March is maple sugaring time in northern Michigan. An annual Maple Sugaring Days event presented by Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in partnership with Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear will be held over two days–March 7-8 at the Olsen and Dechow Farms. Saturday hours are 10 am-3 pm and Sunday hours are 11 am-3 pm. Maple Sugaring Days offers a variety of demonstrations and hands-on activities to get outdoors and learn about the history of maple sugaring.
The Old Art Building (OAB) is proud to announce a special solo exhibition, Charles Passarelli: A Legacy of Artistic Exploration , running from March 2-25 . This comprehensive exhibit celebrates the life and work of Leelanau County local and master artist Charles Passarelli, a figure whose career reflects the evolving landscape of American art over the last 70 years.
Join Jess Piskor and Inland Seas Education Association on Tuesday, March 3, at 10 am, for a presentation and discussion of his work on Passenger Pigeons and Beech Trees. Piskor will offer a one-of-a-kind love letter to these two surprisingly interrelated species. One hundred and fifty years ago, Northern Michigan’s hardwood forests were full of Beech Trees, and the skies darkened with Passenger Pigeons. Now the birds are extinct, and the beeches are threatened with disease. Learn about their connection to each other, and come away with a greater appreciation for the great trees still in our midst.
In 2012 Leelanau County couple Rolf and Mari von Walthausen decided to move from their 2,000-square-foot home into a 240-square-foot tiny house. The couple will talk about their radical resizing—how and why they did it—at the Glen Arbor Arts Center February 22 at 1 pm. The program, Living Large In A Tiny House, is free, and is offered as part of the GAAC’s INteriors exhibition.
As northern Michigan continues to experience a very snowy and cold winter, the Empire Area Community Center (EACC) plans to embrace the elements with the annual Empire Winterfest. Events will be hosted throughout the village of Empire on Saturday, Feb. 21, including the long-standing tradition of a polar plunge in South Bar Lake.
The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail has announced the launch of its newest winter event, Snow on The Vines, taking place Feb. 20–22. This inaugural winter celebration invites wine lovers to experience the charm of Northern Michigan’s wine country wrapped in a cozy, snow-kissed setting.
Glen Arbor hosts its winterfest the Saturday of President’s Day weekend, which this year falls on Feb. 14. The event includes a chili cook-off on the deck of Boonedocks restaurant from noon-3 pm and an ice fishing contest on the Glen Lakes from 7 am-1 pm.
It’s a community party. It’s a mystery. And it’s a delicious farce. Welcome to the next Cocktails, Canapés, and Comedy theater production, courtesy of the Northport Performing Arts Center. The two-act play Unnecessary Farce involves two cops, three crooks, eight doors and plenty of laughter. The plot revolves around a corrupt mayor who is meeting with his female accountant in a motel, while in the room next door, two undercover cops wait to catch the meeting on video. There’s some confusion as to who’s in which room, who’s being videotaped, who has the money, who hired a hitman and why. Plus, why does the accountant keep taking off her clothes?
The Lively NeighborFood Market continues its focus on supporting small local farms by inviting area chefs and neighbors to come together around a Farm-to-Table Dinner Series that celebrates the bounty of our region—even in the winter months. On Mondays in January and February the NeighborFood Market is hosting multi-course meals for 26 guests with reservations seated at a beautiful candlelit community table. The guest chefs come from a wide range of backgrounds, but all have strong connections to western Leelanau County.
Join The Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 7 pm as the Winter/Spring “Live at The Bay” season gets off to a remarkable start with Canadian folk singer, instrumentalist, (and author) Garnet Rogers taking the stage. Given his extensive performance history at North America’s most prestigious venues, the Bay is thrilled to to host this great artist here in Suttons Bay.