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“Thanks for the unforgettable American hospitality.”
- Erin & Kevin, Glasgow, Scotland
Special Happenings
May 2013
May 4 & 5. Leelanau Peninsula Vintners “Sip & Savor” weekend. As the vineyards wake to the sun & warmth of May, you are invited to enjoy special wine and food pairings at each of the wineries on the wine trail. Tickets at www.lpwines.com. The Glen Arbor Bed & Breakfast also offers a package for this weekend only, with tickets, a chauffeured van and meals. Call us for information.
May 17-19. 9th Annual Empire Asparagus Festival including Friday evening Dance & Pig Roast, Poetry Contest, 5K Fun Run/Walk, Asparagus Cookoff, Wine & Beer Tasting, kids’ activities, parade, Saturday evening BBQ, and Sunday Breakfast at the Township Hall.
May 29-June 2nd. 3rd Annual Leelanau Peninsula Birdfest where you can see more than a hundred different species of nesting birds, including the rare Great Lakes Piping Plover. Choose from eleven different field trips, including a trip on a tall ship to see nesting Caspian terns.
June 2013
June 8. M-22 Challenge Run, Paddle & Bike Triathalon. Take the healthy challenge, starting at 9:00 a.m., racing up the Sleeping Bear Dune Climb, peddling around Little & Big Glen Lakes, and crossing Little Glen Lake. M22challenge.com
June 8. Leland Wine & Food Festival, with tastings from local wineries, specialties from local restaurants and vendors, and live music all afternoon at the village park and Fishtown. Noon ‘til 6:00. 231.256.9081. lelandmi.com
June 14, 15 & 16. Glen Arbor Art Association’s Readers Theatre performances of “Notorious,” with a play script based on the 1946 award-winning Alfred Hitchcock film. Performances Friday and Saturday at 7:00, and Sunday at 3:00 at the GAAA building on Pine Street.
June 15. 2nd Annual Glen Arbor Solstice Half Marathon & 5K. Run out-and-back on a tree-lined course beginning in the charming village of Glen Arbor and circling the beautiful Glen Lakes beginning at 7:00 a.m. 231.715.1406. enduranceevolution.com
June 15. Glen Lake Chamber’s BBQ & Brew Festival at the corner of M22 & Lake, across from Art’s Tavern and steps from Sleeping Bear Bay, 2:00-8:00 p.m. A multitude of local breweries and restaurants will be on hand to serve up the finest microbrews and BBQ in the region, along with live music all afternoon. For non-beer drinkers, local sodas and ciders available. $15 per person admission. www.visitglenarbor.com
June 16. Glen Lake Chamber Vintage Auto Show under the same tent as the BBQ & Brew the day before at the corner of M22 & Lake Street across from Art’s Tavern. Share another day of great fun and camaraderie with all the great folks in Glen Arbor.
June 18 and every Tuesday through September 10th. Glen Arbor Farmers’ Market, with local farm products including fresh produce, fish & meat, baked goods, jams and jellies, flowers, and chef demonstrations. Behind the Glen Arbor Township Hall on Western Avenue. 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (but come early to get the best stuff)
June 21. Beach Bards Bonfire begins this Friday and continues every Friday night through August 10th with storytelling, poetry readings and music on the shores of Lake Michigan. Children’s time beginning at 7:30, followed by the adults at dusk. The Leelanau School Fire Circle across from the Observatory, One Old Homestead Road, Glen Arbor. 231.334.3666.
June 22. Traverse City Wine & Art Festival. Village at Grand Traverse Commons with headliner Rusted Root. 3:00-10:00 p.m. featuring musician Sixto Rodriquez, the subject of the intriguing documentary, “Searching for Sugarman.” www.traversecitywinefestival.com
June 23. Suttons Bay Summer Solstice Art Walk. Galleries & shops open in the Village of Suttons Bay, partnering with the Leelanau vintners for a perfect summer evening. Wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres and live music up and down the main street. 5:00-9:00 p.m.
June 29th. National Cherry Festival Air Show. Watch from the shores of West Grand Traverse Bay beginning at 12:45 p.m. www.cherryfestival.org
June 29th-July 6th. National Cherry Festival. Entertainment stage, parades, fireworks, sports events, competitive games, Midway, arts & crafts, food, music, and even a Cherry Princess Tea and a classic Cherry Pit Spitting contest. On the bay, Traverse City. www.cherryfestival.org
July 2013
July 2nd and every Tuesday through September 10th. Glen Arbor Farmers’ Market, with local farm products including fresh produce, fish & meat, baked goods, jams and jellies, flowers, and chef demonstrations. Behind the Glen Arbor Township Hall on Western Avenue. 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (but come early to get the best stuff)
July 3. The Manitou Music Festival begins the concert season with the Northport Community Band offering favorite patriotic tunes. Bring friends and family, lawn chairs and blankets to the Glen Arbor Athletic Club Lawn, 6363 Western Ave., Glen Arbor www.glenarborart.org
July 3. Fireworks at dusk in Leland.
July 4th. Glen Arbor 4th of July Parade beginning at noon from Glen Haven through downtown Glen Arbor, and the Annual Boat Parade at the Narrows, 2:00 p.m. The parade is very large, so start lining up with your floats or decorated vehicles or performing groups by 11:00 in Glen Haven. Parade marshals supervise the lineup, beginning with the Grand Marshal. Remember your candy or other favors to share with the crowd that usually number several thousand along the parade. Sponsored by the Glen Lake Chamber of Commerce.
July 4-7. Annual Cedar Polka Fest featuring noted bands from across the Midwest, including Polka Jamboree, Squeeze Box, Polla Generations, and Boys from Potonia, plus parades, softball tournaments, a polka mass and, of course, polka under the big, big tent. www.cedarpolkafest.com 231.228.3378.
July 7. Annual Glen Lake Fire & Rescue Association Pancake Breakfast. 8:00 a.m – Noon at the Glen Arbor Township Hall on Western Avenue. www.glenarborfire.com
July 14. Manitou Music Festival Dune Climb Concert, with the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchester. Swing with original compositions and arrangements as well as the traditional favorites. Live sounds by some of the area’s best soloists and sidemen. Sleeping Bear Dune Climb, Glen Haven (www.glenarborart.org)
July 17. Glen Lake Woman’s Club Art Fair. Featuring over 90 exhibitors in various media at the Glen Arbor Township Hall on Western Avenue (M22), 10:00-4:00. Artists are judged on originality, creativity, category and sales appeal. There is something for everyone.
July 20. Annual Leelanau Peninsula Wine, Food & Music Festival, featuring wineries, food vendors, a brewery, and a hard cider vendor, plus this year’s showcase of musical groups. Join the festivities at Suttons Bay’s Marina Park, 1:00-7:00 p.m. for the best of summer. info@leelanauchamber.com
July 20. Empire Anchor Days. Start with the parade at 1:00, join the kids’ games on the beach at 2:30, enjoy the Lions’ Club Chicken BBQ for dinner, and dance the night away to the sounds of summer at the tennis courts. www.empirechamber.co
July 20. Fifth Annual Friends of Fishtown 5K Run/Walk starts in Leland’s Fishtown and runs through the streets of the village to benefit the Fishtown Preservation Society. Participants are welcome to run or walk. Strollers and leashed dogs welcome. 9:00 a.m. Online registration at www.fishtownmi.org.
July 21. Manitou Music Festival blues concert. “Mulebone” again brings their boundless, hard-driving energy to the Studio Stage at the Lake Street Studios across from Cherry Republic. 8:00 p.m. Non-member tickets $15.
July 23. Glen Arbor Women’s Club Running Bear 5K Run/Walk and Kids’ Mile Run. 9:00 a.m. starting at Cherry Republic on Lake Street in Glen Arbor. More information to follow.
July 25. Michigan’s outstanding a cappella group, THUMMp, brings rich arrangements and high energy to this year’s spectacular concert at the Homestead’s Top of the Mountain. Ride the chairlift or take a golf cart from the bottom of the ski hill in the resort’s village to hear classics such as Goodman, Gershwin, and many others. 7:00 p.m. glenarborart.org
July 26. 13th Annual TART Bike Tour. Hit the trails for an evening bike ride from Traverse City to Suttons Bay. Starting anytime between 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., riders will enjoy snacks along the 19 mile ride and bayside meal in Suttons Bay Marina, and then relax on the bus ride back home. The ride begins at the old train depot at 8th Street and Woodmere next to the Traverse City Library. The flat, paved course is suitable for cyclists of all abilities and ages. www.traversetrails.org
July 28. Manitou Music Festival bluegrass/country concert. “Nora Jane Struthers” writes her literate variations on classic folk themes and sings them with just enough twang to sound authentic. 8:00 p.m. at the Studio Stage behind the Lake Street Studios and across from Cherry Republic. Non-members $15.
July 31. Manitou Music Festival country/folk concert. “Drew Nelson and Highway 2 Band” mixes Americana and roots-rock with traditional folk styles. 8:00 p.m. at the Studio Stage behind that Lake Street Studios and across from Cherry Republic. Non-members $15.
TBA. Sleepy Bear Dunegrass Music Festival, Corner of Hooker & Hulbert, Lake Ann. A great lineup of bluegrass groups, brought to you by the folks who produced the shows for the past four years. www.sleepybearmusic.com.
August 2013
July 30-August 4. Traverse City Film Festival, founded by the Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore, the festival is dedicated to bringing to Northern Michigan independents, documentaries, and films which have been overlooked but deserve the attention of the public. Over 100 screenings in five days at six venues including the historic, renovated State Theatre, Civic Opera House, Community Playhouse, Hockstadt Auditorium, and Milliken Auditorium. Advanced ticketshighly recommended. www.traversecityfilmfest.org
August 1. Leelanau Conservancy Annual Friends Picnic and Silent Auction, held this year at another spectacular property to be announced. 231.256.9665. leelanauconservancy.org
August 2-3. Glen Arbor Art Association’s Annual Plein Air Weekend.
Friday: Glen Arbor Quick Draw. 2:00-3:00 p.m. canvas/papers stamped at Association on Studio Lane, and return by 5:30 p.m. Registration required, but no limit on number participating.
Saturday: GAAA Paint Out, “Artists Paint the Town. 7:30-9:30 a.m., Canvas/papers stamped at the Association on Studio Lane (across from Cherry Republic on Lake Street.), before dispersing for a day of painting around Glen Arbor. Wet paint entries, exhibit ready, submitted by 4:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Exhibit/Sale/Reception at the Glen Arbor Township Hall. Registration required, and limited to 60 participants.
Registration info for both days at www.glenarborart.org
August 3. Port Oneida 5K Barn-to-Barn Trail Run/Walk sponsored by Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear. Start at 8:00 a.m. at the historic Charles and Hattie Olsen farm and get a unique tour of the Port Oneida Rural Historic District of late 1800s farmsteads and fields in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore. ½ mile Schoolhouse Dash for kids, too. 231.334.6103. www.phsb.org
August 3 & 4. Suttons Bay Art Festival, with dozens of artists, food booths, and children’s activities. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the town park on the waterfront in downtown Suttons Bay. www.suttonsbayartfestival.org
August 4. Another Manitou Music Festival concert, this time with “Peter, Paul & Mary Remembered” reviving many of the beloved hits. Presenting a smooth blend of harmonies and 1960s nostalgia. Studio Stage behind the Lake Street Studios and across from Cherry Republic. 8:00 p.m. Non-members $15.
August 6 and every Tuesday through September 10th. Glen Arbor Farmers’ Market, with local farm products including fresh produce, fish & meat, baked goods, jams and jellies, flowers, and chef demonstrations. Behind the Glen Arbor Township Hall on Western Avenue. 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (but come early to get the best stuff)
August 7. Manitou Music Festival presents the energetic Celtic sounds of ”Full Set,” with true traditional Irish roots. Studio Stage behind the Lake Street Studios and across from Cherry Republic, 8:00 p.m. Non-members $15.
August 9 & 10. Port Oneida Rural Fair features historic farms, vintage crafts, and demonstrations of farming skills that made rural life productive in the late 19th and early 20th century. Food venues also available. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore Rural Historic District north of Glen Arbor on M22. www.phsb.org
August 11. Manitou Music Festival brings The George Cole Quartet, celebrating the songs of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin, to the Studio Stage behind the Lake Street Studios and across from Cherry Republic. 8:00 p.m. Non-members $15.
August 15. Grand Traverse Lighthouse Lobster Fest, including whole Maine lobster, with proceeds to the Lighthouse Restoration. $60 per person with advanced reservation required. 6:00-9:00 p.m. www.grandtraverselighthouse.com
Aug 17 & 18. Peshawbestown Pow-Wow. Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians gathering features native singers, dancers, artists and artisans, traders’ booths and many food booths. Peshawbestown, just north of Suttons Bay on M22. www.gtbindians.org
August 29 through September 1. Glen Arbor Sidewalk Sale Days. Find bargains everywhere in town as shop owners mark the end of the summer season.
September 2013
September 2. Annual Labor Day Bridge Walk/Party. Glen Lake Narrows at noon. Gather on the north end of the bridge between Big Glen and Little Glen Lakes to join with the community to celebrate the end of the summer season.
September 7 & 8. Leelanau Vintners Harvest Stomp Weekend, features a spectacular race through Leelanau’s vineyards followed by a self guided wine tour of LPVA member wineries with world class wines and culinary delights that reflect the season’s bounty. In 2012 the vintners are once again highlighting local foods, and each winery’s food pairing will feature locally sourced items. (Note: Race & Wine Tour are separate events.) Saturday 11-5 and Sunday Noon-5:00. Tickets, recommended in advance, at www.lpwines.com.
September 14. Leland and Fishtown Heritage Celebration. Wood Boats on the Wall, Classic Car Exhibition at Van’s Garage, Fishtown Fest special activities, historical displays and more. 11:00-4:00
October 2013 (most October events pending)
October ?. Empire Lion’s Club pasta dinner at the township hall. More information to follow.
October ?. Sleeping Bear Marathon and Half Marathon, beginning at Empire’s Johnson Park and circling the Glen Lakes, 7:00 a.m. 231.715.1406. enduranceevolution.com
October ?. Empire Lion’s Club BBQ at the Empire Township Hall on Front Street at noon, following the Sleeping Bear Marathon.
October 11-13. Glen Arbor Art Association “Call for Art; a Member Show.” Part of the 2013 Leelanau Fall for Art Gallery Tour, the Association will host a member exhibition to showcase the artistic talent of members. Watch for details on the exhibition and the Fall for Art Gallery Tour.
October 21, 22, 23 & 24. Glen Arbor Art Association Featured Workshop: “Exploring WATERCOLORS from A to Z with Sterling Edwards.” Spend four days with Edwards as he shows a multitude of watercolor techniques and styles. Class will be held at The Homestead Resort. Registration at www.glenarborart.org
October 21. Suttons Bay Fall Art & Wine Walk. 5:00-9:00 p.m. www.suttonsbayarea.com
October 27. Glen Arbor Merchants Trick-or-Treat. Bring your witches and goblins to share in the fun of Halloween and the delight of their costumes as they circle around the business district in Glen Arbor gathering candy and other treats. Safe and fun for everyone.
November 2013
November 2 & 3, 9 & 10. Leelanau Vintners Toast of the Season Wine Tour is a Northern Michigan holiday tradition, featuring a gift bag and wine & holiday-themed gourmet food pairings member wineries. Tickets recommended as the 2012 weekends sold out. OR, the inn will again offer a full guest package including tickets, a tour by van to the wineries, meals and lodging. Call us for information. www.lpwines.com
Glen Arbor Holiday Happenings:
November 29. THE Pajama Party! Wear your pajamas and you’ll receive a discount at all village shops, 5:00-7:00 a.m. (Yes, you read that correctly.)
November 29. Tree Lighting and Carols, Glen Arbor Township Hall, 7:00 p.m.
November 30. Holiday Marketplace with great decorations, crafts and gifts for sale and all locally made. 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Glen Arbor Township Hall. www.visitglenarbor.com
Happenings All Summer and Year Round
Ranger-guided tours and events are frequently offered at the spectacular Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Empire. (231) 326.5134
The Glen Arbor Art Association offers workshops and programs year round for visitors and members. Sample some of their offerings from face painting on the 4th of July, to reknowned artist’s workshops, to exhibits and crafts classes. Look at their calendar regularly.
A different artist is featured each summer week at the Lake Street Studios Gallery in Glen Arbor. (231) 334.6112 or www.leelanau.com/lakestreet. And art classes are offered June through Sept at Participed Painter Studio & Gallery in Northport. (231) 386.7019
Shows with nationally recognized entertainers are frequently booked at the Leelanau Sands Casino in Peshawbestown. (231) 271.7980
“The Leelanau Conservancy” in Leland organizes 1 1/2-2 hour nature hikes and many other programs, with experienced guides, year round (231) 256.9665