top ten this week’s

Heading to Hoxeyville

Early bird tickets are sold out, but there’s still time to get in on the action at Hoxeyville, the Midwest’s premier Americana and roots festival in Wellston, surrounded by the Huron-Manistee National Forest. The venue has a capacity for 4,000 concertgoers and this year’s lineup features national touring artists and talented Michigan performers like Marcus King, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, May Erlewine, Seth Bernard, and more. In addition to the tunes, camping, food and beverage, and other programming, you can also experience Dunegrass Gardens, a cannabis consumption tent for folks 21 and up, featuring products from Dunegrass Co., Real Life Solutions, and other cannabis vendors. Festival gates are open from 10am to 9pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Aug. 18-20. Day passes start at $100; $250 for the weekend. (Lower rates are available for younger music lovers ages 5-15.) For more details and tickets, head to hoxeyville.com.

Roller Derby Triple Header

Let’s get ready to rumble! Catch the action on the track as Kalkaska’s Small Town Outlaws hold their home opener against Lansing Roller Derby and Traverse City Roller Derby on Saturday, Aug. 19, with matches at 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm at the Kaliseum Recreation Complex in Kalkaska. Tickets, $10; 12 & under, free. Follow @Smalltownoutlaws on Facebook for more details.

Hey, read It! Queen Charlotte 4

Long before Lady Whistledown had Regency London abuzz with “the ton’s” latest gossip, a German princess named Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz tied the knot with King George III—and the aristocracy was never the same. In her newest book, Queen Charlotte, bestselling author Julia Quinn teams up with Hollywood screenwriter Shonda Rhimes in an oh-so-juicy prequel to the popular novel (and Netflix) series, Bridgerton. The year is 1761, and young Charlotte is beautiful, well-bred, and smart—which is how she knows her marriage to England’s strapping King George isn’t going as planned. Left mostly to her own devices, Charlotte is forced to adjust to life in the 18thcentury limelight; meanwhile, her new in-laws are keeping a secret that could upend the crown. In the game of royal chess, Charlotte feels like a pawn, but must act like a queen. Can she be the ruler society needs and build a happy marriage to boot? Get the popcorn ready, readers—this is one story you won’t want to miss!

2 tastemaker

Fresh Coast Sliders’ BST

If you’re the type of person who always wants to try a bite off everyone else’s plate, head to Fresh Coast Sliders. This innovative sandwich shop whips up tiny handhelds packed with flavor so you can sample your way through the menu without having to loosen your belt a notch. (For reference, a hungry party of two demolished five sliders, an order of onion rings, and the sweet potato fries tossed in cinnamon-chipotle seasoning.) The standout from the meal was the BST, a twist on the classic BLT. This iteration is made with Plath’s bacon, fresh spinach and tomato, and garlic aioli on a soft potato roll bun. The quality and quantity of the bacon and aioli put this a notch above your average sandwich, and it was washed down perfectly with a glass of Fresh Coast’s house-made flavored lemonade. (Options rotate each week.) Get yours ($4.50) at the Back Lot in Charlevoix, 230 Ferry Ave. Order online and see the whole menu at fcsliders.com.

6 Petoskey’s Summer Send-Off

We’re not ready to say good-bye to summer yet, but that doesn’t mean we want to miss the party at downtown Petoskey’s Summer Send-Off. This threeday celebration spans Aug. 18-20 with a slew of activities for all ages. Friday, catch several live music performances—including Sean Miller as part of the Charlotte Ross Lee Concerts in the Park and Al Bettis with the Blissfest Sounds of Summer Series—and enjoy The Super Mario Bros. Movie playing in the park. Saturday, Beards Brewing marks their 11th anniversary with a day of games, a special beer release, and music artists Great Lakes Brass, Charlie Millard Band, and The Go Rounds. And throughout the weekend, participate in a scavenger hunt with local retailers by picking up a Sunset Passport and seeking out summer sunset photos around town. Turn your passport in at the end of the weekend for a chance to win one of three $500 Downtown Dollar prizes. Get the full schedule of events at petoskeydowntown.com.

Those Dam Beavers!

Mother Nature and human history are on a collision course at Narada Lake, part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The Goffar Barn, a 150-year-old structure, is in danger of being lost to the encroaching waters of the lake thanks to some eager beavers— literally—who have been at work building dams in and around the lake. The beavers are in their natural habitat and can’t be moved, so that means the barn has to go instead. Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear (PHSB), an organization that works alongside the national park to “preserve and interpret its 360 historic buildings and landscapes and provide heritage experiences for visitor and community enrichment,” plans plans to relocate the Goffar Barn nearer to the Goffar Farmhouse, a move that requires a new foundation and moving the structure about 80 feet away from the lake. Fundraising for the $50,000 project is underway, and more details can be found at phsb.org.

Stuff We Love: Clean Beaches in Benzie

Beaches don’t clean themselves, and we humans sure do a good job at messing them up. In fact, Alliance for the Great Lakes, a multistate organization which supports Adopt-a-Beach programming, notes 500,000 pounds of litter—equating to roughly nine million pieces of litter picked up by volunteers—have been removed from Great Lakes beaches and shorelines since the program began tracking litter collection data in 2003. So we’re happy to hear Stormcloud Brewing is gearing up to kick off their second year of leading the charge for a county-wide lakeshore cleanup with their “Keep Benzie Beautiful” initiative. The cleanup takes place Aug. 26, with all supplies provided, and will be followed by an afterparty-slash-fundraiser event for the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. Sign up to participate and get more information at stormcloudbrewing.com.

There’s something about a frozen drink on a screaming hot day that just feels right. This week, find us beating the heat with slushie from Spanglish in the Grand Traverse Commons! Inspired by Mexico’s “Agua fresca”—which combines seasonal fruit with sugar and plenty of ice—Spanglish’s slightly Americanized version (which they churn in nostalgic Slurpee machines) comes in three just-sweet-enough flavors, all of which pair with pork tacos and guac! Our favorite is the Cherry Limonada, a pucker-worthy blend of local cherry juice, water, cane sugar, and fresh lime, but you can mix and match with organic Mango or Passion Fruit if you just can’t decide. Psst: Get one while the gettin’s hot! This bevvy won’t be here past Labor Day. Grab a 16-ounce slushie at Spanglish at 1333 Yellow Drive in Traverse City. Order online at spanglishtc.com, or call (231) 943-1453.