Safety issues due to rising waters has forced Leland’s Fishtown Preservation Society (FPS) to cancel its June 21 “Shanty Aid” kickoff fundraiser. Ironically, the event was to be a benefit to save Fishtown from rising water. Meanwhile, the water continues to rise, threatening shanties and docks.
Main Street Gallery in Leland is kicking off the start of summer with an event, focused on introducing new owners Daniel and Anna Oginsky, and new manager of the Gallery – Cece Chatfield.
The Fishtown Preservation Society (FPS) in Leland is honoring a milestone in early 2019, when, after 12 years, the nonprofit organization becomes debt-free. FPS has scheduled a celebration on Thursday, Feb. 14, from 5:45-6 p.m. in Fishtown, the same day that the organization makes the final payment for its Fishtown property with a $789,600 balloon payment.
Light up Leland for the holidays on Wednesday, Nov. 21, at 5:30 p.m. The event begins with the lighting of the tree at Christmas Tree Corner followed by Santa riding in a fire engine to the Village Green where you can enjoy more tree lighting, caroling, treats and time with Santa.
Blue Boat Coffee in Leland features meticulously sourced coffee, brewed with a passionate attention to detail by homegrown Leelanau locals. They also represent a growing trend of young families moving back to the area because of their love for this unique peninsula, creating a life and work balance through entrepreneurship, and the invigorating satisfaction of being contented by their locale.
The 20th annual walk across the mighty Leland Bridge in honor of Labor Day will take place on Monday, Sept. 3, at noon. Leland residents, family and friends will begin gathering at 11:30 a.m. in the parking lot behind the Blue Bird in preparation for the historic walk.
In its fifth decade serving the community, Leelanau Books has reopened after new owners and management completed a major renovation including the addition of a “Back Porch” family activity center at its location on Main St in Leland.
Leland is a getaway in every sense of the word. It’s idyllic and old school, clean and comfortable, and there’s just enough to do without overwhelming you. On this shore, Lake Michigan can be calm and quiet, or raging and dark. The weather decides which experience you’ll have. Big lake storms can be the best excuse to huddle up and reset in a cozy spot, hypnotized by the rain and wind.
Here’s a little-known, fishy fact: back in the 1960s, some kids would throw fish chubs, not candy, in the Leland Fourth of July parade. John Watkins remembers sitting on Steffens & Stallman’s parade float and handing out smoked chub to people along the route. “One year we sat in the dump truck and just threw it out to people,” Watkins laughed.
As farmers, the Leelanau Conservancy is a pretty important organization in our lives. Our family raises alpaca and antique apples on the Leelanau Conservancy-owned DeYoung Farm at the base of the peninsula. It was during the the process of applying for land-use and working on this historic property, we discovered the many facets of an organization we’ve come to love and appreciate, not just for its land preservation efforts, but also for the resulting, positive influence the Conservancy’s efforts have on all aspects of life on the Leelanau.