Don’t miss this weekend’s ninth annual Empire Asparagus Festival, which celebrates the arrival of spring and precedes the official opening of Northern Michigan’s tourism season a week later.
And the next ‘Best Of’ honor bestowed upon our neck of the woods is … drumroll please … “Best Landlocked Beach”. Our proverbial hat is sinking under weight of feathers!
Starting this Friday, April 20, the Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay will feature Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, a new film from the director of Chocolat and the screenwriter of Slumdog Millionaire.
The Spring Sip & Savor returns to the Leelanau Peninsula wine trail the weekend of May 5-6. This annual celebration features food and wine pairings at 19 wineries along with the “Sip-o de Mayo Hat Contest” — a chance to show off your best hat and win prizes including a fantastic getaway to Michigan’s Wine Coast.
The Cottage Book Shop in Glen Arbor will be hosting a book giveaway party on Sunday, April 22, from 3-5 p.m., in preparation for the upcoming World Book Night. Book lovers in the community, who were selected by the international nonprofit organization, will pick up 20 free copies of their chosen book, which they will distribute on Monday, April 23 to underserved readers in the Leelanau and Grand Traverse areas.
According to a study released at last week’s Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism, Michigan hosted a record 3.2 million out-of-state visitors who spent $1 billion here last year. The state expects a 6 percent increase in tourism this year and is reaching out to farther-flung visitors.
The Glen Arbor Township Board held a special meeting today to respond to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) regarding an application for a marina expansion on Big Glen Lake. On the Narrows Marina owner Conor McCahill seeks to add an additional 39 boat slips on a new dock, bringing the total to 46, as well as increase the moorings to 16.
Calling all book lovers and friends of the Cottage Book Shop in Glen Arbor: Wednesday, Feb. 1 is the deadline to sign up to choose the title of the free book you will deliver to 20 non-readers or light readers throughout northern Michigan on April 23 — the second annual World Book Night.
The county’s best-kept winter sport secret isn’t skiing, snowboarding, or the best ice fishing hideaway: it’s the weekly Zumba classes at the Empire Township Hall. The 5:45-7 p.m.
The Bay Area Transit Authority, which serves Leelanau and Grand Traverse Counties, is launching a huge makeover and backing away from its traditional, often slow, door-to-door dial-a-ride service in favor of many more direct, “fixed” routes that operate on tightly defined schedules.