Join Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes, the National Lakeshore’s nonprofit partner for a volunteer training on Sunday, May 18, from 1–3 pm at the Glen Arbor Town Hall. The Friends are kicking off the summer season with an afternoon of connection, updates, and inspiration. Come learn about volunteer opportunities and hear directly from National Lakeshore rangers and staff about what’s ahead for the Park this year.
Longtime Glen Arbor custodian Leonard Ole Thoreson, passed away on March 15 at age 98. Thoreson was born on November 28, 1926, in Port Oneida (on the Thoreson Farm). As a young boy his father worked the fields with horses until he purchased the Ford Tractor that is on the farm today. A lifelong resident of Leelanau County, Thoreson served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a dedicated member of St. Philip Neri Catholic Church.
Enjoy a variety of highly anticipated holiday-themed events during Thanksgiving weekend in Glen Arbor, and shop local for the holidays. Glen Arbor businesses offer “once-a-year worthy specials” during the annual PJ Party shopping event, boasting a “better than Black Friday” experience. Dress festive and cozy to get your local holiday shopping done at participating retailers, open on Friday, Nov. 26 from 6-8 a.m.
The Glen Lake Community Library’s annual Used Book Sale will be held at the Glen Arbor Township Hall on August 8-10. At the Preview Party, on Aug. 8 from 6-9 p.m., shoppers can choose from thousands books and have an opportunity to mingle with friends and enjoy delicious appetizers and sweet treats. The cost is $5. The general sale will be on Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The sale will conclude on Friday with a Bag Sale. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., shoppers can purchase a bag for $5 and fill it to the brim with as many books and other items as they can fit in.
The Glen Lake Film Festival, a new addition to Glen Arbor this summer, will celebrate four “book-to-movie” screen classics on Monday nights at 8 p.m. at the Glen Arbor Township Hall.
After serving as Glen Arbor’s chief executive for 16 years, township supervisor John Soderholm is stepping down for several reasons. “Sometime it gets so you need new blood in the system,” he said. For Soderholm himself, it’s a case of “service fulfilled. We accomplished a lot and there are some new challenges.” Plus, Soderholm feels he is at a point in life where time is getting short. He prefers now to focus on his personal life.
During one extraordinary week in August 2015, the sounds that dominated our town were the whirr of winds and the ugly crack of trees, followed by the buzz of chainsaws, the hum of generators, and the cheering and car honking as Consumers Power trucks and linemen rolled into town like a liberating army.
Celebrating its 21st season in the beautiful Leelanau Peninsula, the Manitou Music Festival presents another lineup of exciting and diverse concerts featuring: jazz, classical, blues, folk, country, celtic, bluegrass and world music in some of Michigan’s most idyllic settings. The Festival showcases regionally and nationally known artists performing in Glen Arbor.