Afternoon-long fundraiser concert returns to Lively Acres

By Ross Boissoneau

Sun contributor

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood. The Lively neighborhood, that is, as the compound on M-72 readies to host Lively NeighborFest 2026 on May 24.

Jim Lively says the event is an opportunity for neighbors to gather together around local food and music, while supporting two local non-profits, the Empire Area Community Center (EACC) and LIFT (Leelanau Investing For Teens). “The beautiful thing is it’s the second annual NeighborFest. It’s just like last year, except better,” he says with a laugh.

Part campground, part farm market and camp store, part restaurant and part concert venue, the site also is home to the Lively Farm. Add it all up, and you’ve got the perfect site for a day-long party.

So, who are the people in the neighborhood? The lineup includes a number of local musicians. “Local is first, always,” says Lively. Host Bob DeKorne and The Burdickville Boys kick things off at 1 o’clock. “They’re just from three or four miles away,” he notes.

They’re followed at 2:15 by Luke Woltanski. Lively is excited that he is bringing his band with him this year. At 3:30, the father-daughter duo Fern and Faj take the stage, followed by Clint Weaner at 4:45.

Local favorites The Fabulous HornDogs close the show with a set from 6 to 7. In between the acts, Lively says other locals will recite poetry or other spoken word pieces, while DeKorne keeps things moving along.

While the press release defines its neighbors as those in the Glen Lake and Empire area, Lively makes clear that everyone is invited. He says the music is a way to bring everyone together to support two local causes. The Empire Area Community Center provides community events for the children and adults, such as the holiday Artisan Marketplace, Labor Day Bridge Walk, Anchor Day Parade. It is the parent organization for the Empire Area Emergency Fund. Lively says NeighborFest funds are earmarked for its general fund.

LIFT is an afterschool program for Leelanau County student in grades 6 through 12. It began in 2017, and has grown to provide daily activities for students at Suttons Bay, Glen Lake, Leland, and Northport Schools. It includes mentoring, co-hosting school events such as homecoming and prom and activities such as rock climbing, attending concerts, going to the beach, even working at a farm.

The Lively NeighborFood Market and Cafe will provide prepared foods for purchase, all featuring products from local farms. All profits above food costs will be donated and split between LIFT and EACC. In addition, they will pass the hat for donations, with all funds again divided between the two organizations.

The menu will include hot dogs, beetroot hamburgers and cheeseburgers, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, cookies and baked goods from Mel & Fell. “It’s picnic food,” Lively says.

While it might seem logical that the concert is derived from Jim’s daughter Emily’s long-running LivelyLands Festival, a multi-day concert that took place on the same grounds, he says the real inspiration came from local musician Pat Niemisto’s annual Pickin’ Party. “He did a pickin’ party in his backyard. It was a community potluck, with (professional) performers and kids,” Lively explains.

The event became so popular it eventually outgrew Niemisto’s home. “It got bigger than he could do. My kids performed there and enjoyed it, and I thought I had a good space” to continue the tradition, Lively says. Unfortunately, Niemisto won’t be able to attend, as he is performing the same day at the Wheatland Music Festival’s Traditional Arts Weekend.

In addition to music and food, Lively says NeighborFest will also feature an auction, with prizes including a sail on Grand Traverse Bay with Captain Ger, a.k.a. EACC president Gerry Shiffman, and a guitar crafted by Bob DeKorne of Pyramid Point Custom Guitars.

Lively says the event continues to grow, and he is pleased that it is raising awareness of the causes it supports as well as the musicians and the farmers who sell their wares at and through the market. He says a number of people are unaware of all that goes on locally, from the non-profits to the farms the NeighborFood Market supports. He was recently approached in the market by a camper who remarked, “Wow, this is the nicest camp store I’ve ever been in.”

“I told him this is a year-round market.”

NeighborFest starts at 1 p.m., but people are welcome to come early, spread out their blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy the food, music and camaraderie. Lively even guarantees plenty of sunshine, same as at NeighborFest 2025.

“The weather will be great, just like last year,” he says with a laugh.