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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?

As we travel across this country, we pass giant mounds of landfill—unpleasant evidence of how much we throw away. A group of dedicated neighbors in Northport have been trying for approximately 50 years to reverse that trend by recycling unwanted clothing into rugs. On Tuesday mornings, the members of Rag Bee gather around a table at Trinity Church to accomplish their mission. The next opportunity to purchase rugs is during the Women’s Club bake sale at Trinity Church on Dec. 6.

The Northport Arts Association invites artists and designers to submit original mural concepts for five tile installations, each to be prominently displayed in public buildings throughout the Village of Northport. Submissions must be received by October 30. Click here for more information.

On Oct. 11, Karen Puschel Segal will speak at Trinity Church in Northport for the 2025 Belko Peace Lecture. Her topic is “The Immigration Challenge in America Today.” Karen had a 20-year career in the Department of State, first as an intelligence analyst of Soviet Affairs and then as a diplomat in Russia. Upon moving to Traverse City, she became Co-Chair and Director of NMC’s International Affairs Forum. Now, Karen leads a local team resettling families from Afghanistan and Ukraine. She knows first-hand how our nation has been dealing with immigrants, including right here in northern Michigan.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 27 as the village of Northport transforms into a vibrant, car-free celebration of local music, dance, art, and food—all absolutely free. Now in its 11th season of performances, Leelanau UnCaged has grown into northern Michigan’s most anticipated street festival, drawing thousands to enjoy the creative spirit of the region. From 11 am to 10 pm, enjoy a spectacular lineup featuring 34 live performances across seven stages—plus, a dedicated dance stage with performances and interactive experiences happening all day long.

Friends of Leelanau Township Library are excited to announce the award-winning author, Mary Kay Zuravleff, will speak at their annual meeting on Saturday, June 14, at 1 pm in the Leelanau Township library in Northport. She will discuss her novel American Ending, inspired by all four of her grandparents.

The Northport Arts Association is proud to present the 2025 Northport Photo Exhibit, launching Memorial Day weekend with a public Opening Reception on Friday, May 23 from 5–8 pm at the Village Arts Building. This popular annual exhibit, now in its eighth year, continues to grow in both artistic reach and visual diversity. The Opening Reception is free and open to the public, featuring complimentary appetizers and a cash bar. The exhibit will run from May 24 through June 8, with gallery hours Tuesday through Sunday, 12–4 pm.

Louis Armstong said, “Musicians don’t retire; they stop when there’s no more music in them.” By that measure, Hugh Willey has certainly not retired because he still lives and breathes music. At age 94, he still plays at his home and at Trinity Church in Northport, and if you walk with him, he will likely treat you to a vocal version of a favorite jazz tune. Hugh has been a cheerleader for young musicians. He brought them to perform at schools and clubs including the Sugar Loaf Resort and the Park Place Hotel. Another favorite event was the Northport Wine Festival at the Northport Marina.

Fischer’s Happy Hour Tavern, the popular destination on M-22 south of Northport, reopened this past November after closing in December 2022 following 51 years in business. Tonight, Fischer’s will host “Live From the Happy Hour”—a private (now sold-out) concert featuring Elizabeth Landry, Joe Wilson and Caul Bluhm. Landry shared what Fischer’s has meant to her over the years, as a community destination and as a music venue.

Peninsula Housing announced this weekend that the affordable housing nonprofit is excited to welcome John and Kelly Kehl as new homeowners of an affordable home in the village of Northport. The Leelanau natives are grateful for the community of support that made this possible, and Kelly stated in a press release, “We were the first applicants to reach the finish line through this program, and I can’t wait to show others it’s possible to buy a home in northern Michigan!” The Kehls purchased their home on Ransom Street for $220,000, according to Peninsula Housing founder and board president Larry Mawby.