6 minute read
Up Nort h Events SAVORING SUMMER’S END
by ALLISON JARRELL
FRI / 1
The Minnehaha Brewhaha Music Festival returns with two days of music, brews and food. Camping available at Arcadia Marine. music-moves-me.org
SUN / 3
The 6th annual B3 Festival (Beer, Blues & Barbecue) takes place on the slopes of scenic Treetops Resort in Gaylord. This year’s event features a tribute to Bob Seger with headliner Forever Seger: The Silver Bullet Experience. Attendees can also enjoy a large variety of Michigan craft brews and a pig roast. Tickets are $35. MyNorthTickets.com
SAT / 9
The U.P. Fall Beer Festival in Marquette offers a selection of 600 craft beers from 80 Michigan breweries, plus an array of tasty local eats and a talented lineup of musicians. travelmarquette.com
THURS / 14
The annual Paddle Antrim Festival celebrates the amazing waterways of Northern Michigan with a two-day paddle event along the Chain of Lakes Water Trail. This choose-your-own-adventure paddle allows you to decide how far you want to travel. paddleantrim.com
SUN / 17
Frankfort once again hosts Ironman 70.3 along the shores of Lake Michigan. ironman.com
WED / 20
Savor a romantic Dinner in the Vines at 45 North Vineyard & Winery in Lake Leelanau, featuring four courses expertly paired with the vineyard’s wines. $110 per person. MyNorthTickets.com
FRI / 22
Harbor Spring’s Festival of the Book is a multi-day gathering with 30-plus nationally known authors and illustrators. The festival highlights all things books during keynotes, luncheons and readings. Sept. 22–24. hsfotb.org
SUN / 24
Head to the Pine Performance Center in Curtis to soak in The Magic of the Night Sky in Upper Michigan—an immersive ultra-HD visual presentation by astrophotographer Shawn Malone. He’ll share memorable experiences in the field and photos and videos curated from 25 years of avid night sky watching including magnificent aurora events, Milky Way landscapes, eclipses, comets, meteor showers and the ever-elusive S.T.E.V.E. Tickets are $12–$15. MyNorthTickets.com
WED / 27
2023 marks the 10th year of the Up North Pride celebration, with a continued mission of making the region a more diverse, inclusive and safe place for everyone. Northern Michigan’s official 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride Celebration returns to Traverse City Sept. 27–Oct. 1. upnorthpride.com
Back To School
by ANNA FALLER
Asophisticated top-to-bottom renovation has given new life to an old school—and boy, are we glad that class is back in session.
Constructed in 1912, the building began as a six-room schoolhouse and served as an organ-manufacturing facility in the ’60s before transitioning to private ownership. By the time it was purchased in 2021 by Boyne City transplants Eddie and Lesa Louch (also of Crooked Tree Nursery and Landscaping), it had been sitting vacant for several years. “I’d always been fascinated with the property,” says Eddie Louch. “It was a fun challenge to bring it to life and turn it into something that people would want to follow.”
Along with a team of 40 skilled staff, the pair joined partners Dave and Carolyn Hendricks to strip the building down to its studs, reimagining the former classroom spaces as modern and elevated vacation rentals (think exposed brick walls, granite countertops and crisp white trim to offset the high ceilings). Each flat is equipped with a full kitchen and stainless-steel appliances, while updated living spaces boast warm-industrial decor, a gas fireplace and flat-screen TVs. On summer evenings, private patios beckon; or collapse into cozy, queen-size beds after a busy day of exploring.
The garden level holds the building’s two smallest units, which are about 1,000 square feet each. One offers accessible accommodations, complete with its own entry ramp, and both are equipped with a bedroom and ensuite bath. Up the staircase, the first floor houses another two units with one or two bedrooms. At the top of the complex sit the penthouse suites (with views of Lake Charlevoix), which have an added second-level loft with a sleeper sofa and a third bathroom, making them ideal for larger families or groups.
Outside, guests relax on three acres of expertly designed greenery with a fire pit and grill perfect for s’mores and locally made brats (get the goods at Grain Train Natural Foods Market).
Things To Do Nearby
Of all the Boyne Schoolhouse Loft’s amenities, proximity to downtown tops the list. At just a few blocks from Boyne City’s center, it sits within easy walking distance of the marina, family-friendly parks and a sturdy list of places to eat. “You can walk to these places, have a good evening and come back to catch a sunset right off your patio deck,” Louch says.
To make the most of your getaway, he recommends grabbing a bite at European-inspired Café Santé or S ommerset Pointe Yacht Club’s The Pointe Fish & Grill, which overlooks Lake Charlevoix. Cap off your night with a cocktail at Provisions Lounge.
The endlessly charming Horton Bay General Store, established in 1876, is a go-to for ice cream, espresso, wine and gifts. Another must-visit is nearby Lavender Hill Farm, home to workshops, kids’ events and tours—not to mention 30 varieties of the fragrant flowers. For the outdoor adventurer, Louch suggests Avalanche Mountain Preserve and its 300 acres of hiking and mountain biking trails, or let Boyne Watersports set you up with a pontoon rental for a day on the water.
His favorite rec for guests? Day trips to Charlevoix and Walloon Lake. “They’re the old goodies, and have such a unique environment,” Louch says. “You really can’t beat this setting.” Find the Boyne Schoolhouse Lofts at 411 North East St., Boyne City. boyneschoolhouselofts.com
Explore Cadillac By Bike
For those starting or ending their ride in Cadillac, don't miss out on the large local trail system, which links up with the White Pine, including seven scenic miles around Lake Cadillac. Lagerwey recommends heading to the Rotary Performing Arts Pavilion, while Griffith enjoys stopping at Clam Lake Beer Co. for lunch with his Silver Spokes cycling group. Also worth noting: Einstein Cycles, 303 N. Mitchell St., has you covered for bike rentals and repairs. Beyond the White Pine Trailhead, Cadillac Commons is home to:
The Market
An open-air, covered market between the Cadillac movie theater and After 26 Depot, home to the Cadillac Area Farmers Market and Cadillac After Hours Market. (Tip: Head to After 26 Depot for their sweet potato breakfast scramble, and support a family-owned business dedicated to employing adults with developmental disabilities. It doesn’t get much cooler than that.)
City Park
Home of the Shay Locomotive—a permanent display of Cadillac’s logging history—and the memorial water fountain. Cadillac’s largest community festivals and events happen here with Lake Cadillac as a backdrop. Great for a picnic or a scenic walk or ride.
Rotary Pavilion
Cadillac Rotary Performing Arts Pavilion has been a focal point on Cadillac’s lakeshore for decades, boasting a state-of-the-art sound system and a green seating area with sun shades. Enjoy concerts overlooking Lake Cadillac.
The Plaza
A multi-use, multi-seasonal space for public events and gatherings. Amenities include a children’s splash pad, art-inspired benches and shaded seating for summer, along with an outdoor gas fireplace and ice skating rink during cold-weather months.
DON’T MISS: THE WHITE PINE RIDE
Lagerwey coordinates the Rotary Club’s White Pine Ride, which falls on Sept. 16 this year. The fifth annual ride starts at the north end of the White Pine Trail and is suitable for all riding levels, offering various mileage distances—from 12- to 83-mile roundtrip routes. For more info, visit whitepineride.com.
Trailblazing
by ALLISON JARRELL
When september’s lingering summer starts stretching into cooler, colorful autumn days, you’ve hit the sweet spot for biking the panor amic White Pine Rail Trail. This 92-mile pathway connect s Cadillac to Comstock Park, just north of Grand Rapids, and treats cyclists to dynamic vistas—think tree tunnels, lilied ponds, snaking streams and lush wetlands. You’ll ride beside trillium and other ephemeral wildflowers in the spring, and beneath canopies of red and gold in the fall.
For Cadillac Rotarian Mark Lagerwey, the section of trail from E. 44 Road to Tustin is not to be missed—it crosses “beautiful lowlands and wooded areas, dropping down just south of Tustin over a wetland at the headwaters of the Pine River.”
“For much of the trail, you feel like you are biking or hiking in the middle of a forest, and then all of a sudden, you are riding through forty acres of corn,” adds Paul Griffith, chair of the northern chapter of the Friends of the White Pine Trail. “The hundreds of streams, rivers and creeks add a unique dimension to each ride, regardless of where you bike.”
The White Pine has many claims to fame: it’s one of Michigan’s first rail trail state parks (established in 1995), the second longest in the state and it passes through five counties and 15 towns, each with their own singular charm. In September 2022, the White Pine trailhead in Cadillac was added to that list—a $500,000 improvement project that extends the trail from South and Lake streets to the corner of Cass and Lake streets. The new trailhead, nestled within the Cadillac Commons, features a parking area, benches, bike racks, a bicycle repair station and map kiosks.
And more good news ahead for trailgoers: by the end of the year, the last 21-mile stretch of unpaved path, from Howard City to Big Rapids, will finally be paved, improving conditions and accessibility for all.
For more info on the White Pine Rail Trail, visit cadillacmichigan.com.
BY ELLEN AIRGOOD
BY KATE HEADLEY
A 1974 AIRSTREAM IN NEED OF SOME LOVE AND CRUMB-TOPPED BLUEBERRY MUFFINS OFFER
A NEW CHAPTER OF HOPE.
