Silver Lake Sand Dunes Area

Silver Lake Sand Dunes Area is a Michigan Beachtown (Nominated by Travel & Leisure as one of America's Best Little Beachtowns) located along Lake Michigan’s sweeping shoreline just a few miles west of US-31 between Muskegon and Pentwater, Michigan. Just a short few hours from Chicago, Detroit, Traverse City and the Mackinac Bridge. The home of the National Asparagus Festival and annual Apple & BBQ Cook-off Festival.


During your visit at Silver Lake Sand Dunes, you will find an endless amount of sand piled into lofty mountains, miles of pristine shoreline beaches, unique attractions and events, great food, excellent accommodations and memory-making family fun…all to explore. The Silver Lake Sand Dunes are the only dunes East of Utah to drive a private motorized vehicle from April 1st through October 31st .

http://www.thinkdunes.com/

Current Local Events

THURSDAY 7/14
The History of Crystal Downs: Presentation on
the fi rst round of golf played in August 1972 at the
Benzie area golf course, happening at the Mills
Community House, Benzonia, at 7pm.

Historic Port Oneida: The Land Tells It's Side
of the Story: Presentation at the Olsen Farm, Glen
Arbor, at 7pm. National Parks Service presentation.
Petoskey Steel Drum Band: Performance on
the grand lawn of the Grand Traverse Pavilions,
7-9pm.

The Poetry of Painting: Create a poem inspired
by nature with added watercolors at the Grass
River Natural Area, Bellaire, 10am. Pre-register at
231-533-8314.

Adventure Hike: Guided hike through the Grass
River Natural Area, Bellaire, 2pm, geared for all
ages. grassriver.org.

Beaver Island Music Festival: Weekend-long
event featuring music from Ernie Douglas, Dave
Boutette, Baynard Kurth and much more. For lodging
and ticket info, visit bimf.net.

Street Legends Car Show: Held in downtown
Charlevoix, featuring a Friday cruise-in (with live
music by Dominic Fortuna), car show on Saturday
with games, music, food and prizes, as well as a
silent auction. Visit streelegends.net/events.

Roots on the River Concert Series: Lindsay Lou
and the Flatbellys perform on the river in downtown
Manistee, 7pm.

Voices Without Borders: Multi-national children's
choir performs two free concerts (12:30pm &
7:30pm) on the lawn of the Village at Bay Harbor.

FRIDAY 7/15
Music in the Park: Peacemeal String Band performs
at the East Jordan Band Shell, 7-9pm.

Full Moon Paddles: Guided tour along Lake
Charlevoix, 8:30pm. Includes a bonfi re. Cost, $35.
Visit jvoutfi tters.com for details.

Senior Center Dance: Featuring music from the
High Society Wise Guys at the Grayling Senior
Center, 6pm. Cost, $10 per person. 231-348-7123.

Igor & the Red Elvises: Russian rock n roll group
performing "Siberian Surf Rock" at the InsideOut
Gallery, TC, at 9pm. Tickets, $20 in advance or $25
at the door. Call 929-3254.

Kaleva Days: Celebrate your Finnish heritage with
live music and a beer tent, 5k run on Saturday,
parade, arts & crafts show and more. Located in
Manistee County. Visit kalevami.com for info.

Cadillac Festival of the Arts: Held in City Park,
featuring a juried art fair, children's games and
more.

Dat Phan: Last Comic Standing winner performing
at Interlochen's Corson Auditorium, 8pm. Tickets,
$25. tickets.interlochen.org.

Kingsley Heritage Days: Softball, volleyball and 3
on 3 basketball tourneys, bounce house, food and
more, starting at 10am. Call 231-631-3309 for more
info on silent auction.

Summer Sounds Concert Series: Jim Hawley,
Lawrence "Doc" Probes and Donna Wilson Probes
of Peter, Paul & Mary Remembered will perform
at the Michigan Legacy Art Park, located on
the grounds of Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa,
Thompsonville, 7pm. Tickets, $10 adults; free for
kids.

Song Writers in the Round: Local musicians perform
at Horizon Books, TC, 8:30-10:30pm. Free.

Perry Paint Out Auction: Silent auction and reception
at the Perry Hotel, Petoskey, 7-9pm. Portion of
proceeds benefi t the Women's Resource Center of
Northern Michigan.

Mary Chapin Carpenter: Singer/songwriter performing
with her fi ve-piece band at the City Opera
House, TC, at 8pm. Tickets, $30-$55. cityoperahoouse.
org for more info.

SATURDAY 7/16
Art in the Garden Show & Sale: Mixed media on
display and for sale at Bellwether Gardens, Suttons
Bay, from 10am-5pm on Saturday; noon-4pm
on Sun. Light refreshments served. Call 231-271-
3004.

ISLAND Benefit Concert: Live music by Seth and
May, Gifts or Creatures, Mike Shimmin, Samantha
Robbins, Airborne or Aquatic and Josh Davis at
Short's Brewing, Bellaire, 4pm to late. Suggested
$10-$20 sliding scale donation benefi ts Institute for
Sustainable Living, Art & Design. 231-480-4515.

Port City Run: 5k run and one mile fun run in
Goose Park, Frankfort, starting at 8:10am. Visit
frankfort.k12.mi.us/PortCityRun for more info.

Annual Venetian Festival: Battle of the bands,
parade, food and beverage tent, live music (includes
Think Floyd) and much more. Held in downtown
Charlevoix. Visit venetianfestival.com.

Survey Expedition: GPS track invasive species
at the Boardman River Nature Center's Sabin and
Boardman Ponds bottomlands, 8am-noon. RSVP
by calling 941-0960.

Aquapalooza: On-water party featuring the
Caribbean Blue Band, 12:30-5pm, on Ferry Beach
in Charlevoix. Includes fun activities for all ages.

Roscommon River Festival: Fly fi shing-tie workshop,
canoe & kayak boat show, paddle demos and
more. Visit ausablerivercenter.org for more info.

Leo Kottke: Six and 12-string guitar player performing
at Interlochen's Corson Auditorium, 8pm.
Visit tickets.interlochen.org for more info.

26th Annual Art in the Park: Held in Pennsylvania
Park, Petoskey, featuring a variety of area artists.
Visit petoskey.com for more info.

Emerson Drive: Nashville recording artists will perform
such hits as "I Should Be Sleeping" and "Fall
Voices without Borders, featuring children from
around the world, will perform two free choir
concerts (12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.) on the lawn
of the Village at Bay Harbor, July 14.

source: Northern Express

Porterhouse Productions

Porterhouse Productions
Music. Arts. Ideas. Community.
http://www.porterhouseproductions.com/

WNMC : Traverse City, MI

WNMC's mission is to provide educational and culturally enriching programming to its northern Michigan service area. We also actively seek to promote and support the educational and cultural missions of NMC and other local entities with similar cultural and educational missions.

WNMC : Traverse City, MI

The National Cherry Festival

The National Cherry Festival kicks off Saturday in Traverse City.

National Cherry Festival Schedule 2011

Music, art, cars and boats

FRIDAY 6/24
Summer Solstice Art/Wine Walk: Featuring live
music from the Cherry Blossom Ramblers and
Shadow Boxes of Char Bickel, among other exhibits,
in downtown Suttons Bay, 5-9pm.

Vintage Car & Boat Festival: Held at Bay Harbor.
Includes a parade down Main Street, 10am. Event
runs until 6pm. Call 231-439-2700 for info.

Alpena Blues Coalition: Live music at the Alpena
fairgrounds. Gates open at noon. alpenablues.com.

Book Event: J.C. Weil will read from her book
"Eavesdropping" at Grace Salon, TC, 6-8pm.
Includes a book signing and refreshments. Register
by June 20 at gracesalontc.com.

Cracker: Featuring David Lowery & Johnny
Hickman, unplugged, at Legs Inn, Cross Village, at
9:30pm. Tickets, legsinn.com.

SOBO Arts Fest: Juried art show, live music, art
demos, dancing in the streets, kids activities, contradance
and lessons and more. Held in Boyne City on
Lake & Main Streets. Friday kicks off with the Bay
Area Big Band, 10am-9pm. soboartsdistrict.org.

"The Importance of Being Earnest": Oscar Wilde's
comedy of mistaken identity will be performed by
the Benzie County Players at The Mills Community
House, Benzonia, at 7:30pm; Sunday at 2pm. Call
231-889-9959 for more info.

Moonlight Red: Performance at Horizon Books, TC,
8:30-10:30pm, by singer/songwriters Lauren Corie
and Donna Klein.

Porterhouse Productions Concert: Featuring live
music from Mutt & the Man, Lena Maude, Crazy
Straws and Little Island Lake at the Good Works
Collective, TC.

"OKLAHOMA!": The Manistee Civic Players present
Rodgers and Hammerstein's first professional
collaboration set in the Oklahoma Territory in 1906,
at the Ramsdell Theatre, Manistee, 7:30pm; Sunday,
2pm. Tickets, $20.

Eve 6: Performing at Val Du Lakes, Mears, at 5pm.
showclix.com for tickets.
The Worker Bees: Performing '50s rock and roll hits
at Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey, 12:15pm.

"Undine: A Settlement Remembered": Exhibit
opening hosted by the Charlevoix Historical Society
at the Harsha House Museum, 7pm, featuring wine
and cheese. Free & open to the public.

Field Clearing: Volunteers can help restore the
cultural landscape at the Ole Oleson Farm, Port
Oneida, from 9am-4pm, by removing non-native
plant species. Sign up at 231-334-6103.

Book Signing: Authors Chris Byron & Tom Wilson
of "Vintage Views Along the West Michigan Pike,"
along with Mary Jane Doerr, author of "Bay View:
An American Idea," will be signing their books at
a reception held at The Cottage Book Shop, Glen
Arbor, at 2pm. Call 231-334-4223 for info.

SATURDAY 6/25

Run Charlevoix Marathon, Half Marathon, 5k/10k:
Held in downtown Charlevoix. Visit goodboyevents.
com.

Art Rapids!: Juried art fair held in Veterans' Memorial
Park, Elk Rapids, from 10am-5pm, featuring jewelry,
ceramics, photography, paintings, fiber, metal, glass,
wood and more. Includes a "People's Choice" award
and children's tent. Musicians Tom Kaufmann, Ron
Getz and Ronnie Hernandez and the Robert Abate
Trio will perform. Visit artrapids.org for more info.
The Gin Blossoms: '90s pop/rock group performing
at Val Du Lakes, Mears, at 5:45. Tickets, showclix.
com.

Author Signing: Jim Voltz will present his book on
Crystal Lake, "Hors' doeuvres on the Porch," at
Horizon Books, TC, 1-3pm.

Margaritaville Party of the North: Mickey Rat
Band performs Jimmy Buffet tunes at Bay Harbor,
6-10pm. Includes dinner, libations and mini auction.
Cost, $125; benefits regional charities. RSVP to
231-439-2700.

Walk MS Traverse City: Three mile walk at the
Grand Traverse Civic Center, 10am. Register 9am.
Bring a donation to help fight multiple sclerosis. Visit
walkmsmi.org for more info.

Wastin' Away in Grand Traverse Bay Beach Bash:
Patio party at the Holiday Inn West Bay, TC,
from 3-10pm, to benefit Habitat for Humanity
and the Goodwill Inn. Cost, $10 per ticket and
includes drink specials, live music and silent
auction. Hosted by the Parrot Head Club.
Author Signing: Jim Carpenter will discuss his book
"Surviving My Happy Childhood" at Horizon Books,
TC, 3-5pm.

Author Event: James Pecora, Michigan murder
novelist, will be at the Good Hart General Store,
noon-2pm, to discuss his latest book "One Way:
The Road to Mass Murder."

source: Northern Express

Dennos Museum Center

Current Exhibitions

Bodies Human: Anatomy in Motion
April 10 - September 5, 2011
Over 100 authentic human specimens give a once-in-a-lifetime look inside the human body More »

Inuit Gallery
Permanent installation
A survey of contemporary Inuit sculpture, prints and textiles More »

Discovery Gallery
Permanent installation
Hands-on, interactive experiences for children of all ages More »

Outdoor Sculpture
Permanent installation
Thought provoking large-scale sculptures located on the campus of Northwestern Michigan College More »

Dennos Museum Center

Thomas Plumbing

Thomas Plumbing was founded by Tom Borsos and has been serving the greater Grand Traverse area since 1992. Tom has over 25 years of experience in the plumbing trade and is a registered licensed master plumber with the State of Michigan (#8109540). Tom also holds a plumbing contracting license

http://www.thomas-plumbing.com/

2011 National Cherry Festival Information

Do you remember the sights, sounds, and smells of a summer celebration in your hometown when you were a kid? It might have been a carnival, parade, or a festival to honor the Fourth of July or a seasonal specialty. Whatever it was, it probably had music, fireworks, cotton candy, snow cones, games of skills and rides on the midway, marching bands and floats pulled by trucks, cherry pie eating contests and clear blue skies and warm sunshine with crowds of smiling faces with no worries.

http://visit.cherryfestival.org/

The Blue Tractor

Located in historic Olde Towne Traverse City, at the former site of Dill's Olde Towne Saloon, Blue Tractor is an Old School Dining Establishment. Take a moment to browse our web site and menu...then stop in for a meal or drink and say hello to the crew.

ww.bluetractorcookshop.com/

The Homestead

The Homestead

Experience natural beauty at AMERICA’S FRESH WATER RESORT located on Lake Michigan surrounded by the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Spa, dining, ski, golf, beach, pools.

The exceptional natural setting makes this the resort for romantic getaways, family vacations, family reunions, weddings, meetings and vacation and retirement homes.

http://www.thehomesteadresort.com/

Shanty Creek

Summertime shines at Shanty Creek with 72 holes of Michigan's best and most affordable golf. And Schuss and Summit Mountains' 53 ski runs and 4 terrain parks are a crowd favorite each winter.
With indoor & outdoor pools, a wellness spa and fitness center, multiple dining options, over 36,000 sq ft of banquet and event space plus day trips in every direction, it’s no wonder Shanty Creek is Michigan’s Favorite Resort. Again.

http://www.shantycreek.com/

Crema TC

Proudly serving Higher Grounds organic, local, fair-trade coffee beans. Check out the menu with made to order breakfast, lunch, home made baked goods, and drinks!

http://www.crematc.com

Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA)

Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help people of all ages experience the science and spirit of the Great Lakes through shipboard and on-shore programs. The knowledge gained through these experiences will provide the leadership, understanding and commitment needed for the long-term stewardship of the Great Lakes.

http://www.schoolship.org/

Turtle Creek Casino

Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel is open 24 hours year round with Slots, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Let It Ride, Roulette, Craps and more!
http://www.turtlecreekcasino.com

Hearth & Vine

Saveur Thyme at the Hearth & Vine, owned by Chef Paul Carlson, is a cozy cafe and wine bar featuring gourmet wood-fired pizzas, delicious soups, salads, sandwiches, and more. We strive to create our meals using locally-grown food as often as possible and focus on quality.

The Hearth & Vine is located at Black Star Farms, just south of Suttons Bay, Michigan. As you head north on M22, you can see the red inn and barns to the west after passing Fort Road. Turn left onto Revold Road and take the first left through the gates to Black Star.

In addition to grabbing a meal at the Hearth & Vine, you can visit Black Star's winery, stables and creamery (the famous Leelanau Cheese Co.) or book a room at the Inn.

Don't forget to visit the horses, sheep, and goats--they love a little scratch between the ears now and then. Kids: if you sweet-talk Paul, he may send you out to the barn with a bucket of scraps to feed the animals.

Hearth & Vine

NMC Extended Education

NMC's Community and Continuing Education Program.
Hundreds of high-quality learning experiences are available at
Extended Education.

College for Kids
Computer Training
Culinary
Energy & Construction
International Affairs Forum
Life Academy
Personal Enrichment
Professional Development
Small Business

Northwestern Michigan College
http://www.nmc.edu/resources/extended-education/index.html

Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau Events Calender

The Traverse City area hosts a wide variety of festivals throughout the year. By far our largest annual event is the National Cherry Festival, held in early July in downtown Traverse City. Other major celebrations throughout the year are listed below, with links to the official sites if available.

http://www.traversecity.com/events-33/

The Northern Express

Northern Express Weekly is northern Michigan's largest weekly newspaper, distributed in 13 counties throughout the northwestern lower peninsula of Michigan. You will find our publication in over 600 locations, from Manistee to Mackinaw City, including the population hubs of Traverse City, Petoskey, Gaylord, and everything in-between. We distribute up to 30,000 copies each week with an average of 2.5 readers per copy (75,000 weekly readers). Our distribution ranges over 200 miles is audited by the national audit firm for publications.
http://www.northernexpress.com/

UpNorthLive.com - Latest local news, weather and high school sports for Northern Michigan

Up North Live. The latest local news, weather and high school sports for Traverse City and Northern Michigan powered by WPBN TV 7&4 NBC and ABC 29&8.

http://www.upnorthlive.com/