In response to Gary Muller from Bellaire’s LTE: Absolutely agree 100 percent. I’m sure many do. 77 million Americans voted for an individual that had already exposed himself as a con, a grifter, a liar, a failed businessman, an insurrectionist, and a social sadist. As a human being, Trump has not one redeeming quality. Yet, millions couldn’t stomach voting for a qualified, competent Black woman. So, they voted for Trump.
Farmers voted to end their generational livelihoods; the poor, who voted, did so to end their social safety net; and people of different nationalities voted for their own deportations. So, here we are. No surprise at all. The super rich will benefit beyond our wildest imaginations and we will suffer.
Grab your popcorn and your beer and watch the crap show. I’m 72 and I seek solace in what my father told me decades ago: ‘Son, don’t let the World bring you down’.
Bret Albright | Traverse City
No More Ethanol
Much appreciation to Rick Cross’ column about the trap of ethanol and distortion of the food chain for political purposes. (Northern Express, Oct. 20-26)
He calls it a trap, I call it a curse. From the column, you might ask how ethanol affects the price at the pump and distortion of the fuel market. The answer: First, since ethanol is government subsidized, we pay the subsidy through taxation. Second, your gas mileage is decreased by 5-10 percent because ethanol does not burn as efficiently as gasoline.
I was able to determine the 10 percent decrease by experimenting with our own vehicle when ethanol was first being phased in 20 years ago. I then asked the car guy at Popular Mechanics who claimed that the reduction was “about 5 percent.” Now, there is a political threat to increase the ethanol percentage to 15 percent. Are you ready for that?
The original intent was to make the U.S. fuel self-sufficient. Now, it is lobbying to keep Iowa corn farmers growing corn for ethanol (40 percent) instead of other crops. Our valuable farmland must be used for better purposes and better crop rotation. We the people don’t need the expense of it. Write your congressional representatives and include a copy of Rick’s column and this letter.
Fred Curow | Traverse City
Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase PO Box 4020 Traverse City, Michigan 49685 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com
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Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold
top ten
Cadillac is ready for its Halloween closeup this week! Take the kiddos to the Downtown Trick or Treat on Mitchell Street from 4-6pm on Oct. 29, where participating businesses will have candy, photo ops, and plenty of Halloween decor. On Oct. 31, do a little more trick-or-treating at the Cadillac Farmers Market (117 W Cass St.) from 9am-2pm, with a spooky storytime and dye-free candy. The Dick Family Farm has their closing Fall Family Fun Day, including the Moonlit Corn Maze (6-10pm; tickets $8). The Northern District Fair will host their Fall Brawl on Nov. 1, and Cadillac Wexford Public Library will put on Bat Trivia at the Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center, part of the library’s Horror Lit Fest running Oct. 27Nov. 1. Get all the details at cadillacmichigan.com/area-events.
2
tastemaker Fiddleheads’ Raclette Omelette
While you might head to Fiddleheads, an eclectic eatery in Lake Leelanau, for the vibes and on-site vinyl, it’s the savory Raclette Omelette that’ll have you coming back for seconds (and thirds!). Featuring the rich and buttery flavors of Leelanau Cheese raclette—a northern Michigan herdsman-style cheese made with local milk—this scratch-made omelette also incorporates cage-free Michigan eggs, roasted red peppers, spinach, and natural ham. Topped with even more shredded raclette and a drizzle of homemade red pepper crema and served alongside Michigan toast and seasoned roasted Yukon potatoes, it’s just the pop of AM energy you need, especially when paired with a Main Street Bloody Mary. Head to 202 N. Main St. in Lake Leelanau for all the goods, and watch their website for live music and pop-up events! fiddleheadsleelanau.com
Freshwater Summit
Bioregionalism, sea lamprey control, and environmental DNA are just a few topics of the 18th annual Freshwater Summit, where you’ll learn all about the health of the Great Lakes and Grand Traverse Bay regions on Thursday, Oct. 30, from 9am-3pm at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City. Hear from environmental author Stephanie Mills, executive director of The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay Christine Crissman, and many others. Tickets: $20-$40. gtbay.org/freshwater-summit
Hey, Watch It! Chad Powers 4
We know a good disguise when we see one, like how Superman becomes unrecognizable when he dons his Clark Kent glasses and buttonup. But what if you added a wig and a fake nose? (That both somehow stay on, even during intense physical activity?) Well, that’s what Russ Holiday is going to find out. Holiday is a talented quarterback, but he blew up his chances at a future in football eight years ago. Now, he’s back and in disguise with the goal of being a walk-on at a small college in Georgia as the surfer-haired Chad Powers. Does Holiday/Powers deserve a second chance? And what will he do if he gets one? Glen Powell plays the character—who is often unlikeable and unaware—to perfection, supposedly with some coaching from Peyton and Eli Manning, who were both involved in the
Thrills & Chills in Cadillac
The Laramie Project
In October of 1998, college student Matthew Shepard was beaten and left to die near Laramie, Wisconsin. His death eventually led to the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, passed by Congress more than a decade later, which expanded federal hate crimes to include those motivated by gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, and disabilities. This weekend, Interlochen Center for the Arts will put on The Laramie Project, a theatrical work by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theatre Project that “weaves more than 200 interviews” from people involved in Shepard’s case and citizens of Laramie “into a gripping portrait of the human psyche.” Showtimes are 7:30pm on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, and 2pm on Nov. 2; tickets range from $19-$24. Visit interlochen.org/events.
Up North Histories & Mysteries
With all the spooky tales of Halloween on our minds, we’re thinking about our 2026 Histories & Mysteries issue, and we need your help! Who are the unsung heroes, the special souls, and the trailblazing folks who have left their mark on northern Michigan? Which businesses, nonprofits, or landmarks have stood the test of time or evolved into something sparkling and new? And what are the questions (curious, creepy, or somewhere in between) that keep you up at night? Drop us a line at info@northernexpress.com to share your recommendations for the people, places, and/or events we should cover in this upcoming issue. (Use the subject line “Histories & Mysteries”.) Tell your favorite local history buff or conspiracy theorist that we will accept ideas through Dec. 1, 2025!
Please join us at the State Theatre in Traverse City f or a screening of
The Library that Dolly Built October 29 - 7:00 PM
This feature-length documentary explores the history, impact, and future of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Through behind-the-scenes footage and personal stories, it highlights Dolly’s inspiration, her passion for literacy, and the program’s lasting influence on children, families, and communities. Suggested Donation: $10.
Stuff We Love: Howling at the Moon
Your Halloween costume needs one final touch…and Northern Nail Polish has you covered. This Traverse City-based brand is vegan, cruelty free, nontoxic, and long lasting, so you can rock your look even after the Home Depot skeletons come down. Our pick for this week is Howl at the Moon, described as “deep, mysterious polish [that] shimmers with flashes of pink, gold, and green, like moonlight breaking through midnight clouds.” For something a little brighter and lighter, go for Let It Fall (like a sparkly maple leaf) or Golden Hour (orangey and glowy). And all of the above will look extra festive with a top coat of It’s Freakin’ Bats, a glow-in-the-dark topper with golden stars, black bats, and glitter. Shop local stockists or at northernnailpolish.com.
bottoms
up River Club’s Watermelon Mint Mojito Margarita
The clock is ticking! River Club Glen Arbor will close up shop for the season soon, but there’s still time to get in a round of putt-putt with a Watermelon Mint Mojito Margarita ($12) in hand. The drink’s name says it all, bringing to mind the last hurrah of summer and sunshine with a refreshing, minty finish. Take one around the 18-hole, Michigan-themed course or enjoy while watching the Michigan/MSU game (Oct. 25) or the Lions/Viking Game (Nov. 2). On Saturday, Nov. 1, you can even enjoy your margarita while listening to the final night of music at the River Club this year, with the Luke Woltanski Duo on the stage. Golf is $20 for adults and $15 for under 12, and you can play all day, which means multiple rounds if you want to wander into downtown GA and shop or just pop over to River Club's on-site eatery for a meal between putts. Learn more at rcglenarbor.com.
HALFTIME HALFWITS
spectator
By Stephen Tuttle
Some of you might remember when there were two competing professional football leagues, the National Football League (NFL), which had been around since its founding in Canton, Ohio, in 1920, and the upstart American Football League (AFL) which started playing in 1960. The leagues technically merged in 1966 but continued playing completely separate schedules until 1970.
It was inevitable both league’s champions would play each other, the AFL insisting. So the first of what we now call the Super Bowl games was played in January of 1967. It was then called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game, and the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs. The game was first officially called the Super Bowl in 1969.
So Bad Bunny and other Puerto Ricans are American citizens, not that citizenship is a requirement for Super Bowl halftime entertainers. We’ve had non-citizens Shakira, The Weeknd, Rihanna, Paul McCartney, Sting, Coldplay, Shania Twain, Phil Collins, U2, and the Rolling Stones representing Colombia, Canada, the Bahamas, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. (Interestingly, few complaints were heard when Shakira and Jennifer Lopez both sang songs in Spanish during their halftime performance.)
It’s not as if Bad Bunny offers up womenhating or profane rap that offends. Some politicians claim “nobody” has ever heard of him and he should be replaced. Actually, lots of people have heard of him.
Bad Bunny and other Puerto Ricans are American citizens, not that citizenship is a requirement for Super Bowl halftime entertainers.
All of which leads us to Super Bowl halftime shows and this year’s artificially manufactured controversy. We now have a cottage industry of people who are offended or somehow upset by almost everything, including halftime entertainment at the next Super Bowl.
(There was no such controversy at that first game. Halftime entertainment included a jet pack demonstration, a balloon and pigeon release, and performances by trumpeter Al Hirt and the marching bands of the University of Arizona and Grambling State University. There is no record of anyone complaining.)
The main halftime entertainment for Super Bowl LX will be Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio. Some might know him better as Bad Bunny, a nickname he was given when he was a child due to his making a sullen face while wearing a bunny costume. Bad Bunny was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, sings in Spanish to honor his heritage, and does not tour in the continental United States. His selection resulted in howls of protest and complaints, with some halfwits even wondering aloud why they couldn’t have chosen an American.
Well, of course, they did. Anyone born in Puerto Rico is an American citizen with most of the rights and privileges of the rest of us. They pay Social Security/Medicare taxes and can collect Social Security upon retirement (but they are not eligible for Supplemental Security Income or SSI), can vote in presidential primary elections, but if living on the island, they cannot vote in presidential general elections. They do not have a representative in Congress but instead have a non-voting Resident Commissioner. Puerto Ricans have twice voted to become the 51st state, most recently with a stunning 97 percent of the vote, but such action requires Congressional approval that has not been forthcoming.
According to ChartMasters, Bad Bunny has sold just under 112 million records worldwide. He has won three Grammy Awards, 11 Latin Grammy Awards, and he has multiple platinum albums and platinum singles, selling at least a million units of each. He also has a certified Diamond album with 10 million units sold. He has had several singles reach the Billboard Hot 100, multiple albums that have made it to number one on the Billboard 200, and in 2022 he became the first artist recording in Spanish to be Billboard’s Artist of the Year.
Not bad for an “unknown.”
Stephen Miller, President Trump’s very own prince of darkness, says if Bad Bunny is the halftime talent, then ICE officers will be at the game. Why? Any of Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rican fans are American citizens, and not many criminal non-citizens will be able to afford to attend the over-priced extravaganza. (We’re still just arresting criminal illegal immigrants, right? Those reports of 170 American citizens and more than 100 children being rounded up and detained surely can’t be right…)
Here’s a friendly suggestion: Stop whining about the halftime show just because the guy sings in Spanish—it makes you sound like racist dolts. If you are so offended, then at halftime take a walk, have a conversation, eat a snack, or go online to one of the many channels that will play music you enjoy, but stop making up reasons to complain.
The we-must-end-cancel-culture crowd in Washington was mighty quick to try to cancel Bad Bunny. The overly long halftime show will drone on as it always has, and those now complaining the loudest will bitch and moan when it’s over, claiming it was the worst ever. Then they’ll do it again next year.
OFF WITH THEIR HEADS?
GUEST OPINION
by Greg Holmes
I was surprised (actually shocked) to learn recently that there is a movement afoot to bring back the use of the guillotine to execute death row prisoners as a form of capital punishment.
Originally the guillotine was designed as a “more effective and less painful” method of execution. Other methods, such the use of firing squads and decapitation by swords or axes, were less quick and thus seen as more painful.
The guillotine was used to execute thousands of people in France during the period known as the “Reign of Terror”. The use of guillotine dropped off dramatically during the period of the 1960s and ’70s until it was finally banned by France in 1981.
So why the current interest in bringing back such a gruesome method of execution of death row prisoners? Why do we have to sentence anyone to death by any means in the first place? Why isn’t a life sentence in prison without parole punishment enough?
Seventy percent of the countries in the world have fully abolished the death penalty. On the other hand, twenty countries carried out executions in 2022; the top five of which were China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United States.
As I write this column, 35 men have died by court-ordered executions in the United States so far this year, and several more are scheduled this month. This is the highest total since 2012, when 43 inmates were put to death. These executions come at a time when there is increasing pressure to continue if not expand the use of the death penalty.
Donald Trump has argued that by doing so it will “…deter criminals and protect American people,” yet there is no evidence that the death penalty has been a deterrent to others committing a capital offense such as murder. Study after study has failed to demonstrate a correlation between the two.
This hardly comes as a surprise. Violent crimes such as murder are impulsive acts that are typically born out of rage or other mental health issues, not after a careful consideration of the potential punishment for committing such a crime. The fear of getting caught is much greater than whatever form of punishment criminals will receive.
According to data collected by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), states that have the death penalty do not have lower crime or murder rates than states that do not. In fact, the vast majority of mass shootings since 1976 have occurred in states that do have the death penalty.
The failure of the death penalty to deter future violence is hardly the only problem
with its continued use. Sentencing criminals for execution and warehousing them on death row is much more expensive than a sentence of life imprisonment. There are several reasons for the higher cost. Very few criminals facing a potential death penalty sentence can afford an attorney, and therefore the state must provide a public attorney for their defense. So the state must pay for both the prosecution and the defense. And just who is “the state”? That would be you, the taxpayer. Other contributing factors in the higher cost of the death penalty than a life sentence include an almost certain likelihood of a series of lengthy appeals.
The most disturbing problem in the continued use of the death penalty is the risk of killing someone who is innocent.
During the past 50 years, over 200 people on death row have been exonerated.
Researchers have concluded that for every 10 people who are executed, at least one was innocent. Several factors contribute to erroneous sentencing, including racial bias, inadequate defense of the accused, and the use of informants whose testimony is false or otherwise compromised.
Perhaps one of the most important reasons to end the use of capital punishment has to do with the question about whether it is right to kill those who have killed someone else. Most of the world’s religions, including Catholicism and Judaism, are against the use of the death penalty based on moral and theological grounds. According to these teachings, killing another person is wrong and simply continues to perpetuate an ongoing cycle of violence.
In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Hate begets hate; violence begets violence. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love.”
One recent example of the difference between the forces of hate versus the power of love was at the memorial service for Charlie Kirk. Kirk’s wife, Erika, talked about forgiving her husband’s killer, whereas President Trump openly disagreed with her and stated that he “hated” his opponents. (His comments were hardly surprising; his second go round as president has been one of retribution and vengeance against those who he believes are his enemies.)
Continuing to use the death penalty to punish those who commit heinous crimes makes absolutely no sense. The bottom line is that it is a barbaric form of violence. Punishment that is neither cruel nor unusual is what is needed; killing someone is not only ineffective and expensive but immoral.
Greg Holmes lives and writes in Traverse City.
That's Not Holy Water
On Oct. 10, during the 9 a.m. Mass at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, an unidentified man climbed the Altar of Confession, dropped his pants to his ankles and urinated on the site, the Mirror reported. Hundreds of tourists looked on as plainclothes officers approached him; the Holy Pee-er was quickly removed from the premises after flashing a full moon at the gathered masses. Pope Leo was reportedly "shocked"; it was unclear whether he or another officiant was leading the service.
The Foreign Press
France's national postal service, aptly named La Poste, released a croissantscented stamp on Oct. 8, France24 reported. Nearly 600,000 of the fragrant marks are intended to honor the "emblem of French gastronomy," the postal service gushed. "I had a stock of 1,000 stamps available," said Valence post office director Anthony Richet. "And on the first day, more than 400 stamps were already gone." The stickers can also be used for international mail.
Didn't See That Coming
Zimbabwean opposition lawmaker and poet Desire Moyo, 45, lost his life in a bizarre accident in the early morning hours of Oct. 10, the BBC reported. As Moyo and four others drove along the Bulawayo-Gweru highway, they crashed into an elephant. The other occupants of the car were injured; one of them said the elephant was struck on its backside, after which it turned around and started fighting the car. It is believed the elephant's reaction did the most damage and led to Moyo's demise.
Questionable Judgment
Congregants at Legacy Faith Church in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 28 were confronted by their pastor, Phillip Thornton, wearing and wielding an assaultstyle rifle to illustrate his points during his sermon. WHP-TV reported that Thornton used the firearm to symbolize "clearing the room," or using spiritual violence against unbelief. At times, Thornton pointed the gun at the congregation, with a laser bouncing off church members. The church released a statement after concerns were brought to light, saying the gun was "disabled (firing pin removed), cleared and publicly shown to be ammo free." But Thornton also said, "I could get you, any one of you." The statement closed with gratitude for bringing "great attention" to the church. After all, there's no such thing as bad publicity.
Ewwwww
First of all, apparently in the United Kingdom, ladybugs are called ladybirds. Regardless, one woman is fighting an epic battle against the cute spotted beetles in Hertfordshire, the Daily Star reported on Oct. 10. Lois Mallett-Walker's home has been invaded by "around 300" ladybugs, where they're covering her curtains, windows and walls. And, she said, "One peed on me and it stank." The 35-year-old tried to shoo the bugs outdoors but ended up vacuuming up some of them. "I love ladybugs, but it was far too many in my house for me."
Fake News
Megan Ashlee Davis is a college student in Texas, Chron.com reported on Oct. 10. She is not a server at an Olive Garden in St. Louis, and she didn't get arrested for assault after throwing a basket of breadsticks at a customer. But Davis' life has been turned upside down since a Facebook account called Pure videos posted a (real) mug shot of Davis and claimed she had retaliated for a bad tip by tossing the treats at a diner. "It's probably like my worst nightmare coming to reality," Davis said. She admitted that the mug shot came from a night in August, soon after her mother died, when she was arrested for public intoxication. But this recent post has garnered harassing and creepy comments. "People are disgusting out there -- and scary," she said. "I feel small. Like, how do I even fix this?"
But Why?
Wannabe magistrate Wilber Mateo, 45, of Kansas City, Missouri, was charged with burglary and stealing from a Jackson County, Missouri, courtroom, KSHB-TV reported. Surveillance cameras spotted Mateo inside the courthouse in Independence on Oct. 2 around 3:30 p.m. After speaking with workers there, he slipped into parts of the courthouse that are not covered by the cameras. Around 7:30 p.m., he was recorded entering a courtroom, where he apparently spent the night. The next morning, a witness saw Mateo and alerted officers; they found him wearing a judge's robes and carrying three bags. Inside the bags were a small brass dog statue, pens and a sticky note with login credentials on it -- along with three laptops, data storage, electronic devices and other office supplies. Mateo said he planned to sell the items to the highest bidder.
Unconventional Weapon
Former strip club employee Jordan Cotto, 26, arrived at Atlantis Gentlemen's Club in Tampa, Florida, on Oct. 10, hoping to "speak with management," The Smoking Gun reported. Instead, he got involved in a verbal argument and grabbed a cheeseburger from his car, which he hurled at a male victim. The victim was unharmed, but police spoke with Cotto, who said he "did throw a cheeseburger from his vehicle" and "would do it again." Cotto was arrested for battery and eventually released on his own recognizance.
Special Delivery
Blake Michael Kuhlman, 26, a contract driver for Amazon, was arrested for firstdegree assault after an incident in an Everett, Washington, apartment complex mailroom on Oct. 3. KRCG-TV reported that Kuhlman and a USPS carrier were in the room when an altercation took place, resulting in the mail carrier being shot in the head. Kuhlman admitted shooting the man, who will survive but lost an eye, because he said the man "was trying to charge at him while he was cornered." Kuhlman was allegedly armed with two guns, a large knife and a bulletproof vest; he told police that he had been attacked on numerous occasions and that he is being "cyberstalked" by the mafia. Kuhlman said he believed the postal worker might have been a "mafia assassin." His bond was set at $1 million.
13 Spooky Happenings Up North
Halloween events for all ages
By Geri Dietze
It’s hard to find a town or village that does not have some sort of Halloween fun planned for residents and visitors. We’re courting the goblins by only listing 13 events here, but check out area websites for many more events to get your scare on.
1. Boyne Mountain Halloween
Hoopla
Boyne Falls
Let the Hoopla begin Oct. 24-25, with loads of family fun. Disney characters will meet and greet their fans at Skybridge Michigan, and kiddos can enjoy a magic show, face painting, wagon rides, trick or treating, movies, storytime, Avalanche Bay Glow in the Park haunted adventure, plus so much more. boynemountain.com/ upcoming-events/halloween-hoopla
2. Halloween House 4th Annual Trunk or Treat Food Drive
Cadillac
Can you be scary and altruistic at the same time? Yes, at Zombiestock! Bring three non-perishable food items for admission at Diggins Hill on Oct. 25 from 5-8pm. Free hot dogs and popcorn, music, best costume and best trunk-or-treat vehicles contests, and a twilight screening of The Addams Family all benefit Cadillac Food Pantry and Vets Serving Vets. Visit the Halloween House of Cadillac on Facebook for details.
3. HalloWINE! at Bel Lago
Cedar
Come in costume or come as you are, but don’t miss this harvest afternoon of mulled wine, delicious things to eat, celebrated vintages, fresh cider, surprise tricks and treats, and the stylings of the always-entertaining Dominic Fortuna Friday, Oct. 31, from 12-6pm, with music starting at 3:30pm. bellagowine.com/ events/hallowine-at-bel-lago
4. VUE’s 5th Annual Halloween Party Charlevoix
They call it “frightening fun,” and we’re definitely intrigued. Head over to this beautiful location on Pine River channel at the bridge in Charlevoix, Saturday, Nov. 1, from 8-11pm. Special cocktails, a costume contest, and lots of scary surprises await. (No cover!) vuecharlevoix.com
5. Scarecrow Stroll, Downtown Trick or Treat Cheboygan
Downtown Cheboygan has celebrated its festival of the scarecrow for the entire month, and now these scarecrows make their final bow for Halloween Trick or Treating on Main Street, Oct. 31 from 3-5pm. Visit downtown businesses for candy, enjoy music and games, and check out the witchy talents of the Twisted Sister Dancers. cheboyganmainstreet.org/event/ downtown-trick-or-treating
6. Halloween Concert “The Ride” Gaylord
Celebrate Halloween night with “The Ride,” northern Michigan’s wildly popular country-rock masters, at the Lakeside Pavilion next to Iron Pig Smokehouse. Music starts at 7pm; costumes are encouraged and the contest winner will be announced at 9pm. Enjoy a full bar and the Iron Pig’s food truck. theironpigsmokehouse.com
7. Pond Hill Farm Fall Fest Harbor Springs
It’s the last weekend of Fall Fest, so dress up for the Halloween costume contest Oct. 25, with prizes for youngsters and their pets, at 2pm. (Register at 1:45.) Come early, and stick around after, for the largest Corn Maze in Michigan—13 acres! You can also partake in pumpkin bowling and pumpkin smashing; squash rocket and apple cannon; and hay rides. Free activities include live music, Gnome House Hunt, hiking trails, lawn games (human foosball!), and the
8. The Ghost Ship Manistee
Choose from two versions of being scared silly—one for the youngsters, and then later for the teens and adults—aboard the S.S. City of Milwaukee, a retired Lake Michigan railroad car ferry and National Historic Landmark that transforms into the Ghost Ship at Halloween. Kids “Scaredy Pants” Night runs 3-6:15pm, with the lights on and the major scares under wraps. At 7:30pm, the scare factor ramps back up for a ghoulish good time for the older set. $15 for most; kids six and under free. And don’t miss the 25th anniversary celebration for the Ghost Ship, on Saturday the 25th! carferry.com/ghostship
9. Halloween Party
Northport Pub & Grill
Northport
Channel your inner Grateful Dead with Touch of Grey tribute band on
livestock barn and trout pond. Food options include the café, grill, and fresh cider and a donut truck. pondhill.com
Halloween night from 8:30-11:30pm. Themed cocktails, a costume contest, and candy during trick or treating hours are all on the menu. (npgrille.com) P.S. Earlier in the week, be sure to catch Witches’ Night Out in Northport or a double feature of the Hocus Pocus films at Around the Corner Food & Fun on Oct. 25!
10. Magical Trivia at Elder Piper Beer + Cider
Petoskey
Costumes are optional, but we suggest you put on your spooktacular best, gather your team (of up to six people) and test your trivia knowledge about all topics spooky and scary, from myths to witches to magic. This is your opportunity to be not only the scariest but also the smartest ghoul on the block. And look for Stiggs BBQ Wagon, the on-the-road foodie extension of Boyne City’s Stiggs Brewery. (Because trivia can work up an appetite.) Oct. 31, 7-8:30pm. elderpiperbeer.com
11. Book or Treat
Suttons Bay
Kids 0-12 are invited to the Suttons Bay Bingham District Library between Oct. 27 and Nov. 1, 10am-5pm, for Book-or-Treat, a scary-good opportunity to pick out a brand new book of their choice. (We all like candy, but a book is forever!) While supplies last. sbbdl.org/ event/book-or-treat-5/2025-10-27
12. Traverse City Whiskey Co. & Right Brain Brewery
Traverse City
Two parties, just a short walk in between. Head to TC Whiskey’s Stillhouse on Halloween night at 8pm, with music from DJ Zeb. Dress in your scariest duds for the costume contest, with prizes. Spooky cocktails will be
crafted just for the occasion to get you in the Halloween spirits. (tcwhiskey. com) If beer is more your pace, Right Brain Brewery has teamed up with Up North Pride for a Halloween Dance Party and costume contest, complete with a haunted happy hour from 4-6pm on Oct. 31. (rightbrainbrewery.com/99/ halloween-dance-party)
13. Two Weekends, One Holiday Traverse City
If you want to post up in one spot and enjoy a day full of Halloween haunts, head to Front Street in Traverse City. There, you can explore the Haunts & Harvest Window Walk (ongoing), get in on the Halloween celebration on Oct. 25 (complete with trick-or-treating), and race the Zombie 5K Run (also on Oct. 25; tczombierun.com). Then, bop around town throughout the week to enjoy a lantern-lit hike and celebration on Oct. 30 at the Grand Traverse Conservation District ($5 per person; natureiscalling.org/events/ halloween-lantern-lit-hike-1); the Halloween Parade at Traverse Area District Library on Oct. 31 (tadl.org/ event/copy-halloween-parade-16971); and Mocktails and Mock Tours at the Dennos Museum on Oct. 31 for a Halloween-themed improv experience (dennosmuseum.org/events/ community-programs.html).
Leaves are turning and the shelves are stocked with Halloween sweets…but skip the chain store aisles this year and instead, get your sweet tooth fix close to home. Below, explore the offerings at local candy purveyors before the first trick-or-treater rings the doorbell.
Traverse City Natural Candy Store
Traverse City
Traverse City Natural Candy Store was founded not here in northern Michigan as you might suppose, but in California in 2007. Current owners Al Bennett and his family acquired the business from the founder in 2017 and moved it Up North.
“The business is holding steady so far. We are a small family business run by me, my wife, and our daughter,” says Bennett. “Our focus is offering candy made from 100 percent natural ingredients. We look to find equivalent candy to the most popular brands and candy types, only with 100 percent natural ingredients instead.”
What’s on the Shelves: “There are some innovative candy items in our offerings, but mostly what we have are items that are similar to the candy that people already know and love that was and still is made with artificial ingredients,” says Bennett. “Also, a key contributor to our business is that people buy our candy because they are trying to avoid something. We track about 50 dietary attributes for each of the 550+ unique products that we offer. And with the power of a computer, we can provide searching and sorting and filtering capabilities to customers on our website in order to make it easy for them to find exactly what we have available that meets their desired dietary preferences or requirements.”
Current Favorite: “Hollow chocolate Santas and hollow chocolate Easter Bunnies filled with gummies. Kids love them!”
Opportunities Ahead: “The current national push to eliminate artificial food colors is a big opportunity for our business. Everything we sell is already made with all natural food colors… so we don’t have to find new products or new suppliers or a new business model to line up to this push toward natural colors in food. We are already there.”
Luci & Carl’s Candy Cabin
209 Petoskey St., Petoskey
“I have always wanted to own a candy store; I guess you could say it was on my retail bucket list,” says Jennifer Shorter, the third-generation proprietor of Petoskey’s Grand Shorter’s Gifts. In 2023, that dream became a reality. Luci & Carl’s Candy Cabin was created within the Petoskey retailer’s existing space.
“I was talking with my brother one day about business, and he asked how my dream of opening a candy store was coming, and I told him that the space I wanted to put it in hadn't become available,” Shorter remembers. “He reminded me that I already had a space in our own building that wasn’t creating revenue. After lamenting that I would have to change the interior to match my vision, he told me to call it the Candy Cabin and get started. That little shift in thinking made it all possible in my mind.”
The Candy Cabin is named for Shorter’s niece and nephew, who were in turn named after her grandfather (Grandpa Shorter) and his sister. “When we have opened new stores over the years, they have always had a name connection to someone in the family. It became a natural to name the candy store after my niece and nephew,” Shorter says.
What’s on the Shelves: “We source our candy from a huge variety of vendors, including local vendors like Cherry Republic and Shurm’s—they make the Michigan-shaped gummies that are delicious!—as well as others,” says Shorter.
Current Favorite: “Everyone definitely has their own ‘candy profile’ where they love hard candy, taffy, chocolate, spicy candy, or something else,” Shorter says. “We sell a lot of nostalgic candies, and always try to get requested candies in the store whenever possible. Hammond’s makes chocolate bars that are out of this world good. Midnight Snack is a family favorite, as is Pigs N’ Taters [bacon and potato chips in the chocolate bar]. We carry a variety of chocolate bars from England as well.”
Opportunities Ahead: “We love Halloween here at Luci & Carl’s Candy Cabin, and we are looking forward to celebrating with all the kiddos on October 25, during our downtown Petoskey Trick-or-Treat event. Then, we gear up for the holiday season with visits with Santa, The Grinch, and maybe even BigFoot!” Shorter enthuses.
Rocket Fizz
111-B E Front St., Traverse City
Tom and Heather Holmer both had careers before becoming candy retailers, but it was Heather’s work with international exchange students that drew them to candy specifically.
“The kids that came were amazing, and one thing they would come with was treats for the host families,” Heather recalls. The Holmers hosted around 10 high school exchange students over the years, and were introduced to many different kinds of international treats. “When we were talking about what to do next, Tom said what about candy, and what the kids have brought over the years?”
Seven years and four locations later, the Holmers are going strong.
What’s on the Shelves: Rocket Fizz sources from one main vendor, but has other smaller side vendors, including some local treats. “We do carry Northwood Sodas,” says Tom. “We recommend it a lot—it’s not just local, but a phenomenal soda!”
Current Favorite: “Right now the big thing with a lot of demand is Squashies. It was originally a British thing, but they do make them in the U.S. under the Smartees brand. They have a foam texture and cherry, vanilla flavors.”
Opportunities Ahead: “The new hot thing we’re seeing a lot of is TikTok trends. It’s tough to stay ahead of them, and they can decimate the supply chain overnight. It’s hard to try to forecast something that could go viral. We’re in an interesting stage with a lot of innovation starting to take place within candy, some driven by TikTok trends. They want candies to go viral so they come up with unique formulations,” says Tom. “Amos is really ahead of the curve on gummies; they came up with Peelers, a fruit gummy with a skin you can peel off. It’s fun, interesting, and some work.”
Would the Real Mrs. Stickney Please Stand Up?
By Anna Faller
A local historian on Jennie—not Genevieve—Stickney and the false tales surrounding the “ghost” of Old Mission
If you’ve spent any time on Old Mission Peninsula, you’ve no doubt heard of “Genevieve” Stickney, whose sorrowful (and sometimes mischievous) spirit is said to haunt the picturesque estate that Mission Table, Jolly Pumpkin, and the Peninsula Room now occupy—formerly Bowers Harbor Inn and The Bowery.
But what if most, if not all of, that supernatural storytelling is verifiably incorrect? According to the extensive research of local historian and writer Julie Morris, the real history of the Stickneys’ lives is far more—well—natural.
“Theirs is not a story worthy of lore, but one of a couple who had many friends, were well-liked in the community, and who worked very hard to promote the well-being of the [local] fruit industry,” Morris says.
Let’s dive into fact and fiction of the Stickney legacy.
Myth: Mrs. Stickney’s Name was Genevieve
The simplest and most pervasive myth is a misnomer. Most Traverse Citians will tell you Mrs. Stickney’s name was Genevieve. As Morris counters, “it was never Genevieve,” but Jennie.
Per Morris’ research, Jennie Eveline Stickney (neé Worthen) was born in 1865 in Lebanon, New Hampshire to parents Evelyn and George W. Worthen—the latter, a successful dry-goods merchant. Though there isn’t much to be found about Jennie’s early life (an all-too common circumstance for women in the 19th century), we do know that she was one of six kids, that she attended the local school, and that her upbringing was likely typical for that of an upper-class child in New England.
We also know that the “Genevieve” moniker didn’t appear until the publication of Jennie’s death record. “If you look at
any solid record prior to that”—from her birth and marriage certificates, to travel documents, down to the family Bible—“all the census records I can find, it’s always Jennie,” Morris says.
In fact, Morris adds, the misnomer is likely attributable to a clerical error, wherein the physician tasked with confirming Jennie’s death might have misheard or just assumed that Jennie was a nickname for something longer, like Genevieve.
“He probably knew her as ‘Mrs. Stickney,’ or might not have even known her name. I think that’s where it all started,” Morris says.
(By the way, referring to Mr. Stickney as “J.W.” is also incorrect. Records show that his real name was Charles, and that J.W. probably stems from a conflation of his wife, Jennie Worthen’s, initials.)
Myth: Mr. Stickney Was a Wealthy Lumber Baron
Though Mr. Stickney, aka, Charles Francis (b. 1868 in Groveland, MA) also came from relative wealth, it wasn’t the high-falutin steel and lumber riches local lore suggests.
“If [that were the case],” says Morris, “there would be many articles about him. But very little is found, so he was not the super-rich oligarch as legends would have you believe.”
Instead, he joined his family’s business, a successful shoe- and boot-manufacturing company, alongside his father, Charles E. Stickney, starting around the 1880s, through which he amassed the bulk of his wealth. Jennie also had her own money, perhaps inherited from her parents’ estates. (Fun fact: the couple’s Bower’s Harbor farm deed was in her name, not her husband’s!).
As such, there is some truth to the stories that suggest they were financially comfortable. So comfortable, in fact, that economic slumps, like World War I and the Great Depression, had little impact on
their social lives, which included luxury travel and seasonal suites. They were also members of the Traverse City Country Club and were known to be active participants in their communities’ societal functions.
well-connected with those in their standing, active in their community, and well-liked—at least by those they socialized with.”
Myth: The Stickney House Was Built in the 1880s
This brings us to their home at Bowers Harbor, which was not constructed in the 1880s. Heck—the Stickneys weren’t even married, let alone in Michigan, then!
Per Morris, the property’s first iteration was a farmhouse, which Jennie purchased from a local family, the Hartsons, in 1909. Here, she began a cottage business, crafting jams, brandies, and pies from the fruit Charles grew. Meanwhile, Charles cofounded a canning business in 1910 which operated for about 20 years, and both Stickneys used their social platforms to
says. “I don’t think that was well known, but it was very important to [them].”
In 1927, however, the farmhouse suffered a chimney fire, which the Stickneys, then in their early 60s, took as license to build their dream summer home, which would eventually serve as the site for the Bowers Harbor Inn.
To complete the project, Jennie enlisted the help of her nephew, Minnesota architect, Kenneth B. Worthen, and his partner, Percy Dwight Bentley, whose influence built on the farmhouse foundation to produce the sharp lines and whimsical details of today’s 1920s-inspired structure.
This is also when the home’s infamous elevator—likely a residential first for the region, notes Morris—went in, both as an
A display of Stickney photographs in the old estate, which now houses Mission Table and The Jolly Pumpkin.
eccentrically-Worthen detail, as well as a means for the Stickneys to avoid the stairs.
Myth: The Nurse, the Affair, and the Death of the Stickneys
By the mid-1940s, the Stickneys were both approaching 80 and in declining health. Jennie, in particular, was known to be heavy towards the end of her life (which likely provided fodder for the vanity and obesity elements of her legend) and struggled with multiple health concerns, including heart disease, diabetes, and possible dementia.
To mitigate some of these issues, the Stickneys hired a personal nurse, a widow Morris calls Kathryn J., who, accompanied by her two children, boarded with them for nearly four years as the pair’s full-time caretaker.
After Charles Stickney died, Kathryn also received the bulk of her employers’ estate— including the Bowers Harbor property, two cars, and the Stickneys’ stocks and insurance— in their will.
Per Morris, it was this generous gift, which Charles likely intended to provide long-term income for Kathryn and her
kids, from which the cruel and historically baseless rumors of their affair arose.
“Some of the falsehoods that have been published are ridiculous,” Morris decries.
Equally as ludicrous is Jennie’s supposed scorned-woman suicide-by-elevator. The real story is far more commonplace, wherein she passed at the Pantlind Hotel in Grand Rapids in 1947, likely of cardiovascular failure. Notably, she died before her husband, so she would never have known about the house being left to Kathryn.
Fact vs. Fiction
As for why this Stickney urban legend became so popular? We can only speculate.
Per Morris, some of the property’s earliest ghost stories go back to a Record-Eagle article published on Halloween 1977, which is also probably where the J.W. and Genevieve Stickney names arose, she notes.
The motivations behind these tales remain largely unclear. We know that the Stickneys were of prominent social standing and managed to maintain their wealth through periods of economic turmoil. Could
they have been power-hungry or spurned the working class, sparking local contempt, Morris wonders? Perhaps their status as seasonal residents demeaned them in the eyes of their neighbors. Or it could be that all the details just got mixed up and the fantasy was more fun than the facts.
“Sadly, this spiteful gossip became the local legend of the Stickneys,” Morris says. “[It] is not based in truth and has resulted in tarnishing the Stickneys’ reputations to this day.”
This brings us to a related question: If none of the vanity, infidelity, or suicide rumors surrounding Jennie are true, what reason would she have to be sticking around the Bowers Harbor Inn grounds? Staff who have worked in the various businesses have long told tales of strange happenings and ghostly encounters.
As Morris suggests, maybe Jennie loved her home so much, she just isn’t ready to leave. Maybe she feels she can’t rest because so many untruths continue to circulate.
Or maybe there’s a resident ghost that belongs to someone other than Jennie.
Three members of the Hartson family all
died in the original farmhouse, for instance, parts of which are still intact. If dying on the premises is a “prerequisite for haunting,” Morris says, couldn’t the unexplained activity just as easily be one of them? Nurse Kathryn’s daughter also noted a “strange” feeling in the house while Stickneys were there, Morris adds, suggesting that a haunting might have been underway before they passed.
Nevertheless, the fables of the Stickneys persist, both in local memory and on the Peninsula Room and Mission Table websites. (No one from the Mission Restaurant Group, which runs the on-site restaurants, responded to multiple attempts to contact them for this story.)
By working to dispel the myths, Morris hopes we can not only attribute fresh perspective to a historic and truly one-of-a-kind building, but restore the reputation and legacy of a woman who’s no longer alive to defend it.
Perhaps when we do, Morris adds, Jennie’s “ghost” can finally get some rest.
The newspaper story that started the rumors (or at least fanned the flames).
Charles Stickney and a lawyer.
HELLO DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND
Local musicians team up to embrace the shorter days
By Ross Boissoneau
The dark is a scary place. That’s where all the bad stuff happens, from horror movies to monsters under the bed to long winters.
But maybe the dark can be warm and inviting, too. That was the hope when local musicians Andrew Dost, A.S. Lutes, and Jack M. Senff first decided to embrace the shorter days and longer nights with their annual “Hello Darkness” concert, a takeoff on the opening line of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound Of Silence.”
This year, their show will take place Nov. 1 at the City Opera House in Traverse City.
The Season
Dost says the event grew out of the friends’ visits with one another where they would sit around and play music together. He says it became similar to a songwriters in the round session, which was the impetus to put on an official performance.
“Four years ago, the three of us played a show,” says Dost. “It’s just a fun excuse to get together.”
“We celebrate [the season] rather than brace for impact,” adds Lutes. “It’s a cool sentiment: slow down, add layers, bundle up. Create more space for what we need.”
Dost says the change in seasons tends to ignite a need for more community and a need to push himself creatively.
“I think it tends to remind me of mortality, which some years has been depressing, and some years acts as an engine and propels me forward,” he explains. “I was outside a lot this summer, and as the weather turns, I’m inside more during my free time, which means writing music and recording becomes more than my day job. It becomes my social life, a reason to get
together, a reason to call a friend in Maine who can record something remotely. Music has always been about connection for me, and that becomes vital when it’s cold.”
Celebrating the solstices or the equinoxes is a tradition dating back thousands of years.
But actually embracing the loss of daylight? Dost, Lutes, and Senff said sure, why not. Given that people turn their clocks back an hour the following night (Nov. 2—mark your calendar!), resulting in the sun seemingly setting in the early afternoon, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
“Fall can be warm and sunny, the last gasp of summer. November can be much colder,” Dost says. “We can look out for each other, check in on our neighbors. It’s a good time to get together.”
The Show
Their various ensembles—Dost’s Metal Bubble Trio, A.S. Lutes, and Jack M. Senff and the Heartland Mission—will perform an evening of music to usher in the shorter days. It will likely touch on a variety of styles and genres: Americana, indie, pop, acoustic, electric, folk, funk and bossa nova.
Each of the artists will have a turn in the spotlight, around 30 to 45 minutes each. Senff says the bands will likely be working on their set lists right up until the curtain rises. He certainly will. “It’s what feels right,” he says.
Will they guest with one another? Will there be a final song or encore where they all team up? Those are questions yet to be answered.
All we know is that Senff promises that this year’s version will go beyond previous years. “This year the lineup expanded. We’ve got a couple extra members,” says Senff.
An expanding band is nothing new to
Dost. Despite the name, his Metal Bubble Trio has never been relegated to three members. More a collective than a band with a set membership, he says the Hello Darkness concert will include at least four members in his band, but no more than 10 or 11.
His set will also be based around the band’s upcoming album, which he says is less focused on a bossa nova sound and is instead somewhere between jazz and ’90s indie-pop. “It’s a pivot from the first. Bossa nova was fun to explore but [it’s] not another album of bossa indie-rock.”
Senff says each of the three have their own audience, and by having a triple bill featuring all three artists, they gain more exposure than they would otherwise. “It’s not just the usual suspects,” he says of the audience.
With three different bands playing, plus rumored special guests, the performers say it’s important to make the transitions as smooth as possible.
“The focus is to share equipment, try to make it smooth and seamless, but have some space between [acts],” says Lutes. He says having brief breaks between the artists gives the audience time to get up, stretch their legs, and reset their expectations.
Hello Darkness previously took place at other venues around the area, but last year’s show at the City Opera House prompted the artists to return. “The success at the City Opera House—we want to repeat that,” says Lutes.
“We sold a lot of tickets last year,” says Senff. “I don’t usually care but … what it meant was we had a wide range of people.”
The concert begins at 7pm, with the doors opening promptly at 6:31pm: sunset, of course. For tickets and more information, go to cityoperahouse.org.
Many
tend to
Dost: “Every morning, before looking at my phone, I stretch, then take a walk with my dog while my kettle heats up. Then I drink tea and read,” he says. “This is especially important as fall turns to winter, and the world seems a little less forgiving and abundant.”
Dost says there are a lot of records that hit him as autumnal. “This year, though, I’ve been listening to a lot of Mastodon and Metallica. Also Deftones and Chemical Brothers,” he says.
Lutes: Lutes says he enjoys the fact that at this time of year, the pace slows down from summer’s hurry-up-andenjoy feeling.
“It’s super-busy, almost overwhelming as you try to capture everything,” he says of summertime. In contrast, fall gives him a chance to draw in and reflect on life, which leads to more songwriting. “I shift to a moodier space. I listen to a lot of singer/songwriters like Phoebe Bridgers, Boy Genius, Simon and Garfunkel.
“It’s the same for creating music,” Lutes continues. “I write songs as a tool to process the world. Andrew [Dost] and Jack are prolific songwriters. I’ve got to have lived experiences, encounter barriers, and use songwriting to process it. It [fall/ winter] is a great time for me as a songwriter.”
Senff: “Longer walks, more coffee,” he says. He turns to Phil Cook’s piano records and James Taylor for listening, while he says the season helps him clear his head and think more clearly. “That translates to my playing and songwriting as I take stock of the year I’ve had and the slow winter ahead.”
Left to right: Senff, Dost, and Lutes
The Autumn Vibes
people
cozy up as fall weather arrives. Here are the cold-weather rituals each musician swears by:
Saturday
17TH ANNUAL ZOMBIE
5K RUN: 9am, Right Brain Brewery, TC. Take part in this zombie themed run/ walk. Proceeds benefit TART Trails. Stay after for costume prizes, music & more. $25-$35. traversetrails.org/event/zombie-run
AEVITAS MEDICAL LONGEVITY RUCK
CHALLENGE: 9am, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. This 6-mile ruck event is designed to build physical endurance & mental toughness with each mile conquered. The route includes both flat terrain & steep inclines. Three challenge stations will be set up across the course. For ages 13+. There will also be a 1-mile hike out & back (2 miles total) for adult beginners & children ages 6-12 starting at 10am. There will be at least one station for the beginner group. If you wish to hike with a pack or ruck, you must provide your own. $30-$75. runsignup.com/Race/MI/ Thompsonville/AevitasRuckChallenge
FRIENDS OF TADL FALL BOOK SALE: Traverse Area District Library, TC. Fri., Oct. 24 from 6-8pm: Members Only Pre-Sale. Sat., Oct. 25 from 9am-6pm: Public Sale/ Members receive 50% off. Sun., Oct. 26 from noon-4:30pm: All Day $5 Bag Sale. Hardcover books: $4; paperback books: $2; children’s books: $2; DVDs: 2 for $1. Free. facebook.com/share/1GQKU13hGJ
DOWNTOWN PETOSKEY TRICK OR TREAT: Central Elementary School, Petoskey. Join for a trick-or-treating adventure throughout downtown Petoskey stores. Meet at Central Elementary School at 9:45am. The costume parade will begin at 10am, starting from Central Elementary & marching down Howard St. to Pennsylvania Park in downtown Petoskey. For the safety of the trick-or-treaters, the downtown streets will be closed, allowing only foot traffic. Free. petoskeydowntown.com/events
DOWNTOWN TC HALLOWEEN WALK: 1011:30am, downtown TC. From the 100, 200, & 300 blocks of East Front St. to the shops on State St. & all the side streets in between, candy awaits around every corner. Don your favorite costume. With such a large amount of foot traffic on Front St., downtown TC is encouraging a one-directional route (counterclockwise when facing west) for trick-or-treaters. Free. downtowntc.com/downtown-halloween-walk
HALLOWEEN FOR ALL: 10am, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Join the Dennos Museum, Children’s Therapy Corner, Children’s Advocacy Center & TADL Youth Services for the third annual sensory-friendly Halloween event! There will be a variety of fun activities, being mindful of diverse sensory needs & accommodations to create an inclusive environment where all are welcome. Free. simpletix. com/e/halloween-for-all-2025-tickets-227570
NCT 2025 HIKE 100 CHALLENGE - STARVATION LAKE TO CUNNINGHAM RD.: 10am, Pickerel Lake State Forest Campground, Manistee Lake. Join Grand Traverse Chapter of the North Country Trail for the final Hike 100 Challenge of 2025. Explore the northernmost reaches of the chapter’s 107 mile section of the NCNST. RSVP. Free. meetup.com/grand-traverse-chapter-northcountry-trail-association/events/305506313
SPOOKY SATURDAY: 10am-noon, Leelanau Twp. Library, Northport. All kids are welcome for spooky STEAM experiments & activities, snacks & fun. Free. facebook.com/ events/2654372194908395
PUMPKIN PATCH PARTY: 11am-1pm, TC Elks Lodge #323. Free to kids 0-12. Lots of fun activities, games, food & candy. Come in costume for Halloween fun. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 944-5187.
TRICK OR TREAT IN THE GARDEN: 11am12:30pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Skeletons, stories, crafts & more. Not too scary family fun. Free. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org
AUTUMN CRAFT DAY: Grass River Natural Area Education Center, Bellaire. Stop into the Center any time between noon-3pm & Naturalist Arlene will assist you with autumn crafts. Free family fun. grassriver.org
THE SNUGGERY FESTIVAL: Noon-9pm,
The Folded Leaf, Cedar. Featuring pumpkin carving, apple cider making, an artist market, costume contest, yard games & more. Summer Music Series Finale with Skyelea, Jimmy Olson, A.S. Lutes, & DJ Ras Marco D. The businesses of Cedar will also be hosting Trunk-or-Treat from 4-7pm, & there will be a free movie - Casper: 30th Anniversary - at The Folded Leaf from 7-9pm. Free. thefoldedleafleelanau.com
AUTHOR KATIE BOSCH: 1-2:30pm, Grocer’s Daughter, Empire. Katie presents her first children’s book, “Mama Sugar Bear.”
CANDY LE-LAND HALLOWEEN: 1-3pm, Old Art Building, front lawn, Leland. Costumes are encouraged. Enjoy cider, donuts, games, trick-or-treating & more for all ages. Free. oldartbuilding.com/events/halloween-at-the-oab-2
THE ART OF WELL BEING: “JOIN OR DIE” FILM SCREENING & “JOIN FAIR”: 1-4:30pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Theater, Petoskey. This film explores the importance of community & civic engagement. Offered in partnership with the Rotary Club of Petoskey. crookedtree.org/class/ctac-petoskey/join-or-die-film-screening-and-join-fair
HALLO-READ: 2-4pm, Interlochen Public Library. Family-friendly costumes welcome. This is a celebration of reading, creativity, & community Halloween style! Families are invited to enjoy seasonal stories, crafts, treats, & activities. Free. interlochenpubliclibrary.org
HALLOWEEN AT THE RANCH: 2-4pm, Serenity Ranch, 2250 N. Mork Rd., Suttons Bay. Free hayrides, games, & more. Meet the horses, goats, & donkey who call Serenity Ranch home. Treats available for purchase. Costumes encouraged. Free. serenityranchllc.com
THE BELLAIRE WITCH PROJECT HALLOWEEN EVENT: 2-9pm, downtown Bellaire. Tarot card readings, Halloween treats, & baked goods available to purchase at The Flying Pig, creepy cocktails, & more. Dress up in your favorite costume. bellairechamber.org/2025/10/25/307013/the-bellairewitch-project-halloween-event
16TH ANNUAL ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW: 3pm, Lake Ann United Methodist Church & Community Center. Enjoy a day of shopping, creativity, & connection. Featuring more than 20 local vendors & artisans offering handcrafted goods. Free. lakeannumc.com/general-7
$1 FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT: 4pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Singing & dancing preshow followed by “The Adams Family.” $1 snacks, popcorn & juice boxes available. gardentheater.org/comingsoon
DOWNTOWN CEDAR TRUNK OR TREAT: 4-7pm, downtown Cedar. Wear your cos-
“We Are Women. Hear Us Roar.” The Zonta Club of Petoskey’s 53rd Annual Fashion Show Fundraiser is a full runway show that highlights the latest fall and winter fashions from more than 30 retailers in the Petoskey-Harbor Springs area. Also included are an elegant lunch, live music by Michelle Chenard & DJ Parker Marshall, a silent auction and a chance to win a $2,500+ piece of diamond jewelry. Held at the Bay Harbor Yacht Club in the Lange Center, Sat., Nov. 1 from 11am-2pm, this event benefits the Zonta Club of Petoskey, which gives more than $20,000 to organizations that improve the status of women and girls. Tickets, $100. zontapetoskey.com
tume. Held in collaboration with the Cedar Chamber of Commerce & other local businesses. Free.
INDIAN RIVER HARVEST BAZAAR: 4pm, Northland Brewing Co., Indian River. Craft vendors, live music, pumpkin carving, CrockPot Cook Off & more. Free. facebook.com/ share/1DRMqcr2Zg/?mibextid=wwXIfr
BOO BASH FAMILY FUN-RAISER: 5-7pm, The Curiosity Place, GT Mall, TC. Mix up your own glow slime, learn about the science behind fluorescence, & craft after-dark art to take home. Tickets include activities, crafts, snacks, & admission. Everyone who arrives in costume will receive a special prize. $3$15. greatlakeskids.org
FREE OUTDOOR MOVIE SHOWING & PUMPKIN CARVING: 6-9:30pm, Around the Corner Food & Fun, Northport. Enjoy this Halloween movie marathon of the Hocus Pocus movies. Bring your pumpkins; carving tools will be available. Also bring your blankets or chairs. facebook.com/ events/1273603233859808
NMC SPOOKY GLOW SKATE: 6-8pm, GT County Civic Center, Howe Ice Arena, TC. NMC Professional Communication students are raising money to buy 175 Thanksgiving meals for Traverse City community members struggling with food insecurity. Costume Contest + Bake Sale. $10 entry per person; $5 skate rental.
SPOOKY FUN FOR TEENS WITH VIRTUAL REALITY NIGHT: 6-9pm, COGNITION Science & Discovery Center, Beulah. Teens will enjoy teamwork, technology, & a few jump scares at the Phasmophobia Virtual Reality Night. Ages 14+ will identify the ghost haunting a virtual home. They will uncover clues, use ghost-hunting tools, & gather evidence. Ages 14-16 must be accompanied by a parent for permission confirmation. $15; includes pizza, animal interactions & more. discovercognition.org
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW: 6pm & 11pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. When two squeaky-clean college kids - Brad & his fiancé Janet - go to visit a former professor, their car breaks down outside a creepy mansion where they meet a cross-dressing mad scientist. $35 for adults, $25 for youth under 18. oldtownplayhouse.com/performances/ mainstage/the-rocky-horror-show.html
CANDLELIGHT®: A HAUNTED EVENING OF HALLOWEEN CLASSICS: SOLD OUT: 6:30pm, The Village at GT Commons, Kirkbride Hall, TC. Discover music inspired by Halloween under the gentle glow of candlelight. feverup.com/m/196401
MAKING MOVIES: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Founded by Enrique Chi—a songwriter, musician, filmmaker, & activist—the Latin Grammy-nominated Making Movies serves as the primary platform for Chi’s creative mission. The band is committed to representing their mixed identity of Black & Latino culture & has been a vocal influence in the national health conversation around music as medicine. $10$60. cityoperahouse.org/makingmovies
STEVE POLTZ: 8pm, Freshwater Art Gallery/Concert Venue, Boyne City. Enjoy Steve’s folk-rock & Americana style of music. He’ll bring his blend of storytelling & upbeat, acoustic-driven songs. He has co-written with artists such as Jewel, as seen in the song “You Were Meant for Me.” 231-582-2588. $45.
WHO’S BAD: THE ULTIMATE MICHAEL JACKSON EXPERIENCE: 8pm, Leelanau Sands Casino Showroom, Peshawbestown. As the longest-running tribute to the King of Pop, Who’s Bad delivers a high-energy performance celebrating MJ’s greatest hitsfrom “Billie Jean” to “Man in the Mirror.” Ages 18+. $50.05. mynorthtickets.com/events/ whos-bad-the-ultimate-michael-jackson-experience-10-25-2025
CANDLELIGHT®: COLDPLAY & IMAGINE DRAGONS: 8:45pm, The Village at GT
Commons, Kirkbride Hall, TC. Discover the music of Coldplay & Imagine Dragons under the gentle glow of candlelight. $46.50. feverup.com/m/403038
Sunday
FRIENDS OF TADL FALL BOOK SALE: (See Sat., Oct. 25)
GLEN ARBOR’S TRICK OR TREATING 2025: Glen Arbor Business District. Runs from noon-3pm (or until the treats run out). Wear your costume & trick or treat at participating businesses. Free. visitglenarbor.com/event/glen-arbor-trick-or-treat-2025
WHEN HISTORY RHYMES: SURVIVAL & MYSTERY AT WHITE SHOAL LIGHTHOUSE: 2pm, Helena Twp. Community Center, Alden. Presented by Lighthouse keeper, historian, & author Jill Ore. 231-331-4318. Free.
DAVID CHOWN SOLO CONCERT: 3pm, The Music House Museum, Williamsburg. Acclaimed northern Michigan pianist David Chown will take you on an historical adventure through piano highlighting the great singer/songwriters of the 70’s. David will focus on the music behind the great songs from 1975, a unique perspective 50 years later. He will play instrumental versions of these great songs on the Concert Baldwin. $25$30. musichouse.org/music-house-event/ the-music-house-is-proud-to-welcome-david-chown-at-300-pm-october-26-2025-fora-special-solo-concert-celebrating-70ssinger-songwriters-and-great-songs-from-19
LIVE AND LET DIE - THE MUSIC OF PAUL MCCARTNEY: 7:30pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. Featuring Tony Kishman, veteran of the Broadway smash hit musical “Beatlemania.” Enjoy hit songs like “Hey Jude,” “Jet,” & “Yesterday.” $10-$40. theoperahouse.org
monday
BOOK-OR-TREAT!: Bring your child (age 0-12) to Suttons Bay Bingham District Library the week of Oct. 27Nov. 1 to pick out a new, free book to keep. While supplies last. sbbdl.org/ event/book-or-treat-5/2025-10-27
AUTHOR EVENT WITH DIANA LOUISE WEBB: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Diana will present her debut psychological thriller, “Last of the Autumn Rain.” In addition, the author’s mother, an 89-year-old child survivor of Nazi Germany, will join the discussion to speak about her first-hand experience in fleeing East Prussia during the 1944 Russian invasion & the trauma it inflicted. Free. tadl.org/dianawebb
FREE GARDEN CLASSIC MOVIES: 6pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Featuring Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. gardentheater.org/ comingsoon
SAFE STREETS EQUAL ACCESS WITH GRAND TRAVERSE SAFE STREETS ALLIANCE: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. An engaging gathering focused on transportation for everyone in the community. Review existing policies & laws that protect pedestrians, bicyclists & drivers, learn from each other to enhance safety, & discuss ways to improve connectivity. Free. tadl.org/SafeStreets
26 oct 27 oct 30 Corey Fonville drums Nate Clark sax
tuesday
FALL PEEPERS: BRILLIANT BATS: 10am, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Explore how echolocation works & why these nighttime flyers are vital to healthy ecosystems. For ages 3-5 with an adult. Takes place entirely outdoors. $5/child; cash only. natureiscalling. org/preschool-peepers-program
28 oct 29
wednesday
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. NAMI Family Support Group is a support group for family members, significant others & friends of people with mental health conditions. Both groups are held on Wednesdays at the same location & at the same time. Free. namigt.org/support-andeducation/support-groups
TRUNK OR TREAT AT LEELANAU SANDS CASINO: 4-7pm, Leelanau Sands Casino, Peshawbestown. Sweet treats, creative costumes, & community fun await – plus, help crown the Best Trunk of the night! Free. leelanausandscasino.com/events
HALLOWEEN DANCE FOR FRIENDS OF GTI, LIFE SKILLS CENTER, BRICKWAYS, & DISABILITY NETWORK: 6-8pm, TC Elks Lodge. Wear your costumes. Please make sure your masks are easily removeable.
DESSERT THEATER: 6:30pm, Grace Episcopal Church, TC. Award-winning author, playwright & dramatist Raymond Goodwin will present his latest one-man play, “Richard Descending.” Afterwards will be a Dessert & Dialog: Guests will enjoy coffee & dessert as Mr. Goodwin shares about his works & participates in audience Q&A. Free; donations accepted.
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW: (See Sat., Oct. 25, except tonight’s time is 7:30pm.)
thursday
18TH ANNUAL FRESHWATER SUMMIT: 9am-3pm, Hagerty Center, NMC, TC. Topics include bioregionalism, sea lamprey control, environmental DNA & many more. Learn all about the health of the Great Lakes & Grand Traverse Bay regions. You’ll hear from author Stephanie Mills, Executive Director of The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay Christine Crissman, & many others. $20-$40. gtbay.org/freshwater-summit
COFFEE @ TEN, PETOSKEY: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. Art Therapy: Shedding Light on the Profession. Board certified art therapist Kathleen Buday will provide an overview of art therapy through discussion, case examples, & experiential engagement. Free. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-petoskey/coffee-10-kathleen-buday
TECH TUESDAY - IDEVICES: 2pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. This tutorial is presented by Corey Buchan of BuchanTech. Bring your iPhone, iPad or MacBook & your questions. Free. glenlakelibrary.net
TREE PLANTING: 10am-2pm, Brown Bridge Quiet Area. Help restore, diversify & beautify the Brown Bridge Quiet Area by planting native trees & shrubs along the banks of the Boardman-Ottaway River. All ages & abilities
Saturday, November 8th two shows: 7:00 & 9:00 pm $30 advanced tickets Both shows are highly likely to sell out!
SECOND FLOOR COMMONGROUNDS BUILDING
welcome. Please bring your own shovel if able. Meet at the Canoe Landing Trailhead off Brown Bridge Rd. Register. natureiscalling.org/events
HALLOWEEN LANTERN-LIT HIKE: 6-8pm, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Come dressed in your costume & celebrate Halloween with a self-guided lantern-lit hike, featuring North Sky Raptor Sanctuary. Get ready for games, trivia, & live raptors on the trail. $5/person. natureiscalling.org/events/ halloween-lantern-lit-hike-1
FREE MONTHLY MOVIE CLUB: 7:30pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Featuring “Practical Magic.” Show up dressed in your best witch outfit to receive a free Kilwins treat (first-come, first-served). gardentheater.org/ comingsoon
TERRA INFIRMA FEATURING YOLANDA KONDONASSIS: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Join Grammy-nominated harpist Yolanda Kondonassis & the Arts Academy String Orchestra for the world premiere of Terra Infirma, an environmentally-themed concerto by acclaimed composer Reena Esmail. Conductor Andrew Hilary Grams will lead this new work, which features Kondonassis in the unusual dual role of harpist & percussionist. $14-$17. interlochen.org/events/terra-infirma-featuring-yolanda-kondonassis-2025-10-30
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW: (See Weds., Oct. 29)
friday
Library, TC. Show off your costume during this gently spooky parade. You will start in the McGuire Community Room with Halloween games & then walk to Halloween booths located around the first floor. The final stop will be in the Youth Services department where you can pick up a Halloween craft. tadl.org/event/copyhalloween-parade-16971
DOWNTOWN BELLAIRE TRICK OR TREATING: 5-7pm, Broad St.; trick or treat at downtown Bellaire merchants. There will also be popcorn, firetruck tours, giveaways & more. bellairechamber. org/2025/10/31/289009/trick-or-treating
HARVESTFEST: E-Free Church, Gaylord. Food, carnival games, trunk ‘n treat, bounce houses, & much more. Low-sensory time: 5-5:45pm; open to all: 6-8pm.
MACKINAW CITY TRUNK OR TREAT: 5-7pm, Colonial Michilimackinac Visitor’s Center Parking Lot (under the bridge), Mackinaw City.
SPOOKY HIKE: 5-7pm, Postle Farm Preserve, Boyne Falls. Take part in a thrilling trickor-treat trail, savor a glass of apple cider, & more. Wear your best costume. Free. secure. givelively.org/event/walloon-lake-associationand-conservancy/2025-spooky-hike
FRANC D’AMBROSIO - BACK TO BROADWAY: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Best known for performing the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” more than 2,000 times, Franc has also starred in many movies, TV shows & more, like “Copacabana” & “The Godfather.” $20$79. cityoperahouse.org/dambrosio
MOCK TOURS AT DMC: HALLOWEEN EDITION: Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Join Full Tilt Comedy & the Dennos Museum Center for a Halloween-themed improv experience that reimagines the museum through the eyes of the hilariously undead. Professional improvisers pose as fictional docents, leading you on a spirited (& entirely made-up) tour of the galleries. Choose from two tour times: 7pm or 9:30pm. $20-$25. simpletix.com/e/mock-toursat-dmc-halloween-edition-tickets-228044
“THE LARAMIE PROJECT”: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Harvey Theatre. In the wake of the 1998 murder of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shephard, Moises Kaufman & members of the Tectonic Theatre Project embarked on an ambitious project: to conduct interviews with both those involved with the case & everyday citizens of Laramie, Wyoming. $19-$24. interlochen.org/concertsand-events/all-events?search=laramie
looking for skis, boots, snowboards, poles & goggles. They’ll also accept clean & lightly used ski & snowboard outerwear. No used helmets. Drop off to the lower level of the Crystal Center, Oct. 30 from noon-6pm or Oct. 31 from 1-7pm. Equipment not sold must be picked up after the Ski Swap sale, Nov. 1 from 2-4pm. 25% of the proceeds benefit local high school ski teams & the Crystal Community Ski Club. crystalmountain.com/events-activities/ events/event-calendar/ski-swap
TRAVERSE CITY REPAIR CAFÉ: 9am-1pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room & Front Lawn, TC. Presented by Green Door Folk School. Come with anything from a pair of ripped jeans to a broken plate or an old bike. Check in & get matched with a skilled fixer who will help repair your item. Learn how to repair your item with the guidance of a volunteer & all the tools needed for basic repairs. Free. greendoorfolkschool.com/repaircafe
BELLAIRE CHAMBER HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR: 10am-3pm, Shanty Creek Resort, Bellaire. This event showcases local artisans, crafters & vendors, offering a festive marketplace for holiday gift shopping. Free admission.
ZONTA CLUB OF PETOSKEY’S 53RD ANNUAL FASHION SHOW FUNDRAISER: 11am-2pm, Bay Harbor Yacht Club, Lange Center. This year’s theme is “We Are Women. Hear Us Roar.” A full runway show that highlights the latest fall & winter fashions from more than 30 retailers in the Petoskey-Harbor Springs area. The event also includes an elegant lunch, live music by Michelle Chenard & DJ Parker Marshall, a silent auction & more. This year all attendees will be entered into a drawing for a $2,500+ piece of diamond jewoct 31 nov 01
HALLOWEEN PARADE: 11am, Traverse Area District
LET’S CURL!
A VERY HALLOWEEN SPECIAL COMMUNITY PARTY: 7-10pm, Poetess & Stranger, Petoskey. For ages 18+. Enjoy music by DJ Clockwork B’Orange, a Psychic Battle Royale - a spooky twist on the games Battleship & Mastermind, & a costume contest with cryptic rules divined by the Oracle at Delphi. $10. poetessandstranger.com
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW: (See Weds., Oct. 29)
saturday
SKI SWAP: 9am-2pm, Crystal Mountain, James Bay, lower level of Crystal Center, Thompsonville. The swap is
FRIDAY • NOV 7 • 5-7PM
TRAVERSE CITY CURLING CENTER AT THE CHERRYLAND CENTER
Tailgate Snacks - Local and domestic beers on tap in taproom - $10 entry
ENTER TO WIN:
•Curling class for two (90 min, $60 value, scheduled session)
•Small group rental for up to 8 (2 hrs, $320 value, flexible scheduling)
•K1 Speed Racing Race tickets for two!
Please wear or bring tennis/rubber soled shoes for Curling Demos!
Recess is brought to you by
elry. This event benefits the Zonta Club of Petoskey, which gives more than $20,000 to organizations that improve the status of women & girls. Tickets, $100. zontapetoskey.com
GRATITUDE GATHERING: 3-5pm, The Cathedral Barn at Historic Barns Park, TC. A free community event hosted by Yen Yoga & Fitness. Celebrate connection & thankfulness with an evening of local vendors, delicious food & good vibes. Everyone is welcome. yenyogafitness.com
CANTUS: 4pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Cantus’ music ranges from the Renaissance to the 21st century. The Philadelphia Inquirer called the group nothing short of exquisite. Tickets starting at $32. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/cantus
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW: (See Sat., Oct. 25, except tonight’s times are 6pm & 10pm.)
MANITOU TRUCKIN’ COMPANY: 6:30pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. The ultimate Grateful Dead experience. Tonight also includes a costume party & laser show. $15. gardentheater.org/comingsoon
FALL FOR DANCE: 7-8pm, Harbor Springs Performing Arts Center. CTAC School of Ballet performs their 18th annual Fall for Dance as they present works choreographed by their preprofessional dancers & celebrated guest choreographers. $5-$50. crookedtree.org/event/ctacpetoskey-ctac-school-ballet/fall-dance
HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FRIEND: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Held in celebration of the imminent & long cover of darkness. Featuring performances by Andrew Dost’s
Metal Bubble Trio, A.S. Lutes, Jack M. Senff and the Heartland Mission, & special surprise guests. $25. cityoperahouse.org/hellodarkness
LIVE AT THE BAY FALL SERIES: JOHN HEFFRON: 7pm, The Bay Community Theatre, Suttons Bay. Last Comic Standing winner, bestselling author, & veteran stand-up comedian John Heffron has been seen on NBC, Netflix, Comedy Central, & more. He brings a style that’s relatable & full of real-life humor. $25-$35. thebaytheatre.com/specialevents/live-at-the-bay-john-heffron
“THE LARAMIE PROJECT”: (See Fri., Oct. 31)
ANTHONY STANCO ENSEMBLE: 7:309:30pm, TC Philharmonic Center, TC. A night of live jazz! With brand new compositions by Stanco, this is part of the release tour for his upcoming album, “In the Groove.” Enjoy the sounds of bebop, blues & swing. $35-$48. tcphil.org/concerts
BLISSFEST TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY
DANCE: 7:30pm, Littlefield/Alanson Community Building, Alanson. Music will be provided by The Hybrids, with Pat Reeser calling. All dances taught (circles, contras, squares & more). No need to bring a partner. Potluck at 6:30pm. Bring table service & a dish to pass. $10/person; $5/student; free for 12 & under.
sunday
FREE VETERAN’S DAY DIN-
02
NER: Noon-3pm, TC Elks Lodge #323. Dinner is free to all Veterans & $15 for their guests.
“THE LARAMIE PROJECT”: (See Fri., Oct. 31, except today’s time is 2pm.)
ANTHONY STANCO ENSEMBLE Sat., Nov. 1, except today’s time is 3-5pm.)
ongoing
SCREAMS IN THE DARK HAUNTED AT TRAC
wood Hollow, 5548 M-66, Kalkaska. Embark on a terrifying adventure through the twisted halls of Blackwood Manor & the haunting paths of Trails Of The Lost before it’s time to face your fears as you enter the chaotic dark carni val of Pandemonium, where nightmares come to life. Plus more! Held on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, starting at 7:30pm, through Nov. 2. See web site for times & tickets. $20/person. evernighthaunt.com/index.html
FREE COMMUNITY YOGA CLASS: Wednesdays, 7:30pm at Original Hot Yoga TC. 231-392-4798. originalhotyogatc.com
farmers market
FRANKFORT: Space Park, Main St.
INTERLOCHEN:
Parkway. Held every Sun. through Oct. from 9am-2pm. Featuring local fresh produce, local ly produced food, & natural artisan arts & crafts. facebook.com/InterlochenFarmersMarket
KINGSLEY FARMERS MARKET:
son Park, Kingsley. Held every Weds. from 3-7pm through Oct. Featuring 30+ vendors, hot food, live music & free workshops. kings leyfarmersmarket.com
SARA HARDY DOWNTOWN FARMERS
Parking Lot B, Cass St. & E
: From Oct. 4-25, Thursdays & Saturdays from 2-6pm, the cret Beach, an exhibit of regional artists who stead of ubiquitous local landscapes suitable for hanging in the mega cottage, expect cryptic visions, conceptual digressions, radiant dream
ELEMENTAL: EARTH, FIRE, AIR, WATER: Oliver Art Center, Frankfort. Michigan artists explore the elements as inspiration for their work in a variety of media. Runs through Nov. 21. Open Tues. - Sat., 10am-4pm; Sun.,
3RD ANNUAL WHEN FORM MEETS sociation. This juried show spotlights artists who work in three dimensions - clay, wood & fiber - & gives them a chance to exhibit & sell their work in one collaborative space. Runs
Charlevoix Circle of Arts. A playful contrast in scale, tures. Runs through Oct. 25. Hours are Mon. through Fri., 11am-4pm; & Sat., 11am-3pm.
Food co-ops are about more than bulk granola and essential oils, we’re about local, democratic ownership, community food security and solidarity with workers across the supply chain.
Learn how food co-ops are revolutionizing the grocery industry to make it work better for people and planet.
for the Co-op Trade mark to find brands cooperatively owned by their workers, farmers or community.
THE ONE WITH THE DRAGON: Joe Hill Returns to Traverse City with His Latest Novel
The bestselling horror writer talks dragons, cats, and existential questions
By Jillian Manning
The last time #1 New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill came to the National Writers Series, the year was 2018. A lot has changed in those seven years, but a lot has stayed the same.
“Like a dragon eating its tail,” Hill quips. And speaking of dragons, this time around, the son of Stephen King—and a renowned horror writer in his own right— will be talking about legends, Faustian bargains, and giant scaly monsters with his new novel, King Sorrow
Riding a Creative High
King Sorrow is Hill’s first novel in nearly a decade, perhaps because it’s nearly 900 pages long, or perhaps because Hill had other stories to tell in the meantime. Screenplays, novellas, short stories, comic books—these all kept him plenty busy since The Fireman came out in 2016. But long-form writing came calling again.
“When I turned 50, I started to think about what I wanted my 50s to look like, and I decided I wanted to try being a book-ayear writer,” Hill says, pointing to authors he admires like Harlan Coben. He tells us he’s already at work on a new novel due out in 2026 and another for 2027.
As any author will tell you, putting out a book each year is no small feat. And Hill and his wife, Gillian, are plenty busy at home with three-year-old twins. (“Everyone talks about how exhausting it is to have twins, but no one talks about how much fun it is,” he says.) Despite the juggling act, Hill says his personal life is filled with “a lot of happiness” and that this season of his writing career has been “a creative high.”
“The work has felt rewarding and enjoyable, and I’ve been able to explore new literary avenues that I’ve never given myself permission to explore before,” he says.
From Camelot to Central Perk
In King Sorrow, those new avenues are on display. You’ll immediately get King Arthur vibes—with main characters Arthur and Gwen, how could you not?—and the dragon, King Sorrow, is reminiscent of Tolkien’s quick-witted Smaug. Hill even jokes that he could have titled the book The One with the Dragon, thanks to some of the Friends inspiration woven into the book.
As Hill sums it up, “There’s six friends who meet 1989, and one of them is in a desperate position where he’s being threatened by local scumbags and has to commit crimes for them. These six friends are really into the occult, and they wind up summoning a dragon into our world … to protect them. And the dragon solves their initial problems, but creates worse problems for them, because they have to find a new sacrifice for King Sorrow every year—or he’ll take one of them.”
This is horror, yes, but also fantasy and some ripped-from-the-headlines allegory. And though Hill didn’t know it when he started drafting years ago, he also hits on several of today’s bookish hot topics, from dark academia to dragons to retellings.
Hill does warn that Fourth Wing romantasy readers won’t find the same kind of dragons (or spicy scenes) in his book, but adds that “the dragon himself is a lot of fun. He was one of my favorite characters to write.”
“The thing to remember about dragons is we love them for the same reason we love
cats,” he explains. “Dragons and cats are both proud, lazy, sly, and enjoy recreational acts of homicide. They’ll take a little mouse head and set it on your pillow, just like the mint at a hotel, for you to discover. And that’s kind of the spirit you have to write a dragon in.”
Mouse heads aside, perhaps the two biggest questions that King Sorrow poses are: Would you make a deal with the devil? And how far would you go to protect the people you love?
“I think that’s why I wrote the book, right?” Hill says. “Because I don’t know the answer to that.”
Modern-Day Devils
Throughout our conversation, we keep circling a few of the other “devils” plaguing the modern world: social media, cell phones, and artificial intelligence. And on those topics, Hill has plenty of answers.
“I’m in my 50s, and … I’m sitting on the front porch and I’m shaking my cane at the 21st century,” Hill says.
“America has sort of gone through such a troubled and troubling moment. It feels like no one is living in the same reality anymore. People have never seemed so stressed out and exhausted and angry and unsure about what’s true.”
Hill attributes part of the reason that this last decade has been one of his best to the fact that “I don’t spend a lot of time with the phone in my hand. If I had to pick the one thing that has probably contributed more to a sense of national malaise, it’s not any one political figure, and it’s not any one incident. It’s that people now spend so much time living in the world in the sort of alternate reality on their phone where everything is bad.”
As for AI, Hill declares, “I think it’s pretty
awful. I don’t want it. I don’t have a use for it. And I hate that it’s being crammed down our throats,” adding that it “is built on a tower of theft of human labor” and will either drive mass unemployment if it succeeds or “catastrophic results for the American economy” if it fails.
His prescription for these woes? (Don’t try to summon a dragon.) Hill points back to his children. “On the microscopic level of individual lives, it’s still possible to find a happy moment with your family and just enjoy ordinary things like fresh air and a sunny afternoon outside,” he says.
“I think if we’re going to get through the next decade, we need those moments to charge back up. … If you can inhabit that actual reality where you’re connected to your community and your family and your friends, and you know, spend some time on the front steps with a beer in the evening and a friend just playing cribbage or something like that, I do think that can be extremely restorative and make you feel like, ‘Oh, maybe it isn’t all that bad after all. Maybe people are still good.’”
Because “there will always be more dragons,” Hill concludes, and we’ll need each other to fight them.
About the Event
An Evening with Joe Hill takes place on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 7pm at the City Opera House in Traverse City and via livestream. Tickets range from $14-$65 (dependent on format and books purchased). In-person tickets can be purchased through the City Opera House, and livestream tickets can be found on the National Writers Series website. For more information, visit nationalwritersseries.org.
Photo by Chad Luibl
lOGY
OCT 27 - NOV 02
BY ROB BREZSNY
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the late 18th century, Balloonomania came to Paris. Large crowds gathered to watch inventors and impresarios send hot air balloons into the sky. Spectators were astonished, fearful, and filled with wonder. Some wept, and some fainted. I suspect you’re due for your own exhilarating lift-off, Scorpio—a surge of inspiration that may bewilder a few witnesses but will delight those with open minds. Halloween costume prop: wings.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Between 1680 and 1725, Italy's Antonio Stradivari and his family made legendary violins that are highly valued today. They selected alpine spruce trees and Balkan maple, seasoned the wood for years, and laid varnish in painstaking layers that produced sublime resonance. Their genius craftsmanship can be summed up as the cumulative magic of meticulousness over time. I recommend their approach to you, Leo. Be in service to the long game. Commune with people, tools, and commitments that age well. Act on the theory that beautiful tone is perfected in layers. Halloween costume suggestion: a fine craftsperson.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Trained women dancers in Rajasthan, India, perform the ancient art of bhavai. As folk music plays, they balance on the dull edge of a sword and hold up to 20 clay pots on their head. They sway with elegance and artistry, demonstrating an ultimate embodiment of “grace under pressure.” I don’t foresee challenges as demanding as that for you, Virgo. But I suspect you will have the poise and focus to accomplish the metaphorical equivalents of such a feat. Halloween costume suggestion: regal acrobat or nimble dancer.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): ): In 1968, researchers at Stanford conducted the “marshmallow test." Children were offered a single sweet treat immediately. But if they didn't quickly gobble down the marshmallow, thus postponing their gratification, they were awarded with two candies later. The kids who held out for the double reward didn’t do so by sheer willpower alone. Rather, they found clever ways to distract themselves to make the wait more bearable: making up games, focusing their attention elsewhere, and adjusting their surroundings. I advise you to learn from their approach, Libra. Cultivate forbearance and poise without dimming your passion. Harness small triumphs of willpower into generating big, long-term gains. Diligent, focused effort invested now will almost certainly lead to satisfying outcomes. So please prioritize incremental, systematic grunt work over stunts and adrenaline. Halloween costume trick: carry two marshmallows.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t be too shocked by my unusual list of raw materials that might soon turn out to be valuable: grime, muck, scuzz, scum, slop, bilge, slime, and glop. Amazingly, this stuff may conceal treasures or could be converted into unexpected building materials. So I dare you to dive in and explore the disguised bounty. Proceed on the assumption that you will find things you can use when you distrust first impressions and probe beneath surfaces. Halloween costume suggestions: sacred janitor, recycling wizard, garbage genius.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In the tidepools of America’s Pacific Northwest lives the ochre starfish, a keystone species that keeps mussel populations in check. Remove the starfish, and the ecosystem collapses into imbalance. Let’s make this creature your power symbol, Capricorn. The visible effect of your presence may not be flashy or vivid, but you will hold a stabilizing role in a group, project, or relationship. Your quiet influence can keep things harmonious. Your gift is not to dominate the scene, but to keep the whole system alive and diverse. Halloween costume suggestion: ochre starfish (More info: tinyurl.com/ OchreStarfish).
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): For hundreds of years, the Blackfoot people of North America built buffalo jumps. These were steep cliffs where herds of bison could be guided and driven over the edge during a hunt. It required
elaborate cooperation. Scouts tracked the herd, decoys lured them toward the drop, and prep teams waited below to process the meat, hides, and bones for the whole community’s sustenance. I hope you will engage in smaller versions of this project. Now is an excellent time to initiate, inspire, and foster shared efforts. Make it a high priority to work with allies you trust. Halloween costume suggestions: shepherd, sheep dog, cowboy, vaquero.
PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): In the ancient Greek world, oracles spoke in riddles. This was not because they were coy, but because they understood that truth must often arrive obliquely. Directness is overrated when the soul is in motion. Mythic modes of perception don’t obey the laws of logic. In this spirit, Pisces, I invite you to make riddles and ambiguities be your allies. A dream, an overheard conversation, or a misheard lyric may contain an enigmatic but pithy code. You should be alert for messages that arrive sideways and upside down. Tilt your head. Read between the flames. You will understand when your heart recognizes what your mind can’t name. Halloween costume suggestion: oracle or fortune-teller.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): On the outskirts of a village in Ghana, a healer gathers plants only when the moon says yes. She speaks the names of each leaf aloud, as if to ask permission, and never picks more than needed. She trusts that each herb has its own wisdom that she can learn from. invite you to emulate her approach, Aries. Now is a good time to search for resources you need to heal and thrive. The best approach is to be receptive to what life brings you, and approach with reverence and gratitude. Halloween costume suggestion: herbalist, traditional healer, sacred botanist.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A well-cut ship’s sail is not a flat sheet. It has a gentle curve that the sailmaker crafts stitch by stitch so the wind will catch and convert invisible pressure into forward motion. Too taut, and the cloth flaps, wasting energy; too loose, and power dissipates. The miracle lies in geometry tuned to an unseen current. I invite you to be inspired by this approach, Taurus. Build curvature into your plans so that optimism isn’t an afterthought but a structural feature. Calibrate your approaches to natural processes so movement arises from alignment rather than brute effort. Make sure your progress is fueled by what you love and trust. Halloween costume suggestion: Wear a sail.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): All of us can benefit from regular phases of purification: periods when we dedicate ourselves to cleansing, shedding, and simplifying. During these intense times of self-healing, we might check our integrity levels to see if they remain high. We can atone for mistakes, scrub away messy karma, and dismantle wasteful habits. Here’s another essential practice: disconnecting ourselves from influences that lower our energy and demean our soul. The coming weeks will be a perfect time to engage in these therapeutic pleasures, Gemini. Halloween costume suggestion: purifier, rejuvenator, cleanser, refiner.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Deep in the Pacific Ocean, male humpback whales sing the longest, slowest, most intricate love songs ever. Their bass tones are loud and strong, sometimes traveling for miles before reaching their intended recipients. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to compose and unleash your own ultimate love songs, Cancerian. Your emotional intelligence is peaking, and your passionate intensity is extra refined and attractive. Meditate on the specific nature of the gifts you want to offer and receive in return. Halloween costume suggestion: singer of love songs.
“Jonesin” Crosswords
"On and On" two things follow on. by Matt Jones
ACROSS
1. Comic Sans lack
6. Gather
11. Taste of tisane, e.g.
14. KitchenAid competitor
15. Dark time
16. Prefix for brow or tasker
17. Social psychology topic
19. Some hosp. staffers
20. "Stath ___ Flats" (Jamie Demetriou Britcom that's a mouthful to say)
21. Concept derived in part from the "I Ching"
22. It may be light or dark at Thanksgiving
23. Quarter, quaintly
26. The magic word?
28. "___ with the fur"
29. Kal ___ (pet food brand)
32. Secret stuff
33. AMA members
34. Picasso and Braque, for two
36. "The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science" author
41. "Hey Ya!" duo
42. Sounds in a dentist's office
44. Walk of Fame insignias, usually
47. Joan of Arc, e.g., for short
48. Jail, slangily
50. Barry Manilow's longtime label
52. "It's a deal!"
54. Way serious
55. Acting coach Strasberg
58. Lackluster
59. Arced tennis shot
60. Remove a controversial post without warning (thereby removing the resulting discussion)
64. Academic URL ending
65. Sheepish
66. Senior church official
67. Valentine's Day color
68. Tablelands
69. Vacuum inventor Sir James ___
DOWN
1. "Casablanca" pianist
2. Longtime U.K. record label
3. Went astray
4. Owing
5. "Truth be told ..."
6. ___ Taylor LOFT (clothing brand)
7. Oven protection
8. Indian tourist city
9. 1993 Salt-N-Pepa hit
10. Initials on a Cardinals cap
11. Least tentative
12. From birth
13. Prop for Yosemite Sam
18. East, in Berlin
22. Organization with a lot of tests
23. "We don't know yet," on schedules
24. Vocation
25. Moves furtively
27. Cracker brand with seven holes
30. "I'm on ___" (late-2000s "SNL" song)
31. Late hip-hop phenom Hussle or comedian/game show panelist Russell
34. Op. ___ (footnote abbr.)
35. Complete collection
37. Like Yggdrasil
38. Nothing but
39. Locations where silt settles
40. Vincent van Gogh's brother
43. Thesaurus entry, for short
44. Retired NASCAR driver Elliott
45. Early radio component
46. "Ain't no rule that says a dog can't play basketball" movie
48. Made baby food out of
49. By mouth
51. Kicking partner
53. Like 7, but not 6
56. Largest known dwarf planet
57. Sicily's highest peak
60. Peter DeLuise's father
61. "That's correct"
62. Former Notre Dame football player Manti
63. West end?
Grand Traverse & Kalkaska
ENCORE 201, TC
9: 10/24-25 -- DJ Ricky T
10/31-11/1 -- DJ Ricky T & DJ Fade
FANTASY’S, TC DJ
HOTEL INDIGO, TC
10/31-11/1 -- Jim Hawley, 6-8
KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC
9:30:
10/25 -- The Timebombs
10/31-11/1 -- Timberline
KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING
10/28 – Open Mic Night w/ LaRose Duo, 6-8
10/30 – Trivia Night w/ Marcus Anderson, 6:30-8:30
Self-taught singer-songwriter from Chelsea, MI, Gregory Stovetop blends folk and rock at Kaleva’s Northern Natural Cider House & Winery on their Rockin’ Halloween at 7pm. Also take part in the pumpkin carving and costume contests!
nitelife
continued...
Leelanau & Benzie
BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR
10/31 -- HalloWINE w/ Dominic Fortuna, 3:30-5:30
BLACK STAR FARMS, SUTTONS BAY 6-8:
10/25 – Izzy Joy
11/1 – Highway North
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE HUDSON BAY, CRYSTAL CENTER (3RD FLOOR):
11/1 -- DJ Trivia, 6-8
DUNE BIRD WINERY, NORTHPORT
3-6:
10/26 -- Loose Change 10/29 -- Billy the Kid
FIVE SHORES BREWING, BEULAH 6-8:
10/27 -- Mon. Music Trivia
10/29 -- Open Mic w/ Andy Littlefield
10/30 -- Trivia Thursdays
FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR
3-6: 10/27 -- Jeff Socia
10/30 -- Rob Coonrod
IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE
5:30-7:30:
10/25 -- Wink
11/1 -- Matt Gabriel
RIVER CLUB, GLEN ARBOR
10/25 -- Luke Woltanski Duo, 5-8
11/1 – Luke Woltanski Duo, 4:30-7:30
SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY
3-6:
10/25 -- Dennis Palmer
10/31 -- Friday Night Live w/ Billy & the Kid 11/1 -- Mason Grady
ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 10/25 -- Andy Six, 5-8
10/30 -- Open Mic, 6-9
10/31 -- Luke Woltanski, 5-8 11/1 -- Jesse Jefferson, 5-8
SUTTONS BAY CIDERS 10/30 -- Thurs. DJ Trivia, 6:30-8
SWEET’S BAR & GRILL, HONOR Mon. – Music Bingo, 7 Fri. – Music Bingo, 8; Karaoke, 10 Sat. – Karaoke, 8
NORTHERN EXPRESS
D, noon-9
CLASSIFIEDS
SEWING, ALTERATIONS, MENDING & REPAIRS. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248
TRAVERSE CITY COTTAGE FOR RENT: 1 BR, Full Bath, Well Furnished, All Utilities Included, All New Appliances, W/D, Parking, Nice Setting, Month-to-Month to One-Year, No Pets; $1,600 per month. Call (231) 631-7512.
COMMUNITY SHOP WARMING PARTY NOVEMBER 8TH 12-5PM!: The Maritime Heritage Alliance is celebrating our new office and woodshop at 3820 Cass Road! Come down between 12 & 5pm for a tour, silent auction, live music with TCCeltic and light refreshments! Learn how you can get involved and some new friends. All welcome, we can't wait to see you! Silent Auction ends at 4pm. www.maritimeheritagealliance.org
NMCAA EHS FAMILY & CENTER SPECIALIST -MANCELONA: Oversees Early Head Start center daily operations. Fulltime, year round, $21.42-$22.65 dependent on education. Minimum- Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Development. Fulltime, yearround. EOE. For more details and to apply, visit www.nmcaa.net Select Careers/Search Jobs.
COMPUTER PROBLEMS?:: I'll come to your home or office and make your computer, tablet, phone and TV work! Call James Downer at Advent Tech. YOUR HIGH TECH HANDYMAN! Call: 231-492-2087
NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE IS HIRING FULL TIME POSITIONS NMC seeks an Academic & Career Advisor ($57,515.00 salary) to join our stellar Student Success team and a Senior Programmer Analyst and Solution Architect ($84,505.00 salary) to join our legendary Informational Technologies team! Full Benefits package. Join us in our mission to transform lives & enrich our community. NMC is EOE nmc.edu/non-discrimination
THE CABBAGE SHED, ELBERTA 10/25 -- Halloween Party - Cirque de Shed w/ K. Jones & The Benzie Playboys, 7-9 THE FOLDED LEAF, CEDAR 10/25 -- The Snuggery Fest w/ Skyelea, Jimmy Olson, A.S. Lutes, & DJ Ras Marco
