumbed w/ New Drainfield, & Security System. MLS# 1922900 $459,900.

- Great Opportunity - One Building a Large (40x44) Insulated Warehouse -15 ft Sidewalls -14x20 Sliding Doors for Large StorageSecond Building has a Reception - Office - Restroom Area and a Unique Building Attached with 11 ft Sidewalls - Epoxy Floors - Steel Ceilings - 3 Sink Stainless - Double Doors for Deliveries in Main Workspace w/4 Individual Work Rooms. Could be Opened up for One Large Space. Light Manufacturing could be a great Contractor or Woodworking Workshop! Rental or Cleaning Business, etc. etc. US-31 Highway Frontage & Exposure for Signage on Building. Improvements include 3 phase electric in both buildings - Paved & Plumbed w/ New Drainfield, & Security System. MLS# 1922900 $459,900.

Benzie Conservation District & partners in the annual Platte River cleanup to keep it a healthy & beautiful habitat. Meet at Maley Park, Honor for a light breakfast & be ready to launch at 9:30am. Cleanup gear provided; please bring your own kayak/canoe, life jacket, sunscreen, bug spray & water. Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by their guardian. Registration required: 231882-4391. benziecd.org/events

43RD ANNUAL BLISSFEST MUSIC FESTIVAL: 3695 Division Rd., Harbor Springs, July 11-13. This annual folk & roots festival will feature performers such as Lindsay Lou, Elephant Revival, Jig Jam, Harry Manx, The Mammals, Henhouse Prowlers, Galactic Sherpas, The Vermeers, & many more. There are three stages, Club Bliss, Song Tree, Blisstro Dome, Drum Kiva, & Harmony Dome. For tickets & more info visit web site. blissfest.org

56TH ANNUAL CHARLEVOIX ART & CRAFT SHOW: 10am-6pm, East Park & Bridge St., downtown Charlevoix. Acrylic & oil paintings, sculpture, hand-blown glass beadwork, pottery, baskets, furniture, clothing & accessories, hand-woven rugs, quilted works & much more.

One of the first female sports agents, the “female Jerry Maguire” Molly Fletcher visits Bay View in John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey, Tues., July 15 at 7:30pm. Representing some of the biggest names in sports, including Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz and championship basketball coaches Tom Izzo and Doc Rivers, Fletcher is also the author of the #1 USA Today bestseller, “Dynamic Drive.” Tickets: $20-$30. bayviewassociation.org/events/big-read-molly-fletcher/ send your

MIDSUMMER ART & CRAFT SHOW: 10am-5pm, Emmet County Fairgrounds, Petoskey. daniellesblueribbonevents.com

SOUTH ARM CLASSIC CAR SHOW: 10am-3pm, East Jordan. Memorial Park & Spring Street will be lined with bright, colorful cars of days gone by. There will also be food, music & more.

SAY NO TO ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE: 11am12:30pm, corner of Grandview Parkway & Union St., TC. Join in showing solidarity with the people of Palestine who are being killed by Israel while our communities pay for the weapons. Demand that the U.S. Government serves America, not Israel. Meet every Sat. mideastjustpeace.net

SATURDAY AT THE SHOWGROUNDSHUNTER COMPETITION: 5pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. Hunter Spectacular. World-class Hunter competition, food, boutique shopping, & open-air fun. Gates open early. Proceeds benefit the International Affairs Forum (IAF) NMC Foundation. $15 GA. app.gopassage.com/venues/8654

ALEXANDRA DUNBAR: 7pm, The Music House Museum, Williamsburg. Interlochen Arts Camp instructor Alexandra Dunbar will perform a program of music by Handel, Haydn, Scarlatti & others on the harpsichord & clavichord. Visit musichouse.org for more info. $25 online; $30 door. mynorthtickets. com/events/the-music-house-museum-welcomes-interlochen-arts-camp-harpsichordist-alexandra-dunbar-in-concert-saturdayjuly-12-at-700pm-7-12-2025

RETAIL/OFFICE

RETAIL/OFFICE FOR LEASE. Blair Plaza Offers Great Visibility - Great Parking - Great for Businessor Service Oriented

RETAIL/OFFICE FOR LEASE. Blair Plaza Offers Great Visibility - Great Parking - Great Space for Retail Businessor Service Oriented Office. Big Windows & Interior Improvements. Service Door to Back Lot for Deliveries & Employee Parking. Chums Corner Area has Exploded with Growth. Many National & Regional Companies Open In & Around Blair Plaza. Tenant Pays Rent - Utilities (+W&S approx $47 monthly) - Share of Snow Removal (approx $300 annually) - Liability Ins. Check it out! MLS# 1926773 - $1,695 Montly

ART IN THE BARN: 10am-5pm, 6411 N. Overlook Rd., Northport. Stop in to visit artist Douglas Racich’s studio in the historic Leelanau barn. Featured art will include egg tempera & watercolor paintings by Racich. Free. leelanauprints.com

FRIENDS OF THE LELAND TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY USED BOOK SALE: 10am-2pm, Leland Township Public Library, Munnecke Room.

MADE IN CHEBOYGAN SUMMER CRAFT SHOW SERIES: 10am, Washington Park, downtown Cheboygan. More than 30 crafters & artists will display jewelry, home decor, artwork & much more. facebook.com/madeincheboygan

MEET A PLEIN AIR ARTIST DAY: 10am2pm, Glen Arbor Arts Center. Professional plein air painters will be on site for demonstrations, technique tips, & hands-on guidance. Free. glenarborart.org/product/youthplein-air-month

“A GOLDEN AFTERNOON”: K&A Hop Dogs, TC. Noon-3pm is a fundraiser for Golden Retriever Rescue of Michigan, a non-profit organization that rescues & rehomes Golden Retrievers. K&A Hop Dogs is northern Michigan’s first dog-friendly brew pub. Admission is $10 for one dog, $16 for two, & $18 for three. Advance reservations recommended. kahopdogs.com

25 YEAR CELEBRATION: Noon-3pm, Rainbow of Hope Farm, Kingsley. This is a thank you to foundations, in-kind services & volunteers who have supported Rainbow of Hope Farm for the past 25 years. Lunch provided, John Thompson & Friends Band, & ROHF resident talent show. Free. rainbowofhopefarm.weebly.com

BRITTANY DARGA BOOK SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Brittany will sign her book “If a Petoskey Stone Could Talk.” horizonbooks.com/event/brittany-darga-book-signing

MEET THE AUTHOR: DAWN CHALKER: 2-4pm, Brilliant Books, TC. Dawn will be signing & discussing her latest novel, “Lost and Found.” There will also be copies of her earlier novel, “Bear Me In Mind,” & “Where’s the Vacation?”, a collection of short stories. Free. brilliant-books.net/event/meet-authordawn-chalker

GRETCHEN WILSON WSG FAMILY TRADITION: Little River Casino Resort, outdoor venue, Manistee. Gretchen’s first single, “Redneck Woman,” spent six weeks at #1. She has won across-the-board awards, including ACMs, CMAs, AMAs, Billboards, & is a Grammy winner & nine-time nominee. Family Tradition opens the show at 7pm, followed by Gretchen at 9pm. $59-$109. lrcr. com/event/gretchen-wilson

MOSTLY SUNNY - THE BENZIE COMMUNITY CHORUS: 7pm, Mills Community House Auditorium, Benzonia. $20. benziechorus.org

SATURDAYS IN THE PARK: 7pm, GT County Civic Center Amphitheater, TC. Featuring the Metro Soul Band. Free.

ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES AND THE WOOD BROTHERS WSG YASMIN WILLIAMS: 7pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Daytime Emmy Award nominees St. Paul & The Broken Bones bring their blend of “rafter-shaking retro soul” (NPR) with hints of funk, classic disco, & experimental R&B. The Wood Brothers are known for their American roots music & have received acclaim from NPR

& Rolling Stones with songs like “Luckiest Man” & “The Muse.” Tickets start at $35. interlochen.org/events/st-paul-broken-bonesand-wood-brothers-2025-07-12 -

EPIC EAGLES: THE DEFINITIVE EAGLES TRIBUTE: 7:30pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. One of the top drawing tribute acts in North America, the Epic Eagles bring you The Eagles’ greatest hits like “Hotel California,” “One of These Nights,” & “Life in the Fast Lane.” $10-$40 with $5 discount for Veterans. theoperahouse.org

THE WORLD’S GREATEST TRIBUTE TO THE TRAVELING WILBURYS: 7:30pm, City Opera House, TC. The Traveling Milburys are a salute to the supergroup of all supergroups; The Traveling Wilburys: George Harrison, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne & Bob Dylan. An authentic recreation of The Traveling Wilburys right down to the outfits & instruments. Enjoy thrilling lights, sound, video & audience participation. $44-$64. cityoperahouse.org/tribute-to-the-traveling-wilburys -

“PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE”: 8pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Enjoy Tim Burton’s colorful & hilarious first film, “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” Free admission & free popcorn. Rated PG. tadl.org/event/tadl-sight-soundpresents-pee-wees-big-adventure-24656

“RAGTIME THE MUSICAL”: 8pm, Bay View Association, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. Enjoy this Tony Award-winning musical that tells the story of the American dream through the eyes of three diverse communities. $19-$36. onthestage.tickets/show/bay-view-as sociation/673cae1f79a6420f6bb1d5e9/tickets

LIBRARY FREE MOVIE NIGHT: “PEEWEE’S BIG ADVENTURE”: 8pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Free admission & popcorn. tadl.org/events

MUSIC IN MACKINAW: MOTOR CITY MEMORIES: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. 1950’s-80’s classic rock.

july 13

Sunday

43RD ANNUAL BLISSFEST MUSIC FESTIVAL: (See Sat., July 12)

56TH ANNUAL CHARLEVOIX ART & CRAFT SHOW: (See Sat., July 12, except today’s hours are 10am-4pm.) -

ART IN THE BARN: (See Sat., July 12)

MADE IN CHEBOYGAN SUMMER CRAFT SHOW SERIES: (See Sat., July 12)

MIDSUMMER ART & CRAFT SHOW: (See Sat., July 12)

MUSHROOMING WITH AMY & JOE LIPSON: Noon-2:30pm, Elmer Johnston Nature Preserve, Harbor Springs. Come mushrooming with LTC Conservation Specialist Amy Lipson & her husband Joe at this preserve near Good Hart. Registration required. landtrust.org/events

BALD EAGLES IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN: 1pm, Edward C. Grace Memorial Harbor, 129 North Cedar St., Elk Rapids. Skegemog Raptor Center & Green Elk Rapids invite the public to an educational afternoon exploring the story of bald eagles in northern Michigan - where biology meets tradition & conservation meets community. greenelkrapids.org

PRESTIGIOUS GRAND PRIX JUMPING

COMPETITION: 2pm, Flintfields Horse

Park, Williamsburg. CSI3* Grand Prix. Fastpaced show jumping, food, boutique shopping, & open-air fun. Gates open early. Proceeds benefit the International Affairs Forum NMC Foundation. $15 GA. app.gopassage.com/venues/8654

BENZIE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WSG

JEANMARIE RICCOBONO, CLARINET: 4pm, Benzie Central High School Auditorium, Benzonia. Classic Mozart: Enjoy an early symphony of Tchaikovsky & the last complete work by Mozart. Suggested donation: $17 adults, $10 seniors, free for 17 & under. benziesymphony.com/2025-performances

SUNDAY MUSIC IN THE PARK: 4-6pm, Marina Park, downtown Harbor Springs. Featuring the Rivertown Jazz Band. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Free.

BAYSIDE CONCERT SERIES: 5-7pm, held on the Promenade near the Petoskey waterfront clock tower. Featuring Eric Dane Jaqua. Free.

MOSTLY SUNNY - THE BENZIE COMMUNITY CHORUS: (See Sat., July 12)

VESPER CONCERT: 8pm, Bay View, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Exploring love won, lost, & found in the mountains & valleys of life through the eyes of Motown & more. $20.50$24.50. bayviewassociation.org/events/vesper-concert-aint-no-mountain

july 14

monday

LOCAL RADIO: WUWU

COMING TO YOU!: 5:30pm, Benzie Shores District Library, Frankfort. Get an inside look at WUWU, Elberta’s new community radio station, launched in 2024. The creators will walk you through their process of building a radio station & discuss everything from local stories to the future of broadcasting. Free. benzieshoreslibrary.org

WING WATCHERS: 6:30pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Join the group for nature walks, speakers & more. 231-223-7700.

2025 LECTURE SERIES: 7pm, Mackinaw Area Public Library, Mackinaw City. Gennie Morgan presents “A Teaching of the Ojibwe Medicine Wheel.” Free. mackinawhistory. org/lecture-series

JAMMIN MONDAYS ON BETSIE BAY: 7-9:15pm, Waterfront Park Amphitheater, Elberta. Enjoy authentic Motown, soul & funk favorites, plus rock, pop & R&B classics with Metro Soul Band.

MOSTLY SUNNY - THE BENZIE COMMUNITY CHORUS: (See Sat., July 12)

TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE - MIGHT NOT MAKE IT HOME TOUR: 7pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Trombone Shorty is a showman & New Orleans cultural icon, as well as a Grammy Award nominee who fuses jazz, pop, funk, hip-hop, & psychedelic rock in high-octane live shows & fan-favorite charts such as “Hold Up, Wait a Minute” & “Hurricane Season.” Swamp rock jam band JJ Grey and Mofro join Shorty and his band, Orleans Avenue for this concert. Tickets start at $37. interlochen.org/events/ trombone-shorty-orleans-avenue-might-notmake-it-home-tour-2025-07-14

MONDAY NIGHT MOVIE: 7:30-10pm, Voorhies Hall, Bay View Association, Petoskey. Featuring “The Monk and the Gun.” Free. bayviewassociation.org/monday-night-movies

july 09

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8th

DOORS @ 7:30 • MUSIC @ 8:00 $15 ADVANCE TICKETS

SECOND FLOOR COMMONGROUNDS BUILDING

tuesday

OUTDOOR STORY TIME: 10:30am, Suttons Bay Bingham District Library, outside, overlooking the beach. Please bring a blanket for your family to sit on. Geared toward pre-k to second graders & their caregivers, but fun for all who attend. Free. sbbdl.org

SUMMER READING FIELD DAY: 11am, Kalkaska Senior Lawn, 303 S. Coral St. Participate in a series of outdoor fun & games, with a special appearance by the Kalkaska Fire Department. There will be water, so dress to get wet! Free. kalkaskalibrary.org/ event/summer-reading-field-day

LEELANAU SUMMINARS: 4pm, Leland Township Public Library, Munnecke Room. Christina Michelmore will present on U.S.Iran Relations & Middle Eastern Policy. Free. lelandlibrary.org/summinars

TCNEWTECH PITCH COMPETITION: 4:30pm, City Opera House, TC. Cheer on founders as they pitch their business ideas on stage & compete for cash awards. Tonight’s theme is Michigan’s Bluetech Industry. Featuring Peter Scott, entrepreneur in residence, 20Fathoms; Brittany VanderBeek, director of Business Development, AquaAction; & Ed Bailey, director of Program & Portfolio Development, NMC – Great Lakes Water Studies Institute. Free, but ticket required. cityoperahouse.org/node/619

QUEER TALES BOOK CLUB: 7pm, Traverse Area District Library, Nelson Room, TC. Chat about books that are by &/or about LGBTQIA+ people. Reading is not required & everyone is welcome. This month’s book is “The Normal Heart” by Larry Kramer. Free. tadl.org/event/queer-tales-book-club-17692 -

THE ARGONNE 100TH ANNIVERSARY: 7pm, Charlevoix Historic Train Depot. Museum at Harsha House Curator David L. Miles presents a program on the history of the Argonne. He will be joined by Cindy Whitley, who with her late brother Steve Ager were recent owners. They inherited the business from their parents Ted & Clara Ager. Join in with reminiscences & stories about your times at the restaurant. 231-547-0373. Free; donations accepted.

THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS & LEFTOVER SALMON WSG KITCHEN DWELLERS: 7pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Grammy Award

winners The Infamous Stringdusters bring their brand of progressive bluegrass. Leftover Salmon are known as pioneers of the jamgrass subgenre, breaking free from the traditional rules of bluegrass. Fresh off their fourth album “Seven Devils,” The Kitchen Dwellers open an evening of powerful acoustic music. Tickets start at $35. interlochen.org/events/infamousstringdusters-leftover-salmon-2025-07-15

MOLLY FLETCHER, “DYNAMIC DRIVE”: 7:30pm, Bay View, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. Hailed as the “female Jerry Maguire,” Molly Fletcher broke barriers as one of the first female sports agents, representing some of the biggest names in sports, including Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz, championship basketball coaches Tom Izzo & Doc Rivers, & many more. She is the author of the #1 USA Today bestseller, “Dynamic Drive,” in which she shares proven strategies to sustain high performance, unlock potential, & achieve success in every area of life. $20-$30. onthestage. tickets/show/bay-view-association/67d9da6c4 fe4c40f59b7932a

STRAITS AREA CONCERT BAND: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City.

wednesday

NUB’S NOB ART FAIR: 9am-4pm, Nub’s Nob, Harbor Springs. Presented by the Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce & Northern Michigan Women’s Club. Featuring about 70 indoor & outdoor booths, live music by Pete Kehoe, food & more. Suggested cash donation: $5.

HIKE THE RIDGE!: 10am, Five Mile Rd., TC. Join for a hike on The Ridge, a new GTRLC project that will help safeguard the water quality of GT Bay, save wildlife habitat, & open up recreational opportunities. Visit web site for exact directions. Registration required. Free. gtrlc.my.salesforce-sites.com/ es/event/home/theridge071625

PAPER MAKING: FULL!: 10am-noon, Offield Family Viewlands Forest Reserve, Harbor Springs. This hands-on class is all about turning plants into paper. Explore how incredible plants are & learn each step of the papermaking process, from raw plant material to finished sheet. Free; registration required. landtrust.org/events

SUMMER READING EVENT WITH DRUMMUNITY: 10:30am, North Park Pavilion, Sut-

A GRAND PLACE FOR SUMMER FUN

tons Bay. Interactive rhythmic fun with Lori Fithian of Drummunity. For all preschool, elementary & middle-school students. Keep your reading skills sharp & have fun by participating in the library’s Color Our World Summer Reading Program. Free. sbbdl.org

TADL SUMMER STORYTIME: 11am, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Meet the Traverse Area District Library Youth Services team for art-inspired storytime this summer. Each session will feature a different artistic theme & will be followed by a related art project with Dennos staff & volunteers. Free. dennosmuseum.org/events/community-programs.html

CHARLOTTE ROSS LEE CONCERTS IN THE PARK: Noon, Pennsylvania Park, Gazebo stage, Petoskey. Enjoy live music by Luke Woltanski. Free. crookedtree.org/article/concerts-park

NAMI CONNECTION & NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP: Noon, Christ Church, lower level, 430 Fair St., TC. NAMI Connection is a support group for people with mental health conditions. You will gain insight from hearing the challenges & successes of others, & the groups are led by trained leaders who’ve been there. NAMI Family Support Group is a support group for family members, significant others & friends of people with mental health conditions. Gain insight from the challenges & successes of others facing similar experiences. Both groups are held on Wednesdays at the same location & at the same time. Free. namigt.org/ support-and-education/support-groups

BOOMBOX BUILDERS: 2pm, Bellaire Public Library. Learn how to build your very own Bluetooth speakers. Put all the parts together & then connect your speaker to play your favorite songs. Registration required. bellairelibrary.org

D&D MINIATURE PAINTING CLASS: 5pm, Traverse Area District Library, Thirlby Room, TC. Learn about the basics of getting resin printed miniatures game ready. You will create your own miniature that will be printed & primed before the event for you to paint & take home. Instructions on how to make & submit your figures will be sent with a registration confirmation email. Registration & required submissions will close 7/10/25. Free. tadl.org/ddminiaturepainting

WOMEN IN TECH MEETUP: 5-7pm, Earthen Ales, TC. Each month Women in Tech gathers to build community & support amongst women working in, or interested in, the tech industry & tech-related roles. You will talk about what you’re currently working

on, share your stories, & pool your collected expertise to support each other on your journeys. Look for the Women in Tech/20Fathoms signage. Free. 20fathoms.org/event/womenin-tech-meetup-traverse-city-5

TC - ARTIST CRITIQUE NIGHT: 5:30pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Carnegie Rotunda, TC. A supportive, peer-driven critique group designed for artists to present works in progress or conceptual ideas in a safe, positive environment. Please bring one piece of artwork in progress to share. crookedtree.org/class/ ctac-traverse-city/tc-artist-critique-night-july

KANIN WREN CONCERT - FEATURING SHORTSTOP: 5:45pm, Castle Farms - Queen’s Court & Serenity Garden, Charlevoix. Rising country-pop star Kanin Wren takes the stage with her powerhouse vocals, heartfelt originals, & the fan-favorite Taylor Swift Experience. The night kicks off with Shortstop, a young trio featured as part of Kanin’s new platform to uplift & mentor aspiring musicians. Bring your own chairs & blankets. See web site for VIP options & earlier times. $30 GA. castlefarms.com/events/ kanin-wren-concert-featuring-shortstop

ELLSWORTH CONCERTS ON THE SQUARE: 7pm, Ellsworth Community Square, 6520 Center St. Featuring Grey Wolves. Bring a chair or blanket.

JAZZ, JOKES AND JESUS: 7pm, Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. Music by the Backroom Gang, jokes & inspiration. Free will offering benefitting Homestretch Nonprofit Housing, Northwest MI Community Action Agency, & Northwest MI Supportive Housing. 946-5680. tcpresby.org

NWS: A CONVERSATION WITH ADRIANA TRIGIANI: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. The author of “Big Stone Gap” now brings you “The View From Lake Como.” A love letter to big Italian families, & Old World roots! Trigiani is a New York Times bestselling & award-winning author. Doors open at 6pm with music & a cash bar. $10-$52. cityoperahouse.org/node/663

THE SOUND GARDEN PROJECT: FIVEMIND REEDS IN CHEBOYGAN: 7pm, Washington Park, downtown Cheboygan. Presented by IPR, enjoy this series of free classical concerts. cheboyganmainstreet.org/event/thesound-garden-project-fivemind-reeds

WILD UP YOUR SEPTIC DRAIN FIELD WITH NATIVE PLANTS: 7pm, Mills Community House, Benzonia. Presenters Casey

Clement, environmental health coordinator, Health Department of Northwest Michigan, & Garrett Noyes, owner of Birdsfoot Native Plant Nursery, show how to wild up a septic drain field into a vibrant native garden. Learn about the function of septic systems in relation to native gardens, as well as plant selection, installation & maintenance. Free. PlantItWild.net

FREE MONTHLY MOVIE CLUB: “TOP GUN”: 7:30pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Come dressed in your best “Top Gun” outfit to receive a free Kilwins treat. gardentheater.org/upcoming-events

july 17

thursday

FRIENDS OF THE CADILLAC LIBRARY USED BOOK SALE: 9am-6pm, Cadillac Wexford Public Library. Huge amount of books for $1-$2 each. friendsofthecadillaclibrary. wordpress.com/upcoming-programs

BOTANICAL PRINTS: 10am, Bellaire Public Library. Jessi Reed will guide participants through a vibrant botanical print presentation, showing how colors from the natural world can be captured on paper in one-of-akind ways. Register. bellairelibrary.org

COFFEE @ TEN, PETOSKEY: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. “Life on Superior: A 1,000 Mile Kayak Solo.” Featuring author/adventurer/ kayaker Tom Renkes. Free. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-petoskey/coffee-ten-life-superior1000-mile-kayak-solo

ECOVILLAGES AND INTENTIONAL COMMUNITIES TOUR: 10am, Interlochen Center for the Arts. Visitors will tour the campus, learning about Interlochen’s many sustainability efforts & its climate action plan, reviewing Interlochen’s history, & brainstorming ideas for implementing more sustainable & restorative practices in Interlochen’s second century. Events are free, but participants must provide their own transportation, meals, & lodging. communityenergysolutions.info/events

KIDS CAN COOK! COOKING CLASS: Interlochen Public Library. Educate kiddos about good nutrition, what’s in season, planning & preparing meals, & reading food labels. This class is for ages 5-12 & runs on the following Thursdays from 10am-noon: June 26th & July 10, 17, 24, & 31. Participation in all of the classes is optional. The youngest participants play with sensory food activities; the older children can participate in a food cutting & prep station using special knives, & then they take the fresh vegetables & fruits & assemble a fun snack or treat. Registration required: 231-276-6767. Free.

THE FRIENDLY GARDEN CLUB’S 41ST

GARDEN WALK: 10am-4pm, TC. Visit five gems of the Silver Lake area. Advance tickets are $15 & can be purchased at mynorth. com & several local garden centers. Tickets on the day of the walk are $20 & can be purchased at The Botanic Gardens at Historic Barns Park. thefriendlygardenclub.org

BOOK SIGNING WITH DENISE BRENNANNELSON: 3pm, Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts, Petoskey. Denise will sign her new book, “Tallulah the Mermaid and the Great Lakes Pledge!” You can also take pictures with Tallulah the Mermaid.

IMMERSED: FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMMING: 6-7:30pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Theater, Petoskey. Today features “Northern Michigan: A Life on the Water with Author Jerry Dennis.” This is a discussion about

the health of our rivers & lakes & the challenges they face. Free; registration required. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/immersed-free-public-programming

JERRY DECLAIRE AT IPL: 6pm, Interlochen Public Library. Meet Jerry DeCaire, renowned Marvel Comics illustrator & author. With a portfolio that includes iconic titles such as X-Men, Wolverine, Thor, Iron Man, & The Punisher, Jerry’s dynamic drawing performance is a mustsee. Jerry is known for his engaging presentations that blend storytelling with insights into the comic creation process. 231-276-6767. Free.

MORE GIRLS ON BIKES!: 6-7:15pm, Norte Youth Cycling, 1213 West Civic Center, Dr., TC. Join Norte for a laidback 3-4 mile bike ride for mothers & daughters. Young riders in fourth grade & up are encouraged to ride. Third grade & lower should consider hopping in a bike trailer. All riders 12 & younger must be accompanied by an adult. Free. norteyouthcycling.org/ calendar/more-girls-on-bikes1

HARBOR SPRINGS STREET MUSIQUE: 6:30-8:30pm, Downtown Harbor Springs. “Pure Michigan” featuring the Aaron Dye Duo, Ani Mari & Co., Eric Engblade, Kevin Johnson, Magic by Jania & Tommy Tropic.

SHELF-AWARE READERS: WELLNESS BOOK GROUP: 6:30pm, Traverse Area District Library, Thirlby Room, TC. Join quarterly to discuss nonfiction books concerning mental & physical wellness. Facilitators for the discussions will be professional mental health providers courtesy of Head and Heart Therapeutic Services & Open Space Counseling. This quarter’s book is “Wintering: The Power of Rest & Retreat in Difficult Times” by Katherine May. Free. tadl.org/event/shelfaware-readers-wellness-book-group-17146

CONCERTS ON THE LAWN: 7pm, GT Pavilions, TC. Featuring The Petoskey Steel Drum Band. Free. gtpavilions.org/news-events/2025concerts-on-the-lawn/band-lineup

MUSIC SPARKS MEANING PRESENTS ROOTS ON THE RIVER: 7pm, Veterans Memorial Park, Manistee. Featuring The Crosscut Kings. Free. musicsparksmeaning.org

MUSIC IN THE STREET: 7-9pm, downtown Beulah. Enjoy R&B, rock & jazz with the Tundra Tones. Bring a lawn chair. Free.

SOLSTICE ENSEMBLE: 7pm, Oliver Art Center, Frankfort. This ensemble plays everything from baroque to tango with the unusual combination of flute, violin, recorder, cello & piano. These five musicians initially connected as members of the Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra, & now they play together as a chamber group. Reserve tickets: tickettailor.com/ events/oliverart/1637245. Free. oliverart.org

STARGARDT TRIO: 7pm, Church in the Hills, Bellaire. Featuring Crispin Campbell, cellist; Joe Wilson, dobro; & Steve Stargardt, piano. $20 adults, $10 students.

STRAVINSKY’S ‘RITE OF SPRING’: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. GLCO & DEOS Contemporary Ballet bring this legendary work to life with a newly commissioned world-premiere choreography, created exclusively for northern Michigan audiences. This performance will transport you to the revolutionary soundscapes of early 20th-century Paris. The evening continues with high-energy summer rhythms including Marquez’s Danzon No. 2 & Bernstein’s Mambo from West Side Story - plus a surprise community guest artist. $35-$65. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/ stravinskys-rite-of-spring-1

NONE THE RICHER moe. TAJ MAHAL AND KEB’ MO’ BEN FOLDS WHISKEY MYERS DIANA KRALL GARY CLARK JR . WYNONNA JUDD RICK SPRINGFIELD ALLISON KRAUSS BACHMAN TURNER OVERDRIVE AND MARSHALL TUCKER BAND CAKE BEAUTIFUL THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL “COLLAGE” SHAKESPEARE “MEASURE FOR MEASURE”

TOAD THE WET SPROCKET MAT KEARNEY

ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES AND THE WOOD BROTHERS BRIT FLOYD IRON & WINE AND I’M WITH HER ASHLEY MCBRYDE GREENSKY BLUEGRASS WORLD YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LES PRÉLUDE S TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE AND JJ GREY & MOFRO THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS & LEFTOVER SALMON LET’S SING TAYLOR - AN UNOFFICIAL LIVE TRIBUTE BAND DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA STRAIGHT NO CHASER THE WAR AND TREATY MAY ERLEWINE AND JOSHUA DAVIS

SUMMER SOUNDS CONCERT: 7pm, Michigan Legacy Art Park, amphitheater, Thompsonville. Enjoy local bluegrass/roots with Billy and the Kid. $15-$20. crystalmountain.com/ event/summer-sounds-july/1 -

AIR MARGARITAVILLE: THE PREMIER

JIMMY BUFFET TRIBUTE BAND: 7:30pm, City Opera House, TC. Sing along to all of Buffet’s hits, including “Come Monday,” “Margaritaville,” “Fins,” “Boat Drinks,” & more. This 8-piece band includes steel drums, sax & harmonica & is a three-time Detroit Music Award nominee as “Outstanding Tribute Band.” $39$69. cityoperahouse.org/node/673 -

ASHLEY MCBRYDE WSG DALTON DAVIS: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Known for her flexible voice, country music’s Ashley McBryde brings heartfelt songs such as “A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega” & “Girl Goin’ Nowhere.” Her accomplishments include a Grammy Award, two Country Music Association Awards, & three American Country Music Awards. Tickets start at $38. interlochen.org/ events/ashley-mcbryde-2025-07-17

JORDAN VALLEY COMMUNITY BAND: 7:30pm, East Jordan’s Memorial Park Bandshell. Bring a chair or blanket.

friday

FRIENDS OF THE CADILLAC LIBRARY USED BOOK SALE: (See Thurs., July 17, except today’s time is 9am-5pm.)

ECOVILLAGES AND INTENTIONAL COMMUNITIES TOUR: 10am, Grow Benzie, Ben-

zonia; Telford Farm, Cedar; & TC Farm Club. Major themes for the day include local community energy futures & a presentation from the Leelanau Energy Project that is working to bring 100% clean & renewable energy resources to Northport & the Leelanau Peninsula. Food systems & local economic development will be explored with GrowBenzie, & the group will tour Telford Farm intentional community. Guests will be invited to dinner & discussions at the Traverse City Farm Club, a local farm-to-table restaurant & community hub. communityenergysolutions.info/events

ODAWA HISTORY WALK: 10am-noon, Elmer Johnston Nature Preserve, Harbor Springs. LTC Trustee Eric Hemenway will share the history of the Odawa in northwest lower Michigan, particularly around the Cross Village/Good Hart region. Free; registration required. landtrust. org/events

RECOGNIZED GENEALOGY EXPERT TO SPEAK IN NORTHPORT: 10am, Northport Area Heritage Museum. With over 50 years of experience, Vicki Wilson is a nationally respected authority whose life’s mission is to recover & share the authentic histories of Anishinaabek ancestors. She’s the founder of vibrant online communities like Michigan Native American Ancestors & Company K 1st Michigan Sharpshooters, tirelessly working to help individuals reconnect with their true lineage. Free. facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064652921146

CHARLOTTE ROSS LEE CONCERTS IN THE PARK: Noon, Pennsylvania Park, Gazebo stage, Petoskey. Enjoy live music by the Boondoggle Cats. Bring a chair or blanket. Free. crookedtree.org/article/concerts-park

ART SPLASH JURIED ART SHOW & FESTIVAL: 1-7pm, downtown Cheboygan. Fea-

turing many activities including the Splash Down painting competition at noon on Sat. Free. artvisioncheboygan.org/artsplash

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE JR: 1pm & 7pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. A hilarious farce with sentimental pirates, dim-witted young lovers & an eccentric Major-General, based on the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. $15-$22. oldtownplayhouse.com/youth-learning/performances/the-pirates-of-penzance-jr.html

UP NORTH BUSKER FESTIVAL: Memorial Park, East Jordan. Featuring performances taking place on two stages, kids activities, visits by live mermaids, musicians, jugglers, a craft show, beer tent & much more.

TOUR DE TART: DeYoung Natural Area, TC. An evening ride from TC to Suttons Bay. There is a rolling start between 4-6:30pm. The ride takes participants on the paved Leelanau Trail featuring waterfront views, two trailside food stops & dinner at North Park in Suttons Bay with Michigan brews, wines & local treats. Following is a relaxing bus ride back to TC. $20-$40. traversetrails.org/event/tour-de-tart

ARTIST MEET & GREET WITH MARCY MITCHELL & KURT ANDERSON: 5-7pm, Somebody’s Gallery, Petoskey. Join for art, artists, libations, appetizers & music. Free. somebodysgallery.com

ARTIST RECEPTION: WILD WONDER: 5-8pm, Tinker Studio, TC. Elevating the work of local artists who imagine the natural world, & its inhabitants, through a creative, colorful & unconventional lens. Lcal OMP artist Pam Devol, as she works to bring one of her mixed-media animal portraits to life during the evening. Enjoy sips & nibbles as you browse the gallery. Free to attend. tinkerstudiotc.com/events

RED DRIVE CONCERT SERIES: DELILAH DEWYLDE: 6-8pm, The Village at GT Commons, Piazza, TC. West Michigan’s Delilah DeWylde brings her hand-crafted music, drawing from honky-tonk country, rockabilly & surf music. Free.

FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC IN THE PARK: 6:308:30pm, Marina Park, downtown Harbor Springs. Featuring Seasonal Road. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Free.

DOWNTOWN GAYLORD SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: 7-9pm, Claude Shannon Park, Gaylord. Featuring Motorcity Memories. Bring your own chair.

EAST JORDAN MUSIC IN THE PARK: 7-9pm, Memorial Park Bandshell, East Jordan. Featuring Two Beats. Bring your chair or blanket.

SOUNDS OF SUMMER: 7-8:30pm, Pennsylvania Park, downtown Petoskey. Tonight features The Go Rounds. Bring your blankets & chairs. Free. petoskeydowntown.com/events

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. BATTLE CREEK BATTLE JACKS - STAR WARS NIGHT: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters/schedule

LET’S SING TAYLOR - AN UNOFFICIAL LIVE TRIBUTE BAND: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Calling all Swifties to this ultimate tribute to the music of Taylor Swift. Tickets start at $28. interlochen.org/events/lets-sing-taylor-unofficial-live-tribute-band-2025-07-18

MISSISSIPPI HEAT: 7:30-9:30pm, Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, Manistee. Traditional blues with a unique sound. $15-$40. ramsdelltheatre.org/event/mississippi-heat

PEACEMEAL CONCERT: 7:30pm, The Rhubarbary, 3550 Five Mile Creek Rd., Harbor Springs. Enjoy traditional & contemporary folk music. Bring a folding chair if you have one & a snack to pass. Donations benefit the Harbor Springs Farm Market Pantry for food distributed in Pellston & Harbor Springs. dalescottmusic.com

SUMMER ‘25 FREE CONCERT SERIESNMC CONCERT BAND: 7:30pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. Featuring Patricia J. Brumbaugh, conductor.

COLT FORD: 8pm, Odawa Casino Resort, Ovation Hall, Petoskey. This country rap musician, songwriter, entrepreneur, & former professional golfer is known for songs like “The High Life,” “Drivin’ Around Song,” & “Ride Through the Country.” $45. etix.com/ticket/p/85426627/ colt-ford-petoskey-ovation-hall

MUSIC IN MACKINAW: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. Enjoy country/rock with Northern Ground.

MOVIES IN THE PARK AT DARK: 9pm, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey. Featuring “High School Musical.” Bring a blanket. Free. petoskeydowntown.com/events/movie-inthe-park-at-dark-2

july 19

saturday

TRIWALLOON: SOLD OUT!: 7:30am, Walloon Village. Featuring a sprint distance triathlon, duathlon, & aquabike. You can join wait list. triwalloon.com

12TH ANNUAL MACKINAW CITY MUS-

TANG STAMPEDE: Check-in & registration: 8-9:30am; Mustangs on display: 10am4pm; lunch served: 11:30am-12:30pm; parade line-up: 4:15pm; parade across the Mackinac Bridge: 4:30pm. mackinawcity. com/events/?event=1463

21ST BEAR RIVER CRAWL: Bay Front Park, Petoskey. 5K Run, 8am; 5K walkers with strollers & dogs, 8:10am. Benefits Northern Michigan Cancer Crusaders. $25 + fee. nmsportsmed.com/events/bear-river-crawl5k-10k-run

KALEVA HERITAGE DAYS: Today features the 7/3 Co-Ed Softball Tournament, Arts & Crafts Fair, Car Show, Pie Eating Contest, Finnish Line 5K Fun Run, Finnish Wife Carrying Contest, Kaleva Heritage Days Parade & much more. Find ‘Kaleva Heritage Days’ on Facebook.

FRIENDS OF FISHTOWN 5K: 9am, Leland. Peace, love & joy. Proceeds help preserve historic Fishtown. $40. fishtownmi.org/2025fishtown-5k

OPEN AIR: VINEYARD YOGA + MORNING MIMOSAS: 9am, French Valley Vineyard, Cedar. Join Amy Hubbell for a gentle morning flow under open sky. This all-levels class is part of the Open Air Series, raising funds for the Leelanau Conservancy. Your donation helps protect the lakes, farmland, & forests that make this region so special, & River Studio will match every dollar raised. After class, stay for a complimentary mimosa & coffee bar. No registration is required, but it is strongly recommended to sign up in advance. Minimum donation requested: $10. lelandriverstudio.com/events/openair02

17TH ANNUAL BOCCE TOURNAMENT: 10am-5pm, The Village at GT Commons, Historic Front Lawn, TC. thevillagetc.com/ events/17th-annual-bocce-tournament

3RD ANNUAL NORTHPORT ART & CRAFT SHOW: 10am-5pm, Haserot Park, Northport. Please bring a canned or non-perishable item to support local food banks. greatlakesmosaic.com/calendar-1/northport-art-craftshow-to-benefit-feed-7lfhr

ART SPLASH JURIED ART SHOW & FESTIVAL: (See Fri., July 18, except today’s time is 10am-4pm.)

ART IN THE PARK: 10am-5pm, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey. Featuring 120 booths with items ranging from pottery to jewelry, paintings to photographs, & much more. petoskeychamber.com/art-in-the-park

FRIENDS OF THE CADILLAC LIBRARY

USED BOOK SALE: (See Thurs., July 17, except today’s time is 10am-noon.)

UNP HIKE: Explore the trails at Maple Bay Natural Area. Meet at the parking lot of the Maple Bay Farm at 10am before hitting the trails that wind through forests, fields, dunes & beach areas. upnorthpride.com/event/2025/7/19/unphike-at-maple-bay-natural-area

UP NORTH BUSKER FESTIVAL: (See Fri., July 18)

ARTIST TALK: NIK & NICK: 11am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Carnegie Galleries, TC. Join Nik Burkhart & Nick Preneta of “Wooden & Earthen” for a free artist talk. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-traverse-city/artist-talk-nik-and-nick

ECOVILLAGES AND INTENTIONAL COM-

MUNITIES TOUR: Today includes a tour of GasTechno Corporation’s “energy center” facilities that are being constructed at Boyne Falls, from 11am-4pm. GasTechno will introduce the many projects it is gearing up to implement there. Chris Miller, current president of the National Coalition for Community Capital (NC3) will give a presentation about community investing options & progress towards community investing in Michigan. Afterwards, from 5:30-7:30pm in TC, the tour will explore options for high-efficiency buildings powered in part by renewable energy, exploring innovations being implemented by multiple TC groups. communityenergysolutions.info/events

SAY NO TO ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE: (See Sat., July 12)

DENISE BRENNAN-NELSON BOOK SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Denise will sign her book “Tallulah: Mermaid of the Great Lakes.” horizonbooks.com/event/denisebrennan-nelson-book-signing

DRAMATIC READINGS: 1-3pm, Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, Manistee. Enjoy performances of new short plays brought to life by Michigan actors. Free. ramsdelltheatre.org/event/dramatic-readings

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE JR: (See Fri., July 18, except today’s times are 2pm & 7pm.)

AUTHOR EVENT WITH FLEDA BROWN: 3pm, Bellaire Public Library. Fleda’s family has owned a cottage on Intermediate Lake for over 100 years. She has been coming here her entire life. After retirement, she & her husband moved to Traverse City to be close to the lake. She will read work from “Mortality, With Friends,” & from her new chapbook, “Doctor of the World.” bellairelibrary.org

GENE RANTZ MEMORIAL PLEIN AIR PAINT OUT & WET PAINT SALE: Northport Arts Association. An opening reception will be held on July 19 at 6pm & will feature fresh, wet off the easel paintings of various media & styles. The NAA welcomes many returning

artists along with new artists to share their work with the art lovers throughout northern Michigan. Artists will paint throughout the tip of Leelanau Peninsula & the Village of Northport. Tickets are available online through My North Tickets for $17 (plus processing fees) or $20 at the door. northportartsassociation. org/events-exhibits

SATURDAYS IN THE PARK: SEARS AND SEARS QUINTET: 7pm, GT County Civic Center Amphitheater, TC.

THE SOUND GARDEN PROJECT: FIVEMIND REEDS IN CHEBOYGAN: 7pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. Presented by IPR, enjoy this series of free classical concerts. interlochenpublicradio.org/the-sound-garden-project

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. BATTLE CREEK BATTLE JACKS - DINO’S IN THE DUGOUT: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters/schedule

BAR TIME STORIES SUMMER COMEDY TOUR: 7:30pm, City Opera House, TC. Enjoy an evening of laughter featuring four of Michigan’s top headliners: Adam Degi (Gilda’s Laughfest), Mike Geeter (Comedy Central, Hulu), Kevin Johnson (Jokes On You Comedy Tour), & Ricarlo Williams-Winston (Just For Laughs). Also featuring Michael Harrison from NYC, known for his performances at “Just For Laughs” & “Dry Bar Comedy.” $10$20. cityoperahouse.org/node/672

JADER BIGNAMINI CONDUCTS THE DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Enjoy this program with rich musical storytelling, with Music Director Jader Bignamini leading the ensemble. They are known for their powerful performances, collaborations with the world’s foremost artists, & deep connections to their city. Tickets range from $54-$71. interlochen.org/events/jader-bignamini-conducts-detroit-symphony-orchestra-2025-07-19

MUSIC IN MACKINAW: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. Enjoy Americana, folk & country with The Mickeys.

SCOTT BRADLEE’S POST MODERN JUKEBOX - MAGIC & MOONLIGHT TOUR: 8pm, Bay View, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. $38-$160. bayviewassociation. org/events/postmodern-jukebox-2025

july 20

sunday

SGT. JUSTIN HANSON MEMORIAL PATRIOT RUN: 8:30am, Rodes Field - Clark St., Kingsley. Featuring a 5K Fun Run & Kids Quarter Mile Fun Run. $10-$30 + race fees. runsignup.com/Race/Events/MI/Kingsley/ SgtJustinHansenMemorialPatriotRun

RIDE AROUND TORCH: 9am, Elk Rapids

High School. A 26, 40 or 63 mile bicycle tour primarily along the scenic shores of Torch Lake. a recreational, social tour that features great routes, plentiful snacks, & the After RAT Party, a catered picnic at the beach with live music. Visit web site to register & for various start times. $40-$75. cherrycapitalcyclingclub.org/rat

3RD ANNUAL NORTHPORT ART & CRAFT SHOW: (See Sat., July 19)

CRUISE-IN CAR SHOW: 10am-1pm, Emmet County Fairgrounds, Petoskey. Hosted by Emmet County Parks & Recreation. Free admission for spectators. emmetcounty.org/ experiences/fairgrounds___community_ building/fairgrounds_events.php

ECOVILLAGES AND INTENTIONAL COMMUNITIES TOUR: 10am-1pm, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Learn about the many sustainability & environmental activities being implemented at Crystal Mountain. communityenergysolutions.info/events

KALEVA HERITAGE DAYS: Today includes Worship-In-The-Park featuring the Salt City Dixie Jazz Band, Pasty Dinner, live music by Jane Amstutz & more. Find ‘Kaleva Heritage Days’ on Facebook.

ARTIST’S INTERVIEW: “INSIDE THE OUTSIDE”: 11am, Glen Arbor Arts Center, Main Gallery. Inside The Outside is a new exhibition of work by TC painter Justin Shull. This group of five digital paintings are on the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s Outdoor Gallery. Shull & Sarah Bearup-Neal, GAAC gallery manager, will discuss the work, the theme that connects each of the paintings in the installation, & Shull’s process for making them. Free. glenarborart.org/ product/artists-interview-inside-the-outside

MACKINAW TRAIL WINE RUN 5K: 11:30am, Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery, Petoskey. $40; increases after 7/9. runsignup.com/Race/Register/?raceId=140759

SAMELS FARM ARTIFACT ID DAY: 1-4:30pm, Samels Farm, 8298 Skekemog Pt. Rd., Williamsburg. The public is invited to bring up to five items for ID by two archaeologists on hand. The Samels Farm collection will also be on display. Free. samelsfarm.org

A MIDSUMMER’S DAYDREAM: 2-4pm, Hindle-Ross property, near Cross Village. Featuring the music of Holly Keller-Thompson & Joe Thompson, poetry readings by David Frederick, Tiffany Lenau, Jeremy Palmer, Dar Charlebois, Megan Kellner, Tracy Deering, a community poem, & a collaborative fairy house art project led by artists Susan Lyman & Fern & Olive McCormack. Free; register for free parking pass. goodhartartistresidency.org/midsummers-daydream

NATIONAL GRAND PRIX - KIDS DAY: 2pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. Featuring fast-paced show jumping, food, boutique shopping & more. All GA proceeds benefit Norte Youth Cycling. traversecityhorseshows.com/ visit $15 GA. app.gopassage.com/venues/8654

SUNDAY MUSIC IN THE PARK: KIRBY: 4-6pm, Marina Park, downtown Harbor Springs. Bring a chair or blanket. Free.

FREE BAYSIDE CONCERT SERIES: STEEL & WOOD: 5-7pm, Petoskey’s Waterfront, on the Promenade near waterfront clock tower. Please bring a lawn chair or blanket. bigwatercreativearts.org

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. KALAMAZOO GROWLERS - TRIBAL HERITAGE NIGHT: 5:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters/schedule

BENZIE AREA PRIDE NETWORK ANNUAL FUNDRAISER CONCERT: 6-9pm, Betsie Bay Furniture, Frankfort. Featuring musician Blake Elliott & special guest Aaron Dye. Fingers foods provided by Suz McLaughlin. Suggested donation: $25/person, but pay what you can! upnorthpride.com/event/2025/7/20/ benzie-area-pride-network-annual-fundraiser-concert-with-black-elliott-aaron-dye

JADER BIGNAMINI CONDUCTS GERSHWIN’S PORGY AND BESS SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH DSO: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Detroit Symphony Orchestra Music Director Jader Bignamini unites the World Youth Symphony Orchestra & members of the DSO in a side-by-side per-

formance. $21-$28. interlochen.org/events/ jader-bignamini-conducts-gershwins-porgyand-bess-side-side-dso-2025-07-20

ongoing

TERRIFIC TUESDAYS: Tuesdays, 4-6pm, Leland United Methodist Church. Join 5Loaves2FishNMI for a community meal. 5loaves2fishnmi.org

BOYNE CITY’S STROLL THE STREETS: Downtown Boyne City. Held Friday evenings at 6pm through Aug. 29. Enjoy live music, children’s activities & much more. Free. boynecitymainstreet.com

GUIDED WALKING HISTORY TOUR OF TC: This tour is an easy 2 mile walk that includes the historic neighborhoods & waterfront of TC. Begins & ends at the Perry Hannah Plaza, located at the corner of 6th & Union streets near downtown. There is no charge for the tours, but gratuities for the guides are appreciated. Groups of six or more can schedule tours at other times. Tours run at 10am every Weds. through Sept. walktchistory.com

BRIGHTLETICS AGELESS GRACE PARKINSON’S CLASS: Mondays, 11-11:50am, GT County Senior Center, TC. Brightletics founder Lisa George teaches this class that is done in a seated chair & is structured in a seven part sequence targeting specific challenges or symptoms of Parkinson’s. Sponsored by Parkinson’s Network North.

DOCENT LED TOURS OF DOUGHERTY MISSION HOUSE MUSEUM, TC: Ongoing docent led tours of the 1842 Dougherty Mission House built by Rev. Peter Dougherty, Chief Agosa & the Odawa & Ojibwe people. Tour the house Old Mission Peninsula is named for, outbuildings & demonstration garden. Explore the former inn where the region’s fruit industry began & 15 acres of trails. See American chestnut trees. Tours are Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11am to 4pm. doughertyoldmissionhouse.com

WEEKLY WILDFLOWER WALK: Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Every Tues., 10:30am-noon through Aug., take a leisurely stroll through the scenic trails of Grass River Natural 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 birds that call Grass River home. grassriver.org

SPECTRUM OF REALISM: The Ramsdell Theatre, Hardy Hall Gallery, Manistee. Featuring art by Amelia Gorman, Anna Hansen, Arthur Marshall & Sierra Valencia. An Artist Reception will be held on Fri., July 18 from 5-7pm. Runs July 18 - Aug. 24. Gallery is open daily, noon-3pm. ramsdelltheatre.org/art

GENE RANTZ MEMORIAL PLEIN AIR

PAINT OUT EXHIBIT: Northport Arts Association. Runs July 20 - Aug. 2. The NAA welcomes many returning artists along with new artists to share their work with the art lovers throughout northern Michigan. Their interpretation of our special peninsula rewards viewers with artistry that reflects the magic of our area. northportartsassociation. org/events-exhibits

GREAT BODIES - ANNUAL GROUP

SHOW: Higher Art Gallery, TC. Featuring 23 artists from across Michigan, “Great Bodies” is a visual love letter to the abundance of fresh water throughout Michigan. The exhibit opens July 18 with an opening reception on July 25 from 5-7pm. Runs through Aug. 16. Check web site for hours. higherartgallery.com

JRAC MEMBER EXHIBIT & OPENING RECEPTION: Jordan River Arts Council, East Jordan. This event features diverse works by more than 30 JRAC member artists. The opening reception will be held on July 20 at 12:30pm. The exhibit will be open through Aug. 30 from 12:30-4:30pm daily. jordanriverarts.com/2025-events

SUMMER SALON: Charlevoix Circle of Arts. 6th annual salon-style exhibit showcasing regionally inspired work by local & area artists. Runs through Aug. 30. Hours: M-F, 11am4pm; Sat., 11am-3pm. charlevoixcircle.org/ exhibits-2025

WE ARE ONE PEOPLE - A MURAL CRE-

ATION: The Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. In partnership with the Biennial of Indigenous Artists International, the Presbyterian Church of TC welcomes you to experience the creation of this mural intended to tell the truth about the harm of colonization & uplift Anishinaabek wisdom as a path toward unity & healing for all creation. View a gallery of the artists’ works from July 18 - Aug. 10: Fri.Sat., 1-5pm; Sun., 11am-3pm. A Mural Opening Celebration will be held on Aug. 14 from 5-7pm, featuring food, music, & an artists’ presentation.

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY:

- ALONG OUR WAY: THE ART OF DOUG BARRON & BRIAN GOFF: Held in Atrium Gallery, July 19 - Aug. 30. Check web site for hours. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/ along-our-way-art-doug-barron-and-brian-goff

- OPEN STUDIO, PETOSKEY: Saturdays, 10am-1pm in Visual Arts Room. Free drop-in art studio for the whole family. New projects are offered weekly. crookedtree.org

- IMMERSED: An immersive exhibition exploring aesthetic, cultural, environmental, & historical dimensions of water - through art, artifacts, sound, & motion. Runs through Aug. Check web site for hours. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-petoskey/immersed-free-public-programming

- LEGACY & LIGHT: 150 YEARS OF BAY VIEW: Held in Atrium Gallery in honor of Bay View Association’s 150th anniversary, this exhibition showcases original artwork inspired by the beauty, spirit, & enduring legacy of this Chautauqua community. Runs through July 12. Check web site for hours. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/legacylight-150-years-bay-view

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC: - PAINT GRAND TRAVERSE 2025 - EXTENDED EXHIBIT: Held in Carnegie Rotunda through Aug. 22. Features a selection of available artwork created during Paint Grand Traverse 2025, a week-long event where artists painted on location throughout the greater Grand Traverse area. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-traverse-city/paint-grand-traverse-2025-extended-exhibit

- TURNING - TC: Held in Cornwell Gallery. An exhibit of wooden artworks by members of the Northwestern Michigan Woodturners Club whose motto is “Dedicated to the Art of Turning Wood on the Lathe.” Runs July 11 - Aug. 22 with an opening reception on Fri., July 11 from 5-7pm. See web site for hours. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-traverse-city/turning-tc

- WOODEN & EARTHEN: A CELEBRATION OF ART ROOTED IN NATURE: An exhibit featuring Nik Burkhart & Nick Preneta & multi-juried artists celebrating artworks created from natural wood & earth-based materials. Runs July 11 - Aug. 22 with an opening reception on Fri., July 11 from 5-7pm. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/event/ ctac-traverse-city/wooden-earthen-celebration-art-rooted-nature-tc

DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - JOAN FITZSIMMONS: INTO WHAT WORLD?: Runs through Aug. This is a solo

investigation into landscape as a place of dreams & imagination. It consists of selections from three of her photographic series called “The Woods,” “Blue Moon,” & “Plant Life.” Hours are Tuesdays through Sundays, 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org

- MATT SHLIAN: EVERY LINE IS A CIRCLE IF YOU MAKE IT LONG ENOUGH: Runs through Aug. See a world where art, science & engineering converge. Renowned for his intricate paper sculptures, Shlian transforms flat sheets into dynamic, dimensional forms, exploring the beauty of structure, pattern, & movement. Hours are Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org

- RECLAIMED: THE ART OF ECOLOGY: Runs through Aug. San Francisco’s waste management service Recology believes that art plays a unique role in educating & inspiring the public. Each year they award residencies to artists, which include a stipend, coveted studio space, & scavenging privileges at their Transfer Station & Recycling Center. These 33 artists have created this exhibit. Hours are Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org

- CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE CERAMICS FROM THE HORVITZ COLLECTION: Runs through Sept. 28, 2025. An array of works by contemporary Japanese ceramic artists, this is a sampler of the great diversity of styles, forms, glazes, & ages. These artworks are drawn from the curated collection of Carol & Jeffrey Horvitz, some of the leading collectors of Japanese contemporary outside of Japan. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am4pm. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcoming-exhibitions/index.html

- A STYLE ALL OUR OWN: CANADIAN WOODLAND ARTISTS: Runs through Sept. 28, 2025. In the early 1960s, young Indigenous artists from the Great Lakes region created a unique style of painting known as the Woodland School of Art. Early members of this prolific art community included Norval Morrisseau, Carl Ray, Roy Thomas, Sam Ash, Jackson Beardy, & Daphne Odjig. Perhaps the best-known of the group is Norval Morrisseau, who is often referred to as the Father of the Woodland School. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum. org/art/now-on-view/canadian-woodlandartists.html

SECOND SUNDAY ART PROJECT: 1-3pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Take part in a vibrant artistic experience every second Sun. of the month. From printmaking to painting & weaving, each session offers a unique & creative activity. Included with museum admission. $0-$10. simpletix.com/e/ second-sunday-art-project-tickets-219823

GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER:

- YOUTH PLEIN AIR MONTH: During the month of July, children ages 6-12 can step outside & into the world of plein air painting. They can borrow a plein air kit for free from GAAC for four days, meet a plein air artist on July 12 from 10am-2pm, create a painting to be displayed in the Youth Plein Air Exhibit that runs from July 28-31, & participate in a gathering & awards ceremony, July 31 at 6pm. See web site for hours. glenarborart. org/product/youth-plein-air-month

- RANDOM EXHIBITION: Runs through Aug. 28 in the Lobby Gallery. “Random: Collages From The Scrap Pile,” an exhibition of spontaneous compositions by Leelanau County artist Mark Mehaffey. Random is also a tutorial about remaining alert to creative possibilities. glenarborart.org/exhibits

- MEMBERS CREATE: Held in the Main Gallery, this exhibit runs through Aug. 7. Featuring work in a wide range of media: paint to fiber, clay to metal. Open Mon. through Fri., 9am3pm, & Sat. & Sun., noon-4pm. Free. glenarborart.org/product/exhibit-2025-members-create

OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT:

- SAILING LIFE: THE ADVENTURE OF MICHIGAN’S WATERWAYS: This exhibition explores the joy of sailing Michigan’s rivers & lakes, & celebrates the adventurous heart of the harbor community. Artwork in all media highlighting all kinds of water travel from tug boats to kayaks, canoes to freighters, & everything in between. Runs July 18 - Aug. 22. Hours are Mon.-Sat., 10am-4pm; Sun., noon-4pm. oliverart.org

- OLIVER ART CENTER ANNUAL SUMMER MEMBER’S EXHIBITION: Runs through July 26. Showcases hundreds of artworks in a wide variety of artistic styles, media & techniques, highlighting the talents & creativity of Oliver Art Center members. Open: Mon. - Sat., 10am-4pm; Sun., noon4pm. oliverart.org

- “SMALL WORKS: COMMUNITY COLLAGE” PROJECT, HONORING LEGACY OF JOE MUER: Runs through Aug. This engaging project underscores the Oliver Art Center’s commitment to fostering awareness & accessibility of the visual arts by inviting artists of all ages & abilities to contribute their creativity. oliverart.org

- GREAT LAKES PASTEL SOCIETY’S 2025 MEMBERS SMALL WORKS EXHIBITION: Held in Fisher Room Gallery through July 12. This juried show features the work of some of the best pastelists in the region. The exhibition is juried by Pastel Society of America Master Pastelist Lyn Asselta. oliverart.org

farmers markets

ALDEN SUNSET MARKET: By tennis courts on Tyler St. Held on Thursdays through Sept. from 2-7pm. Shop for fruit, veggies, gifts, art & much more. The downtown stores will be open late & there will be live music.

BOYNE CITY: Veterans Park. Held on Wednesdays & Saturdays through mid-Oct. from 8am-noon. Exceptions include July 12 at Peninsula Beach & Aug. 9 at Green Space between City Hall & Field of Dreams. boynecityfarmersmarket.org

DOWNTOWN PETOSKEY: Howard St., between Mitchell St. & Michigan St. Held every Fri., 8:30am-1pm. Local producers offer organic meats, fruits & vegetables, flowers & more. petoskeychamber.com/downtownpetoskey-farmers-market

EAST BAY CORNERS: Thursdays, 2-6pm through Oct. 2. Township Hall, 1965 N. 3 Mile Rd., TC. This market accepts SNAP/EBT benefits & also offers a Power of Produce program for kids ages 5-13. There will be

live music, food trucks, & family game nights. eastbaytwp.org/residents/food_security.php

ELK RAPIDS: Cedar St. Parking Lot, downtown. Runs every Fri. through Oct. 3, 8amnoon. elkrapidschamber.org/farmers-market

EMPIRE: 10234 Front St. Held every Sat. through Aug. 30 from 9am-1pm. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com

FRANKFORT: Saturdays, 9am-1pm, Open Space Park, Main St.

GLEN ARBOR: Behind Glen Arbor Twp. Hall, 6394 W. Western Ave. Held every Tues. through Sept. 16, 9am-1pm. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com

HARBOR SPRINGS: Corner of State & Main streets, downtown. Held on Wednesdays & Saturdays from 9am-1pm through Aug. 27, & Saturdays continue through Oct. 11. Featuring local farmers, artisans, food producers & more. There will be live music on select dates, & also Kids Days. petoskeyarea.com/ events/harbor-springs-farmers-market-2025

INTERLOCHEN: Corner of US-31 & J. Maddy Parkway. Held every Sun. through Oct. from 9am-2pm, & every Thurs. in July & Aug. from 2-7pm. Featuring local fresh produce, locally produced food, & natural artisan arts & crafts. facebook.com/InterlochenFarmersMarket

LELAND: Immanuel Lutheran Church parking lot. Held every Thurs. through Sept. 4, 9am-1pm. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com

LONG LAKE TWP.: Haywood Park, 8870 N. Long Lake Rd., TC. Held on Thursdays through Oct. 2, 9am-1pm. 946-2249.

MACKINAW CITY: Conkling Heritage Park. Held every Mon., July 7 - Sept. 29 from 11am-3pm.

MANISTEE: Wagoner Community Center. Held every Sat. through Oct. 4, 9am-noon. manisteekitchen.org/farmers-market

NORTHPORT: 105 S. Bay St., across from marina. Held every Fri. through Sept. 19, 9am-1pm. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com

OLD TOWN EMMET: Saturdays, 9am-1pm through Oct. 4, Friendship Center of Emmet County, Petoskey. This market is made up of a group of local farmers, growers, bakers, makers, crafters, & artisans. petoskeyarea. com/events/old-town-emmet-farm-market

OUTDOOR MINI FARMERS MARKET: Mondays, 1-5pm through Aug. 25. The Village at GT Commons, Piazza/Pavilion, TC. Find local baked goods, vegetables, herbs & more.

SARA HARDY DOWNTOWN FARMERS

MARKET: Parking Lot B, Cass St. & E Grandview Parkway, TC. Held on Wednesdays through Oct. from 8am-noon, & Saturdays through Oct. from 7:30am-noon. dda. downtowntc.com/farmers-market/

SUTTONS BAY: North Park, 601 Front St. Held every Sat. through Oct. 18, 9am-1pm. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com

APACHE TROUT GRILL, TC

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska

7/19 -- Sean Megoran, 6-9

7/13 -- Jim Hawley, 5:30-8:30

CHATEAU CHANTAL, TC

Thu -- Jazz at Sunset w/ Jeff Haas Trio & Laurie Sears, 7

ENCORE 201, TC

7/11-12 & 7/18-19 -- DJ Ricky T

7/17 -- Thurs. Switch-Up ft. DJ Ricky T

HOPSCOTCH BRICK OVEN & TAPROOM, TC

7/12 -- David Lawston, 6-9

IDENTITY BREWING CO., PATIO, TC

7/18 -- Samuel Harness, 6:30

KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC

9:30:

7/12 -- Split Decision

7/18-19 -- Kromatics

KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING

7/15 – Open Mic Night w/ LaRose Duo, 6-8

7/17 – Trivia Night w/ Marcus Anderson, 6:30-8:30

LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC BARREL ROOM:

7/14 -- Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9 ON PIAZZA, ACROSS FROM TASTING ROOM:

7/18 -- Red Drive Concert Series: Delilah DeWylde, 6-8

MARI VINEYARDS, TC

4-6:

7/15 -- Laura Thurston

7/16 -- Jerry Byville

7/17 – Yankin’ Covers

MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC

7/12 -- Monday Night Wine, 6-9

7/17 -- Open Mic, 7-9; Sign-ups at 6:30 7/18 -- Mike Struwin, 6-9

MT. HOLIDAY, TC BEER GARDEN, 6-9: 7/17 -- Chris Sterr

7/18 -- Headwaters Band NORTH BAR, TC

7/16 – Jesse Jefferson, 7-10

7/17 – Mal & Mike, 7-10

7/18 – Funky Uncle, 5-8

7/20 – Kevin Paul, 5-8

OLD MISSION DISTILLING, TC SEVEN HILLS:

7/12 – Erik Burke & Mark Daisy, 6

7/13 – Jacob McLeod, 6 7/16 – Jimmy Olson, 7 7/17 – The Fridays, 7 7/18 – Gemini Moon, 7 7/19 – Brett Mitchell, 6 7/20 – Jeff Socia, 6

SAIL INN BAR & GRILL, TC PATIO: Wed -- Live Music w/ Josh, 6 Thurs, Sat – Karaoke, 9

STONE HOUND BREWING CO., WILLIAMSBURG

7/12 -- Delilah Dewylde, 6:30-9:30 7/18 -- Levi Britton, 6:30-9:30 7/19 -- John Richard Paul, 7-9

TC GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

7/18 -- Jim Hawley, 6-9

TC WHISKEY CO. 7/16 -- Craig Jolly, 6-8

THE ALEXANDRA INN, TC BLUSH ROOFTOP TERRACE: Mon -- John & Madeline Piatek, 4-6

THE COIN SLOT, TC

7: 7/12 -- DJ E-Knuf/Senses Taker 7/16 -- BYOVinyl Night with Eugene’s Record Co-op

7/17 -- Brian McCosky

7/18 -- Silver Creek Revival

7/19 -- Protea

THE HAYLOFT INN, TC 7:30-11:

Antrim

& Charlevoix

7/11-12 -- Grandcrew

7/18-19 -- Split Decision

THE LITTLE FLEET, TC

7/16 -- IPR Concert Series: Archipelago, 5:30

7/19 -- Slow Tako, 6-10

THE PARLOR, TC

7/12 – Christopher Thaxton, 6-9

7/15 – Jesse Jefferson, 8-11

7/16 – Rob Coonrod, 8-11

7/17 – Jimmy Olson, 8-11

7/18 – Craig Jolly, 6-9; Empire Highway, 9-12

THE PUB, TC

7/13 -- David Martón, 5-8

7/14 – Karaoke w/ DJ Shawny T, 8-11

7/15 – Open Mic Night w/ Chris Sterr, 8

7/16 – Zeke Clemons, 8-11

7/17 – Music Bingo, 7:30-10

7/18 – Dave Cisco, 5-8; Rhett & John, 9-12

7/20 -- David Martón, 5-8

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC

7/12 -- Boardman River Band, 8

7/13 -- Full Tilt Comedy: Comedy Lab!, 7

7/15 -- Open Mic w/ Zak Bunce, 7 7/17 -- DJ Trivia, 7

7/18 -- Jazz Jam w/ Ron Getz Trio, 6 7/19 -- Andy McQuillen, 8

THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC PATIO, 6:30-9:30: 7/12 -- TC Guitar Guys

7/19 -- East Bay Blues Band

TOWNLINE CIDERWORKS, WILLIAMSBURG

7/18 – Chelsea Marsh, 6-8

UNION STREET STATION, TC

7/12 -- 5th Gear, 10

7/13 -- Brother Wolf, Protea & Drama Team, 8

7/17 -- DJ1 Wave, 9

7/18 -- Future of Comedy Show, 7; Jay Hawkins Band, 10 7/19 -- Future of Comedy Show, 7

nitelife

Antrim & Charlevoix

STIGGS BREWERY & KITCHEN, BOYNE CITY 7/12 -- Karaoke Night, 8-11

THE DAM SHOP, ELK RAPIDS PATIO, 6-9: 7/18 – Balderrama & Baker 7/19 – Andrew Lutes

7/16

Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee

MANISTEE NATIONAL GOLF & RESORT THE BACKYARD: 7/18 -- BVO, 8

NORTHERN NATURAL CIDER HOUSE & WINERY, KALEVA

7/12 -- Cosmic Knot, 7

7/17 -- Chief Jam-Open Mic hosted by Cheryl Wolfram, 7

7/18 -- Loren Johnson Trio, 7

7/19 -- The Smokin' Dobroleles, 7

BIER'S INWOOD BREWERY, CHARLEVOIX

7/17 -- Open Mic w/ John Eaton; Sign-up at 6:15; Music at 7

BOYNE CITY TAP ROOM

7: 7/12, 7/17 & 7/19 -- Adam & The Cabana Boys

7/18 -- Patrick Ryan & Friends

BRIDGE STREET TAP ROOM, CHARLEVOIX

7/15 -- Patrick Ryan, 7

CAFE SANTÉ, BOYNE CITY

7-10: 7/12 -- Pete Kehoe

7/18-19 -- Genna & Jesse

ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS OUTDOORS, 8-11:

7/12 -- Luke Woltanski Band

7/19 -- Charlie's Root Fusion

FIRESIDE LOUNGE, BELLAIRE PATIO, 7-10: 7/12 -- Clint Weaner

7/18 -- Matt Mansfield

7/19 -- Hanna Von B

LAVENDER HILL FARM, BOYNE CITY LOCAL GROUND, 6: 7/18 -- Owen James

THE SERIES, MAIN STAGE, 7:30: 7/18 -- The Appleseed Collective

LOST CELLARS WINERY, CHARLEVOIX

7/18 -- Leebee Shaner, 5

MAREK'S HARBOR GRILL, CHARLEVOIX

THE FLYBRIDGE (ROOFTOP BAR), 7-11: 7/12 -- Dejayimar

7/13 & 7/20 -- Lou Thumser

7/17 -- Karaoke 7/18 -- Jake the Dog

7/19 -- Broom Closet Boys

MUSKRAT DISTILLING, BOYNE CITY

7/12 -- DJ Lee Blossom, 9 7/18 -- Lavender Lions, 6-9

SHORT'S PUB, BELLAIRE BEER GARDEN, 7-9:30: 7/12 -- Angela Perley

7/18 -- Elizabeth Reed 7/19 -- BMCC

SHORT'S PULL BARN, ELK RAPIDS 7/12 -- The Hey Makers, 6 7/13 -- Highway North, 6 7/15 -- David Lawston, 6 7/16 -- Mulebone, 6:30 7/17 -- Jeff Socia, 6:30

SPARE KEY WINERY, CHARLEVOIX 7/19 -- Randy Reszka, 1-4

ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD

6-9: 7/12 -- Jonathan Stoye 7/18 -- Terry Coveyou 7/19 -- Lou Thumser

7/20 -- Aaron Dye, 3

THE GREENHOUSE – WILLOW/ PRIMOS, CADILLAC 7/16 – Trivia Night, 6-9

Otsego, Crawford & Central

BIG BUCK BREWERY, GAYLORD 7/19 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

C.R.A.V.E., GAYLORD 6-9: 7/12 -- Nelson Olstrom

Emmet & Cheboygan

7/19 -- Rick Woods

D&K BAR & GRILL, WEST ELMIRA 7/19 -- Pete Fetters, 7-10

BOB'S PLACE, ALANSON

7/16 -- Mike Ridley, 6-9

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY

7/11-12 -- Chris Calleja, 2-6

7/18 -- Jelly Roll Blues Band, 4-7 7/19 -- Two Track Mind, 2-6

BRANDY'S HARBORTOWN, BAY HARBOR

7/12 -- Patrick Ryan, 12:30-3:30

7/13 & 7/20 -- Hanna Von B, 12:303:30

7/14 -- Ricky Hill, 6-9

7/15 -- Two Track Mind, 6-9

7/16 -- Will Springsteen, 6-9

7/17 -- Chris Calleja, 6-9 7/18 -- Nelson Olstrom, 12:30-3:30 7/19 -- Ty Parkin, 12:30-3:30

CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY

7/11-12 -- Huckleberry Groove, 9 7/18 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30

DIXIE SALOON, MACKINAW CITY

7/20 -- Pete Fetters, 7-10

DOUGLAS LAKE STEAKHOUSE, PELLSTON

7/20 -- Mike Ridley, 6-9

INN AT BAY HARBOR

CABANA BAR, 6-9:

7/14 – Jessica Dominic 7/17 – Kevin Johnson

INN BETWEEN, INDIAN RIVER

7/17 -- Mike Ridley, 2-5

NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY

7/12 – Rob Yates, 7:30-10:30

7/17 -- Delilah DeWylde, 7-10

7/18 -- Mike Ridley, 7:30-10:30

7/19 -- Holly Keller, 7:30-10:30

NORTHLAND BREWING CO., INDIAN RIVER

7/12 -- Melissa & Jake, 7-10

7/17 -- Duffy King, 6:30-8:30

7/18 -- Cellar Door, 7-10

7/19 -- Greg Vadnais Jazz Quartet, 7-10

ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY

OVATION HALL: 7/18 -- Colt Ford, 8 VICTORIES, 9: 7/12 -- Yankee Station Band

7/18-19 -- Live DJ

OTIS RESORT, HARBOR SPRINGS

7/13 & 7/20 -- Randy Reszka, 11am-2pm

POND HILL FARM, HARBOR SPRINGS

7/12 -- Serita's Black Rose, 5-8

7/13 -- Pete Kehoe, 3-6

7/16 -- Open Mic Night w/ Kirby, 5-8

7/17 -- Tribute to the Singers/Songwriters of the 70's & 80's by Doug Thomas, 5-8

7/18 -- Underleaf, 5 7/19 -- Lew Russ, 3-5; M119 Band, 5-8

7/20 -- Charlie's Root Fusion Trio, 3-6

RUDBECKIA WINERY & BURNT MARSHMALLOW BREWSTILLERY, PETOSKEY 7/18 -- Kevin Johnson, 5:30

SEASONS OF THE NORTH WINERY, INDIAN RIVER 7/18 -- A&P Project, 6-9

THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN 7/12 -- The Pints, 8 7/17 -- Musician's Playground, 7 7/18 -- Kate Hinote Trio, 7-10 7/19 -- Chris Neuman, 8

THE HIGHLANDS, HARBOR SPRINGS SLOPESIDE PATIO: 7/16 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6-9

THE LARK THEATER, CHEBOYGAN

7/19 – Comedian John Heffron, 6 & 7:30

THE QUEENS HEAD, CHEBOYGAN

5:30-7:30: 7/12 -- Mike Ridley 7/16 -- Spencer Opperman 7/17 -- Sing-Along with Jim

WALLOON LAKE WINERY, PETOSKEY 7/17 -- Ty Parkin, 6-8

VUE WINE BAR, CHARLEVOIX

– Hanna Von B, 7-9

lOGY

JULY 14 - JULY 20

BY ROB BREZSNY

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Ancient beekeepers in Anatolia carved hives directly into rock faces, coaxing honey from the cliffs. This practice was designed to protect bees from harsh weather and predators while maximizing honey production. The bees adapted well to their unusual homes. suspect, Cancerian, that in the coming weeks, your sweetness and bounty may also thrive in unlikely structures. It could take a minute or two for you to adjust, but that won’t be a problem. Your nectar-making instincts will guide you. So I advise you not to wait for the perfect container before beginning your work. Make honey in the best available setting.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The ancient scribes of Mesopotamia etched records onto clay tablets with styluses, pressing wedge-shaped marks into wet earth. Once baked, these tablets endured for thousands of years. Some are still readable today. In my astrological assessment, Virgo, you are undergoing a metaphorically comparable process. Messages and expressions that are forming within you are meant to last. They may not win you immediate attention and applause. But you already suspect how crucial they will be to both your own future and the destinies of those you care for. Be bold, decisive, and precise as you choose your words.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Is there any aspect of your life or character that is still unripe even though it is critical to your life-long journey?

Have you held on to your amateur status or remained a bit dilettantish beyond the time when you might have progressed to the next highest level? Are you still a casual dabbler in a field where you could ultimately become masterful? If you answered yes to these queries, now is a perfect moment to kick yourself in the butt and leap to the next level. Waiting around for fate to kick your butt would be a mistake.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Many astrologers rightfully say that Virgo is the most detailoriented, meticulous sign. I think you Scorpios may be the most methodical and thorough of all the signs, which means that you, too, can be meticulous and detail-oriented. A prime example is the Scorpio sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840–1917). Eventually, his work became world-renowned, but his career developed gradually because of his painstaking patience and scrupulous devotion to excellence. I propose we make him your role model for now. Inspired by him, resist pressure for immediate results. Trust in the slow, steady refinement process.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Here are half of your words of power for the coming days: windfall, godsend, and boon. The other half are potion, remedy, and healing agent. If you’re lucky, and I think you will be, those terms will blend and overlap. The blessings that come your way will be in the form of cures and fixes. I’m being understated here so as to not sound too wildly excited about your immediate future. But I suspect you will wrangle at least one amazing victory over hardship. Your chances of a semi-miraculous visitation by a benevolent intervention are as high as they have ever been.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The ancient Chinese character for “listening” contains symbols for ears, eyes, and heart. interpret this to signify that it’s not enough to seek the truth with just one of your faculties. They must all be engaged and working together to get the full story. You are wise to survey the world with your whole being. Keep these meditations in mind during the coming weeks, Capricorn. Your natural inclination is to be practical, take action, and get things done. But for now, your main superpower will be listening to everything. So my advice is to listen with your skin. Listen with your breath. Listen with your gut. Let your attention be so complete that the world softens and speaks to you about what you really need to know.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you would like to glide into rapt alignment with astrological rhythms, give gifts to your two closest allies. These offerings should inspire their ambitions, not indulge their cravings to be comfortable. They shouldn't be practical necessities or consumer fetishes, but rather provocative

tools or adult toys. Ideally, they will be imaginative boons that your beloved companions have been shy about asking for or intriguing prods that will help beautify their self-image. Show them you love both the person they are now and the person they are becoming.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Piscean

photographer Ansel Adams is so renowned that he’s in the International Photography Hall of Fame. We know the moment that his lifelong passion erupted. At age 14, his family gave him a simple camera and took him to Yosemite National Park in California. “The splendor of Yosemite burst upon us, and it was glorious,” he wrote later. “One wonder after another descended upon us. A new era began for me." In the coming months, I foresee you encountering a comparable turning point, Pisces—a magical interlude awakening you to a marvel that will become an enduring presence in your life. Be alert for it. Better yet, declare your intention to shape events to ensure it happens and you’re ready for it.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): For the Dagara people of Burkina Faso, the element of fire has profound cultural meanings. It’s a symbol of innovation and inspiration. It’s a mediator between the physical and spiritual worlds and a conduit for communication with the ancestors. Through rituals, fire is a purifying and renewing force that helps people reconnect with their purpose, heal relationships, and catalyze positive change in the community. In the coming weeks, Aries, I hope you will be deeply aligned with all these symbolic meanings. What are you ready to ignite for the sake of nurturing and care? What truths need light and heat? What future visions would benefit from surges of luminosity?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In the Nahuatl language spoken by Indigenous Mexicans, the word nepantla describes an in-between space. It's a liminal threshold where a transition is in process. The old ways have fallen away, but the new ways are not yet fully formed. It's unsettling and perhaps confusing, yet seeded with the potential for creative change. I suspect you are now in a state resembling nepantla, Taurus. Please understand that this isn’t a crisis. It’s a chrysalis. Any discomfort you feel is not a sign of failure, but a harbinger of the wisdom and power that will come by molting the identity you have outgrown. I hope you will honor the rawness and speak tenderly to yourself. You are not lost; you are mid-ritual.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The sea slug Elysia chlorotica is a small, unassuming creature that performs a remarkable feat: It eats algae and steals its chloroplasts, then incorporates them into its own body. For weeks afterward, the slug photosynthesizes sunlight like a plant. believe, Gemini, that you are doing a metaphorical version of this biological borrowing. Some useful influence or presence you have absorbed from another is integrating into your deeper systems. You’re making it your own now. This isn’t theft, but creative borrowing. You’re not copying; you’re synthesizing and synergizing.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I laughed until I sobbed as you earnestly played the game of love even after the rules had changed. sighed till I panted as you dredged up a new problem to avoid fixing an overripe hassle. I rolled my eyes until got dizzy as you tried to figure out the differences between stifling self-control and emancipating self-control. But all that's in the past, right, Leo? Now I'm preparing to cheer until my voice is raspy as you trade in a dried-up old obsession in favor of a sweet, fresh, productive passion—and outgrow all the fruitless nuisances.

nitelife

Leelanau & Benzie

45 NORTH VINEYARD & WINERY, LAKE LEELANAU

7/17 -- Brian Bearden, 5-7

BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR

7/12 & 7/18 -- Larry Perkins, 3:30-5:30 7/13 -- Loose Change, 3:30-5:30 7/15 -- Dominic Fortuna, 5:30-7:30

7/19 -- Bryan Poirier, 3:30-5:30

7/20 -- Jakob Abraham, 3:30-5:30 BLACK STAR FARMS, SUTTONS BAY LAWN, 6-8:

7/12 – Agnes Su 7/19 -- Jakob Abraham

BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU

7/13 -- Bryan Poirier, 4-6:30 7/16 -- Jim Hawley, 5:30-8 CICCONE VINEYARD & WINERY, SUTTONS BAY

7/13 -- Michelle Chenard, 2-4:30

7/17 -- Rhett & John, 4-6:30 7/20 -- Jabo, 2-4:30

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLLE

BARR PARK, 6-8: 7/12 -- Dave Barth

7/13 -- Tim Krause

7/19 -- Doc Probes

7/20 -- Luke Woltanski Duo

KINLOCHEN PLAZA, 6-8: 7/12 -- Doc Probes

7/16 -- Brady Corcoran

7/19 -- David Lawston

LEVEL4 LOUNGE, 8:30-10:30

7/12 -- Christopher Winkelmann

7/13 -- Jesse Jefferson

7/16 -- Sydni K

7/17 -- Jim Hawley

7/18 -- Highway North 7/20 -- Dave Barth

DUNE BIRD WINERY, NORTHPORT

7/13 -- Emily Faber

7/16 -- Luke Woltanski

7/20 -- Rhett and John

continued...

FIVE SHORES BREWING, BEULAH

7/16 -- Open Mic w/ Andy Littlefield, 7-9

7/18 -- Nick Veine, 6-9

FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR 4:

7/14 -- Larry Perkins

7/17 -- Jesse Jefferson

FURNACE STREET DISTILLERY, ELBERTA PATIO, 6-8:

7/12 – Andy Littlefield

7/13 – Jerome Forde

HOP LOT BREWING CO., SUTTONS BAY 5-8:

7/12 -- Rhythm Theory

7/14 -- Chris Smith

7/16 -- Stereobabe

7/18 -- Billy & The Kid

7/19 -- Rock Hat

IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE

7/12 – DJ Ras Marco, 6:30-8:30

7/13 – Keith Scott, 4-6

7/18 – Larz Cabot, 6:30-8:30

7/19 – Blake Elliott, 6:30-8:30

7/20 – Drew Hale, 4-6

JACOBSON MARINA RESORT, FRANKFORT

7/12 & 7/19 -- Jim Hawley, 3-6

LAKE ANN BREWING CO.

7/12 -- Daydrinkers Series - Manitou Blues, 3-6; Jazz North 8, 7-10

7/15 -- New Third Coast, 6:30-9:30

7/16 -- Derek Boik, 6:30-9:30

7/17 -- Little Dipper, 6:30-9:30

7/18 -- Happy Hour w/ SkyeLea, 3-6; Stereobabe (Night 1), 7-10

7/19 -- The Daydrinkers Series w/ Jedi Clampetts, 3-6; Stereobabe (Night 2), 7-10

LITTLE TRAVERSE INN, MAPLE CITY

7/18 -- Liz Landry, 6-9

BEER GARDEN, 4-7:

7/13 -- Mighty Tundratones (Jazz North)

7/20 -- Wild Sullys

RIVER CLUB, GLEN ARBOR

7/12 -- Chris Smith, 1:30-4:30; The Ampersands, 6-9

7/13 -- Chris Sterr, 6-9

7/14 -- Drew Hale, 6-9

7/15 -- Ben Richey, 6-9

7/16 -- Loose Change, 6-9

7/17 -- Andre Villoch, 6-9

7/18 -- Chris Smith, 6-9

7/19 -- Chris Sterr, 1:30-4:30; Empire Highway, 6-9

7/20 -- The Ampersands, 6-9

SOUL SQUEEZE CELLARS, LAKE LEELANAU

4-7:

7/17 -- Louie Hehman

7/18 -- Rhett & John

7/19 -- Drew Hale

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH

7/12 -- Trillium Groove, 5-8

7/13 -- John Piatek, 1-3; Max Lockwood Duo, 4

7/14 -- Jesse Jefferson, 5 7/15 -- Yankin' Covers, 5

7/17 -- Blair Miller, 5

7/18 -- SkyeLea, 5 7/19 -- Keith Scott, 1; Tim Krause & The Downtowners, 5 7/20 -- Kyle Brown, noon; BASO Classics in the Country, 4

STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT

7/17 -- The Archipelago Project, 6-8

SUTTONS BAY CIDERS

7/13 -- Chris Smith, 5:30-8

7/17 -- DJ Trivia, 6:30-8

7/20 -- Manitou Blues Trio, 5:30-8

SWEET’S BAR & GRILL, HONOR Mon. – Music Bingo, 7 Fri. – Music Bingo, 8; Karaoke, 10 Sat. – Karaoke, 8

THE CABBAGE SHED, ELBERTA 7/12 & 7/20 -- Larz, 5:30-8:30

7/15 -- Aldrich, 5:30-8:30

7/16 -- Vinyl Vednesday w/ DJ T.J., 5-8

7/17 -- Open Mic Night, 6:30-9

7/18 -- Jake Frysinger, 5-8

THE FOLDED LEAF, CEDAR 7/16 -- Big Fun, 6-8:30

TIPSY CANOE, HONOR

7/12 -- The Boone Doggies, 7 7/13 -- Benzie Area Community Emergency Fund Concert w/ Dave Johnson, 4-6

7/19 -- Duke & The Studebakers, 7

V.I. GRILL, SUTTONS BAY

7/12 & 7/19 – Karaoke, 10

7/14 – Laura Thurston, 6-9

7/18 – Zinnia Dungjen, 6-8

7/20 – Chris Smith, 6-8

CLASSIFIEDS

COMPUTER PROBLEMS?: I will come to your home or office and make your computer, phone, tablet, TV and printer all work! Call James Downer - Advent Tech. Your HIGH TECH HANDYMAN. Call 231-492-2087

I BUY CLASSIC CARS ANY CONDITION 1955-1985: especially convertible’s and impalas 50-60s, but open to all. 4145146958 Ron

SEWING, ALTERATIONS, MENDING & REPAIRS. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248

TREASURES CONSIGNMENT $ELL YOUR FURNITURE & DECOR: NoMi’s source for furniture and decor! 211 Bell Ave. Cadillac, MI 231-444-6094

CRYSTAL CULINARY Begin or expand your Culinary Career at Crystal Mountain! Full Time, Part Time and Seasonal positions are available for all levels of Cooks. Competitive wages and benefits! jenniferking@ crystalmountain.com

GARDEN WALK & ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Community Garden Walk, Prayer Labyrinth Dedication & 40th Anniversary Celebration of our Garden of Remembrance. 7/27 11:30am-1:30pm at Mission Hill Church, 6105 Center Rd. TC info@missionhilltc.org

5151 Hidden Gables Drive | $750,000

This charming ranch style home offers a classic design with lots of finished living space. This 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath home has a freshly painted open main level featuring a spacious living room with a natural gas fireplace and cherry hardwood floors. The upper level hosts a formal dining space with a sliding door to a brand new deck, a nice kitchen layout with stainless appliances and breakfast nook, a gracious primary suite. The finished lower level has a huge family room, fireplace, two bedrooms, a full bath, and plenty of storage. This large lot offers privacy, large patios and decks, and is nicely landscaped with irrigation. Located on the west side of Traverse City and less than 10 miles to downtown.

6278 Summit Court | $499,000 NEW PRICE

Well-maintained Port of Old Mission condo, located just 5 minutes from downtown Traverse City. Main floor primary bedroom, brick gas fireplace in the living room, large windows and two decks for enjoying the outdoors. The lower level has plenty of storage, plus a large family room, guest bedroom and full bath. A deep 1 car garage is attached.