Bay Books event promotes cultural acceptance in trying times

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“The world is held together by tiny friendships.” So explains the wise grandmother character in local author Lynne Rae Perkins’ latest novel “At Home in a Faraway Place.” On March 29, Perkins will be one of two authors featured at an event at Bay Books in Suttons Bay highlighting literary selections for young readers on the opportune topics of immigration and cultural acceptance. The program will open at 10:30 a.m. with Bay Books owner Tina Greene-Bevington reading Thrity Umrigar’s children’s book, “Sugar in Milk.” Described by Running Press as “a timely and timeless picture book about immigration that demonstrates the power of diversity, acceptance and tolerance from a very gifted storyteller” Sugar in Milk made several best book lists and garnered two awards when it was published in 2020.

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The Homestead hosts Ullr Festival

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The Homestead’s Ullr Festival will continue every weekend through February and potentially into March as well, depending on the weather. Named for the Norse God of snow and winter, the Ullr Festival offers residents and visitors fun on the slopes and additional activities above and beyond slicing through the snow. “We came up with the idea of an Ullr Festival as a way to help non-skiers enjoy their time. It’s also a great way for those who do want to hit the slopes to further enjoy the area and our resort,” said Robert Kuras, owner and CEO of The Homestead.

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Cleveland Township Board stops proposed Maple City Dollar General with zoning, building moratorium

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At a special meeting tonight, the Cleveland Township Board unanimously passed a moratorium on any applications for zoning or building in the Business 1 and Business 2 zoning districts until Aug. 4, with the option to extend for another six months. The Planning Commission meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 5, has been cancelled. That moratorium stops, for now, a proposed Dollar General development at the corner of Maple City Road and Cemetery Road in Cleveland Township.

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Shady Lane Cellars launches book club

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New this year at the Suttons Bay-based estate winery, Shady Lane Cellars, pair a glass of wine with a thrilling new read. Shady Lane Cellars Book Club debuts this month. The first selection is “Murder in the Merlot” by Michigan’s own Aaron Stander, author of the Ray Elkins mystery series and host of IPR’s Michigan Writers on the Air. The novel is paired with Shady Lane Cellars Hartwick Red, a red blend barrel-aged in French oak with expressions of dried cherry, espresso and earthy truffles. The first meeting is set for 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 30.

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Leelanau wineries offer special wintertime events

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’Tis the season for—wine? According to the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association, a.k.a. the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail, yes, it is. As a matter of fact, it’s pretty much always the season for wine. While the tasting rooms are most crowded in the summer and fall is harvest season in the vineyards, there are still plenty of reasons to visit wineries in the winter. Starting with the wines themselves, of course, but beyond that, there are a number of special events in the wintertime. “Our wine trail events are all about bringing people together to celebrate the exceptional wines that make our region so special,” said Andie Hobbins, managing director for the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. “Northern Michigan is producing wines of outstanding quality, and we love sharing that with visitors from near and far.”

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Lissa Edwards: Falling in love with her stories for nearly four decades

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Can a brilliant career be born from a moment of angst while hunched over a bathtub? If you’re Lissa Edwards, that’s a yes. “From the time I was cognizant of anything, I loved Glen Arbor. And I always knew I wanted to be a writer,” she says. Laughing, the proprietor of Glen Arbor Wines professes, “I often say I can write and I can pour wine; those are my only two skills. I have no others!” Nine months ago, Edwards retired from what is now called Traverse, Northern Michigan, where her career as a writer and editor spanned almost four decades. Throughout, Edwards mastered the ability of sussing out compelling stories where no one else was looking. Her ideas were virtually inexhaustible and her process uniquely her own—so much so that her colleagues coined the affectionate term “Lissariffic.”

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Revelers Wassail at Tandem Ciders

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Locals know a secret about Leelanau County winters. The season lends reprieve from chaos, re-rooting and grounding us after the busy, crowded summer season. Having this sacred place to ourselves for a fleeting moment allows for deeper camaraderie and connection to place. Tandem Ciders co-owners Dan Young and Nikki Rothwell have hosted a wassail celebration at their tasting room on Setterbo Road north of Suttons Bay since 2009, offering an opportunity for locals to connect with each other under the constellations in the depths of Leelanau’s winter. At Tandem Cider’s 16th annual wassail celebration, buoyant echoes of raucous partiers standing around a bonfire are somehow harmonious with the silence that vibrates from the black, night sky of deep winter. A collection of familiar faces represents a community slow to change, slow to grow, until the Covid migration occurred. These are faces that connect our past to this place we call home.

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Leelanau’s influencers of 2024

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With 2024 in the rearview mirror and 2025 upon us, we’re recognizing 25 “influencers” we covered in the Glen Arbor Sun this past year who are making a meaningful impact on Leelanau County communities, commerce, and culture. Read below about those 25 local influencers, who include everyone from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, to Leelanau Investing for Teens, to Empire’s polar dippers, to popular new destinations River Club Glen Arbor, the Sleeping Bear Inn, and the Lively’s NeighborFood Market.

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Lively NeighborFood Market offers Christmas trees to families in need

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The Lively NeighborFood Market, located on M-72 east of Empire, is offering Christmas trees to five families who are in need of a little boost of holiday spirit. The trees come in various sizes between 6 and 11 feet tall. If you need to fill your house with a beautiful bit of northern Michigan’s finest, stop by the market at 3805 W Empire Hwy, or contact Jim Lively at 231-994-9339 or email jim@livelyneighborfood.com. Hurry, Santa Claus is coming to town!

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Homestead hires Becsey, awaits snow

The Homestead announced that Jim Becsey has been hired as the new manager of building and grounds at the Glen Arbor resort. As such, he will be responsible for the upkeep of resort-owned buildings and maintenance of the grounds, including the resort’s ski facilities. Ski hills are hoping for a La Niña weather pattern, which would bring a more typical snowy winter. While hoping to open just after Christmas, The Homestead will also offer a creative array of family-friendly activities, which could include live entertainment like magicians and jugglers, art shows and collaborations with the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail.

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