Northern Express - July 01, 2024

“Cherrystone Park” by Delaney LaMarbe

Artificializing the Wilderness

“[T]he recreational engineer dilutes the wilderness and artificializes its trophies in the fond belief that he is rendering a public service.”

Aldo Leopold, conservationist and forerunner of the ecology movement, wrote those words (and the other material quoted herein) in his essay “The Land Ethic” in 1949. For him, we were already past when destroying nature was good if it was being done to introduce others to nature.

Director of Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails Julie Clark defends asphalt/boardwalk trails excavated through dunes and into intact wetlands as valued community resources, a public service. We’re now 75 additional years past when Leopold declared such a view passé. Wilderness dilution and artificializing “threatens us with qualitative bankruptcy of the recreational process.”

Here’s an example. Artificializing happened when the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail (SBHT) turned the experience of wild, muddy, naturally-dead-tree-laden, almost forbidding Narada Lake into what amounts to a diorama from the safe, slick, clean, impressively engineered boardwalk bridge adjacent to M22 in the Sleeping Bear Dunes Lakeshore.

Likewise, a long stretch of impressively engineered retaining walls holding back what God meant to flow (dune sand) and a low, sleek boardwalk winding through protected wetlands will transform Segment 9 of the SBHT from a wild place into somewhere to be “invaded, possessed, and appropriated.” What was once an unnamed place where you might lose your boot if you weren’t careful will become a “gem” of the SBHT. Wildness lost.

Consider the alternatives to the current routing of Segment 9 of the SBHT.

Douglas Jones | Maple City

Our Last Vestige of Fairness and Trust

A recent letter writer was critical of Trump’s trial and felony conviction in New York. I understand why MAGA folks support Trump—because they sound just like him.

Everything is rigged, fake, a witch hunt crooked, etc., etc. Trump was convicted by a vetted jury of 12 citizens who voted unanimously guilty. If it had been an unfair trial, one would think that at least one of the jurors would have found him to be innocent, resulting in a hung jury. Instead, he was convicted on 34 counts without dissent.

Our judicial system is our last vestige for fairness and trust among the current branches of government. Surely it would be ridiculous to claim it was being weaponized against Trump in light of the verdict in the Hunter Biden case.

Klaus Lehrer | Williamsburg

Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC.

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Cherry Fest at a Glance

There are more National Cherry Festival events than we could spit a pit at this week! We’ve picked out a couple you won’t want to miss: Princess Tea at the Park Place Hotel with the National Cherry Queen and her court (July 1, 10am-1pm); the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians PowWow at the Open Space (July 2, 10am-3pm); A Very Fairy Cherry JamBerry free family fun day at the Botanic Garden (July 2, 2-4pm); the Consumer Energy Community Royale Parade in downtown TC on July 4 at 6:30pm, plus Fourth of July fireworks over Grand Traverse Bay at 10:30pm; and The Accidentals and Joshua Davis on the Pepsi Bayside Music Stage (July 6, 6-10:30pm). There’s plenty more to do through the festival’s close on July 6, so plan your cherry fun at cherryfestival.org/events.

Detour Destination: Northern Express is committed to highlighting businesses in the construction zones of northern Michigan this season.

Interlochen State Park is mostly closed this summer for major renovations, which means some of the nearby restaurants aren’t seeing the traffic they’re used to. All the more reason to swing by a classic Interlochen summertime haunt: Hofbrau Steak House & American Grille. Though the restaurant is known for their steaks, perhaps the most beloved (and memorable) dish is the Mile High Snickers Pie. This towering giant of a dessert features house-made “snickers,” Moomers ice cream, Oreos, caramel, and hot fudge. You’ll need at least three or four friends to polish it off! (And don’t forget, this eatery has over two dozen house-made cocktails on draft, plus tons of Michigan beers to choose from.) Visit Hofbrau at 2784 M 137 in Interlochen. (231) 276-6979; hofbrausteakhouse.com

Picnicking with Stella

Lend a helping hand to Northwest Michigan 4H, Cherryland Humane Society, Norte Youth Cycling, and Up North Pride while enjoying a delicious meal from Trattoria Stella at their 20th Anniversary Picnic, Sunday, July 7, from 1-4pm. Live music, delicious food and drink, baby goats, and balance bikes are just part of the celebration on the Great Lawn at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons! Tickets range from $35-$75. For menu highlights and ticket info, visit mynorthtickets.com.

Hey, read It! Fire Exit 4

Charles Lamosway can see a lot of things from his perch along the Maine riverway that separates him from the Penobscot Reservation. On his side, there’s his mother’s declining health, the untimely death of his stepfather (and the sense that Charles is somehow at fault), and his could-have-been life on the reservation, had he not had secrets of his own. Across the river, there’s the girl—now a woman—whose life he’s watched unfold from afar. Her name is Elizabeth, and she’s his estranged daughter…and he hasn’t seen her for weeks. As his worry builds, Charles can’t help but wonder whether it’s time to reveal his biggest secret of

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Taking a Breath in Boyne City

Need to escape the busy roads and restaurants in TC this week? Head north to Lavender Hill Farm on Friday, July 5, for a slower pace among the purple blooms. The day starts with Yoga in Bloom at 9am ($20), a guided flow practice followed by a soothing sound bath meditation. Then, enjoy Lavender Fest Friday from 10am to 2pm, featuring live music, face painting, food vendors, and activities for all ages. Bring a picnic and make a day of it! While you’re there, be sure to shop the farm store to bring home that little bit of peace and serenity home with you. (We especially love the French lavender candles and bath salts if you’re still chasing some relaxation.) Head to 7354 Horton Bay Rd N in Boyne City or learn more at lavenderhillfarm.com

Fighting European Frogbit

By now you’ve likely heard of Eurasian watermilfoil, an invasive aquatic plant plaguing a few of our northern Michigan lakes. But what about European frogbit? No, no cute amphibians are involved, but this green spreading machine looks an awful lot like a small lilypad, and it is an unwelcome guest in our waters. Good news: North Country Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (NCCISMA) recently received a $10,732 grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to combat European frogbit in 10 lakes in Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, and Lake counties. The grant will help fund surveys of those lakes this summer as a first step toward preventing and removing the plant, which grows in dense mats that disrupt ecosystems and recreation on the water. Learn more at northcountryinvasives.org.

Stuff We Love: A Little Smash Therapy

No need to punch the steering wheel in traffic, slam your keyboard when your computer freezes, or kick the lawnmower when it won’t start up. Instead, bottle up that frustration—and grab a few empty bottles, vases, flower pots, etc.—and head to Mi Smash Therapy (MiST) in Traverse City. The concept is simple: smash it all! MiST provides plenty of protective gear and smashing tools like hammers and baseball bats, as well as smashable items if you don’t have your own. Smash sessions run 25 minutes and range from $25 per person for a BYO smash to $99 for “group therapy” for four people. Details on what to wear, age limits, and other safety restrictions can be found on their website. Smash away at 2682 N Garfield Rd Unit 22; visit mismashtherapy.com to book or call (231) 267-8265.

The Parlor's Strawberry Basil Lemonade Bottoms Up

What beats an icy-cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day? How about an adultified version with berries, herbs, and a boozy kick? Enter: The Parlor’s Strawberry Basil Lemonade ($13). This quenching cocktail has long been part of the bar’s staple menu, and it tastes like nostalgia, only better. It starts with a base of muddled strawberries, fresh lemon juice, and a squirt of simple syrup, which bartenders shake with your choice of vodka, plus basil leaves and plenty of ice. Topped with soda and fresh fruit, this summer sipper is equal parts zesty and fresh, and it goes perfectly with a warm night outside—and maybe an order of Spinach Artichoke Dip. Find The Parlor at 205 Lake Ave. in Traverse City, and keep your eyes peeled for an extended happy hour! (231) 753-3131; theparlortc.com

Photo by Michigan Barefoot Memories Photography

Credit Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut

Embrace

OPINION Columnist

by Mary Keyes Rogers

I’ll admit to staring at my phone with a cocked head and screwed-up face trying to guess the meaning of a slangy text acronym. I can Google this stuff, but sometimes it feels like the dewy-skinned sender is challenging me to an age duel.

Maybe we could all benefit from some selfcensorship. Honestly, not everyone—your Facebook friends, co-workers, friends, or family—needs to know your opinion on much of anything that is being covered on CNN or FOX News. Not everyone needs to be a thought leader.

Today, casual opinions are thrown about with little to no understanding of a topic, folks posing as esteemed panelists participating in an unmoderated debate.

Okay, okay. I see how hip you are wasting my time. I’m not 12 with a POMS (Parent Over My Shoulder).

I did share a laugh when a 50-something texted me SMF (So Much Fun), thinking it meant (SMH) Shaking My Head, which is altogether different from SMH (Slap My Head), although SMF was, in fact, the intended sentiment. We finally decided that the SMH emoji would have been far more fitting, IOHO (In Our Humble Opinion).

This all brings me to WAIT (Why Am I Talking?). This one was new for me. It came to me as the acronym, bellowed by a friend, “W, A, I, T!” I just stood there thinking, WTF? Then she planted her feet to the ground, looked to the sky, and let out a wail of self-defeat. “Why am I talking?” She then apologized for rambling about the presidential election.

OMG. It was brilliant. This was an acronym I could die for. I knew exactly what she meant. It was the exact sentiment that has SMM (Shut My Mouth) not nearly enough times.

I’ve asked, “Why am I stringing these same words together again?” The topic, whatever topic, has been talked about to death, and my opinion changes nothing, yet I’m known to drone on about the world coming to an end. Yet, the sky is so beautiful, the bay looks like the Caribbean Sea, and here I am, missing out on what could be a most enjoyable conversation with this delightful person in front of me, a person who does not want, or need, to hear what I think is the truth. These words need not be said.

WAIT is my reminder to hold back on telling the story of the $6.99 cauliflower I did not buy at the grocery store three weeks ago. WAIT, I will not be talking about which administration had/has the smartest policies on reducing illegal immigration at our border because, frankly, I just don’t know enough. WAIT, I don’t have a pea of knowledge regarding Middle Eastern conflicts.

But there is something new in our American culture. We’ve come to expect ourselves to hold strong, unshakeable opinions, believing it is our duty to share them with gusto. Today, casual opinions are thrown about with little to no understanding of a topic, folks posing as esteemed panelists participating in an unmoderated debate.

I find complaining and opinionating to be close cousins to gossip. They distract us from our day-to-day lives, make us feel smarter and more important, create an opportunity to vent, and, admittedly, can be downright entertaining. Few of us are a professional threat to Joe Rogan, Bill Maher, or Jon Stewart.

I suggest we all stop and ask, “Why am I talking? Why am I posting this? Why am I commenting? Do I really need to weigh in on this?”

I write from experience. We have a joke in my house. When I start going on and on, my husband talks over me, saying, “Stop talking,” and we both laugh. It works for us.

When he isn’t around to make me laugh at myself, I find that WAIT is just the reminder I need. Rather than speaking exhaustively about what’s wrong with the world, let’s take a breather to celebrate our status as mostly innocent bystanders and truly enjoy this summer.

Enjoy conversations without any heft of controversy, complaint, or criticism. Walk in the woods. Take up a hobby— mine is drawing.

This act of stepping back is a vacation you can afford to take. Stop talking. LOL.

Mary Keyes Rogers is a resident of Traverse City, providing consulting services to small business owners. Her career has included her radio show Mary in the Morning, Marigold Women in Business, executive director of the National Association of Women Business Owners, and Michigan Small Business Development Center.

HAS TIPPING CULTURE

GOTTEN OUT OF CONTROL?

Guest Opinion

by Soledad Demeuse

Imagine this: You’re on your way home from a long day and decide to stop at your favorite market to get a pre-made sandwich and a bottle of water. You make it up to the check-out desk where the cashier scans your items and asks you what kind of tip you want to leave.

You’re standing there wondering whether it’s appropriate to tip someone who took five seconds to do something they already get paid to do, but don’t want to feel the guilt of saying “no tip” wash over you as the person is staring at you, waiting for an answer.

from society to pay the extra money to help those around me, it can be hard to say no, especially when many people are fighting to survive.

To put things into a larger perspective, my grandmother moved to the U.S. from a small town in Spain when she was a young adult and claimed that tips have never been normalized in her home country. Even today when she visits Spain, she says that people still look at her American husband strangely when he tries to leave a couple of euros on the table for their server at a restaurant.

Thanks to the new advancements in tipping technology, the practice has started to lose its purpose of showing gratitude and has become a norm in too many places we shouldn’t accept.

This is a feeling that’s becoming too familiar to many Americans in the last few years. Thanks to the new advancements in tipping technology, the practice has started to lose its purpose of showing gratitude and has become a norm in too many places we shouldn’t accept.

According to a recent study from the Pew Research Center, 72 percent of U.S. adults have felt that tipping is expected in more places today than five years ago. Markets, grocery stores, pharmacies, and more have all started to use card readers to urge customers for tips. Some even say that they’ve found themselves being asked to tip at self-checkout machines.

With all these places asking for tips, it makes people wonder who the money is going to. If I knew where I was tipping, I’d probably be more inclined to do so, but the lack of detail just leaves me irritated.

Recently, I attended a concert for country artist, Zach Bryan, and of course I had to get some merchandise. When I went to the stand, the card reader gave me the option to tip 15 percent, 20 percent, 25 percent, a custom tip, or no tip. I already was paying $120 for a single hoodie, so I hit “no tip.”

The woman at the stand did nothing except turn around, grab a sweatshirt out of a box, and hand it to me. I’m sure she’s already getting paid for doing a simple job, so I felt there was no reason for me to tip. However, when I’m standing face-to-face with an individual who’s helping me, I can’t help but feel rueful when I have to hit “no tip” on that card reader.

Sometimes, it’s hard to remember that these people are already getting paid for their job and most of the time they aren’t going the extra mile to help me. With the pressures

STRAWBERRIES GRANDMA BIRDIES HOMEMADE PIES

SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM

CHERRY PIE PARFAITS FLOWERS

There, instead of forcing people to compete for who can make the most money with tips, the Spanish government provides everyone with various services like free healthcare, which may be a system that helps save people from the pressures of feeling like they have to tip and pay extra money.

By no means am I saying that Americans should stop tipping service industry employees like servers, but the line needs to be drawn at some institutions. As someone who works at a restaurant, I know that tips are what some people live on, so it’s unfair to take that practice away from the people who work extra hard to get their funds to live. I’d rather save my money for those who rely on tips and spend hours taking care of me rather than someone who already gets paid above minimum wage to do their job.

So how do we draw the line? There’s one simple answer: we can’t. Since COVID-19, societal expectations have drastically changed, and it’s going to be hard to revert. People around the country are already questioning when it is appropriate to tip and how much they should do so. The building resentment for the pressures to tip at these abnormal places can hurt the people who actually need it.

The most we can do as individuals is stay mindful when prompted to tip. Think of who it’s going to, why they’re asking, and what kind of service they gave you. Tipping should feel like an act of appreciation, not an obligation. We may not be able to change society entirely, but with a more rational mindset, we can create a more rational tipping culture.

Soledad is a current student at Traverse City West Senior High. She loves to write and is working on exploring her career options as she gears up for college.

VINTAGE FINDS

UNIQUE GIFTS

HOME DECOR

KIDS PLAY MINI COW & GOATS

10981 ELK LAKE RD WILLIAMSBURG, MI

Norah Jones With Mavis Staples JULY 13

Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers

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Nickel Creek and Andrew Bird With Haley Heynderickx

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Jason Mraz & The Superband With Molly Miller Trio JULY 16

Detroit Symphony Orchestra JULY 20

A Night of Comedy with Andy Beningo With Kate Brindle

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Jewel and Melissa Etheridge AUG. 5

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac AUG. 6 Jake Shimabukuro

INDOCTRINATING SCHOOLCHILDREN

spectator

By steven Tuttle

The Louisiana Legislature, with both feet firmly planted in the past, has mandated that every public K-12 school, community college, and university shall prominently display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. They claim it is “a foundational document of our country.”

No, it isn’t, which is why no references to any god of any kind can be found in our Constitution. It was not an accident that it was excluded.

You might be among those who were taught the earliest colonists arrived fleeing religious persecution back in England. Well, sort of. The Pilgrims wanted to establish a church separate and distinct from the Church of

The Louisiana Legislature would appear to have no view of that part of our Constitution at all, as some of their advocates claim the Ten Commandments are foundational, historical, and are somehow intertwined with our Constitution, which is pretty close to the opposite of the truth.

This news includes a touch of irony, since Louisiana has been one of those states removing teaching from classrooms and books from school libraries because, they claim, some of those subjects are better discussed and taught in the home. But not religious preferences and beliefs, which the Louisiana government now forces on public school students. (Good luck explaining coveting and adultery to first graders. And

Louisiana’s attempt to religiously indoctrinate schoolchildren is offensive at best, a clumsy attempt by the government to establish a religion by exposing those children to a very specific belief system.

England and were often called Separatists. But the Puritans were a different matter. Pursuing the harshest of Calvinist beliefs, they fled persecution in one country, then created their own brand of persecution in a new country.

In fact, religious tolerance was in short supply for some time. With church hierarchy as the primary source of law and enforcement, harsh rules were the order of the day. The wildly misnamed Maryland Act of Toleration of 1649 required people there to be Christians or they could be executed. Puritans even outlawed Christmas in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1659 and 30 years later were responsible for the Salem Witch Trials, in which 19 people were convicted and executed for witchcraft. (It is a myth that they were burned at the stake, a uniquely European horror. We hanged 14 women and five men and “accidentally” killed a 20th, an 81-year-old man we tortured to death by covering him with heavy rocks.)

So it was no wonder that when the Founders got around to our Bill of Rights, the First Amendment starts, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...” Neither Congress nor any other government can endorse any specific religion, nor can they prevent us from practicing how we see fit within some obvious exceptions.

Despite repeated attempts by various government entities and elected individuals, our courts have successfully kept religious preferences out of our laws, our government buildings, and, particularly, our public schools. While the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has previously ruled specifically against the placement of the Ten Commandments in courtrooms, we now have a different SCOTUS that may have a different view of the so-called establishment clause of that First Amendment.

good luck explaining to the rest of us that if these tenets are so overwhelmingly important, then why are your state leaders supporting a man who has violated most of them?)

Maybe Louisiana is just clinging to a fading reality. According to the Pew Research Center, fewer than two-thirds of adult Americans now self-identify as Christians or Jews. The fastest growing religion in the U.S. is Islam, but the biggest gains are being made by people being described as “nones;” they identify with no specific religion.

It’s not even clear the Ten Commandments are uniquely Judeo-Christian concepts that started with Abraham and then Moses.

A number of scholars believe the Ten Commandments, and other sections of the Old Testament, aren’t exactly original but have been lifted or paraphrased from the Code of Hammurabi’s 282 laws. That code was produced around 1754 BCE, or more than 1,700 years before the Bible was being put together. Don’t kill, lie, steal, or be mean to your neighbors were already old rules.

(We think it was Hammurabi, a Babylonian leader treated as a living god in his time, who first suggested the idea of innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, he also suggested a three-tiered punishment system based on the Babylonian caste system, so there was no equal justice for all.)

Louisiana’s attempt to religiously indoctrinate schoolchildren is offensive at best, a clumsy attempt by the government to establish a religion by exposing those children to a very specific belief system. Their claim it is an “historical” document is true only if that history is religion-specific. Telling students to behave themselves need not involve the Bible, the Quran, the Vidas, or the Tripitaka. And it need not involve politicians trying to force their beliefs on our schoolchildren.

SETTING THE STAGE

Behind the curtain with the National Cherry Festival’s entertainment team

By Anna Faller

The 98th annual National Cherry Festival (NCF) is upon us, and with it, eight nights of live entertainment. The NCF lineup ticks a variety of musical boxes and often features star-studded headliners, some of whom paved their paths to fame from the Pepsi Bayside Music Stage.

So, what’s the secret sauce to the festival’s music success, and how do they sniff out upcoming stars? Northern Express has a VIP pass to all things Cherry Festival entertainment—from booking to brushes with fame and beyond—and you’re invited into the green room with us!

Starting Now

The thousand-piece puzzle of assembling the NCF’s performances begins about a year in advance, when producers and talent buyers start zeroing in on possible acts. (For those of you doing the math at home, that means next year’s plans are already in the works.)

To do this, the festival has long relied on the talents of Meridian Entertainment, a Michigan-based production company, to help select and book the performers that eventually grace the stage.

Through an administrative lens, though, this process isn’t nearly as fun as it sounds. “It’s not a bunch of people sitting around and throwing out names,” says festival CEO Kat Paye, though staff has been known, and are even encouraged, to toss their favorites in the figurative hat.

Instead, Paye explains, the conversation unequivocally revolves around budget.

“It’s very much [Meridian] talking to us about what will fit in our budget, how that could span across our eight days, and what that looks like for us,” she says. From there, booking reps submit offers to artists, who either do or don’t accept, and the process continues on until all days are filled.

The Two-Step

Narrowing down that list of performers, though, is where the real heavy lifting comes in.

For starters, Cherry Fest is a PG zone. “We even have a contract [stipulation] that these are family-friendly shows, and we don’t allow cursing or things like that,” Event Operations Manager Brett Knaus notes. This requirement eliminates some acts right from the jump.

The NCF team also prioritizes building a set list to appeal to a broad audience.

The Bayside Stage has its staples, which usually comprise a classic rock artist—past performers in this category have ranged from Foreigner to Sugar Ray and REO Speedwagon—an oldie or “throwback” act, and the requisite Fourth of July country blowout.

In recent years, this has expanded to include a few non-music acts—like awardwinning comedian Larry the Cable Guy and ventriloquist-turned-vocal sensation Darci Lynne—as well as big-name rappers and hip-hop musicians, like Flo Rida, Chingy, and even Nelly, whose 2022 appearance grossed the fastest-selling general admission tickets in festival history.

“We always look to have an eclectic lineup, so that we can offer something for

everyone, but we had no idea that Traverse City needed Nelly so much!” Paye says with a laugh.

These key performances aren’t always reflective of the region’s most popular genres, though both Meridian and Cherry Festival staff agree that local tastes do contribute to the lineup. Instead, Meridian producer and promoter Rick Shimel explains that what works in Traverse City is also what’s holding industry-wide. “What you’re seeing as strength in our market is also strength in every market,” he says.

Other limiting lineup factors include artist availability—which often depends on established tour dates and Traverse City’s proximity to travel hubs, like Chicago, Grand Rapids, and Detroit—as well as expected audience turnout and how a show might resonate within the community.

“From there, it’s just a juggling act,” Shimel notes.

The Rising Stars

That juggling act seems to be working. In the last 20 years, the song and dance of performance assembly has highlighted the festival’s knack for pinpointing country acts in particular before they hit the bigtime.

In fact, some of the genre’s heaviest hitters graced the Bayside Stage first, including the likes of Justin Moore, Kane Brown, Dierks Bentley (whose 2005 appearance was “pin to get in,” aka nearly free of charge), and Dan + Shay, who were actually in Traverse City the night their 2018 single “Tequila” hit number one on Top Country Albums.

Are instances like that a fluke? “I don’t know. We like to think the music gods

came together and made it happen for us,” Paye jokes.

Spur-clad powers notwithstanding, Paye and Knaus also underscore that much of this phenomenon comes down to the skill of a group like Meridian that has decades of industry experience. Per Shimel, the search for these newcomers starts in the fall, with producers and agents scouring the landscape to get a read on promising creators. Who’s touring and where they go is important, as well as who’s getting radio play and their monthly streaming-service listens coupled with classic record sales.

“In general, we’re looking at what an artist is doing to promote themselves and what sort of hype is going to be created down the road,” Shimel explains. From there, it’s mostly educated guesswork, experience, and a sprinkle of “pure art.”

“You know that of all the freshmen coming in, someone’s going to make it,” he adds. “We look at all the data we can, and then it’s mostly just a gut feeling.”

VIP Pass

As for perks these performers enjoy? The short answer is, it depends on the artist. Once an act is booked, the show is “advanced,” which involves adjusting that performer’s contract to align with festival infrastructure. For some, that includes accommodations, while others need help finding space to house a caravan of tour vehicles. There are other incidentals to consider, too, like stage layout or extra equipment.

“There’s a lot of logistics involved in the mapping of how those things will go, but we

Photo courtesy of the National Cherry Festival

have a great team, and it works out well,” Knaus says.

Each artist also comes with a rider— that’s a specially-tailored document laying out the requirements of their performance—wherein they can ask for specialized snacks (which are often included as Easter eggs to make sure the crew has read the whole thing), stipulate backstage provisions, or lay out other requests. Paye even remembers one artist who asked the Cherry Festival crew for Yoo-hoo delivered in a glass bottle.

Once the final details are set, it’s up to the festival’s seasoned staff to turn their venue’s backstage area into a performer’s paradise. For starters, there is no “fangirling” for the artists, no lenience for photos or autographs, and a finite number of backstage passes.

“It’s a very closed bubble back there for the artists to feel comfortable,” says Marketing and Communications Manager Mandy DePuy. “They can walk outside of their buses and just be a human, and everybody gives them their space.”

Then there’s the splendor that only Traverse City can provide. Bands can prep for their performance by watching the air show, artists traveling with children can indulge in a spin around the Midway, and Paye even once got to deliver cotton candy to Home Free’s dressing room.

It’s these little nuances that not only separate the Cherry Festival from a stadium performance, but also tempt acts to return.

“We make sure they see our community, because they will end up being visitors in the future, and they tend to love it here,” Paye says.

For her, the cherry on top of years’ worth of celebrity sightings was watching Nelly take the stage decked out in Cherry Festival gear. “I think that is one of the coolest things I’ve seen,” she says. “What our team and Meridian do is very different, and it sets us apart as a smaller festival, even though we’re big.”

To purchase concert tickets or learn more about the festival, visit cherryfestival.org.

This Year’s Music Lineup

So, who’s on the Cherry Festival docket this year? The week kicks off on June 29 with Grammy Award-winning rock group Stone Temple Pilots with special guest opener Moon Fever. Rapper T.I.’s performance on Sunday, June 30, was canceled, replaced by a free benefit concert featuring Fresh Horses Garth Brooks Tribute and The Insiders Tom Petty Tribute Band.

Reality TV star and former Poison frontman Bret Michaels takes the stage on July 1, accompanied by seventies icons Jefferson Starship. They’re followed by upand-coming country vocalist Leanne Morgan on July 2.

Mid-week, we’ll see Grammy-nominated band Goo Goo Dolls with special guest The Sedonas, plus Dylan Scott with opener DASHA, on July 3 and 4, respectively. To round out the week, comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglasias performs on July 5, with local folk band The Accidentals and guest Joshua Davis closing the concert series on July 6.

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Photo by Allison Morgan

1 > Really busy time around the airport!

Oh, yes. Denver started a few weeks ago, then there’s LaGuardia and of course Fort Lauderdale. Houston via United Airlines is our newest and coming soon. The flights seem very full, and I’m hearing good things from all our partners. Things are shaping up for a busy summer.

2 > I just read that the last few days around Memorial Day were the three busiest travel days in U.S. history. Is that right?

Yes, those were record numbers processed by TSA. All our flights were full, that’s for sure. I flew out to Washington DC for a conference in mid-May and everything here was full and DC was very busy and coming home the flights were full. So the busy season started early.

3 > So is that still pent-up consumer demand or more about the destination of northern Michigan?

A lot of it is destination. People still have to go do projects and they’ve started traveling for work again, but people who travel for work to come here, they’re staying beyond their work. We had a small FAA seminar here yesterday, and most of the attendees turned it into a twoday event just to stay in the area longer. It’s just a natural in a place like this.

4 > We saw big stories about northern Michigan in The New York Times and in Conde Nast Traveler in May. Do you see an immediate blip from things like that, or is it a slow build?

Oh yes. And even I believe CNN named us I think #3 in the world for a destination and put us up against cities in Italy. When that gets out, people are always looking for new places to go. And we think northern Michigan is on the map because we live here, but it’s only cresting the surface of peoples’ knowledge. So yes, when word gets out, people like to try something different.

{ 13 Questions }

SUMMER IN THE CLOUDS

Kevin Klein looks forward to the busiest season ever at TVC

5 > Certainly the economy is changing, though. More people are pinching pennies. Are you seeing that yet?

You know, if you go back to 2008, we felt that downturn but in a delayed fashion. The rest of the world felt it immediately, but we didn’t until 2011 or even 2012, when businesses put the brakes on business travel and airlines tried hard to please their shareholders. With COVID we felt it right away, of course, but we rebounded faster than most. That’s not a true comparison, of course, but we seem to be a better rebounding market because we’re high-end and leisure-driven. And I don’t define high-end as income, but based on length of stay, people coming into the market and staying. We just check the boxes the airlines are looking for and meeting their revenue goals here.

6 > Also just saw that American Airlines is having some issues and cutting some markets. How are they doing here?

American is very healthy for us. And after our recent meetings, there might be even more good news coming there soon.

7

> What are you seeing in terms of fares in and out of TVC?

We do some comparisons with a radio show where we track fares to destinations where the [Detroit] Tigers play, like Boston, New York, and others. You see the fares climb a little as they get closer and course fares go up around holidays, but you still see some great deals. We watched Boston go to $275 three weeks out and then go to just $410 closer to the date. But overall I think fares are really solid.

8 > You still can’t touch the likes of Grand Rapids, though…?

In a lot of cases, we’re even better, of course especially for anyone living up here and not having to make that drive.

9 > Is TVC all set for another very busy summer? The gift shop is fully staffed, the car rental companies and airlines are looking for people but are still better off than last year. Air traffic control is in good shape, and TSA is in place and is getting a group of traveling agents to work at peak times. The airport is fully staffed, and the new jet bridges are done and operational. So we’re ready!

10 > So what’s your most challenging factor, space? Yes, space is the pain point. Square footage.

11 > Which leads us to the status of the airport expansion.

Yes. We just finished our FAA justification to build five more gates, and completed our environmental assessment. Now we’re working on our financial model that projects our amount of traffic and dollars. And if everything goes as planned, we’ll have 30 percent of the design phase done by end of year. Then proceed to 60 percent done in early 2025 and proceed to bid plans by late 2025 with shovels in the ground in 2026. And our expansion will probably take two years to build.

12 > And where is the limit to adding flights or airlines right now? Do you have time in the day to add more?

We can continue to add routes and flights if everyone works together. Avelo [Airlines] comes in at a time of day that’s not a peak hour. But if they came in during the middle of the day, that wouldn’t work. I think we’re doing an excellent job of retaining current airlines and considering new ones. And we have very high hopes for the Houston route.

13 > And that first week of July during the holiday and the Cherry Festival will be your peak chaos? We call it “controlled chaos.” But actually it’s not as busy as the fourth week of July, which just seems to be peak summertime in northern Michigan.

Just Keep GrowinG

The biggest challenges and opportunities for the country’s largest tart cherry operation

By Hanna Lee-Kleb

The story of the Shoreline Fruit cooperative began in the late 1960s, during casual gatherings at Michigan State University’s FarmHouse Fraternity. It was here that two sets of brothers—Bob and Don Gregory and Dean, Gene, and Norm Veliquette—planted the seeds of what would become the largest tart cherry operation in North America.

A few leased acres has grown into an expansive cooperative of growers, and today, the Williamsburg-based cooperative’s 6,000 acres of orchards typically harvest around 50 million pounds of Montmorency tart cherries. The Gregory family manages Cherry Bay Orchards and Gregory Brothers Farms, while the Veliquette family businesses are Cherry Ke and Cherries R Us. Among the first in northern Michigan to earn USDA Good Agricultural Practices certification, Shoreline Fruit growers also set a high standard for sustainable farming.

“I love working with my family and being responsible for something that has a long history. It’s deeply satisfying to work with the land, to steward it, and to pass it on to the next generation,” says Nels Veliquette, chief financial officer at Cherries R Us.

But the growing process isn’t always sweet, even here in the Cherry Capital of the World. International competition, labor shortages, and shifting weather patterns keep growers on their toes. On the bright side, new collaborations and technology—including TikTok—can help offset the challenges farmers face.

Supply and Demand

In the early 1990s, the tart cherry industry faced significant economic challenges. Prices for growers hovered around a mere five cents per pound, a figure that was unsustainable for long-term viability. In response, the industry established a Federal Marketing Order (FMO), which allowed certain producers to work together to manage supply, stabilize pricing, and pool resources for marketing efforts. This initiative, overseen by a board of growers and processors, aimed to create a more sustainable and profitable market for tart cherries.

The FMO’s dual approach of supply control and marketing has been instrumental in stabilizing prices and promoting tart cherry consumption in the United States. “The federal marketing order, the FMO, works really well,” Nels says.

One unique aspect of tart cherry production under the FMO is the ability to control supply. This has led to dramatic scenes where surplus cherries are sometimes dumped on the side of the road, a practice that has drawn public scrutiny. However, as Nels clarifies, “The government has never, ever, and cannot make anyone dump cherries.”

Instead, the decision to manage surplus cherries, whether by dumping them or placing them in reserves, is made collectively by growers and processors. The reserves can be utilized in the event of a crop failure or to support new product development.

While the supply control aspect of the FMO garners attention, the marketing efforts funded by the FMO have proven equally vital. Over the past 30 years, these marketing efforts have successfully increased consumption of tart cherries.

“Americans eat more tart cherries, consume more tart cherries than ever,” Nels says, attributing this success to the effective use of marketing funds collected through a small assessment on growers.

However, the tart cherry industry still faces challenges in the form of international competition. In the early 2000s, a significant

crop failure led to an influx of cherries from Poland and Turkey to meet market demands. This shift highlighted a critical vulnerability in the U.S. tart cherry market: the lack of restrictions on imports.

“The imports came in to fill a niche,” Nels says, but explains that over time, importers realized they could profit from the U.S. market, particularly as production costs in countries like Turkey are lower due to government subsidies.

The foreign competitors may never go away, so Nels believes integrating international producers into the FMO marketing efforts could be a game-changer. “If we could get everyone, including importers, to participate in the marketing assessment, it would significantly boost our budget and benefit all producers,” he suggests.

Fights on Multiple Fronts

Pest and disease management is another constant battle for cherry farmers. The spotted wing drosophila (SWD), a fruit fly from Asia, poses a significant threat.

“Milder winters have increased pest and fungal pressures,” Nels says. “Our weather is becoming milder, and we don’t have as much snow, which impacts our crops.” These changes have made it imperative for Shoreline Fruit to adopt more robust pest management strategies.

Variable weather patterns—like latespring frosts, scorching weeks in early summer, and heavy rain events—have also led to more frequent crop failures. Recently, 2020 and 2021 saw many area farms reeling from losing up to 90 percent of their crops .

“There’s no doubt that our weather is more unpredictable now, and we see more frequent short crops,” Nels says. “It’s a constant challenge to adapt to these changes.”

Labor shortages have also significantly impacted the cherry industry. The H-2A temporary visa program for agricultural workers from Mexico has been a lifeline, allowing the orchards to operate efficiently during the harvest season.

“We run six crews, harvesting 24/7,” Nels says. “The last local crew we had was in 2019. It’s impossible to hire enough labor locally, and finding housing for our workers is a

constant challenge.”

And then there’s the shifting target of the fruit itself. While tart cherries are the bread and butter of Shoreline Fruit, the farms produce a variety of cherries, including tart cherries for pies and dried products, blush cherries for maraschinos, and dark sweet cherries for fresh consumption and yogurt production.

“We’ve had to adapt to changing consumer preferences and market demands,” explains Nels. He says that over the past 10-20 years, there have been significant changes in the types of cherries grown and the methods used to ensure they remain competitive.

Growing Something New

Innovation is key to overcoming these roadblocks, and Nels says farmers would love to explore more precision agriculture technologies, such as drones for monitoring and pesticide application.

“The promise of precision agriculture and technology is exciting,” he says. “We’re always looking into autonomous mowers and other innovations that could revolutionize our operations.”

The orchard is also experimenting with new crop varieties and products to stay ahead in the market. This diversification helps mitigate risks and ensures a steady income stream, especially when cherry production faces new hurdles.

Another unexpected boon came from social media earlier this year. A recent viral trend on TikTok, the “Sleepy Girl Mocktail,” has boosted sales of tart cherry juice, showcasing the power of modern marketing.

“We’re making as much cherry juice as we can as fast as we can,” in response to the trend, Nels says. (You may have even seen a little #sleepygirlmocktail tag on a Cherry Bay Orchards bottle of juice at your local grocer, with a QR code to scan and get a recipe. The original includes cherry juice, magnesium powder, and soda.)

At the end of the day, Nels believes that the future of cherry farming lies in leveraging technology, collaborative efforts, and growing the best possible fruit. “We have a great product with unique benefits. People love it when they discover it, and with continued effort, we can ensure that more people do.”

Mocktail."

How to Plan an Air Show

From booking performers to navigating safety and weather, here’s what it takes to land the National Cherry Festival’s aerial spectacle

By Kierstin Gunsberg

Devouring every inch of a sugar-dusted elephant ear, spitting cherry pits into solo cups, and hopping on the tilt-a-whirl one too many times: It’s Traverse City’s biggest week, when over half a million people celebrate summertime at the National Cherry Festival. And nothing kicks off the party like that whole-body rumble of the air show, a mainstay of the festival since the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds first performed in 1978.

Aviation, as NCF Air Show Director Christian Smith points out, has been integral to the weeklong festival since 1935, when a skywriter wrote a sponsor’s name in looping aerobatics. Nearly 90 years later, Nathan K. Hammond of GhostWriter Airshows will make his Cherry Fest debut this year, skywriting displays over Traverse City’s skyline. He’ll be joined on the flight roster by an anticipated seven helicopters, a military cargo aircraft, six civilian performers, and nine Blue Angels on the afternoons of June 29 and 30.

But it’s not all barrel rolls and figure eights. From scheduling red tape to making bad weather calls, Smith shares the ins and

outs (and ups and downs!) of what goes into pulling off an event of such great heights.

Taking Flight

“This air show is what got me into flying,” says Smith, recalling attending the air show with his family as a kid. “I went to flight school, became a commercial pilot, a flight instructor. It was almost my career.”

Almost. After years in aviation, Smith who’s from Midland, took a job at a startup in Traverse City in 2016, at which point he says he started “bugging” Steve Plamondon, NCF’s then air show director, for a spot on the committee. “Finally he called me back and was like ‘alright, kid, come join the committee.’”

In the fall of last year, Smith was named the show’s director. “I’m learning so much in my first year,” he says as he gears up for his first NCF air show in the new role.

Headlines about terms and agreements conflicts between the air show and the Northwest Regional Airport Authority, which were settled in April, have accelerated that learning curve. Per Northern Express sister publication The Ticker, “The two-day air show and associated practices restrict the normal flow of traffic at an airport that

now has a dozen or more flights an hour in the busy summer months, up substantially from a decade ago. TVC sought to limit the duration of the air show and practices to reduce disruption of commercial flights, but festival officials said conditions requested by the airport could harm or even kill the show.”

After months of back and forth, the two parties came to an agreement for the next three years, limiting the time the faster aircraft can be in the air, while slower aircraft, which do not interrupt commercial traffic, have longer windows to perform.

Then there was the revelation that the 2025 air show will have to go on without the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angels, the show’s usual headliners. The Thunderbirds, Smith explains, are the U.S. Air Force’s own aviation team and are currently committed to an Air Force base show that’s scheduled for the same dates as 2025’s NCF show. As for the Blue Angels, they typically perform in TC only every other year, making 2026 their next eligible performance.

The Draft Pick

The absence of both teams for next year’s show is something Smith and the rest of the

NCF air show crew have known for a while now. That’s because the pre-coordination for each show starts a full year in advance and involves hundreds of volunteers, aviation leaders, and safety professionals to pull off.

While northern Michigan is busy stringing lights and bundling up for the winter holiday season, members of the NCF air show crew already have summer on the brain as they travel westward to arid Las Vegas for the annual ICAS (International Council of Air Shows) Convention. “That’s where we plan an entire year’s worth of air shows,” says Smith. Over the four-day event, civilian performers, vendors, and organizers like Smith get to know each other’s offerings before signing contracts for the next year. “It’s like a draft pick,” he says. “It’s really a good time.”

Meanwhile, military demo teams like the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds are assigned to air show locations and dates by the Department of Defense, who announce their assignments a full two years ahead of time. “I don’t actually pick the military support,” Smith says. “I wish I did, but I do not get that chance. So we pick civilians, and the military picks us.”

Regardless, Cherry Festival isn’t a hard

Photos by Morgan Suhy, courtesy of the National Cherry Festival.

sell for any teams or performers shopping around the ICAS convention, according to Smith. “Ours is one of the most respected air shows in the industry. So, my job in Vegas is actually pretty easy, all things considered, because everyone wants to fly the National Cherry Festival.”

Safety First

This is in part because Traverse City offers performers as good a time on the ground as up in the sky. But mostly: “We don’t rest on our heels; we’re very vigilant about safety,” says Smith, who convened with the Federal Aviation Administration, emergency responders, and marine support staff in preparation for the 2024 show.

The two days leading up to Saturday and Sunday’s shows are dedicated to safety flights where pilots and crews familiarize themselves with visual and GPS checkpoints, entry and exit procedures, and safety protocols. The Friday practice is a bonus for onlookers because “it’s our full dress rehearsal.”

As for how issues like wildfire haze, impending storms, pilot illness, or mechanical failures get handled, Smith says they expect and actively plan for the unexpected.

“If things don’t feel right, if things are getting pushed too far, it’s a very simple answer for us, even though it’s not our first answer or the one we want to answer with— we’re going to take a break or we’re going to say no for today,” says Smith, citing safety concerns surrounding recent crash incidents at air shows in Dallas and Belleville. “It’s a tough choice, but it’s an easy choice, right?”

The Show Goes On

When all of the boxes have been checked and double-checked and everything ahead is blue skies, it’s showtime.

Smith is especially excited about catching the Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II Demo Team this year. It’ll be a historic moment for the team, as this is their final season after more than 40 years of performances. Smith also says that enthusiasts will get a

rare photo op when the A-10C and the three North American P-51D Mustangs from the Horsemen Flight Team join wingtips for a few minutes of each show in a four-aircraft Heritage Flight.

“It’s so high energy. It’s electric, you can feel it,” says Smith. “Everybody’s happy. We worked for an entire year for these two days.”

Smith reminds show goers to balance all of that sunshine and cherry pie with plenty of sunscreen and water. He adds that the show can reach up to an ear-damaging 115 decibels, so bring ear protection for the whole family, including pets.

And Smith hopes the kids will come along too. “I attended my first air show as a one-year-old here in Traverse City,” he says. “Don’t leave the baby at home—I need a replacement someday!”

The 2024 National Cherry Festival Air Show runs Saturday, June 29, and Sunday, June 30. Each day’s show is free to attend, starting at 1pm and concluding with the Blue Angels before 4pm. Spectators can also catch the air show broadcast on 107.5FM WCCW starting at 12:45pm.

Plamondon and Smith

A Bridge Through The genres

Lake Street Dive heads to Interlochen

By Ross Boissoneau

Try to define the sound of Lake Street Dive. Go ahead, just try. There are some jazzy overtones, but it sounds like pop music. There’s a bit of a country lilt to vocalist Rachael Price’s voice, but also a resonance straight from earthy 1960’s soul. The band has done songs by Hall & Oates, Bonnie Raitt, The Pointer Sisters, and George Michael, but Lake Street Dive is not a cover band (despite an occasional resemblance to Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox).

So does the band play funk? Give off Laurel Canyon-style singer/songwriter vibes? Indie rock? All the above? Give up? So does Akie Bermiss—and he’s a member of the band. “I’m never prepared to answer that,” he says with a laugh. The keyboardist and vocalist says that lack of a defining style is a deliberate choice. “We draw from any musical influence we can and find a blend that’s pleasing and interesting to us.”

Their Own Voice

The band’s multiple influences are evident as it evolved from what it calls “a weird altcountry jazz group” to what might best be called a pop-soul outfit. It all started when band founder, guitarist/trumpeter Mike “McDuck” Olson, gathered three other New England Conservatory of Music classmates together—bassist Bridget Kearney, vocalist Rachael Price, and drummer/background vocalist Mike Calabrese—to create the band.

“Mr. McDuck assembled the four of us, said we were now Lake Street Dive, and we

were a ‘free country’ band,” Kearney told Women’s Media Center. “He wrote this on a chalkboard in the ensemble room that we had our first rehearsal in. We intended to play country music in an improvised, avant-garde style – like Loretta Lynn meets Ornette Coleman.”

That didn’t last too long, as the band’s varied interests soon found it exploring a pop aesthetic, albeit one that leaned heavily on its members’ other musical interests. As they were all students at the New England Conservatory of Music, they had plenty of chops and varied musical interests.

Bermiss joined the band in 2018 after a stint as its touring keyboardist. “We had a lot of friends in common,” Bermiss explains. “In 2017 they asked me to come out on tour. There was no rehearsal time; it was a baptism by fire, getting into a band [everyone] knew as a four-piece. They were so accommodating, they made room for me. At the next recording session, I contributed some songs.” Before he knew it, he was a fulltime member.

He says the sound of Lake Street Dive, with its multiple stylistic influences informing the music, comes from the fact everyone in the band is a songwriter. “Everyone has their own voice,” he says.

The Secret of Songwriting

Certainly the band is comfortable putting its own spin on material by other artists. Check its version of “Faith” or “I Want You Back” recorded live on a Boston sidewalk. But those are sidesteps from a band that pursues songwriting as a means of

self-expression.

Typically the members bring sketchedout ideas for a song to the rest of the group to flesh out, but the band approached the material for its latest recording, Good Together, as a group exercise. “This is the first time we sat in a room with blank pages and computers, all together, at the same time,” Bermiss says.

In early 2023, the band’s members met up at Calabrese’s home studio in Vermont and spent nearly a week generating new songs, catalyzing the process with the help of a 20-sided die, a remnant of Zoom-based Dungeons & Dragons matches during lockdown.

“That would give the chords, tempo, and we’d play and it would lead into something. If it works, great. If not, it was a fun experiment,” Bermiss says, likening it to “sort of a delightful chaos.”

And it did work, at least sometimes. Bermiss says some of the songs on the new album were derived directly from those experiments. He says songwriting in general is more art than science, so anything that starts it off is fair game—but there are no guarantees.

“The big secret of songwriting is most of what you write turns out to be garbage. Ten to 20 percent is worthwhile,” he says. “The hardest part for me is starting.” Hence the use of the die.

For Bermiss, the key is a strong melody. “That’s front and center, what stays in the brain, the earworm of it all. I tend to have some words and a melody. The point of writing collectively is you have to let some

ego go, welcome whatever people bring. It’s a trust exercise.”

Singing Together

Bermiss’ foray into music was unexpected, by both his family and himself. He comes from a line of scholars and was attending a technical high school as a computer major when he chose to go a different direction.

“Everyone else was in STEM. I was on that track when I realized I wanted to sing,” says Bermiss. He decided he wanted to learn to play an instrument and chose piano as he thought it would provide a solid grounding in theory as well as providing playing possibilities.

College piano lessons led to doing some gigging around the city, doing some arranging, and working as a backup musician. Then Lake Street Dive came calling.

Bermiss is excited to take the new record out on the road. “We did a lot of stuff in the studio, now we’re gonna try it live, let it move through. There’s lots of harmony, synths, lots of percussion,” he says.

Though Price is typically out front, Bermiss also sings lead, while the rest of the band provides additional backing vocals and harmonies. He says putting five voices together on top of the instrumental music gives it a richness he really enjoys. “There’s nothing cooler than a bunch of people singing together. That’s a bridge through genres.”

Lake Street Dive performs at Interlochen Center for the Arts July 10. For tickets, go to interlochen.org.

Photo by Marc Millman

The Michigan Riviera

This Torch Lake eatery embraces 88 years of tradition…with some fresh twists

By Greg Tasker

The azure blue waters of Torch Lake in the summer often inspire comparisons to the Caribbean or exotic locales, so it’s no surprise that the coastline of this northern Michigan inland sea boasts a spot known as “the Riv,” short for riviera.

In this case, that spot is Johnny’s Torch Riviera, an eatery popular with locals and tourists alike and situated at the south end of Torch Lake in Rapid City. The expansive building has been around for decades (since 1936, according to their website) and has served various roles in its lifetime, including as a grocery store, Chinese restaurant, and dance hall.

A Family Affair

John and Jody Feola, a brother-and-sister team from metropolitan Detroit, are the newest owners of the beloved dining spot. John purchased the business with another business partner—an entertainer—in 2019; that partner succumbed to the lure of the road and left a few years later. Jody came aboard in 2022.

Like their mix of customers from Detroit, Chicago, and beyond, the Feolas sought out Torch Lake because of the slower pace of life, the abundant nature and beauty, and the friendliness of the locals.

“My brother had been coming up here for 30 years. He has other businesses and was going to retire, but he likes to work. This is his retirement,” Jody says, noting her brother splits his time between Rapid City and St. Thomas.

Jody, formerly of Grosse Pointe Park, had been visiting the area since her brother purchased the restaurant. “The area is incredible,” she says. “Everyone is so nice.

When I first moved up here, there was a horribly snowy night. A woman at the top of the hill came down to help shovel me out. I didn’t even know her but that’s how people are here. They’re really kind and helpful.”

Keeping Traditions Alive

The Torch Riviera has long been a hub for social gatherings, connections, and community building, something the Feola siblings are continuing.

“In one way or another, this place has always been the Torch Riviera or the Riv,” Jody says. “That has always been in the name. That’s not going to change.”

Indeed, the Feolas welcome hearing customers’ stories about the restaurant’s past.

“We have a lot of people who remember coming here as a child, and they’re in their 70s now,” Jody says. “They can remember when the bar was over there or when it was a grocery store … The stories go on and on.

“One gentleman came in with his mother’s diary … he was so excited to share it with me. His mother came in here all the time to dance and danced all night,” she recalls.

While the dance hall is no more, the original dance floor—made of two-inch pine planks—has been left intact. John redid the floors and installed booths when he became owner, and Jody added some stained-glass windows from the early 1900s to separate the bar from the dining room, which seats 150 people.

Some Things Change, Others Stay the Same

Keenly aware of the restaurant’s traditions, the Feolas have strived to maintain menu staples, including the cedar-planked whitefish, a popular entree available only on Sundays. Daily seafood entrees include salmon, shrimp scampi,

and Cioppino, a fisherman’s stew of sauteed mussels, clams, crab, and shrimp in a tomato sauce with capers and shallots.

“What they had in place was really good,” Jody says. “We’ve tweaked things a bit here and there. People expect certain things from the Torch Riviera. It’s been here a long time and there are certain traditions. We’ve kept a lot of them.”

The Feolas also kept the Italian fare— including tortellini and cavatappi—but added their own sauces and make their own bread for bread baskets. In the case of the lasagna, they changed the dish to a family recipe.

“It’s my grandmother’s lasagna recipe,” says Jody, who has a background in food and beverage and a long history in the restaurant and bar industry. “The lasagna is about four inches high and you can see all the layers of noodles, cheese, meat, and sauce. It’s pretty popular. It’s enough for two people. A lot of people take half that meal home.”

Other changes include the addition of a New York strip steak and barbecue ribs.

The beer-braised spareribs are finished on a charcoal grill, then slathered in a housemade barbeque sauce. “The recipe comes from a friend who sells barbeque ribs on a street corner in Detroit,” Jody tells us. “The ribs are really popular.”

They’ve also added burgers and a selection of sandwiches, including a Reuben and Philly Cheese Steak.

Desserts are homemade and adapted to Jody’s likings; for example, Johnny’s version of tiramisu includes Kahlua. The kitchen regularly creates cannoli with different flavors, including raspberry, lemon, and pistachio. The key lime pie—not so common in northern Michigan—has delighted customers.

“We have one customer that comes in here all the time. He’ll order two pieces at the table and take the rest of the pie home with

The restaurant's famous cedar planked whitefish.

Then called the "Torch Rivera," this is a glimpse of the building in the 1940s.

Ribs and burgers are some of the newer additions to the menu.

him,” Jody says.

The Summer Swing

As the summer season takes hold, the Feolas are keeping an eye on the progress of the state’s efforts to improve a boat launch

On the drinks side, Johnny’s serves a large selection of Michigan craft beers, changed seasonally, including Short’s Bellaire Brown and Local’s Light. Drink specials run throughout the summer. A must is the Torch Lake Sandbar—named after the famous sandbar in the lake—a blend of Blue Curacao, Malibu rum, banana liqueur, and orange juice. Crushed graham crackers mimicking beach sand rim the glass.

across the street. They’re enjoying the expanded view of Torch Lake and hoping that view remains. If so, they plan to add onto an outdoor deck, where customers linger with cocktails.

In a nod to the boating culture of Torch Lake, one room of the restaurant is already dedicated to Chris-Craft boats, and boaters are encouraged to post photos on a wall.

Entertainment is offered on weekends and some week nights during the summer. The Feolas are also involved in Rapid City’s annual fireworks display and help with fundraising by selling T-shirts and Detroit Coney Dogs.

Find Johnny’s Torch Riviera at 12899 Cherry Avenue in Rapid City. (231) 322-4100; johnnystorchriviera.com

The Italian influence on the menu is clear, from pizzas to cannoli.

“We Need Peaceful People”

The Traverse City chapter of Veterans for Peace wants the public to know more about the cost of war

By Al Parker

With body counts rising in war-torn Gaza and Ukraine, the prospect of any type of global peace is pretty dim.

But that doesn’t deter members of the Traverse City-based Chapter 50 of Veterans for Peace from working to increase public awareness of the causes—and the costs— of war.

“I think everyone is against war,” says 77-year-old Tim Keenan, a decorated Vietnam combat veteran who has served as the group’s president for two decades. “As a combat veteran, I really don’t believe in war. I just think we can avoid some of these wars.”

We Are Patriots

The national Veterans for Peace (VFP) organization was founded in 1985 by 10 vets in response to the global nuclear arms race and U.S. military interventions in Central America. The group grew to more than 8,000 members in the buildup to the U.S. Invasion of Iraq in 2003.

According to veteransforpeace.org, VFP now has veteran and associate members in every U.S. state and several countries. Its advisory board includes several celebrities, including Jackson Browne, Phil Donahue, Daniel Ellsberg, Jane Fonda, Tom Morello, Cornel West, and Ralph Nader.

VFP has authorized more than 120 chapters, including three in Michigan— Traverse City, Detroit, and Ypsilanti—and there are international chapters in Vietnam, Japan, and Ireland.

Keenan estimates that the northern Michigan chapter has about “40 members, 20 who are semi-active and about seven or eight who are really active.”

He’d like to see more younger veterans involved in his organization. “I think there

were a lot of veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq who might be interested in what we do,” he says. “We’re not an anti-American group; we are patriots who love our country.”

The local VFP chapter has compiled an impressive resume of peace-related activities over the years. Since 2012, they have presented annual $1,000 scholarships for Northwestern Michigan College to a veteran or child of a veteran; this year there were 79 applicants for the scholarship. The chapter provides Christmas gifts to families of veterans, has donated $3,000 to World Central Kitchen, and has planted trees and peace poles at Traverse City parks and schools.

They also march in downtown Traverse City events, hold Memorial Day events honoring Michigan KIA in Afghanistan and Iraq and veteran suicide victims, and celebrate the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21.

Ongoing efforts include working to place a large sign at the Cherry Capital Airport welcoming home troops and building a peace wall.

“One of our current projects is working to have a peace wall erected at Hull Park, behind the library,” says Keenan. “It would honor those who worked for peace and justice and have peace quotes from people like Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.”

On a personal basis, the energetic Keenan hiked the full length of the Appalachian Trail—2,178 miles from Georgia to Maine— and raised $5,000 from donations which went toward the NMC scholarship fund.

A Calming Experience

Army veteran Bob Nichols, 74, is a longtime member of the TC chapter and another supporter of the peace wall. “You need places like that to stop and reflect on things,”

he says. “It would be a place to sit calmly and think. It could be a really peaceful place along the [Boardman] lake.”

Another of his favorite VFP projects was having Traverse City declared as an International City of Peace. Signs recognizing the designation are posted near city limits, but Nichols thinks that city officials should be more vocal in spreading the word about the Peace City status.

“I feel the city misses an opportunity when they don’t promote that,” he says. “They really should promote that more.”

Nichols admits he was a lackluster student before dropping out of the University of Michigan and enlisting in the Army in 1969. His year-long deployment to Vietnam began in July 1970, where he was part of the 11th Armored Cavalry in Vietnam. The famed “Black Horse Regiment” has been involved in many high-profile military actions, ranging from chasing Pancho Villa to fighting in Iraq.

After getting out of the Army, Nichols enrolled at Western Michigan University on the GI Bill and earned a degree with a strong math background. He eventually moved north to Traverse City and worked as a product manager at Cone Drive for many years before retiring in 2013.

Nichols was invited to a VFP meeting and felt an immediate kinship with the fellow veterans. “It was a great group of peaceful people,” he recalls. “There’s so much polarization and, well, hate in the world. These meetings are just a calming experience.”

Peace Is a Nebulous Concept

On the national scale, the organization holds a permanent non-governmental organization seat at the United Nations. VFP is also the first military veterans’ organization invited to be a member of the International

VFP’s national statement of purpose says it aims “To increase public awareness of the causes and costs of war; To restrain our governments from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations; To resist racism and repression in our home communities; To oppose the militarization of law enforcement; To end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons; To seek justice for veterans and victims of war; To abolish war as an instrument of national policy.”

“Peace is a nebulous concept,” Nichols concludes. “It’s hard to wrap your brain around it. It’s hard to get across sometimes. But we need peaceful people…. Anything we can do to move the needle toward peace, we try to do.”

Peace Bureau based in Geneva Switzerland.

Tim Keenan is president of Veterans for Peace Chapter 50, based in Traverse City.

Two full service grocery stores featuring year-round local, natural, & organic foods. with wholesome snacks!

Charlie Millard Band

Mistaken Identity

Alexander Morris, 53, filed a lawsuit against Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Warren, Michigan, on June 10 over an incident that took place last year, NBC News reported. Morris, the lead singer of the Motown group the Four Tops, went to the hospital with "clear symptoms of cardiac distress" in April 2023. While there, Morris told nurses and security staff that he was concerned about stalkers and fans -- but they didn't believe that he was with the Four Tops and ordered a psychological examination, which delayed his treatment. He was physically restrained, he said, for at least 1 1/2 hours -"a terrifying experience to be in the middle of a medical emergency," Morris said. The suit, which seeks $75,000 in damages, alleges negligence, racial discrimination, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Morris' ordeal finally ended when he showed a nurse a video of him performing at the Grammys. He was offered a $25 gift card to a Meijer grocery store as an apology, which he refused. "I never imagined I would become a victim of 'being sick while Black,'" Morris said. The hospital had no comment on the suit.

What Could Go Wrong?

Calling Agent 99! Samsung is channeling the 1960s TV series "Get Smart" with its newest tech release: the Shortcut Sneaker, with which one can make phone calls. Gizmodo reported that the phone is operated with discrete foot movements, recognized by motion sensors in the soles. Sadly, you're not likely to get your dogs into them anytime soon: The company is making just six pairs, available only to Samsung members in the Netherlands who enter to win by July 9.

Weird in the Wild

Scientists studying African elephants at Kenya's Samburu National Reserve and Amboseli National Park have discovered that the pachyderms call to each other and respond to one another using individual names, the Associated Press reported on June 10. The names are expressed in low rumbles that can be heard over long distances -- by elephants. Many of the noises are low enough not to be heard by humans. When scientists played recordings to individual elephants, they responded energetically to those that contained their names. "Elephants are incredibly social, always talking and touching each other," said co-author George Wittemyer. "We just cracked open the door a bit to the elephant mind."

The Passing Parade

As part of the annual Italian Market Festival in Philadelphia, one contest involves competitors climbing a greased pole to claim bags of meat and cheese tied at the top, United Press International reported. This year, however, the dangling delectables were left hanging, and nearly a month later, they're still there. Festival organizers are trying to arrange for a crane to gather the leftovers, which visitors claim aren't stinky -- yet. With the oncoming heat dome across the United States, that might change.

Just Couldn't Help Herself

Tara Bjork, a server at Charlotte, North Carolina's Restoration Hardware Rooftop Restaurant, knew she was overstepping the rules on May 27 when she posted a video to

TikTok while at work. "I need you guys to see what just came in the door," she said to the camera before panning to a table where a man was sitting across from a blow-up doll. Canoe.com reported that Bjork observed him "feeding" grapes to the doll, but later it was revealed that the man had finished last in his fantasy football league and the restaurant visit was his punishment. Bjork was fired from the restaurant for making the post but said it "wasn't too much of a shock, thank goodness."

But Why?

State Rep. Jim Carroll of Bennington, Vermont, released two videos to local news outlets in June depicting his colleague, Rep. Mary Morrissey, pouring water into Carroll's tote bag as it hung on a hook in his office, NBC5-TV reported. The incidents took place in April. "I want to say how very, very sorry I am for my actions of pouring water in Jim Carroll's tote bag," Morrissey said. "Quite honestly, I don't know why I did it. I was not meaning to hurt him." Carroll decided to release the video, which he took, because he believed not doing so would draw even more attention to the events. Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski told Morrissey, who's been a member of the House since 1997, that she would not be eligible to serve on conference committees.

What's in a Name?

Here's a term you might not know: A "cryptic pregnancy" occurs when a woman is pregnant but doesn't realize it until labor begins. So it went with Tayvia Woodfork, 26, of Mississippi, who experienced stomach pains while dining at a Golden Corral restaurant in North Little Rock, Arkansas, on May 6. Fox News reported that Woodfork went to the restroom, where she delivered 6-pound Tamaar Kylon Corral Woodfork, a boy. Yes, that third name is a tribute to the restaurant. Golden Corral shared news of the birth on their Facebook page and even gifted the new mom a $200 gift card, among other items.

Terror in the Drive-thru

On June 11 in Seattle, Emma Lee, 23, got into hot water with a drive-thru customer at Taste of Heaven Espresso, where she works, Canoe.com reported. The customer was steamed about the price of his drinks, to which Lee responded, "You don't get to name your own price." After receiving his drinks, the customer allegedly got out of his car and threw them through the drive-thru window at the barista, then spit on her. But Lee fought back: She leaned out of the window and took a hammer to his windshield, putting a hole in the glass. "The argument that he didn't know or was scammed doesn't hold up," she said. "The prices are listed." Police were called, and Lee filed charges of misdemeanor assault and banned him from the store.

In Lakeland, Florida, on June 14, customers in a McDonald's drive-thru were unhappy with an incorrect order, ClickOrlando reported. They argued with employee Chassidy Gardner before starting to drive away -- that's when Gardner allegedly threw a drink at the car. Two of the customers exited the car, opened the drive-thru window and threw drinks at Gardner, who grabbed a handgun and walked outside, firing at least one shot at the vehicle as it left the parking lot. She was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

saturday

NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL: TC. Today includes the Sara Hardy’s Farmers Market, Norte Kids Balance Bike Race, Ginop Sales Inc Very Cherry Flying Pancake Breakfast, Zumba By The Bay, Bayside Beach Volleyball Tournament, NASA: Journey to Tomorrow, Opening Ceremonies, Picnic at the Park, Air Show, Great American Picnic, Stone Temple Pilots wsg Moon Fever, & much more. cherryfestival.org/events

2ND ANNUAL “MY SISTER’S CLOSET” - LADIES CLOTHING GIVEAWAY: 9amnoon, Lighthouse Missionary Church, East Jordan. Enjoy refreshments, fellowship & free shopping. The goal is to provide ladies of all ages with free, modest, gently-used clothing & apparel. Presented by the Bright Lights girls youth group of East Jordan.

LITTLE TRAVERSE CROP WALK: Bay View Association, Evelyn Hall, Petoskey. Crop Walk for Hunger. Annual 3-mile walk through Bay View. Registration begins at 8:30am; walk at 9am. bayviewassociation.org

PETOSEGA 5K FUN RUN & WALK: 9am, Camp Petosega, Alanson. An Independence Day 5K run & walk to benefit Emmet County local parks & facilities. Wear red, white & blue. Day of: $15 & $25. camppetosega.org/events/%20a

CADILLAC FOOTLITERS JUNIOR PLAYERS AUDITIONS: 9:30am-12:30pm, Franklin Elementary School, Cadillac. Open auditions for ages 8-13 for “Seussical Jr. the Musical.” sites.google.com/view/ seussicaljunior/audition-hub?authuser=0 ----------------------

ART IN THE GARDEN FESTIVAL: 10am4pm, Otsego Conservation District Demonstration Gardens, Gaylord. Workshops, music, crafts, local artists, educational booths & more. 989-732-4021. Free.

BREW TO BREW TRAIL DAY: 10am, Betsie Valley Trail. A self-directed ride of either a 20-mile loop or just walk on the trail & enjoy beers. Pick up your t-shirt & beer vouchers at either the trailhead building in Beulah or at Stormcloud in Frankfort between 10am -2pm. Benzie Bus will provide complimentary shuttle service. Cost is a minimum of $50 donation; includes a t-shirt & vouchers for two beers. betsievalleytrail.org

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CHARLEVOIX SUMMER ART SHOW: 10am-5pm, East Park, downtown Charlevoix.

HIKE SLEEPING BEAR DUNES BACK COUNTRY TO BEACH: 10am. Join the Grand Traverse Chapter of the North Country Trail Association for this 5.6-mile hike. Meet at the Platte River Campground Trailhead & hike 2.8 miles on the Platte Plains trail through dunes & forest to a remote beach with views of Sleeping Bear dunes to the north & South Manitou Island on the horizon. After a beach picnic lunch, hike back to the meeting spot. Free. meetup. com/grand-traverse-chapter-north-countrytrail-association/events/301571444

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MACKINAW PREMIER ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW: 10am, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City.

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OPEN STUDIO, PETOSKEY: 10am-1pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Visual Arts Room, Petoskey. Drop-in arts & crafts for the whole family. New projects are offered each week. Free. crookedtree.org/event/ ctac-petoskey/open-studio-june-29

ALL ABOUT PARROTS WITH WENDY WARES OF TC PARROT SANCTUARY:

10:30am, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Meet Sheba the Macaw & Joey the African Grey when you learn about parrot care, characteristics, diet, body language & much more. greatlakeskids.org ----------------------

PICNIC AND PLANES: 11am-3pm, Traverse Bay United Methodist Church, 1200 Ramsdell St., TC. This fundraiser will benefit Love Thy Neighbor Grand Traverse Region. Enjoy Maxbauer hot dogs, cherry cobbler, chips, & a beverage while watching the Blue Angels Air Show. $1-$7 food items for purchase. lovethyneighborgt.org

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“GATEWAY TO BLACK EDEN” CELEBRATION: Michigan Legacy Art Park, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. A familyfriendly brown bag lunch & concert with Marion Hayden and Legacy sharing the history of jazz music begins at 11:30am. The sculptor, M. Saffell Gardner, will deliver his artist talk on the sculpture & its connection to the history of Idlewild, Michigan at 12:30pm. Free park admission all day.

JOIN THE LEELANAU DEMOCRATS FOR A FUNDRAISER IN SUPPORT OF REP. BETSY COFFIA: Noon-1:30pm, Elmwood Park, TC. Celebrate all that has been accomplished & help raise the resources necessary to keep Betsy as the representative! RSVP. secure.actblue.com/donate/ LeelanauForBetsy

BERYL DAYS: 1pm, Empire Beach Lighthouse, Empire. 20 Years of Sleeping Bear Surf. Today includes the Sand Castle Building Extravaganza, Below Amateur Stone Skipping Competition, Rip-Roarin’ Rambunctious Relay Race, Surf & Gear Swap, Skate Jam in the Alley, Games in the Greenspace, & An Evening of Music with Patrick Niemisto, Allie Kessel, The Skinny Limbs, & The Go Rounds. sleepingbearsurf.com/event/beryl-days

BOOK LAUNCH EVENT: 1-3pm, Short’s Pull Barn, Elk Rapids. Joshua Veith will present the first book of his trilogy, “Island and Main.”

SONGWRITING & RECORDING WORKSHOP WITH TRILLIUM GROOVE: 1pm, East Bay Township Building, TC. Join local songwriters & recording artists Trillium Groove for this fun & engaging workshop for teens & adults. This program is sponsored by the Sight & Sound Department of Traverse Area District Library, & East Bay Branch Library. Free. tadl.org/event/trilliumgroove-workshop-ebb-draft-15397

CADILLAC FOOTLITERS JUNIOR PLAYERS AUDITIONS: 1:30-3:30pm, Franklin Elementary School, Cadillac. Open auditions for ages 8-13 for “Seussical Jr. the Musical.” sites.google.com/view/seussicaljunior/audition-hub?authuser=0

REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND CONCERT: 7pm, AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center, Grayling. Enjoy this Billboard Blues Chart-topping, high-energy trio. $35. artisanvillage.org/ events

WHEN YOU WISH - A TRIBUTE TO 100 YEARS OF MAGIC: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. A musical celebration of the world’s most beloved stories & characters. Hear hits from stage & screen featuring everyone’s favorite princesses, heroes, villains, & more. Tickets starting at $10. greatlakescfa.org/events/ detail/when-you-wish

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. BATTLE CREEK

BATTLE JACKS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters/schedule

“ANNIE, JR.”: 7:30pm, Cheboygan Opera

House. Community theater, featuring an allkid cast directed by the Northland Players. Based on the popular comic strip; adapted from the Tony Award-winning Best Musical; with a beloved book & score by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse & Martin Charnin; “Annie Jr.” features everyone’s favorite little redhead in her very first adventure. This is a 60-minute version of the Broadway hit musical. $10; students, $5. theoperahouse.org/tickets

SONGS OF NIGHT: 7:30pm, Northport Auditorium. Presented by the Village Voices of Northport & the Trinity Community Handbell Choir. Tickets available at the door/open seating. Adults, $15; students, $5; Northport students are free with an adult companion. 231-386-2009. northportcac.org

“THE COMEDY OF ERRORS,” INTERLOCHEN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL: 8pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, UptonMorley Pavilion. Celebrate William Shakespeare’s imagination with a contemporary twist. Reserve your seat for a classic production with slapstick comedy, clever puns, & witty wordplay. $41. interlochen.org/events/ comedy-errors-interlochen-shakespearefestival-2024-06-28

sunday

SUTTONS BAY - RUN

MICHIGAN CHEAP: 8am, Suttons Bay TART Trailhead, 109 4th St., Suttons Bay. The cost for the half marathon is $35. 10K, $30. 5K, $25. runsignup.com/Race/Events/MI/ SuttonsBay/SuttonsBayRunMichiganCheap

NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL: TC. Today includes the Arts & Crafts Fair, Bayside Beach Volleyball Tournament, Yoga by the Bay, American Farmland Trust’s Cherry Farm Market, Classic Car Show, Air Show, Great American Picnic, Kids Cherry Teddy Bear Tea, Benefit Concert feat. Fresh Horses & The Insiders, & much more. cherryfestival. org/events

BERYL DAYS: 9:30am, Empire Beach, Empire. 20 Years of Sleeping Bear Surf. Today includes Beach Yoga with Jessica Shelton of Sleeping Bear Yoga, Beach Cleanup with The Cleanup Club, Sip n’ Dip, & more. sleepingbearsurf.com/event/beryl-days ----------------------

CHARLEVOIX SUMMER ART SHOW: 10am-3pm, East Park, downtown Charlevoix.

LOG CABIN DAY - OMP: 10am-3pm, Lighthouse Park, Old Mission Peninsula, 20500 Center Rd. Hessler Log cabin & Lighthouse tours, music, & historical exhibits. Also, the 1842 Dougherty Mission House & the Mission Log Church open in Old Mission Village. Sponsored by Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society. Free. omphistoricalsociety.org ----------------------

MACKINAW PREMIER ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW: (See Sat., June 29)

MACKINAW TRAIL WINE RUN 5K: 10am, Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery, Petoskey. $40; $25 for ages 20 & under; prices increase after June 19. runsignup.com/Race/MI/Petoskey/ MackinawTrailWineRun5k?aflt_token=vkm wDmweQ4iCYn8otSOOnKQ3vCO8buOw

LOG CABIN: 11am-4pm, Boekeloo Cabin, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Honor. Descendant Stuart Boekeloo will provide the interpretive history of the cabin situated on a cranberry bog at the end of a quiet two-track. The late 1800s log cabin location also has a walking path to Lake Michigan. phsb.org/event/log-cabin-day

“ANNIE, JR.”: (See Sat., June 29, except today’s performance is at 2pm.)

WHEN YOU WISH - A TRIBUTE TO 100 YEARS OF MAGIC: (See Sat., June 29, except today’s time is 3pm.)

BIG FUN WITH JEFF HAAS & FRIENDS: 4pm, Old Art Building, lawn, Leland. Part of the Music In The Air summer concert series. Bring lawn chairs or blankets, along

The Scottville Clown Band is a big part of the Manistee National Forest Festival that runs July 3-7. They’re not only in the Independence Day Parade that starts at 10am on July 4, but they also perform on Sun., July 7 at the Lions Pavilion on First Street Beach from 1-3pm. For a full schedule of events visit manisteeforestfestival.com.

with a picnic dinner. Free. oldartbuilding.com/ events/music-in-the-air-jeff-haas-big-fun

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. BATTLE CREEK

BATTLE JACKS: 5:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters/schedule

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COMEDY MIXTAPE #12: 7-9pm, The Workshop Brewing Co., TC. Presented by Tilt think. Improv, original sketch, parody songs, new formats & more.

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WORLD YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: DELYANA LAZAROVA CONDUCTS BRAHMS AND BRITTEN: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Enjoy the talents of Interlochen Arts Camp’s high school orchestral musicians in the summer 2024 debut of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra. James Conlon Conducting Prize laureate Delyana Lazarova leads the Camp’s flagship ensemble in Johannes Brahms’ “Academic Festival Overture,” Anna Clyne’s “Abstractions,” & Benjamin Britten’s “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.” $21-$28. interlochen.org/events/world-youthsymphony-orchestra-delyana-lazarova-conducts-brahms-and-britten-2024-06-30

VESPER CONCERT: 8pm, Bay View, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. Nights on Broadway: Perennial tribute to the best of the musical theater! Member: $18.50, nonmember: $23.50, under 18: free. onthestage.tickets/bay-view-association

july 01

monday

NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL: TC. Today includes the Bayside Beach Volleyball Tournament,

Cherry Pie Bike Ride, Kids Pet Show, Princess Tea, Arnold’s Amusements Midway, Beer Tent, Kids Cherry Pie Eating Contest, Bubble Gum Blow, Adult Cherry Pie Eating Contest, Adult Cherry Pit Spit Contest, Bret Michaels wsg Jefferson Starship, & much more. cherryfestival.org/events

FRANKFORT 4TH OF JULY MEDALLION HUNT: Frankfort. Stop by the Frankfort-Elberta Chamber of Commerce location at 10am, July 1-4 for clues to find The Medallion. Cash prize for the winner. Free. frankfort-elberta.com

MOVIE MONDAYS: 3-5pm, Bellaire Public Library. Family friendly movie - popcorn included! PG or under. Free. bellairelibrary.org

REFIT® TC: 6:30pm, The Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. At REFIT, everyBODY belongs! A fun dance fitness experience. Summer classes: Mondays at 6:30pm & Thursdays at 9:30am. $1 suggested donation. facebook.com/profile. php?id=100090460000055

JAMMIN’ MONDAYS ON BETSIE BAY: 7-9:15pm, Waterfront Park Amphitheater, Elberta. Metro Soul Band will bring you Motown, jazz, RnB, soul, rock, funky blues, country & dance tunes. Free.

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. ROCKFORD RIVETS: BLUE COLLAR NIGHT: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters/ schedule

MONDAY NIGHT MOVIE: 7:30pm, Bay View Association, Voorhies Hall, Petoskey. “Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the WereRabbit” (U.K.). 2005, 94 mins. Free. bayviewassociation.org/monday-night-movies

july 02

tuesday

FRANKFORT 4TH OF JULY MEDALLION HUNT: (See Mon., July 1)

NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL: TC. Today includes the GT Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians Pow Wow, Hole-in-One, A Very Fairy Cherry JamBerry, Comedian Leanne Morgan, & much more. cherryfestival.org/events

KIDS CRAFT LAB: DROP-IN ART: 10:3011:30am, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Squish, smash, paint, squirt, spin, mold & model as you learn & create crazy crafts together. greatlakeskids.org/news

FREE OPEN STUDIO TUESDAYS: Noon4pm, Boyne Arts Center, Boyne City. Bring your paints, fiber arts, written arts, sculpting, jewelry, cards, drawing, or other portable mediums. Create & share.

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“A CLOUD OVER THE LAND”: 7pm, Little Traverse History Museum, Petoskey. Deborah Richmond, historian for the Burt Lake Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians, will speak on a new book they have published: “A Cloud Over The Land.” petoskeymuseum.org

MEET THE AUTHOR: DAVID ROLL: 7pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. David is the author of “Ascent to Power: How Truman Emerged from Roosevelt’s Shadow and Remade the World.” His new book spans the years of transition, 1944 to 1948, & illuminates Truman’s struggles to emerge as president in his own right. Mr. Roll will be interviewed by Dr. Mel Laracey, a seasonal Empire resident & professor of

political science at the University of Texas San Antonio. Free. glenlakelibrary.net

THE KING’S SINGERS: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. The group’s musical mastery features Renaissance, Baroque, Disney, & modern as well as more than 200 commissioned pieces by composers such as John Tavener, Judith Bingham, & Eric Whitacre. The King’s Singers perform more than 100 concerts annually across Europe, North America, Asia, & Australasia. Their close-harmony has garnered two Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, & a place in Gramophone magazine’s inaugural Hall of Fame. Tickets starting at $52. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/the-kings-singers ----------------------

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. ROCKFORD RIVETS: INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pitspitters/schedule

july 03

wednesday

NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL: TC. Today includes Fun & Games for Special Cherry Kids, Royal Fashion Show & Cherry Luncheon, Cornhole Tournament, Bubble Gum Blow, Kids Cherry Town Fun Night, Goo Goo Dolls, Bayside Concert on the Water, & much more. cherryfestival.org/events

MANISTEE NATIONAL FOREST FESTIVAL: Today includes a Festival Marketplace, Whispering Pines Mobile Petting Zoo, Madkat Taggers Gel Ball, 2nd Annual Wine on the River, & more. manisteeforestfestival.com/manistee-national-forestfestival-event-schedule-manistee-michigan

ADVENTURE AT CAMP READ-A-LOT

CAMPFIRE STORIES & SONGS: 10am, Bellaire Public Library. “Sit around the campfire” telling stories & singing songs with Peter & Leslie. S’mores included! Free. bellairelibrary.org

BOYNE CITY FOURTH OF JULY: Today includes the 49th Annual Waterside Art & Craft Fair + food trucks, Cornhole Tournament, & more. boyne4thofjuly.com/2024schedule-of-events.html

FRANKFORT 4TH OF JULY MEDALLION HUNT: (See Mon., July 1)

IPL’S SUMMER READING PROGRAM PIZZA PARTY & STAFF DAY: 10:30am, Interlochen Public Library. Enjoy stories, songs, crafts & pizza. 231-276-6767. Free.

RECOVERY RESOURCE ROUNDTABLE: 11am, The Friendship Community Center, Suttons Bay. Catholic Human Services Peer Recovery Coach Denny Brown is available on the first Weds. of each month at 11am. Drop in for resources, community connections, & coaching. This is available at no-cost to any community member with a substance use disorder, struggling with substance misuse, or with questions/curiosity about either. e4b32379-0a02-48e1a874-3a499da39dec.usrfiles.com/ugd/e4 b323_7a2b8e0fc2bf490d94617fe1122ec0 1e.pdf

WIENER DOG RACES: 11am, Jean Jardine Park, Harbor Springs.

CHARLOTTE ROSS LEE CONCERTS IN THE PARK: Noon-1pm, Pennsylvania Park, Gazebo, downtown Petoskey. Featuring Chris Koury. Bring a lunch & lawn chair or picnic blanket. Free. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-petoskey/charlotte-ross-leeconcerts-park-2024

IPR’S SOUND GARDEN PROJECT: Charlevoix. Planting classical music in unexpected places. Featuring the Kodak Quartet, who are highly regarded for their work with contemporary composers on new compositions & for presenting traditional works with a contemporary flavor. They perform from 1:30-2pm at Charlevoix Circle of Arts; 2-2:30pm at J.bird Provisions; 2:303pm at VUE Wine Bar; 3-3:30pm at Splash Pad/Trout Pond; 5:30-7pm at Mobile “Ice Cream Truck” Concert Tour via Mushroom House Tours; 8:45-9:30pm at Lighthouse/ Michigan Beach Park; & 9:30pm at The Earl HIBar. Free. downtowncharlevoix.com/ipr

LOCALS NIGHT RECESS AT THE BEER TENT!: 5-7pm, Beer Tent, Open Space, downtown TC. Traverse Ticker’s after-work happy hour for adults. Admission is $10 & includes food & a drink token. Choose from cherries, cherry brats, chips & cherry salsa & cherry pie. Prizes include Goo Goo Doll deck tickets, Accidentals deck tickets, carnival wrist bands & beer tent drink tokens, & a Cherry Republic Nothing But Cherries gift basket. Participants must purchase a $5 National Cherry Festival pin for entry to the tent. Find ‘July Recess at Locals Night at the National Cherry Festival Beer Tent’ on Facebook.

BOYNE AREA CHAMBER PAVILION SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: 6:30pm, Veteran’s Park Pavilion, Boyne City. Featuring Eric Jaqua. Free.

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ELLSWORTH CONCERTS ON THE SQUARE: 7pm, Ellsworth Community Square. Featuring Country Thunder. Free. FIREWORKS IN BAY HARBOR: 7-10:30pm. Head to the Village of Bay Harbor for their Independence Day fireworks display. Featuring a performance by the Petoskey Steel Drum Band. Free. bayharbor.com/eventdetail/july-3-fireworks-with-petoskey-steel-

drum-band/?glm_event_from=2024-07-03

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT: 8pm, Bay View, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. Bay View String Faculty: Death and the Maiden - Journey through Mortality and Transcendence. Non-member: $18.50, members & under 18: free. onthestage.tickets/bay-view-association

thursday

BOYNE CITY FOURTH OF JULY: Today includes the Independence Day Breakfast; Boyne City Independence Day Run - 10K Run & 2 Mile Run/Walk; PreParade entertainment; Grand Parade; 49th Annual Waterside Art & Craft Fair + Food Trucks; Boyne City Rotary “World Famous Chicken BBQ”; Patriotic Painting in the Park; Old Fashioned Children’s Games; duck race; Jerry Froats Commemorative Raft Race; Grand Fireworks, & much more. boyne4thofjuly.com/2024-schedule-ofevents.html

GREATEST FOURTH IN THE NORTH: Lake City. Today includes a 10K Run, 5K Walk/Run & 2K Fun Run; Masonic Breakfast; Grand Parade; Strawberry Festival; Pizza Eating Contest; Merritt Speedway Race, followed by fireworks; live music with Samanta Crawford & Borderline, & much more. missaukeechamber.com/wp-content/uploads/ G4itN-2024-Schedule-of-Events.pdf

FIRECRACKER 5K RUN: 8am, Beulah Park. $20. runsignup.com/firecracker

HARBOR SPRINGS’ 4TH OF JULY: Paul Revere 10 Mile Run (8am) & 5K (8:15am). American Legion Breakfast: 8-11am. Art in the Park: 9am-4pm. 4th of July Parade: 1pm. Fireworks: Approx. 10:30pm.

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IPR’S SOUND GARDEN PROJECT: Charlevoix. Planting classical music in unexpected places. Featuring the Kodak Quartet, who are highly regarded for their work with contemporary composers on new compositions & for presenting traditional works with a contemporary flavor. They perform from 8:30-9am at Weathervane Terrace Inn & Suites; 10-10:30am at Cafe Meria; 10:30-11am at The Clothing Company; 11-11:30am at The Taffy Barrel; 11:30am-noon at Kilwin’s; & 12-12:30pm at Charlevoix Farmer’s Market. Free. downtowncharlevoix.com/ipr

CENTRAL LAKE FOURTH OF JULY: 9am: Victory4Veterans 5K. Noon: Downtown Parade.

MANISTEE NATIONAL FOREST FESTIVAL: Today includes Independence Day Flag Raising Ceremony, Independence Day Parade, Roots on the River Kickoff Bash, Anderson Midway Carnival, 4th of July Cruise, & much more. manisteeforestfestival.com/manistee-national-forestfestival-event-schedule-manistee-michigan

NORTHPORT RUN FOR CANCER FUNDS: 9am, Northport Visitors Center. 5K timed run & 2k fun walk. $35. runsignup. com/northportrun

FRANKFORT 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION: 10am: Parade Downtown, carnival & Art in the Park in Mineral Springs Park. Noon-2pm: Sand Sculpture Contest; meet at the path leading to the pier. Fireworks at dusk on Lake Michigan beach. Free. frankfort-elberta.com

FRANKFORT 4TH OF JULY MEDALLION HUNT: (See Mon., July 1) ----------------------

NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL: TC. Today includes the Ultimate Air Dogs, Cornjuly 04

“the cleanest, most genuine manouche jazz that can be heard in Michigan” –LOCAL SPINS

A rousing set inspired by troubadours and vaudevillians of days of old, Scandinavian folk songs, theatrical Cab Calloway sing-a-longs, and traditional American jazz favorites. Welcome to the theatre of the north!

hole Tournament, Hole-in-One, Cherry Kids Fun Run, Dylan Scott wsg DASHA, Consumers Energy Community Royale Parade, 4th of July Fireworks, & much more. cherryfestival.org/events

4TH OF JULY IN MACKINAW CITY: 11am4pm: Mackinaw Woman’s Club Strawberry Social. 1:30pm: Games on the Lawn for All Ages. 9pm: Straits Area Concert Band. Dusk: Fireworks Over Harbor. mackinawchamber.com/event/independence-festivities-mackinaw ----------------------

BAY HARBOR 4TH OF JULY PARADE: 11am, Main St., Bay Harbor. Includes electric vehicles that will be decked out with different themes, costumes, & candy.

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ROOT ON THE RIVER KICKOFF CONCERT: 1-9pm, Veterans Memorial Park, parking lot, Manistee. Featuring Cold Leather Seats, Truck Driver Bingo & more.

PETOSKEY’S 4TH OF JULY: 6pm: Grandpa Shorter’s Fourth of July Parade. Lines up at Petoskey High School, heads down Mitchell St., across on Petoskey St. to Lake St. & then up Lake St. where it ends at the gazebo in Pennsylvania Park. Featuring the Petoskey Steel Drum Band, Petoskey High School Marching Band, new NCMC mascot, & much more. 7-10pm: Live entertainment. The Petoskey Steel Drum Band will perform a street concert following the parade on Lake St. near the gazebo. Starting at 7:30pm, live music takes place along the waterfront at Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau Main Stage. Featuring Michael “Hobbes” Rorick, The Third Degree, & Recovery NOTES. 7-9pm: Little Traverse Historical Society Ice Cream Social at Little Traverse History Museum in Bayfront Park. 9:30pm: Million Dollar Sunset. Take a look westward over Little Traverse Bay for a beautiful sight. Dusk: Brilliance over the Bay Fireworks Show. The best viewing area is in Petoskey’s Bayfront Park. petoskeyfourth.org/schedule

HARBOR SPRINGS STREET MUSIQUE: 6:30-8:30pm, Downtown Harbor Springs. Country Week: Red Thyme, Alex Teller + Andy Travis, Whiskey Charmers, Wyatt & Shari Knapp, & Tommy Tropic.

LIVE ON THE LAKE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: 7pm, East Park, Odmark Performance Pavilion, downtown Charlevoix. Featuring the IPR Sound Garden ProjectKodak Quartet. A special opening act performance featuring students & faculty of the Cummings Quartet Chamber Music Camp, sponsored by the Dorothy Gerber Strings Program, will take place. Bring your own lawn chairs. Free. downtowncharlevoix. com/summer-concerts

BEULAH FIREWORKS: 10pm. Enjoy a fireworks display over Crystal Lake from downtown Beulah.

friday

MANISTEE NATIONAL FOREST FESTIVAL: Today includes Free Morning Beach Meditation, book signings at Hoot and Honey Bookstore, “The Birds of America” Page Turning & Tea Party with Mayor Sullivan at Manistee County Main Library, Beach Jam with The Downtowners at First Street Beach, fireworks & Sunset Cruise, fireworks over Lake Michigan & much more. manisteeforestfestival.com/manistee-nationalforest-festival-event-schedule-manisteemichigan

GREATEST FOURTH IN THE NORTH: Lake City. Today includes a Pickleball Tournament, 2nd Annual Cornhole Tournament,

Hot Dog Eating Contest, Battle of the Bands, Volleyball Tournament, & much more. missaukeechamber.com/wp-content/uploads/ G4itN-2024-Schedule-of-Events.pdf ----------------------

NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL: TC. Today includes a Pickleball Tournament, Cherry Golf Scramble, Diaper Derby & Toddler Trot, DTE Energy Day, Ultimate Air Dogs, Kids Chalk Art, Cherries Got Talent Finals, Cherry Industry Program & Awards, Queen’s Coronation, Gabriel ‘Fluffy’ Iglesias, & much more. cherryfestival.org/ events

FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND 5K FUN RUN: 9am, Crystal Mountain, Mountain Center Rd. by Kinlochen. $15 through July 4; $20 day of. crystalmountain.com/event/ july-4k

THE OPIATE EPIDEMIC IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: 10am, Bay View Association, Voorhies Hall, Petoskey. Emmet County Undersheriff Matt Leirstein, Detective Sergeant Fuller Cowell, & Deputy Tyler Midyett & his K9, Divot, will discuss the history, scope & crushing effects of the opiate epidemic in northern Michigan. They will share some of the strategies they use to combat the effects of the epidemic. Free. bayviewassociation.org/ events/scarrow-friday-forum-659-796-847\

KIDS CRAFT LAB: DROP-IN ART: (See Tues., July 2)

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CHARLOTTE ROSS LEE CONCERTS IN THE PARK: Noon-1pm, Pennsylvania Park, Gazebo, downtown Petoskey. Featuring Peter Allen Jensen. Bring a lunch & lawn chair or picnic blanket. Free. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-petoskey/charlotte-ross-leeconcerts-park-2024

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“A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR’S COURT”: 6pm, Grand Traverse Mall, TC. Performed by the Theatre Explorers’ one-week campers. $18, $9. tickets. oldtownplayhouse.com/TheatreManager/1/ online?bestavail=2169&qty=0

PREMIERE OF “LAKE LEELANAU, SPIRIT OF THE LAKE”: 6-8pm, Old Art Building, Leland. This documentary dives into the history & nostalgia of Lake Leelanau. Produced by the Leelanau Historical Society & directed by Keith Patterson of Manitou Films, this film is a heartfelt tribute to the lake’s legacy. Toast the film at 6pm; film starts at 6:30pm. A Q&A with director will follow the film. $20 members; $25 nonmembers. leelanauhistory.org/2024/06/20/ documentary-film-premiere-lake-leelanauspirit-of-the-lake

FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC IN THE PARK: 6:30-8:30pm, Marina Park, Harbor Springs. Featuring Ty Parkin & The Old Souls.

“NOTHIN’ BUT A GOOD TIME: AN 80S MIX TAPE”: 7-9pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. Get out the hairspray & leg warmers for this music & dance journey through the 1980s with songs like “True Colors,” “Man in the Mirror” & “I Love Rock’n’Roll”! Performed by the students of Central Michigan University’s Department of Theatre and Dance 2024 Summer Theatre Troupe. $20. tickets.oldtownplayhouse.com/TheatreManager/1/tmEvent/tmEvent543.html

EAST JORDAN MUSIC IN THE PARK: 7pm, Memorial Park Bandshell, East Jordan. Featuring Pine River Jazz. Free.

“THE COMEDY OF ERRORS,” INTERLOCHEN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL: (See Sat., June 29)

---------------------MUSIC IN MACKINAW: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. Enjoy Irish folk with Great Lakes Irish.

saturday

NATIONAL CHERRY FES-

TIVAL: TC. Today includes the Meijer Festival of Races, Pickleball Tournament, Ultimate Air Dogs, DTE Energy Foundation Cherry Royale Parade, The Accidentals & Joshua Davis, Festival Finale Fireworks & much more. cherryfestival.org/events

GREATEST FOURTH IN THE NORTH: Lake City. Today includes a Pancake Breakfast, Kids Parade, Volleyball Tournament, Foam Party, A2 Magic Show, Pie Eating Contest, Animal Magic, live music with Delilah DeWylde & Seth Bernard, fireworks & much more. missaukeechamber.com/wp-content/ uploads/G4itN-2024-Schedule-of-Events.pdf

MANISTEE NATIONAL FOREST FESTIVAL: Today includes the Manistee Firecracker 5K Run/Walk & 1K Fun Run, Manistee Arts & Crafts Show, The Little Big Shots Talent Show, 28th Annual Little River Band Powwow, Summer Sun Sets w/ i.am. james., & much more. manisteeforestfestival.com/manistee-national-forest-festivalevent-schedule-manistee-michigan

PETOSKEY ANTIQUES SHOW: 9am-5pm, Emmet County Fairgrounds, Petoskey. Featuring 120 dealers from nine states. facebook.com/petoskeyantiguesshow

LOON DAYS: 10am-5pm, Village Green Park, Walloon Lake.

MADE IN CHEBOYGAN CRAFT SHOW: 10am, Washington Park, downtown Cheboygan. Featuring more than 30 crafters & artists. facebook.com/madeincheboygan

OPEN STUDIO, PETOSKEY: (See Sat., June 29)

“THE COMEDY OF ERRORS,” INTERLOCHEN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL: (See Sat., June 29)

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JO DEE MESSINA: 8pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Kicking off her career with “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” Jo Dee Messina then posted nine No. 1 hits & sixteen Top 40 songs & was honored by the ACM Awards, CMA Awards, & GRAMMY Awards. She became the first female in country music history to celebrate three consecutive multi-week, chart-topping songs. Tickets starting at $87. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/jo-dee-messina ----------------------

MUSIC IN MACKINAW: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. Enjoy National Guard rock ‘n roll with Live Fire126th Army Band.

REVISITING CREEDENCE: 8pm, Bay View, John Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. Dan McGuinness & Kurt Griffey toured the world performing with original Creedence Clearwater Revival members & Rock & Roll Hall of Famers in Creedence Clearwater Revisited for ten years. Now they’ve been passed the torch continuing & celebrate CCR’s musical legacy, live in concert as Revisiting Creedence. $35-$65. bayviewassociation. org/pop-concerts

sunday

BLUEBERRY PANCAKE BREAKFAST: 8am-noon, Rainbow of Hope Farm, Kingsley. Donation: $10 adults, $7 children; free for preschool age. rainbowofhopefarm.weebly.com

MANISTEE NATIONAL FOREST FES-

TIVAL: Today includes MAPS Traditional Pancake Breakfast, Manistee Arts & Crafts Show, Scottville Clown Band Concert, Manistee Saints Baseball, 28th Annual Little River Band Powwow, & much more. manisteeforestfestival.com/manistee-nationalforest-festival-event-schedule-manisteemichigan

LOON DAYS: (See Sat., July 6)

PETOSKEY ANTIQUES SHOW: 10am4pm, Emmet County Fairgrounds, Petoskey. Featuring 120 dealers from nine states. facebook.com/petoskeyantiguesshow

MADE IN CHEBOYGAN CRAFT SHOW: 11am, Washington Park, downtown Cheboygan. Featuring more than 30 crafters & artists. facebook.com/madeincheboygan

FUN-FILLED GRAND PRIX AT TRAVERSE CITY HORSE SHOWS: 2pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. $75,000 Meijer CSI2* Grand Prix. Join Traverse City Horse Shows for a showcase of equestrian talent. Also enjoy food vendors & live music by The Huggy Bear Duo. Gates open 8am; Grand Prix activity begins at noon. 100% of ticket revenue will be donated to A Kid Again-Michigan. From $15. eventbrite. com/e/75000-meijer-2-grand-prix-tickets884147778807?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

SUNDAY MUSIC IN THE PARK: 4-6pm, Marina Park, Harbor Springs. Featuring the Rivertown Jazz Band. Bring your own seating. Free.

WORLD YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: RAY CHEN PERFORMS TCHAIKOVSKY’S VIOLIN CONCERTO: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge

Auditorium. Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Music Director, Orchestre National de France Music Director, & World Youth Symphony Orchestra Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Cristian Măcelaru takes the podium as the World Youth Symphony Orchestra welcomes Queen Elisabeth Competition-winning violinist Ray Chen. $28, $21. interlochen.org/events/world-youthsymphony-orchestra-ray-chen-performstchaikovskys-violin-concerto-2024-07-07

VESPER CONCERT: CARIBBEAN CRUISE: 8pm, Bay View, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. Enjoy a spicy taste of music from Cuba, Haiti, & the Caribbean. Member: $18.50; non-member: $23.50; under 18: free. onthestage.tickets/bay-viewassociation

ongoing

EVENING ON RIVER STREET: Wednesdays, 6-9pm through July 31, River St., downtown Elk Rapids. A summer tradition! Local food, kids activities, & live music. elkrapidschamber.org/evening-on-river-street

MINERAL SPRINGS CONCERTS IN THE PARK: Mineral Springs Park, Frankfort.

Held on Fridays, July 5 - Aug. 16 & Aug. 30 at 7pm. July 5 features Truck Driver Bingo. RUN, WALK OR BIKE: Wednesdays, 6pm through - Aug. 28, Northland Brewing Co., Indian River. Held on a crushed limestone, flat trail. All paces & ages welcomed. 810444-0247.

PAWS TO READ: Wednesdays, noon2pm through Aug. 7, Petoskey District Library. Featuring Lady AnnaBella, a certified therapy dog. Practice reading aloud with a furry friend. Reserve your 15-minute session. calendly.com/pdlyouth/paws-toread?month=2024-06

CRAFTS WITH KRISTY: Mondays, 10:30am-noon through July 29 at Interlochen Public Library. Kids will learn & practice different craft skills. Geared for ages 5-12, but all are welcome. 231-276-6767.

OUTDOOR STORY TIME: Held outside the Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, overlooking the beach on Tuesdays through Aug. 13 at 10:30am. Please bring a blanket for your family to sit on. These story times are geared toward pre-k to second graders & their caregivers, but fun for all who attend. Rain site is the library’s lower level Community Room. sbbdl.org

HISTORIC 1842 DOUGHERTY OLD MISSION HOUSE TOURS: Dougherty Old Mission House, TC. This house was built by Rev. Peter Dougherty, Chief Agosa, the

Odawa and Chippewa who lived along East Bay. Visit the summer kitchen, carriage shed & icehouse with a zinc refrigerator. Learn about the Old Mission Peninsula Agricultural Heritage where the fruit industry began. Discover its ties to the Old Mission Lighthouse. Open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11am until 4pm. doughertyoldmissionhouse.com

STROLL THE STREETS: Lake & Main streets, downtown Boyne City. Enjoy live music, entertainment, children’s activities, & much more Friday evenings from 6-9pm through Labor Day. boynecitymainstreet. com/event/stroll-the-streets/2024-06-07

SUNDAY BIRD WALKS: Sundays through June 30 in TC. Offered by the Grand Traverse Audubon Club. Visit web site to find times, locations, & map links. grandtraverseaudubon.org/events-2024

BALANCE BIKE CLUB MEET-UPS: Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30am through Aug. 28 at Norte Clubhouse, GT County Civic Center, TC. For first time riders who are ages 2-5 in TC. Drop-in. No need to bring your bike. There are plenty to borrow. norteyouthcycling.org/calendar/traversecity-slow-roll

farmers markets

CASTLE FARMERS MARKET: Birch Lake, Castle Farms, Charlevoix. Held every Tues. from 8am-1pm through Oct. 15. Celebrating craftsmanship, emphasizing the artistry of handmade goods & locally sourced produce. castlefarms.com/events/ farmers-market

DOWNTOWN PETOSKEY FARMERS MARKET: Howard St., between E Mitchell St. & Michigan St., Downtown Petoskey. Held every Fri. through Sept. 27 from 8:30am-1pm. Featuring seasonal locally grown produce, locally raised meats, caught fish, fresh cut flowers, plants, foraged mushrooms, from-scratch baked goods, sauces & more. There will also be live entertainment. ----------------------

EAST BAY CORNERS FARMERS MARKET: Thursdays, 3-7pm through Oct. 31, 1965 N 3 Mile Rd., TC. Featuring fresh & locally grown produce & goods. Find ‘East Bay Corners Farmers Market’ on Facebook.

EAST JORDAN GARDEN CLUB’S FARMERS MARKET: Held each Thurs. from 10am-2pm at the East Jordan Tourist Park. Fresh veggies, fruits, baked goods, handmade items, fresh cut flowers & more.

ELK RAPIDS FARMERS MARKET: Next to the Elk Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, on US 31 by the swan. Local growers & producers from all around northwestern Michigan. Shop every Friday morning through Oct. 4, 8am-noon. elkrapidschamber.org/farmers-market

EMPIRE FARMERS MARKET: 10234

Front St., Empire. Held on Saturdays, 9am1pm through Aug. 31. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/empire

GLEN ARBOR FARMERS MARKET: 6394 W. Western Ave., Glen Arbor. Held every Tues., 9am-1pm through Sept. 10. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/glen-arbor

HARBOR SPRINGS FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 9am-1pm through Oct. 19. Corner of Main & State streets, Harbor Springs.

HONOR FARMERS ARTIST & MAKERS MARKET: Maley Park on US31, across from Honor Plaza. Held every Tues., 9am2pm through Sept. 3. Featuring 24 vendors & fun community events. Find ‘Honor Farmers Artist & Makers Market’ on Facebook.

INTERLOCHEN FARMERS MARKET: Sundays, 9am-2pm through Oct.; Thursdays, 2-7pm through Aug. 2112 Joe Maddy Parkway, Interlochen. Featuring 60+ vendors. Includes local produce, baked goods, arts & crafts, & more. facebook.com/InterlochenFarmersMarket

LELAND FARMERS MARKET: Immanuel Lutheran Church Parking Lot, Leland. Held every Thurs., 9am-1pm through Sept. 5. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/leland

MACKINAW CITY FARMER’S MARKET: Held every Mon. from July 1 - Sept. 30 at 9am at Conkling Heritage Park, parking lot.

NORTHPORT FARMERS MARKET: 105 S. Bay St., Northport. Held every Fri., 9am1pm through Sept. 20. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/northport

OUTDOOR FARMERS MINI MARKET: Mondays, 1-5pm through Aug. 26. The Village at GT Commons, The Piazza, under Pavilion, TC. The market will grow as the flowers, fruits & veggies grow & become available. thevillagetc.com

SARA HARDY DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET: Runs every Weds. through Oct. from 8am-noon; & every Sat. through Oct. from 7:30am-noon. Normally held in parking lot “B” at the southwest corner of Cass

St. & Grandview Parkway in Downtown TC.

NOTE: The Market is moved to the Old Town Parking Garage during the National Cherry Festival.

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SUTTONS BAY FARMERS MARKET: Saint Joseph St., at north end of village. Held on Saturdays through Oct. 19 from 9am-1pm. Farmers market selling local produce, flowers, baked goods, artisan products. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/suttons-bay

art

CITY OPERA HOUSE, TC: - GENERATIONS EXHIBITION - FATHER DAUGHTER WORKS OF ART: Enjoy an exhibit that features large-scale paintings from a father & daughter duo – TC native Mitchell Truemner & Midland resident Katie Truemner Bruessow. This father & daughter bring two different styles. Their part II series will exhibit paintings inspired by Michigan’s landscapes. The exhibit runs through June 29. cityoperahouse.org/node/587

- SUMMER’S PALETTE MAGIC THURSDAY ARTIST ANNUAL SHOW & RECEPTION: Runs July 1 - Aug. 31. Featuring over 100 original paintings. A portion of all sales benefits the City Opera House. Join the opening reception on July 16 from 5-7pm for a “Picnic of ART” featuring $100 cash paintings by all artists plus other cash specials. Featured artists are Sue Bowerman, Lori Feldpausch, Rita Harrington, Ruth Kitchen, Dorothy Mudget, Marilyn Rebant, Dorothy Ruble, Stephanie Schlatter, Laura Swire, & Adam VanHouten. cityoperahouse.org

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY

- AURAS OF TRAVEL: PAINTINGS BY DOROTHY MCGRATH GROSSMAN: Runs through July 27 in Atrium Gallery. Dorothy’s work immerses the viewer in the tranquility of rolling hills & expansive skies. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-petoskey/auras-travel-paintings-dorothy-mcgrath-grossman

- MICHIGAN: AN AMERICAN PORTRAIT: Runs through Aug. 31 in Gilbert Gallery. This exhibit re-envisions the PBS documentary film of the same name as a dynamic art & culture exhibition. Open Tues. through Sat. from 10am-5pm. crookedtree.org/event/ ctac-petoskey/michigan-american-portrait - HORIZONS: LANDSCAPES & FIGURES BY ROBERT & SUSAN PERRISH: Held in Bonfield Gallery through Aug. Works by Michigan-based painters Robert & Susan Perrish. Open Tues. through Sat. from 10am-5pm. crookedtree.org/event/ctacpetoskey/horizons-landscapes-and-figuresrobert-and-susan-perrish

DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC:

- HARD EDGES, VIBRANT COLORS: OP ART FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION: Runs through Sept. 1. A subfield within the growing genre of Geometric Abstraction, Op Art often explores the interplay between geometry, tonal variations, & sharp, defined bands of color, all of which rely upon the viewer’s perceptions. “Hard Edges, Vibrant Colors” offers over a dozen works from the Dennos Museum Center’s permanent art collection. Check web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcomingexhibitions/index.html

-LOUISE JONES: “10,000 FLOWERS”: Runs through Sept. 1. This exhibit showcases new works by Jones drawing inspiration from still life & landscape traditions such as Trompe-l’œil (the illusion of three dimensional space), Vanitas (themes of mortality), scientific botanical illustration, & cityscapes. Best known for her floral murals, her new works on canvas mark a departure, delving further into our relationships with the natural world, seasons, & death. Also on display is Jones’ “50 State Flowers” project, in which the flowers representing each US state are painted in crisp detail on individual miniature wood panels, which was created for an upcoming exhibition at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum. org/art/now-on-view/index.html

- MICHIGAN WATER COLOR SOCIETY 77TH ANNUAL EXHIBIT: Runs through Sept. 1. This year’s exhibit was juried by award-winning artist, instructor & juror Stan Kurth. Michigan Water Color Society received 193 submissions from 105 different artists, with 55 being chosen for inclusion. The 30 pieces chosen by the juror to receive awards will later become a Travel Show to be on display at different locations across the state. Check web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcoming-exhibitions/index.html

- SOLO E TUTTI: A CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY: Runs through Sept. 1. Inspired by the musical phrases “Solo e Tutti,” which translates to “alone” & “everyone,” this collection of works offers a new take on the concept of community, reflecting the diversity of backgrounds that make up the students at Interlochen Arts Academy. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed on major holidays. dennosmuseum. org/art/now-on-view/solo-e-tutti.html?utm_ source=cision&utm_medium=email&utm_ campaign=dmc-summer-2024

GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER: - “MEMBERS CREATE” RETURNS: Featuring the work of 41 current GAAC members, in an array of work: 2D + 3D media

including: clay, collage, fiber, mixed media, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, & more. Runs through Aug. 8. glenarborart.org/exhibits/current-exhibits - NATIVE PLANTS: PAINTED + STITCHED CANVASES BY DANA FALCONBERRY: Held in the Lobby Gallery through Aug. 29. Falconberry, a musician, printmaker, painter & more, has been creating textile works that combine hand-painted imagery with machine chain stitch embroidery. She uses this hybrid method of creation to continue her exploration & interpretation of native plants local to northern Michigan. Gallery hours are Mon. through Fri., 9am-3pm; & Sat. & Sun., noon-4pm. glenarborart.org/events-page/events-all - OUTDOOR GALLERY EXHIBIT: MARGO BURIAN + ORDINARY MAGIC: Leelanau County artist Margo Burian’s collages have been chosen for display in the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s 2024-25 Outdoor Gallery exhibition, an annual, invitational exhibit. Burian’s collages are rooted in the idea of Ordinary Magic, or delight. They were reproduced on five, 5-foot-square, weatherresistant aluminum panels created by Image 360 of TC. Runs through April 20, 2025. Check web site for hours. glenaborart.org

HIGHER ART GALLERY, TC:

- “UNWRITTEN STORIES”: Runs through June 29. Mixed Media Artist Molly Carpenter shares her first solo exhibit. Featuring 12 new pieces celebrating her love of nature & the magic it brings to her life. Molly’s work is a unique blend of clay relief sculpture, glass mosaic & painting. higherartgallery.com/exhibitcalendar

- NORTHERN VIEWS: Edward Duff Solo Exhibit. This exhibit runs from July 5 - Aug. 3, with an Opening Reception on July 20 from 6-8pm. Northern Views is born out of the artist’s love for the natural beauty found in the surroundings of northern Michigan. This body of work is comprised of 9 new oil paintings. higherartgallery.com

OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT:

- FINDING THE LIGHT: PHOTOGRAPHY & GLASS: Runs July 1 – Aug. 2. An invitational exhibit combining fine art photography with luminous art glass. Michigan artists will be featured as you explore the interplay of light & shadow & how they affect both mediums in different ways. oliverart.org

- OAC ANNUAL SUMMER MEMBER SHOW: A wide variety of artistic styles, media & techniques will be showcased, highlighting the talents of Oliver Art Center members. An artist talk will take place on Fri., July 25 from 4-6pm. The exhibit runs through July 26. Open M-F, 10am-4pm & Sun., noon-4pm. oliverart.org

The Bikeriders

by JOSEPH BEYER

If American cinema has a genre all its own, it might be The Motorcycle Movie. With iconic influences like The Wild One (1953), Easy Rider (1969), and Hell Ride (2008) as inspiration, the long-awaited and chrome-infused drama The Bikeriders has finally roared into theaters, adding nicely to the canon.

And while the 1-hour-56-minute work of fiction distinguishes itself from the pack, it also pays homage to all the themes you’d expect and want: bad boys on the edge of society rebelling together as a gang, thundering chopper sounds that roar through you, unwilling damsels in distress caught between their men and their bikes, and the brooding good looks of a leading rebel with a cause.

If you need any reassurance it will be a wild R-rated ride, the film opens with a young mysterious drifter sitting alone at a bar who utters under his breath, “You’ll have to kill me to take this jacket off.” And he means it. That loner is Benny, played by actor Austin Butler.

Butler, fresh off the fame of playing Elvis Presley last year in Elvis, somehow manages to channel another icon here in his brooding reinterpretation of legend James Dean, who famously commanded the screen with his eyes and sparse dialogue.

Butler succeeds again in creating a character who says little but whose presence is felt every time he’s on screen. Benny has some anger management issues but finds his “family” in the Vandals Motorcycle Club in Chicago, a ragtag group of middle-aged white men longing for freedom from their predictable lives.

The unlikely leader of this pack is Johnny, a quiet but terrifying presence played by Tom Hardy. Johnny has created the Vandals to escape middle-class boredom, but what starts as a social club becomes more menacing as a criminal enterprise

driven by fights between rivals, tests of loyalty, and acts of revenge. In Benny, he sees a protégé who can build on what he’s started and protect it. The two have a special bond that sometimes borders on erotic, and together they form the heart and soul of the gang and will defend it at all costs.

The only thing standing in the way (of course) is Benny’s girl Kathy, a goodytwo-shoes who reluctantly gets pulled into the biker lifestyle when she falls for his brooding charm. Kathy suddenly finds herself at the center of the Vandals and is stuck between Benny’s love for her and his loyalty to the gang. It will put her on a collision course with Johnny, who demands more and more from Benny as the gang expands … and the doomed love triangle is formed.

News. Community. Integrity.

The story takes place circa the 1960s, and the film is loosely based on a photography book of the same name by Danny Lyon who documented a real-life motorcycle gang in the Midwest between 1965 and 1973. On screen, Lyon is portrayed by actor Mike Faist (having a moment after his turn in the recent hit The Challengers), who lurks in the background like an interviewer and asks all the right questions at the right time.

His focus with lens and microphone is Kathy (as played by actress Jodie Comer), who narrates the story in a series of semisoliloquies and monologues that often drift into the performative and leave her exposed on screen to do the best she can with them. Her scenes with other actors are the most successful, but the confessional convention becomes weary.

Writer and director Jeff Nichols has faithfully captured a time and a place and an insightful mood here that is often riveting. And yet the wheels come off too many times for absolute perfection, and ultimately The Bikeriders leaves you with an experience in need of some grease.

ALEXANDRA INN, TC

BLUSH, ROOFTOP TERRACE:

Mon -- John Piatek, 6-8

BONOBO WINERY, TC

7/5 -- DJ Ras Marco, 6-8

CHATEAU CHANTAL, TC

EAST PATIO:

7/5 -- Christina Teresa, 5-8

WEST PATIO, TC

Thu -- Jazz at Sunset w/ Jeff Haas

Trio & Laurie Sears, 7

COMMON GOOD RESTAURANT, TC

6:

6/29 – Rebekah John

7/5 – The Fridays

7/6 – Billy & The Kid

ENCORE 201, TC 9:

6/28-29 & 7/4-6 -- DJ Ricky T

7/3 -- DJ jr

FRESH COAST BEER WORKS, TC

7/5 -- FlyLite Gemini Duo, 7-10

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT AND SPA, ACME

7/5 -- Ben Richey, 7-10

IDENTITY BREWING CO., TC PATIO, 6-9:

7/2 – TC Celtic

7/5 – Jazz Cabbage

JACOB'S FARM, TC

6-9:

6/29 -- Jedi Clampetts

6/30 -- Kevin Paul

7/3 – Rhett & John

7/5 – Jabo Bihlman & Saints Band

7/6 – Luke Woltanski

7/7 – Charlie Arnett

KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC Mon -- Team Trivia, 7-9

Tue -- The Will Harris Trio, 8 Wed -- The Pocket, 8 Thu -- DJ Leo, 9:30

KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING

6/29 – The Turtlenecks, 7

7/2 – Open Mic Night, 6-7

7/4 – Trivia Night, 7-9

LAKEMORE RESORT, TC

7/3 – Randy Reszka, 6:30-9:30

LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC BARREL ROOM:

7/1 – Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9

TASTING ROOM:

5-7:

6/29 – Ol’ Pal Shayne

7/6 – Ben Traverse

LIL BO, TC Tues. – Trivia, 8-10 Sun. – Karaoke, 8

MARI VINEYARDS, TC

7/2 -- Anna p.s., 4-6

MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC

6/29 -- Protea, 8-11

7/5 -- Rebekah Jon, 6-9

7/6 -- Brett Mitchell Band, 8-11

NORTH BAR, TC

6/29 – The Boardman River Band, 5-8

6/30 – Zeke Clemons, 1-4; David Cisco, 5-8

7/1 – Rhett DuCouer, 1-4; Drew Hale, 5-8

7/2 – Brett Mitchell, 1-4; Jimmy Olson, 5-8

7/3 – Luke Woltanski, 1-4; Jesse Jefferson, 5-8

7/4 – Jerome Forde, 1-4

7/5 – Craig Jolly, 1-4; Rhett & John, 5-8; Prim, 10-1

7/6 – Chris Sterr, 1-4; David Cisco, 5-8

7/7 – John Piatek, 1-4; Amanda Igra, 5-8

OLD MISSION DISTILLING, TC SEVEN HILLS:

6/29 -- Reggae Night: DJ Ras Marco

D & i-Taweh, 4:30; i-Taweh, 7:30

6/30 -- Blair Miller, 5-8

7/3 – Jimmy Olson, 6:30

7/5 – Snacks & Five, 6

7/6 – One Hot Robot, 6 7/7 – Jesse Jefferson, 6

SORELLINA'S, TC SLATE RESTAURANT:

Thurs. -- Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 5-8

Fri. & Sat. – Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 6-9

STONE HOUND BREWING CO., WILLIAMSBURG

6/29 -- Mike Moran, 7:30-9:30

7/5 – Levi Britton, 7-10

THE HAYLOFT INN, TC 6/28-29 -- Tyler Gitchel's Traditional Country Show, 7:30-11

THE LITTLE FLEET, TC 6/30 – i taweh, 5-7 PATIO: 7/5 – The Daylites, 6-10

THE PARLOR, TC 7/1 – Dollar Shavey Club, 6-9; David Cisco, 9-12

7/2 – Luke Woltanski & John Piatek, 6-9; Jesse Jefferson, 8-11

7/3 – Rolling Dirty, 6-9; Wink Solo, 8-11

7/4 – Jimmy Olson, 8-11

7/5 – Chris Sterr, 6-9; Nick Vasquez, 9-12

7/6 – Kevin Paul, 6-9; Larz Cabot, 9-12

THE PUB, TC

6/29 – Jeff Linsell, 5-8; Zeke Clemons, 9-12

6/30 – Amanda Igra, 1-4; John Richard Paul, 5-8

7/1 – Cass Chaissen, 5-8; The Fridays, 9-12

7/2 – Hanna von Bernthal, 5-8; Brian T. McCosky, 9-12

7/3 – Dollar Shavey Club, 4-7; Drew Hale, 9-12

7/1 – Cass Chaissen, 5-8; David Marton, 9-12

7/5 – Swan Bros, 5-8; Snacks & Five, 9-12

7/6 – Rolling Dirty Duo, 5-8; Empire Highway, 9-12

7/7 – Kevin Paul, 1-4; Rob Coonrod, 5-8

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC

6/29 -- The Five 'N' Dime Poets, 8

7/2 – Open Mic Night, 7-9

THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC

PATIO, 6:30-9:30: 6/29 – Tower of Bauer

7/4 – TC Guitar Guys

7/5 – Rolling Dirty 7/6 – Matt Mansfield

TOWNLINE CIDERWORKS, WILLIAMSBURG

6-8:

7/5 -- Hey! Makers

7/6 -- Kyle Skarshaug

TRAVERSE CITY WHISKEY CO.

6/29 -- Ben Richey Live, 6-8

TRU FIT TROUSERS, TC

7/5 -- Robert Abate Trio feat. David Egeler & Mark Goike, 7

TURTLE CREEK CASINO, WILLIAMSBURG

7/5 – 231 Entertainment, 9-1

UNION STREET STATION, TC 6/28-29 -- One Hot Robot, 9:30 6/30 -- Kenny Olson Cartel, 8 7/3 – Rolling Dirty, 10

7/4 – DJ1Wave Dance Party, 10

7/5 – The Timebombs, 9:30 7/6 – Soul Patch, 9:30

Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee

BLUE SLIPPER TAVERN, ONEKAMA

6/30 -- Andrew Littlefield, 4

LITTLE RIVER CASINO RESORT, MANISTEE

6/29 – John Merchant & Greg Miller, 6-9

NORTHERN NATURAL CIDER HOUSE & WINERY, KALEVA

7: 6/29 -- The Smokin' Dobroleles

7/5 -- Airborne or Aquatic?, 7 7/6 -- Full Cord

nitelife

6/28-29 -- ONE HOT ROBOT, 9:30

Antrim & Charlevoix

BOYNE CITY TAP ROOM

6/29, 7/4 & 7/6 -- Adam & The Cabana Boys, 7-10

BOYNE MOUNTAIN RESORT, BOYNE FALLS

SKYBRIDGE MICHIGAN, DISCIPLES OVERLOOK:

6/29 -- David Lawston, 4-7

7/5 -- Strings in the Sky: Dixon's Violin, 6-8

CAFE SANTÉ, BOYNE CITY

7-10:

6/29 – Peter Allen Jensen

7/5 – Lavender Lions Duo

7/6 – Pete Kehoe

CELLAR 152, ELK RAPIDS

6/29 -- Blair Miller, 6-9

ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS

7-10:

6/29 -- After Ours

7/6 – The Bootstrap Boys

FIRESIDE LOUNGE, BELLAIRE

7/5 -- Rick Woods, 1-4

HOTEL EARL, CHARLEVOIX ROOFTOP:

THE GREENHOUSE - WILLOW/ PRIMOS, CADILLAC

6/29 – June Silent Disco Dance Party w/ 3 DJs & Special Healthcare Worker Night, 8 7/4 – Karaoke Night w/ DJ ShawnyD, 7-10

7/6 – The Hey! Makers, 7-10

6/29 & 7/6 -- Jesse Jefferson, 7:3010:30

6/30 & 7/7 -- Zeke Clemons, 6:30-

9:30

7/3 -- Kodak Quartet, 9:30

7/4 – DJ Parker Marshall, 7:3010:30

7/5 -- Hannah Von Bernthal, 7:3010:30

JORDAN INN, EAST JORDAN

7/7 -- Loophole, 7-9

LAVENDER HILL FARM, BOYNE CITY

6/29 -- Cousin Curtiss, 7:30

7/5 – Blair Miller, 11am-2pm

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BELLAIRE

6/28-29 – Clint Weaner, 7:30-10:30

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, CENTRAL LAKE

7/3 – Joseph Dominic, 7-10

PROVISIONS WINE LOUNGE, BOYNE CITY

7/2 – Nelson Olstrom, 6-8

SHORT'S BREW PUB, BELLAIRE BEER GARDEN:

6/29 -- Mike Struwin Band, 7-9:30

6/30 -- The Outfit, 6-8:30

7/1 – Hannah Rose Graves, 7-9:30

7/2 – Earth Radio, 7-9:30

7/3 – King Possum, 7-9:30

7/4 – Charlie Millard Band, 7-9:30

ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD

6/29 – Rick Woods, 6

BIG BUCK BREWERY, GAYLORD

6/29 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

7/5 – Elizabeth Reed, 7-9:30

7/6 – Distant Stars, 7-9:30

SHORT'S PULL BARN, ELK RAPIDS

6/29 -- The Hey! Makers, 6-9

6/30 -- The Greg Vadnais Quartet, 2-5

7/1 – Spencer Hollenbeck, 6-9

7/3 – Brian McCosky, 6:30-9:30

7/5 – Keith Scott, 6:30-9:30

7/6 – The Real Ingredients, 6:309:30

7/7 – Highway North, 6:30-9:30

SPARE KEY WINERY, CHARLEVOIX

6/30 -- Randy Reszka, 2-5

STIGGS BREWERY & KITCHEN, BOYNE CITY

6:30: 6/29 -- Crosscut Kings

7/5 – Sean Miller 7/6 – Crosscut Kings

TOONIES RESTAURANT & BAR, BELLAIRE Sat -- Karaoke, 9-1

WATERFIRE VINEYARDS, KEWADIN

7/5 -- Ken Shepley, 6-8

Otsego, Crawford & Central

C.R.A.V.E., GAYLORD

6-9: 6/29 -- Lou Thumser 7/6 – Randy Reszka

PADDLE HARD YARD, GRAYLING

7/4 – 2nd Hand Band, 7-10

7/5 – Derek Boik w/ Seth, 7-9

7/6 – Third Degree, 7-9

RAY'S BBQ, BREWS & BLUES, GRAYLING

4-7: 6/30 – Derek Boik

7/7 – Brian Curran

BAY HARBOR YACHT CLUB

BEACH HOUSE:

6/29 -- Randy Reszka, noon-3

BOB’S PLACE, ALANSON

7/3 – Mike Ridley, 6-9

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY

PATIO, 2-6:

6/29 & 7/5 -- Michelle Chenard

7/6 -- Chris Calleja

BURNT MARSHMALLOW BREWSTILLERY, PETOSKEY

5:30-7:30:

6/29 -- Elisabeth Criste

7/4-5 – Laura Thurston

7/6 – Terry Coveyou

CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY

7/5 – Annex Karaoke, 9:30

DOUGLAS LAKE STEAKHOUSE, PELLSTON

6-9:

6/30 -- Mike Ridley

7/7 – Nelson Olstrom

FIVE SHORES BREWING, BEULAH

7/3 – DJ Batz, 3-9

7/5 – Mike Struwin, 6-9

GYPSY DISTILLERY, PETOSKEY

6/29 -- Nick Visconti, 4-6

7/3 -- Levitator & DJ Parker Marshall, 6-10

7/5 -- DJ Parker Marshall, 9

45 NORTH VINEYARD & WINERY, LAKE LEELANAU

6/29 -- Sam & Bill, 3-6

BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR

6/29 -- Dominic Fortuna, 3:30-5:30

6/30 -- Matt & Brian, 3:30-5:30

7/5 -- Larry Perkins, 5:30-7:30

7/6 -- Larz Cabot, 3:30-5:30 7/7 -- Jim Hawley, 3:30-5:30

BLACK STAR FARMS, SUTTONS BAY LAWN, 6-8:

6/29 -- Zach Meyers

7/6 -- Bob Roberts

BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU

TASTING ROOM LAWN:

6/30 -- Luke Woltanski & John Piatek, 4-6:30

7/3 -- Jim Hawley & His Band, 5:308

7/7 -- Pinter Whitnick, 4-6:30

BROOMSTACK KITCHEN & TAPHOUSE, MAPLE CITY PATIO, 5:30-8:30:

7/2 -- Jim Hawley

7/3 -- Pat Niemisto & Chris Skellenger

7/4 -- Andre Villoch

CICCONE VINEYARD & WINERY, SUTTONS BAY

7/7 – Jeff Socia, 2-4:30

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE

KINLOCHEN PLAZA, 6-8:

6/29 -- Two Feet

7/6 – Izzy Wallace

LEVEL4 LOUNGE, 8:30-10:30:

Emmet & Cheboygan

7/6 -- Ty Parkin, 11am-1pm; Beachsmoke, 4-6

HIGH FIVE SPIRITS, PETOSKEY TASTING ROOM:

6/29 -- DJ Eli Godsey, 9 Wed -- Trivia Night with MyClueIs Trivia, 8

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BAY HARBOR

6/29 – SAXA4IAv, 7:30-10:30

NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY PATIO:

6/29 – Brett Harfert, 7-10

7-3 – Donald Benjamin, 7:3010:30

7/4 -- Delilah DeWylde, 7:30-10:30

7/5 – Mike Ridley, 7:30-10:30

7/6 – Michelle Chenard, 7:3010:30

NOMAD., BAY HARBOR

6/30 & 7/7 -- DJ Parker Marshall, 4:30-10:30

NORTHLAND BREWING CO., INDIAN RIVER BACKYARD:

6/29 – Chris Michels Band, 7-10

6/30 – Groove Yard Vinyl Session w/ DJ Clark After Dark, 5-8

7/4 – Greg Nagy, 6:30-8:30

7/5 – Two Track Mind, 7-10

7/6 – Charlie Millard Band, 7-10

7/7 – Groove Yard Vinyl Session w/ DJ Franck, 5-8

Leelanau & Benzie

6/29 -- Nick Vasquez

6/30 -- Jim Hawley

7/3 – Dominic Fortuna¬¬

7/5 – Izzy Wallace

7/6 – Sean Kelly

7/7 – Drew Hale

WILD TOMATO, PATIO, 6-8:

6/29 -- Jason Locke

7/5 – Doc Probes

7/6 – Rhett DuCouer

7/7 – Christopher Winkelmann

FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR

7/4 – Rhett & John, 4-7

7/7 – Looking Forward: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Tribute, 5-8

FURNACE STREET DISTILLERY, ELBERTA

PATIO:

6/29 -- Anna p.s., 6-8

6/30 – Jerome Forde, 6-8

7/3 – Brad Company, 6-8

7/5 – DJ Batz, 4-8

7/6 – Jason Locke, 6-8

7/7 – Keith Scott, 6-8

HOP LOT BREWING CO., SUTTONS BAY

5-8:

6/29 -- Delilah DeWylde

7/1 -- Broom Closet Boys

7/5 -- Zak Bunce & Denny Richards

IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE

6/29 -- John Ford, 6-8

6/30 -- Abbey Collins, 5-7

7/1 – John Paul, 6-8

7/3 – Chloe Kimes, 6-8

7/5 – Blake Elliott, 6-8

7/7 – The Fridays, 5-7

LAKE ANN BREWING CO.

ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY

VICTORIES, 9:

6/29 -- Battle of the Bands - 2nd Qualifier

7/6 -- Battle of the Bands - Final Event

POND HILL FARM, HARBOR SPRINGS

6/29 – Lew Russ, 5-8

6/30 – New Third Coast, 3-6

7/1 – Steel & Woods, 5-8

7/2 – Nicholas James & The Bandwagons, 5-8

7/3 – Ty Parkin & The Old Souls, 4-8

7/5 – Yankee Station, 5-8

7/6 – Michigan Mafia String Band, 5-8

7/7 – Rhett & John, 3-6

QUEENSHEAD PUB, CHEBOYGAN

7/6 – Mike Ridley, 6-9

THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN

7:

6/29 -- Ahab and the Smelt Dippers

7/5 -- Mike Arnold

7/6 -- The Dirty Rain Revelers

THE HIGHLANDS AT HARBOR SPRINGS

SLOPESIDE PATIO:

7/3 – Nelson Olstrom, 6

TORREY TAVERN, WOLVERINE

6/29 -- Mike Ridley, 7-10

6/29 -- Manitou Blues, 3-6; BadJam, 7-10

6/30 – Daydrinkers Series w/ The Bourdains, 3-6; Johnathon North, 6:30-9:30

7/1 – Uncle Z, 6:30-9:30

7/2 – New Third Coast, 6:30-9:30

7/3 – Silver Creek Revival, 6:30-9:30

7/5 – Happy Hour w/ Skellenger & Koss, 3-6; Chloe Kimes – Night 1, 7-10

7/6 – Daydrinkers Series w/ Jim Crockett Band, 3-6; Chloe Kimes –Night 2, 7-10

NORTH COUNTRY KITCHEN & BAR, SUTTONS BAY PATIO: Sun -- Jazz Brunch w/ Ron Getz & Ted Alan, 11am-2pm

RIVER CLUB, GLEN ARBOR

6/29 – Miriam Pico & Ryan Younce, 5-8

7/2 – Lars, 5-8

7/3 – Loose Change, 5-8

7/4 – Blake Kimmel Duo, 5-8

7/5 – The Fridays, 2-5; Elizabeth Landry, 6-9

7/6 – Luke Woltanski the Dangerous Music Man, 2-5; Trillium Groove, 6-9

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH

6/29 – The Groove Suns, 1-4; Dags Und Timmah!, 5-8

6/30 – Eli Kahn, 3-6

7/1 – The Duges, 5-8

7/2 – Kyle Brown, 5-8

7/3 – Blair Miller, 5-8

7/4 – Aaron Dye, 5-8

7/5 – Monte Klein, 5-8

7/6 – Zach Watson, 1-4; Steve Pichan, 5-8

7/7 – Jabo Bihlman, 3-6

SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY

TOY HARBOR TOY HARBOR

ACROSS

“Jonesin” Crosswords

"10, 9..." --from start to finish. by Matt Jones

1. Makes noise, like a microwave

6. 2008 Liam Neeson thriller

11. Some lab fixtures

14. "___ last I see the light" ("Tangled" lyric)

15. Nearsighted horned beast

16. Official language in Vientiane

17. Guest list for a private party?

19. The whole thing

20. "Iliad" warrior god

21. Pen tips

22. Studio 54, for one

24. Cheers

26. '50s experiment, briefly

28. Author of "The Namesake" and "Whereabouts"

32. Wild diving duck

34. Key near F1

35. Status ___

36. Some chess pieces

37. Salty expanse

38. Denim jacket ornaments for punks, once

40. Friend in France

41. "Ew"

42. Filled with ennui

43. Indescribable thing

47. Cut back, as a branch

48. Says

51. One of many Peyo characters

53. No, to Nabokov

55. Spinnaker or jib

57. Hot goo

58. Australian actor in "Saltburn"

61. Mid-show filler

62. "I'm only ___ mortal ..."

63. "The Floor" head-to-heads

64. Comb creator

65. Lance Bass's group

66. Throat infection type

DOWN

1. ___ California

2. Make accustomed (to)

3. '50s Ford fiasco

4. Notable retiree of June 2024

5. Place to swine and dine?

6. Axiom

7. Moby-Dick's chaser

8. Congolese capital

9. Conclude

10. "Beats me"

11. Brick that goes boom

12. AP math subject

13. Perform without backup

18. Outperform

23. "... or something like that"

25. As follows

27. "No Scrubs" group

29. Cheats at cards, maybe

30. "Ant-Man" star Paul

31. Platform that runs on Apple devices

32. Not much

33. Place to take a penny, leave a penny?

36. "The Big Bang Theory" character

37. Sorta academic-sounding, in a way

38. Fireplace buildup

39. Auditions

41. Suffix with Dickens

42. Montana mining city

44. Blow it

45. Stevens who inspired the musical "Illinoise"

46. Province where poutine supposedly originated

49. Not so common

50. Move sneakily

51. Attempt

52. Manufactured

54. "Strange Condition" singer Pete

56. Second-oldest programming language that's still in use (behind Fortran)

59. Breakfast hrs.

60. Brigham Young's gp.

lOGY

JULY 01 - JULY 07

BY ROB BREZSNY

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Last year, you sent out a clear message to life requesting help and support. It didn’t get the response you wished for. You felt sad. But now I have good news. One or both of the following may soon occur. 1. Your original message will finally lead to a response that buoys your soul. 2. You will send out a new message similar to the one in 2023, and this time you will get a response that makes you feel helped and supported. Maybe you didn’t want to have to be so patient, Gemini, but I’m glad you refused to give up hope.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):On those rare occasions when I buy furniture from online stores, try hard to find sources that will send me the stuff already assembled. hate spending the time to put together jumbles of wood and metal. More importantly, I am inept at doing so. In alignment with astrological omens, I recommend you take my approach in regard to every situation in your life during the coming weeks. Your operative metaphor should be this: Whatever you want or need, get it already fully assembled.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): When Adragon De Mello was born under the sign of Libra in 1976, his father had big plans for him. Dad wanted him to get a PhD in physics by age 12, garner a Nobel Prize by 16, get elected President of the United States by 26, and then become head of a world government by 30. I’d love for you to fantasize about big, unruly dreams like that in the coming weeks—although with less egotism and more amusement and adventurousness. Give yourself a license to play with amazing scenarios that inspire you to enlarge your understanding of your own destiny. Provide your future with a dose of healing wildness.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):“Your horoscopes are too complicated,” a reader named Estelle wrote to me recently. “You give us too many ideas. Your language is too fancy. just want simple advice in plain words.” I wrote back to tell her that if did what she asked, I wouldn’t be myself. “Plenty of other astrologers out there can meet your needs,” I concluded. As for you, dear Scorpio, I think you will especially benefit from influences like me in the coming weeks—people who appreciate nuance and subtlety, who love the poetry of life, who eschew clichés and conventional wisdom, who can nurture your rich, spicy, complicated soul.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The coming weeks will be prime time for you to re-imagine the history of your destiny. How might you do that? In your imagination, revisit important events from the past and reinterpret them using the new wisdom you’ve gained since they happened. If possible, perform any atonement, adjustment, or intervention that will transform the meaning of what happened once upon a time. Give the story of your life a fresh title. Rename the chapters. Look at old photos and videos and describe to yourself what you know now about those people and situations that you didn’t know back then. Are there key events from the old days that you have repressed or ignored? Raise them up into the light of consciousness.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): ): In 1972, before the internet existed, Capricorn actor Anthony Hopkins spent a day visiting London bookstores in search of a certain tome: The Girl from Petrovka. Unable to locate a copy, he decided to head home. On the way, he sat on a random bench, where he found the original manuscript of The Girl of Petrovka. It had been stolen from the book’s author George Feifer and abandoned there by the thief. I predict an almost equally unlikely or roundabout discovery or revelation for you in the coming days. Prediction: You may not unearth what you’re looking for in an obvious place, but you will ultimately unearth it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquariusborn Desmond Doss (1919–2006) joined the American army at the beginning of World War II. But because of his religious beliefs, he refused

to use weapons. He became a medic who accompanied troops to Guam and the Philippines. During the next few years, he won three medals of honor, which are usually given solely to armed combatants. His bravest act came in 1944, when he saved the lives of 70 wounded soldiers during a battle. propose we make him your inspirational role model for the coming weeks, Aquarius. In his spirit, I invite you to blend valor and peacemaking. Synergize compassion and fierce courage. Mix a knack for poise and healing with a quest for adventure.

Pepsi Bayside Music Stage

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): What types of people are you most attracted to, Pisces? Not just those you find most romantically and sexually appealing, but also those with whom a vibrant alliance is most gracefully created. And those you’re inclined to seek out for collaborative work and play. This knowledge is valuable information to have; it helps you gravitate toward relationships that are healthy for you. Now and then, though, it’s wise to experiment with connections and influences that aren’t obviously natural—to move outside your usual set of expectations and engage with characters you can’t immediately categorize. I suspect the coming weeks will be one of those times. Saturday, June

ARIES (March 21-April 19): The "nirvana fallacy" is the belief that because something is less than utterly perfect, it is gravely defective or even irredeemably broken. Wikipedia says, "The nirvana fallacy compares actual things with unrealistic, idealized alternatives." Most of us are susceptible to this flawed approach to dealing with the messiness of human existence. But it's especially important that you avoid such thinking in the coming weeks. To inspire you to find excellence and value in the midst of untidy jumbles and rumpled complexities, I recommend you have fun with the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi. It prizes and praises the soulful beauty found in things that are irregular, incomplete, and imperfect.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You are coming to a fork in the road—a crux where two paths diverge. What should you do? Author Marie Forleo says, "When it comes to forks in the road, your heart always knows the answer, not your mind." Here’s my corollary: Choose the path that will best nourish your soul's desires. Now here’s your homework, Taurus: Contact your Future Self in a dream or meditation and ask that beautiful genius to provide you with a message and a sign. Plus, invite them to give you a wink with either the left eye or right eye.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The Fates have authorized me to authorize you to be bold and spunky. You have permission to initiate gutsy experiments and to dare challenging feats. Luck and grace will be on your side as you consider adventures you’ve long wished you had the nerve to entertain. Don’t do anything risky or foolish, of course. Avoid acting like you’re entitled to grab rewards you have not yet earned. But don’t be self-consciously cautious or timid, either. Proceed as if help and resources will arrive through the magic of your audacity. Assume you will be able to summon more confidence than usual.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): All of us, including me, have aspects of our lives that are stale or unkempt, even decaying. What would you say is the most worn-out thing about you? Are there parts of your psyche or environment that would benefit from a surge of clean-up and revival? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to attend to these matters. You are likely to attract extra help and inspiration as you make your world brighter and livelier. The first rule of the purgation and rejuvenation process: Have fun!

NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE

IS HIRING NMC is hiring a new Bookstore Assistant, $20.12 Hourly (Year-Round) for approximately 20 hours a week. This position is eligible for part-time benefits including medical, vision, and dental insurance as well as paid time off & tuition benefits. Flexible scheduling! NMC is EOE nmc.edu/non-discrimination https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/NMC

NEED LODGING FOR CHERRY FEST?: my charming lake access home welcomes up to 4 guests. $300 per night, 2 night min. 5 mins to Wolf Lodge, county park, downtown Traverse City. Info + photos: 239-234-0044.

NMCAA EARLY HEAD START TEACHER

- Houghton Lake: Year-round, no weekends, insurance, accrued vacation up to 3 weeks, accrued sick/personal/sick time Minimum CDA with focus on infant/toddler. Bachelor/Associate in early childhood education or child development with focus on infant/toddler preferred.

EOE. $20.40 - $21.64. For details visit www.nmcaa.net click on Employment/Careers

DIGITAL BACKPACK AD SERVICE: I WILL walk downtown TC and display YOUR custom slideshow on my BACKPACK!

COMPUTER PROBLEMS?: I can fix your computer, tablet, phone or tv and show how to use it. If it's time to replace I'll help you find the best device for your needs. I can come to your home or office. Call James Downer at Advent Tech, your hi-tech handyman.231-492-2087

GRAND TRAVERSE PIPES & DRUMS

50TH ANNIVERSARY: Join us as we celebrate 50 years of history in this Open To The Public event at Silver Spruce Brewing in Traverse City this July 20th from 4-7pm. Details on our Facebook page.

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

$495,000 | 000 Island View Drive

Gorgeous wooded lot with 312’ of private frontage. This property is located on Island Lake where you can enjoy Mother Nature at her best with bald eagles, loons, deer and a variety wildlife. Island Lake is a private all sports lake with no public access and is near many acres of State Land and trails.

$995,000 | 8639 Woodridge Dr, Williamsburg

103’ of private gorgeous sandy frontage on East Grand Traverse Bay. Ultimate privacy at the end of a quiet road on cul-de-sac.You will love the location close to world class golf courses, recreational trails, dining, shopping, wineries plus just a short drive to Traverse City and Elk Rapids. This home features an open floor plan with vaulted ceilings. Enjoy big water views from every window and an abundance of natural light. Main floor primary suite is just off of the living room, with a loft space directly above. Large, finished lower level opens to a brick patio and lush gardens. This is the perfect place to enjoy a Northern Michigan waterfront lifestyle, either as a year-round home or getaway retreat.

OF OMP

$950,000 | 965 Pine Ridge Drive

4 BR, 3.5 BA 4,000+ sq ft home at the base of Old Mission Peninsula in one of the best neighborhoods in TC. The main floor hosts a sunken formal living room with elevated ceilings and field-stone fire place, a large kitchen with stainless appliances, a second living room and/or bedroom, a den/office with a three season room adjacent, screened-in porch and wrap-around deck. The finished lower level has a wine cellar and wet bar, family room, pool table room, and storage space galore. Three bedrooms, including the primary, make up the upper level. There is a monstrous 3-car garage with an unfinished bonus area above. Eastern Elementary, Central High School, and NMC are all in walking distance.

PENDING

$1,790,000 | 101 N. Park Street, Unit #504

Stunning penthouse residence on the 5th and 6th floors at 101 Park St. in downtown Traverse City. The bird’s-eye view wraps around the top two floors with multi-patio views of West Bay and Front Street. Enjoy a beautifully crafted 2 bed, 2 bath, 2,328 sq. ft. residence with living spaces, dining area, kitchen and patios blending seamlessly together with the help of accordion style doors to both upper and lower patios. Impressive staircase, towering ceilings, and large windows awash the space with natural light. Two below-ground parking spaces are included with the residence. This is downtown living at its finest!