Northern Express - March 09, 2026

Fascinating List Is Missing Something

I’m writing in response to Northern Express’s recent Fascinating People list. I read it with interest—and also with concern. The list was overwhelmingly white and cisgender, which feels deeply misaligned with the actual cultural fabric of our region.

Northern Michigan is home to trans people, Black women, Indigenous women, and artists, organizers, healers, and leaders whose work shapes this community every day. Their absence from this list is noticeable. Representation matters not as a symbolic gesture, but as a mirror. People deserve to see themselves reflected in local media, especially in a publication that helps define who and what is considered “fascinating” or worthy of attention. When that mirror is narrow, it reinforces the idea—intended or not—that only certain kinds of lives, bodies, and contributions are visible or valued.

I’m not writing to dismiss the individuals included. Many of them do meaningful work. I’m writing to ask for a broader, more intentional lens in future features—one that reflects the full, complex, and diverse reality of the place we all call home. I want my neighbors to open the paper and recognize themselves. I want young people—especially trans, Black, and Indigenous youth—to see that they belong here, and that their presence and creativity matter. I hope future lists will rise to that responsibility.

Cody Cook-Parrott | Cedar

Editor’s Note: The Fascinating People list is compiled based on reader nominations.

Save the Bike Trail

On March 2, my wife and I Zoomed into the Petoskey City Council meeting relating to some issues concerning the closed portion of the Little Traverse Wheelway, the bike trail that travels along the shore of Lake Michigan. It has been SIX!!! years since erosion on a small portion of the trail had caused the closure, and at this point there is no visible evidence of repair.

The project seems to have fallen into the abyss of bureaucracy. Not even the council members seem able to understand the issues involved or how this mess became their responsibility. It was once reported that this bike trail added $10 million annually to the local economy, which would seem to require county and state involvement. The cost of reconstruction is estimated at $20-25 million. That number seems excessive.

I went to visit the site and found part of the problem had to do with poor engineering regarding the natural flow of rainwater around the old Quiet Moose building. There was evidence of various attempts to deal with an excess of runoff water, all directing it to the northeast corner of the building.

I estimate the combined area of the roof and asphalt parking lot (the area where the rain that falls is not absorbed into the soil) to be 10,000 square feet. One inch of rain would create nearly 6,000 gallons of runoff with nowhere to go but over the bluff, directly above the site of the worst erosion.

I am writing this to inform bikers across Michigan of the potential loss of the most naturally beautiful mile of bike trail in America, and to light a fire under those whose job it is to keep us happy: State Senator John Damoose and State Representative Parker Fairbairn.

The next Petoskey City Council meeting in this matter is presently scheduled for March 16.

Bob Wallick | Cross Village

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Winter’s Last Hurrah? Beware (or Enjoy) the Ides of March

Who remembers their Roman history…or their Shakespeare? On March 15, 44 BCE, Julius Caesar was assassinated (“Et tu, Brute?”) at a meeting of the Senate. This year, things aren’t going to be so violent, but there will be plenty of straight-from-the-Globe-Theatre drama happening at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons. The World’s a Stage, a Frankfort-based nonprofit, has teamed up with TC’s Mashup Rock ‘n Roll Musical for a free Shakespeare festival packed with food, drinks, and live performances. The crew promises that “Shakespeare’s themes of love, fate, folly, and betrayal will come alive” on Sunday, March 15, from 1-5pm. RSVPs are appreciated, but not required at theworldsastage.org/event-details/the-ides-of-march. And stay tuned for the 2026 Lakeside Shakespeare Festival (featuring A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth) returning to Tank Hill in Frankfort July 23-Aug 1.

2 tastemaker

Bug’s Everything Bagel

Breakfast is served at Bug’s Bagels in Northport, where we’re in the pursuit of filling up on scratch-baked bagels. While owner and baker Em Korte’s menu often combines the staples like plain and cinnamon sugar bagels with locally-inspired flavors, we only have eyes for the classic Everything Bagel. Each savory, spice-coated bagel—no skimping on the poppy seed, onion, or garlic here!—begins with the complex flavor and slow fermentation of a decade-old sourdough starter before they’re hand-shaped, boiled, and baked to crusty perfection. Golden and glossy with a chewy crumb, all that’s missing is the bacon, egg, and cheese! Grab ’em in four-packs for $10, or reach out to place special orders from the micro-bakery in Northport. Follow along on Instagram (@bugsbagels) for rotating flavors, pop-ups, and pick-up!

Spread cheer with your community over a warm cocktail fireside at Traverse City Whiskey Co.’s 3rd Annual Winter Warm-Up, Saturday, March 14, from 1-5pm! This community event also offers yard games, exclusive tastings, a kid-friendly hot cocoa bar, food from Cordwood BBQ Food

and

from Broom Closet Boys (1-3pm) and Hot Flat Pop (3-5pm). Free admission. Food and beverages available for purchase. tcwhiskey.com

Hey, watch It! Ponies 4

Would you make a good American spy—with virtually no training—in 1970s Moscow? That’s what Bea and Twila are about to find out. When their husbands die in a mysterious CIA operation, the two civilian women decide the only way they’ll get to the truth is to go undercover for the same organization that got their husbands killed. The CIA, for their part, figures no one will expect them to have female operatives, or “Persons of No Interest” (aka, ponies). Emilia Clarke (of Game of Thrones Fame) plays the educated, Russian-speaking Bea, who is heartbroken over the loss of her husband. Haley Lu Richardson (Columbus, White Lotus), meanwhile, is the brash, fast-talking Twila who is quite certain danger is the only thing that makes her feel alive. Together, as their CIA handler says, they make one great agent. Find out how they hold up against dead drops, blackmail, and the KGB on Peacock.

Cold Water & Arctic Fish

No matter what the thermometer says, it’s going to be a cool—dare we say “ice cold?”— Saturday, March 14, if you opt for one of these activities. Option 1: The Manistee Polar Plunge, part of a Special Olympics Michigan fundraiser. Check-in and registration opens at 11am at Little River Casino and Resort, when you can turn in donations and peruse a silent auction. At 1pm, the costume parade marches straight into the plunge, with an aftersplash bash and awards (plus lunch for all plungers who raise $100+) to follow. Learn more at plungemi.org. Option 2: Head half an hour north to Thompsonville’s Iron Fish Distillery for their annual release of the Arctic Grayling Rye Whiskey at 12pm, followed by a DNR update on the reintroduction of the arctic grayling to Michigan waters at 1:30pm. See details at ironfishdistillery.com/events.

Last week, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources awarded $2.4 million in grants for invasive species prevention and control. $70,000 are headed to each of the state’s 22 cooperative invasive species management areas (CISMA), plus extra funding to organizations that are locked in particularly intense battles with invasives. That includes $156,000 to the Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network, which is trying to slow the spread of hemlock woolly adelgid in Benzie, Grand Traverse Leelanau, and Manistee counties—and, importantly, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. (Note: Check your own eastern hemlocks this spring for small, round, white, cottony masses and report any findings to the resources at michigan.gov/invasives.) Other local recipients include Antrim Conservation District, Mecosta Conservation District, and Huron Pines Coastal and Heartland Invasive Species Networks. Learn more about the 2026 projects at michigan. gov/invasives/grants/misgp/misgp-grant-awards.

Stuff We Love: A Young Wildlife Artist

Each year, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), in partnership with the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the United Nations Development Programme, hosts a World Wildlife Day International Youth Art Contest. Per a press release from IFAW, entries reflect “the United Nations World Wildlife Day theme for 2026: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods.” Sixteen-year-old Eleanor McKey from Ellsworth was one of the finalists in the contest from more than 4,200 entries covering 117 countries and sovereign areas. She discovered the competition while researching endangered animals for a school project and chose to paint “Bamboo Meal for Red Panda” because the animals are “adorable and I love the vibrant red of their fur.” McKey adds that “my passion for art and my love for supporting nature” inspired her to submit her work. Three cheers for McKey and her adorable red panda!

up Factory Man Roasting House’s Honey Cinnamon Latte The Invasive Battle Continues

Tucked in an adorably bright storefront on Boon Street in Traverse City, Factory Man Roasting House has been serving up artisan coffee, breakfast, and treats since 2023. (Plus lunch offerings since 2025!) As the weather starts to tip toward spring, we’re finding the perfect mix of warm and cozy plus sweet and light with one of the coffeeshop’s classic drinks, the Honey Cinnamon Latte ($6.50). The ingredients are simple—honey syrup, cinnamon, milk, and espresso—but the final product feels complex and layered for the perfect grown-up pick-me-up. Snag a pastry or breakfast sandwich when you stop in, and your day will be off to a perfect start. Visit Monday-Friday 7am-3pm and Saturdays 8am3pm at 708 Boon St. in TC. factorymanroasting.com

Snow&Days

Cozy Cabanas

It’s cozy season! Book a Cozy Cabana and enjoy curated bites and drinks, plus access to our outdoor heated pool.

Make it a Snow Day with a Day Pass and enjoy all our winter activities.

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spectator

By Stephen Tuttle

We now have an undeclared and potentially illegal war ongoing against Iran, and we claim to be running Venezuela after having kidnapped and imprisoned their president. Not to mention we are a long way from being done with the Jeffrey Epstein horrors, unless you believe nobody but Epstein and his girlfriend ever abused those very, very young women. Not exactly the best of times.

Things are better locally. Actually, things are almost always better locally, because the folks we elect locally can’t hide like our pals in Washington do. We see our local politicians, who are our neighbors, shopping at the same stores we do. Their children attend our local schools, and they might even attend the same church. There is a certain level of accountability every time they step into the public.

Traverse City’s general fund will actually receive more property tax revenue without the TIF. And if commissioners wish to dedicate money to downtown, nothing will prevent them from doing that. Additionally, they can create a TIF in the future if one is needed.

We’re also spending a lot of money on a pretty fancy farmer’s market. The infrastructure being developed—power hook-ups and water availability—make perfect sense and will be welcomed by all vendors. The permanent structures are a little more puzzling, as we’ve not heard how they intend to deal with snow removal.

Garfield Township recently wrestled with their own issue concerning data centers feeding various artificial intelligence (AI)

Things are a mess nationally but better locally, and that’s where our attention should focus.

The Traverse City City Commission recently undertook one of their many consultant-led meetings and came to the conclusion that once a decision is made, the commission should speak with one voice. Uh-huh. This sounds like advice being given to people about to undertake a ballot campaign who would prefer no negativity.

But the problem is TC Commissioners represent specific constituencies expecting their concerns to be addressed. It’s easy to envision a scenario in which most commissioners and voters think something is a good idea, but those in one or two districts think otherwise, and they rightfully expect their commissioner to represent those concerns even after a majority has voted. The go-along to get-along plan is not really the job as their constituents will likely remind them at the next election.

Civility, listening, consideration, and an absence of rank partisanship are all worthy goals. Unanimous support for everything is not.

There will be a ballot campaign concerning the extension of TIF 97, the tax program that “captures” certain property taxes from within the district to be used only in that downtown district. It amounts to millions annually that do not go into the city’s general fund and also takes money otherwise dedicated to Grand Traverse County, Northwestern Michigan College, and the Traverse Area District Library.

The argument we’ve started to hear from some is that failure to approve an extension of the TIF would result in a tax increase in the city. No it won’t, unless members of the city commission have lost their common sense. While it is true there will be less money specifically dedicated to downtown,

needs. AI is about to be omnipresent, and that means more and more companies will need data centers or the even bigger “hyperscale” data centers. According to MLive.com, there are already about 70 of these data centers in Michigan, around 30 in the southeastern corner and another 11 in the Grand Rapids area. Nationally, according to Axios, there are already about 5,000 of these power- and water-guzzling centers nationally accumulating answers to every question you could ever ask

Some townships have made decisions. According to the Tribune News Service, the Van Buren Township Planning Commission has already approved, by a 5-2 vote, a large data center in their area that will consume up to 3.6 million gallons of water every day. Saline Township has approved—under some duress and a lawsuit—a $7 billion hyperscale center in their area for Oracle/OpenAI.

The developers of these behemoths promise more jobs and a dramatically increased tax base while understating the noise and enormous power and water usage demands.

If Garfield Township wants to prevent, or at least discourage, the development of a data center in their neck of the woods, now is the time to act. The laissez faire buildby-right zoning always sounds good but invites projects we might not want. Going from build-by-right to requiring a specialuse-permit (SUP), which is now the plan, should slow things down. If they don’t, and a developer’s plan is submitted, it might be too late to make changes after the fact. At a minimum, the township would find itself in court, so acting now, one way or the other, would be prudent.

Things are a mess nationally but better locally, and that’s where our attention should focus.

IMAGINE US

Student Guest Opinion

By Quinn De Vecchi

The Imagine US tour—a collaboration between Interlochen Arts Academy (IAA) and several orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra—honors America’s semiquincentennial. But it also carries the hope and power of a political piece.

From March 7-15, touring Interlochen, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Boston, the show is a voice for the next generation of the United States. Ranging from slam poems to interpretive dances, monologues to beautiful songs, the tour is a melting pot of cultures and identities that make up the IAA student body. The tour also includes trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis—who composed an entirely new piece for the tour—and famed cello player Yo-Yo Ma.

Since October, IAA students have been hard at work on this multidisciplinary reflection on the United States’ history. Only 25 students were chosen out of their specific majors to be “devisors” (someone who devises/creates new and original work for the tour), while 230 music students perform in the main orchestra and play alongside the city orchestras.

The tour was fueled by what students wished would change in the United States, what they cherished about the country, and what they hoped for the future. These journal entries slowly transformed into “A Promise,” the sixth interlude of the performance which includes all 25 devisors as they read snippets of entries.

The sixth interlude was pieced together and written by Addison Hill, a senior creative writer who was one of the three writers to be chosen for the tour.

“For the creation of the sixth interlude, I read 20 pages of freewrites from my fellow performers,” says Hill. “That piece shines with hope because it isn’t just the hope of one person. It’s the real dreams of the people I share meals with in the cafeteria, go to class with, and live next to.”

Hill also worked on a script for “Third Interlude: A Voice,” where four students perform monologues relating to different times in American history. Hill, who is disabled, wrote about the 1990 capitol crawl, where disabled activists crawled up the United States capitol steps to protest Congress for stalling the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

“Given that the speaker of my monologue is a participant in the capitol crawl, it’s also a reminder that protest is a viable tool for action against policies that don’t serve us. It’s proof that our struggles—in my speaker’s case, getting out of her wheelchair and climbing to the top of the capitol building—can create meaningful change,” Hill says.

The other third interlude monologues follow an American patriot from the Revolutionary War, a flapper from the Great Depression, and a Native American on the clash of cultures in the United States.

Annabella Thompson, an interdisciplinary arts junior at IAA and an Anishinaabek, wrote a monologue to share her culture and speak to the history of colonization. The piece references traditions that are personal to Thompson, such as powwows or a berry fast. At the same time, the monologue warns against cultural appropriation and the tragedy of Indigenous boarding schools

“I created my work in hopes that people realize Indigenous American peoples’ cultures and traditions are alive, well, and something that can be shared or celebrated by all,” says Thompson. “Traditions don’t exist purely as something to be borrowed from or stolen.”

The Imagine US tour also performs work from the early 20th century composer Charles Ives. Ives was considered a “modernist” composer, and most of his work was largely ignored due to it not following orchestral standards at the time. Ives took inspiration from marching bands, unsynchronized music, and the Black American genre of ragtime. The tour plays Ives’ Symphony No. 4, his hardest piece ever composed.

“With the Charles Ives work—he was writing this particular piece in the 1910s and 1920s. That, to me, felt like, ‘Oh, this can speak to the past of the country.’ Especially since it’s a collage of marches and hymns and all of this existing material meeting his own creativity,” says Diana Wyenn, the creative director of the tour.

Wyenn was also interested in showing the unique cultures that make up the United States, while making it a celebration of the country.

“These artists, we’re in interdisciplinary collaboration with one another,” says Wyenn. “There are a lot of different communities, and we’re different as individuals, and we all have really unique intersectional identities. And I wanted to highlight that when we come together, a lot of times, beautiful things can come from those conversations and from those collaborations.”

Wyenn concludes, “I know what we’re pouring into this piece. I hope that the audience can feel the students’ passion, frustration, but also their hope for this country. At the end there’s this line: ‘The America we leave behind will be better than the America we were born into.’ This is us standing up and saying, ‘We could do better.’”

Quinn De Vecchi is a creative writing senior at Interlochen Arts Academy.

There’s a Place for you on the water

Traverse Area Community Sailing offers youth and adult sailing programs all summer long for beginners through experienced sailors.

traverse area community sailing

Learn to Sail Summer Programs Community

THE BANALITY OF EVIL POLITICS

Guest

Opinion by Isiah Smith, Jr.

We often settle for lukewarm coffee, mediocre films, and, occasionally, leaders who underwhelm us. But why do we tolerate mediocrity in our most important decisions? These ill-considered choices contribute to a broader theme about how and why average choices shape our lives more than we realize. When we choose mediocre leaders, we often end up with someone like Pam Bondi as our chief law enforcement officer.

“the banality of evil.” Erik’s class has been studying Arendt’s writings, especially The Origins of Totalitarianism.

Pam Bondi, the 87th U.S. Attorney General, is all the evidence we need to establish that we are not living in a meritocracy.

SUNDAY, MARCH 15TH

Arendt noted that the horrors of Nazism were not committed by brilliant geniuses but by the normalization of thoughtless, amoral behavior that ultimately became evil. Thus, while Bondi and other representatives of the Trump administration appear, on the surface, to be dim-witted backroom grifters, they are warnings of something far more sinister and malign lurking beneath.

The question that Arendt grappled with—

Arendt noted that the horrors of Nazism were not committed by brilliant geniuses but by the normalization of thoughtless, amoral behavior that ultimately became evil.

It’s hard to imagine what the president saw in Bondi other than a passionate defender of the indefensible, a woman who sold her soul to the lowest bidder. In her recent “testimony” before Congress, she adopted a defiant tone, yet she came across as a dark, unhinged personality in over her head.

Bondi’s defense of the indefensible perhaps reached its apotheosis in her disturbing testimony before Congress. “Have any of you apologized to President Trump?” she shrieked at one point. “Have any of you apologized to President Trump for trying to impeach him?”

She continued to shriek, but her words were drowned out by the laughter echoing through the Senate chambers. The members seemed unsure whether she was apologizing for failing to impeach and convict her boss.

Perhaps the most indelible image, one that should, and I believe will, haunt Bondi to her grave, was her refusal to turn and face Epstein’s victims or acknowledge their suffering. She was a high-ranking female government official who’d rather defend pedophiles than acknowledge the pain of countless young women who had suffered at their hands. Given the administration’s outsized efforts to shield the Epstein files from public scrutiny, those files almost certainly contain awful details about the conduct of Bondi’s patron and indefensible boss.

“Where do they find these people?”

my grandson, Erik, who is studying International Relations at Lund University in Sweden, asked me after watching Bondi’s “testimony” and that of other administration figures. “Some of them seem like just bad people. How were they selected to serve in politics? Hardly any of them seem smart or particularly intelligent. They certainly don’t appear to be good people at all.”

I remind Erik of Hannah Arendt’s observations about the architects of Hitler’s genocide, which led her to coin the phrase

and that we must—was whether one can commit evil acts without being evil. In 1961, she reported for The New Yorker on the war crimes of Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi operative responsible for the logistics of transporting millions of Jews to concentration camps to carry out the Nazis’ “Final Solution.”

In Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil, Arendt wrote: “For when I speak of the banality of evil, I do so only on the strictly factual level, pointing to a phenomenon that stared one in the face at the trial. Eichmann was not Iago, nor Macbeth, and nothing would have been farther from his mind than to determine with Richard III ‘to prove a villain.’ Except for an extraordinary diligence in looking out for his personal advancement, he had no motives at all… It was sheer thoughtlessness—something by no means identical with stupidity—that predisposed him to become one of the greatest criminals of that period.”

She goes on to say “That such remoteness from reality and such thoughtlessness can wreak more havoc than all the evil instincts taken together, which, perhaps, are inherent in man—that was, in fact, the lesson one could learn in Jerusalem.”

Arendt was surprised to find that Eichmann was merely an ordinary, rather bland bureaucrat, who was “neither perverted nor sadistic,” but “terrifyingly normal.” His primary motive was to advance his career in the Nazi bureaucracy. Eichmann was not an amoral monster. Instead, he committed evil deeds without evil intentions, a fact tied to his “thoughtlessness,” a disengagement from the reality of his evil acts.

We shall leave it to history to decide whether Pam Bondi and others were, in fact, evil or primarily motivated by ambition. Both judgments seem equally likely.

Isiah Smith, Jr. is a retired government attorney.

11 St. Patrick’s Day Events in Northern Michigan

By Rachel Pasche

Say “sláinte” at one of the festive pub crawls, grab your lucky shoes for some Irish dancing (or a leprechaun race!), hit the slopes, or enjoy one of several festivals. However you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Up North, just don’t forget your green!

1. Gaylord Hibernian St Patrick’s Day Party: Saturday, March 7, 7pm

If your ideal St. Patrick’s Day involves Irish food, drink, music, and dance, then head over to the Gaylord Hibernian St. Patrick’s Day Party, held at the Knights of Columbus Hall. The Pub Runners band will be playing live music, the kitchen is cooking up traditional fare, and the Hubbardston Irish Dance Troupe will bring the jigs to keep the whole place lively. Tickets are $20. gaylordmichigan.net/ event/28th-annual-hibernian-irishparty-nights-of-columbus-hall-gaylord

2. Teada at the Dennos Museum Center, Sunday: March 8, 6pm

“Téada,” which is Irish for “strings,” is also the name of an Irish band with a worldwide reach. The group is from Sligo, Ireland, and is one of the nation’s leading traditional bands. Téada has been touring since 2001 and brings plenty of spirit to the stage with their tunes. The instruments played include the fiddle, button accordion, wooden flute, banjo, guitar, bouzouki, and bodhrán. Get in the St. Paddy’s Day spirit and partake in some classic Irish songs. Tickets start at $25. dennosmuseum. org/events/milliken

3. Live At The Bay: Switchback: Friday, March 13, 7pm

Switchback is a Celtic folk and American roots group praised for their hybrid approach to blending both styles to create a sound entirely their own. Marty McCormack and Brian FitzGerald bring a contagious energy and joy to the stage, so sit back and enjoy a night of uplifting music. Tickets are $30. thebaytheatre.org/movie/liveat-the-bayswitchback

4. AuSable Celtic Concert & St. Patrick’s Celebration: Saturday, March 14, 7 – 9pm

The AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center is welcoming House of Hamill to the stage for a night of high-energy Celtic music. The Pennsylvania-based trio is known for their lively folk tunes and instrumentals, and attendees can expect a night of foot-tapping jigs and rich harmonies. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door. mynorthtickets.com/events/houseof-hamill-celtic-concert-st-patrickscelebration-3-14-2026

5. Leapin’ Leprechaun 5K: Saturday, March 14, 9am

Lace up your lucky sneakers for the 16th annual Leapin’ Leprechaun 5K in Traverse City! This festive footrace is an easy way to have some fun and enjoy a bit of fresh air this St. Patrick’s Day. Entries include a T-shirt, accurate timing, and medals for different age groups; plus the funds contribute to Munson Medical Center’s NICU. The course winds through scenic neighborhoods and along the TART Trail. Registration starts at $30. runsignup.com/Race/MI/TraverseCity/ LeapinLeprechaun5K

6. St. Patrick’s Day Crawl For The Cure: Saturday, March 14, 5 – 9pm

If you love bar crawls for a cause and side quests, the Crawl for a Cure is right up your alley. Don your green and head to Bellaire for a day of zany activities and festive libations, all while raising funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society. Participants receive a bingo card full of tasks and challenges to complete as they venture through different bars and restaurants, competing for the chance to win fantastic prizes. The more rows you complete, the more chances you have to win! Tickets are $30/person or $100 for a team of four. mynorthtickets.com/ events/st-patricks-day-crawl-for-thecure-3-14-2026

7. Downtown Cheboygan St. Patrick’s Day Celebration: Saturday, March 14, 5pm

Kick the night off with a “Wee” St. Patrick’s Day parade through downtown Cheboygan along Huron Street. This little parade is open to anyone: families, individuals, organizations, or businesses can enter and participate. Immediately after the parade, a pub crawl begins through downtown Cheboygan, so stick around and check out the food and drink specials and some live entertainment! Find more info and the parade registration form at facebook.com/ downtowncheboygan.

8. St. Praxtice Day: Sunday, March 15, 11am – 10pm

Head down to Short’s Brewing for an all-day St. Paddy’s Day celebration. Live music runs from 1–4, starting with Braxton Hicks and the Contractions and followed by The Heymakers for some buzzy Irish rock. Short’s will be running

an Irish-inspired menu, plus offering $2 pints of their Irish Red, LITRO, and Super Delicious beers. shortsbrewing. com/event/st-praxtice-day-2/

9. St. Patrick’s Day Community Ceili: Sunday, March 15, 2-4pm

Northern Lights Irish Dance Academy heads to the Up North Arts Community Building on March 15 for their annual Community Ceili, a traditional Irish folk dance. The familyfriendly event is perfect for all ages, and you’ll get to see some of the more seasoned dancers do their thing, too! dancenlda.com

10. Cocktail Class at TC Whiskey: Saturday, March 21, 2-3:30pm

Love whiskey cocktails? Learn to make some of the classics! TC Whiskey is hosting a 90-minute cocktail class, during which participants will learn the stories behind each of three timeless cocktails, as well as professional stirring and shaking techniques. You’ll leave with the recipes and know-how to elevate your home bar experience. Tickets are $75 and include 3 cocktails, instruction, and recipes. mynorthtickets.com/events/cocktailclass-3-21-2026

11. Celts & Kayaks: Saturday, March 21, 11am – 4pm

Crystal Mountain celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with whimsy, gusto, and kayaks on the snow. The day kicks off with a kayak race down the slopes, followed by an Irish barbecue, slopeside DJ, and on-hill scavenger hunt. Find a shamrock on the slopes and bring it in to win a prize! Wear green to receive $10 off your open-toclose lift ticket. crystalmountain.com/ events-activities/events

Are Breweries Going Bottoms

Up?

While national beer sales are trending down, local breweries are still going strong

By Todd VanSickle

Let’s face it: adults aren’t drinking like they used to. Add in rising costs, a pandemic, and a saturated market, and it becomes a real buzz kill for craft breweries.

Last year, 434 craft breweries closed and 268 opened in the United States, according to the Brewers Association. It is the second consecutive year closures have outnumbered openings nationwide. More than 250 breweries of about 10,000 closed halfway through 2025.

“If the craft beer industry is a ship, we can comfortably say we’re no longer in the safety of a harbor. The days of relative calm are behind, and brewers are getting their sea legs in this new, challenging open water,” says Brewers Association economist Matt Gacioch. “Changing consumer behaviors, retailer rationalization, cost increases due to inflation and tariffs, and more competition than ever have been compounding difficulties in 2025. And still, brewers are stepping up to meet today’s challenges head on by adjusting their offerings and, sometimes, their entire business models.”

What’s Happening in Michigan

In northern Michigan, craft breweries are well aware of the challenges that the beer industry faces and realize they are not immune to the shifting drinking culture. Many have adapted and others are expanding.

However, at least seven Michigan breweries—mostly near Grand Rapids, Detroit, and Kalamazoo—closed in 2025. In November 2024, Fresh Coast Beer Works closed in Traverse City, reportedly for various reasons.

“It’s just that we had seen so few closings for many years,” says Michigan Brewers Guild President Scott Graham. “I think part of it is the stress of COVID, increasing costs, and flatter declining sales. I couldn’t say it’s specifically in one area or another. It’s not unique to Michigan. We’re seeing it all across the nation.”

He adds that opportunities lie in leveraging hospitality, community engagement, and diversifying offerings beyond beer. “I still think the failure rate is far less than a typical restaurant, if you wanted to compare it to that. When somebody does go out of business, it feels like a personal and sad story.”

The Michigan craft beer industry has grown significantly over the past 15 years, with more than 400 breweries statewide. Michigan is consistently in the top 10 for states with breweries. The Michigan Brewers Guild has about 240 members and promotes and protects the industry through events and policy advocacy. The guild’s three beer festivals throughout the state are some of its largest events.

Drinking Less, Drinking Lighter

Some breweries have started to make lighter ABV (less than 4 percent) beers and offer more non-alcoholic (NA) options to keep the healthy-minded customer and the younger generation coming in the door.

The sober conscious generation—Gen Zs born between 1997 and 2012—drinks 20 percent less than Millennials, who drink less than older generations, according to a World Finance report. The shift is attributed to Gen Zs being more aware of the negative health effects of alcohol. Additionally, the generation grew up socializing online, rather than gathering for happy hour.

Rare Bird Brewpub in Traverse City has 42 taps year round, and 12 more outside during the summer months, but they’re not all for alcohol.

“Twelve of those are our own beers, while

the other taps are filled with all sorts of other stuff from other breweries, cocktails on tap, kombucha, and cold brewed coffee,” says Rare Bird owner and brewer Tina Schuett.

All told, Rare Bird offers 16 non-alcoholic options, not including sodas.

“We see the decline in people drinking alcohol, and beer more specifically, as an opportunity to offer fun new options,” says Schuett. “We have greatly expanded our NA offerings and see this as a positive change overall. We will never be mad about people making positive changes in their lives. [We] want to grow with people.”

Schuett adds that the non-alcoholic beers, mocktails, CBD seltzers, and kombucha have all been well received by customers.

“We have had a lot of positive feedback, which is why we keep adding more,” Schuett says. “We are just here to give people what they want.”

Expanding the Experience

Aside from beer, Graham believes craft breweries have a lot to offer and need to focus on hospitality and quality. Many breweries are leaning into locally-sourced ingredients, while offering activities and experiences as incentives for customers to come visit and have a drink of their choice.

“An advantage that breweries have is that they’re a community gathering place,” the brewers guild president says. “They’re unique, they’re fun, they’re a great place to meet and gather with people. That’s a real advantage that persists.”

St. Ambrose Cellars in Beulah, known for making mead and cider, has had its beer license for the past six years. Head brewer Nathan Ely has brewed at St. Ambrose for 11 years and says he produces small batches of 100 gallons of beer at a time. He has found that offering something other than beer has helped St. Ambrose through challenging times.

During the summer, St. Ambrose, like many other breweries, is at its peak. Guests are seated outside on an expansive lawn at the foot of a barn used for live music. Guests play games, like bocce ball, and there is even an 18-hole disc golf course.

The owner, Kirk Jones, spends the winter in Florida tending to his bees, which are used to make honey for the many products that St. Ambrose has to offer.

“Kirk does want to have another beer system that’s larger, but if we ever put one in, it would probably be the biggest thing we ever put in—[we’d] probably do, like, a 10-barrel system,” Ely says.

The brewer is working on making a low ABV beer and offers non-alcoholic options, like kombucha.

The Economics of Growth

Stone Hound Brewing Company, located in a former laundromat on Bunker Hill Road overlooking East Bay, celebrated its five-year anniversary in February. Owner Brent Faber says he is keeping an eye on the economy, while expanding his operation in 2026.

“We haven’t personally felt a slowdown, but we’re aware that we operate in a discretionary spending space in a competitive market that relies heavily on both locals and tourists. It’s something we’re paying attention to,” Faber says. “Whether it’s beer, food, or service, our reputation is built on consistency. As we operate our current location and add a second, protecting that quality and culture is a top priority while also allowing the space to develop its own unique identity organically.”

Stone Hound is in the process of opening a taproom on Eighth Street in Traverse City in the former McLain’s Cycle and Fitness building.

“Expanding into Eighth Street is something we’re really excited about, but any

time you grow, there’s pressure to execute well,” says Faber. “We want to make sure the new space feels like us from day one.”

The owner says Stone Hound will take advantage of its two locations near the TART.

“With both locations situated along the TART Trail, we’re looking forward to brainstorming fun events that combine our love of bikes and beer,” says Faber. “It’s a natural fit for our community and brand.”

Faber also plans to make more in-roads with local businesses (and ingredients). For example, recently Stone Hound mug club members toured and had dinner at the Great Lakes Malting facility to celebrate Stone Hound’s anniversary.

“We’re working to use as many Michigangrown ingredients as possible in our beer and expand that mindset into the kitchen where we can,” Faber says. “That local connection is important to us.”

The Ripple Effects of the Pandemic

John Niedermaier understands local connection. He has been making beer for more than 30 years at Brewery Terra Firma located in Traverse City. He says his beer is unique and is best paired with the brewery’s farm and atmosphere.

“We’re 10 minutes from downtown,” says Niedermaier. “You can actually get yourself a beer and go walk into the south field and look at the beehives, see the wheat growing, see our hop yards, and walk around the property. It’s just a very unique experience.”

Niedermaier says he has faced rising costs from materials to ingredients, along with a decline of wholesale distribution, which started during COVID.

“Distributers used to work a whole lot harder for the craft beer industry, but COVID just knocked all of the little guys out,” Niedermaier says. “The way people shop

changed, so now it’s dominated by the big industrial brewers. It’s hard, because you’re reliant on the distributor who purchases the product, and then they mark it up and put it on a shelf and send their sales guys out there to sell it. Our margins are much more slim for wholesale. So just putting all that effort into re-establishing a market that we really can’t trust anymore doesn’t really make sense.”

Niedermaier says his clientele varies in age, but he hasn’t been affected as much by the absence of Gen Zs at his brewery.

“Our clientele is not so much of the younger people, and really never has been,” he says. “Maybe it’s just a farm thing and it is not exciting enough. I don’t know. We don’t have TVs on the walls.”

In the future, he plans to upgrade some equipment and do more in-house events, like beer dinners and barbecues. He says several customers bring their pets and chill out by the fire pit or show up for euchre night on Sundays.

Currently, providing food is the biggest challenge for Terra Firma. However, Niedermaier opened up his brewery to individuals with their own commercial kitchen, who are allowed under the health department to operate on the premises. He is hopeful Garfield Township will allow food trucks at his brewery this summer.

No matter what comes next for local breweries, there is still optimism from the Brewers Association and beyond.

“The craft beer industry has always been characterized by creativity and resilience. Brewers today know that success comes through exceptional products, efficient operations, and connections with consumers,” says Gacioch. “The path ahead will not be without its bumps, but I’d never bet against the steady tenacity of the people behind the beer.”

What’s on Tap?

Rare Bird

“We don’t have any major plans, just constantly changing and evolving,” says Schuett. “We have been replacing a lot of old equipment this winter, so we are excited to have new toys and more reliability.” Customers can expect flagship beers on tap including Kushy Punch, El Guante, and Blood Orange You Witty? “We always have fun with seasonal offerings,” Schuett adds.

St. Ambrose

This spring, St. Ambrose will have a blonde ale, Czech Pilsner, and a couple of light beers on tap to name a few. “I made a beer for my girlfriend last year that’s going to be a new staple,” Ely says. “It is a lemon lavender honey wheat ale, because we have to get the honey in there.” A lacto sour mead is also in the works, the brewer says. “We’re actually in the process of making it right now,” Ely says. “That’ll probably be out in another month or two. It’s potentially going to be blood orange, guava, and strawberry.”

Stone Hound

Ursa Minor dark lager is in the pipeline, and will eventually turn into Ursa Major— the barrel-aged version. “It’s always really cool to taste them side by side if the timing works out,” says Faber. “You love the original and then you let it sit in a barrel for six months to a year and it becomes something totally different. Tasting that evolution never gets old.” Also expect a West Coast Pilsner collaboration with Elder Piper of Petoskey, with each brewery having its own version available by late March.

Terra Firma

The brewery uses local malt and hops and operates sustainably, reusing waste on its farm. Their menu emphasizes seasonal rotations along with a few staples like Manitou and Sleeping Bear Brown. Upcoming releases include the Ginger Lager, Little Italy (a honey basil beer), and Ancho Chile Dutch Double Chocolate Porter.

13– 15 March

BRINGING HOME THE BEER Inside the Ingredients

By Nora Rae Pearl

In northern Michigan, beer is often listed among the likes of cherry trees, ski runs, and beaches. It’s everywhere—in nearly every Up North town, we can discover a new brewery. The best part is that we’re able to take these brews home with us from the taphouse into the kitchen. With so many varieties to explore, we can bring a whole new level of flavor into our cooking adventures. For these recipes, we used pale ale and porter, with our favorite options coming from Short’s Brewery, Five Shores, and Lake Ann Brewing Co.

A delicious, cakey, chocolate brownie with sophisticated flair.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup Porter or Stout

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 1 1/4 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 4 oz. white chocolate

To make the brownies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper. Melt the butter and beer in a medium stock pot and whisk to combine. Once melted, turn off the heat and let sit for five minutes. After five minutes, whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add the vanilla, whisk until smooth. Add the sugar, whisk until smooth. Add the beaten eggs, whisk until smooth. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; fold into chocolate mixture until evenly combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until the brownies are set in the center and are pulling away from the sides, 30 to 45 minutes. Cool completely. Melt white chocolate and drizzle over brownies.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 small sweet onion, finely diced

• 1 medium carrot, peeled, and finely diced

• 1/4 cup flour

• 2 cups whole milk

• 2 cups vegetable stock

• 12 oz. can of Pale Ale

• 2 bay leaves

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 4 generous cups of broccoli florets, chopped into very small pieces

• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, plus more to garnish

• 1 generous tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

To make the soup: In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onion and carrot. Cook until softened and lightly browned. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for two minutes. Slowly whisk in all the milk until smooth. Stir in the broth, beer, bay leaves, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Add the broccoli. Once it begins to bubble, turn down the heat and allow to simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the soup sit for two minutes. Add the cheese and fresh thyme, give a brief stir, then allow to sit for a few minutes. Then, stir the soup until the cheese is melted. Taste and season to your liking. Serve with pretzel bites.

Boyne City Taproom Is Ready for Its 10th Anniversary

Food, drinks, and fun await

By Eric Cox

Over the decades, a number of businesses have occupied the two-story structure at 220 S. Lake St. in Boyne City. Located in the heart of downtown and a stone’s throw from Lake Charlevoix’s sparkling blue water, the Boyne City Taproom is the latest in a long line of occupants at that address, established way back in 1905.

According to Rich Bergmann, who along with Aaron Hagen owns the taproom, the building’s first occupant was Boyne City Hardware, which operated through the 1940s. The outdoor deck on the structure’s south side was once home to Shaw-Naylor Coal & Ice Co.

But while Boyne City Hardware (est. 1975) still operates nearby, the coal and ice company, along with several other bars and restaurants that inhabited the high-ceilinged space from the 1960s on, are long gone. Some of those defunct businesses included Northern Table, Tannery, Coopers, 220, and The Thirsty Goat.

Bergmann and Hagen, who also own the Bridge Street Taproom in Charlevoix, planted their brewery here in 2016, and

they’re now preparing to celebrate the Boyne City Taproom’s 10th anniversary.

The Drinks

Serving mostly Michigan based beers and a satisfyingly broad array of shareables, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and salads, this taproom has a little something for everyone… and the long L-shaped bar is softly lit and welcoming on a cold winter night.

In terms of beer, Mitten State brews are prominently featured. For starters, there’s Big Lake Brewing’s (Holland) 7th Street IPA and Wild Berry Haze IPA. Ludington Bay Brewing Co.’s James Street Brown occupies one of this bar’s 40 taps, as does Austin Brothers Beer Co.’s (Alpena) Woody Wheat. And what Michigan beer menu would be complete without a wee dram of a Short’s Brewing beverage? Alongside dozens of other beers and ciders is, of course, Short’s Locals Light.

Michigan ciders and an Indiana barleywine are also represented via Blake’s Hard Cider Co.’s (Armada) Original Classic Apple Cider, Bee Well Meadery’s (Bellaire) Comfortably Plum cider, and 3 Floyds Brewing’s (Munster, Ind.) American Barleywine, among others.

All these options are reinforced by a curated wine list and a fully stocked bar showcasing a selection of signature cocktails, mocktails, and NA beers.

In fact, a growing segment of the taproom’s business—as it may be in many bars, breweries and party stores across America—is alcohol-free drinks. Some in younger generations are turning away from alcohol use, giving rise to these “virgin” cocktails. Hagen says his wife, Madison, heads up the bar’s mocktail program in both Boyne City and Charlevoix taprooms.

“Mocktails are huge,” Hagen explains. “Our program has changed and evolved, and it’s really doing great.”

The Food

With everyone’s thirst so thoroughly sated, it’s on to the excellent food selection. Boyne City Taproom’s menu is pretty extensive, and it shares similarities with its Bridge Street Taproom sister in Charlevoix.

We browsed all the shareables, entrees, quesadillas, wraps, burgers, soups, and salads before landing on the onion ring basket as a starter. These hefty rings are dynamite with beer and are magnificent when carelessly

plunged into their accompanying Taproom Sauce, a creamy dipping concoction that issues a tiny, tasty kick.

For the main course we chose the Rich Ragin’ Grilled Cheese, with its lightly toasted sourdough bread bookending layers of stretchy, stringy smoked gouda and provolone cheeses, thick smoky bacon, and creamy avocado. The onions, jalapeños, and sriracha aioli, deliver a tasty triple punch, but not enough to KO our taste buds. With the hearty sandwich, we opted for the housemade potato chips as a side, though there are a number of other sides available.

The other must-have in the sandwich category is the House Burger. This thick, 8-oz. Certified Angus Beef patty is expertly cooked-to-order and has a fresh and pronounced grilled beef flavor that parlays well with the fresh brioche bun. Served with a haystack of sizzling fries and a good local beer, this is northern Michigan winter dining at its finest.

The entrees take things up a notch: blackened salmon on a bed of rice with vegetables and black bean corn pico; 12 oz. bone-in pork ribeye seared and glazed with garlic teriyaki; Loaded Mac with

brisket, bacon, sautéed peppers, onions, and jalapeños in a creamy cheddar mac and cheese on cavatappi noodles, and more.

The Fun

There are things to do at Boyne City Taproom besides eat and drink as well.

According to co-owner Aaron Hagen, the taproom hosts monthly beer dinners ($40$60), which highlight the popular beers of various Michigan breweries as they’re served

with menu items not seen on the regular menu. The brewery welcomed an owner of Stormcloud Brewing Company (Frankfort) at its February event.

“[Beer dinners] give our chefs a creative avenue to showcase their skills,” Hagen says.

“We do a great job pairing those [special menu items] with beers the breweries want to showcase. Last time we filled the dining room and it was tons of fun.”

Last month’s beer dinner ($40) started

VETERAN LUNCH AND LEARN

off with a welcome beer, then proceeded through four additional food/beer courses.

For example, the first pairing featured Stormcloud’s Rainmaker Pale Ale with Siu Mai Chinese Dumplings, while the second food offering featured lemongrass shrimp and the Stormcloud’s 228 Belgian Triple, and so on.

Other events occur at the taproom, too.

On the night we visited, they were hosting a succulent plants presentation that drew over 40 people. Attendees heard a short lecture

from an expert and even traded some of the plants among themselves—all while enjoying a range of wines, meats, cheeses, fruits, and the entree, fresh sushi.

In fact, that night was one of the Boyne City Taproom’s first public experiments with sushi, and they’ve since added it as a regular Wednesday night special.

Find Boyne City Taproom at 220 S Lake St. in Boyne City. (231) 459-4487; bctaproom.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 26 11:30AM-1PM FRIDAY, MAY 8 11:30AM-1PM

THURSDAY, JULY 16 11:30AM-1PM

THURSDAY, AUGUST 20 11:30AM-1PM

Veterans and surviving spouses, come enjoy a lunch buffet on us while learning about the benefits that are available to you!

Call 231-995-6070 to register

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Continuing the Maple Syrup Tradition

By Molly Cox

The sun is shining (some days), and the sap is flowing—maple syrup season is here!

On March 13-14 and March 20-21, 2026, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB) will host the second annual Ishigamizaigan (Sugar Bush) Camp to showcase the Anishinaabe tradition of harvesting maple sap and producing syrup and sugar. The event is open to the public from 10am-6pm during the four days of programming.

Anishinaabe people have processed maple sap into syrup and sugar for thousands of years, and strengthening and expanding this traditional practice is an important step towards reestablishing tribal food sovereignty, according to William Derouin, the agriculture manager for the GTB.

We visited the GTB Natural Resources office in Peshawbestown to speak with Derouin about the upcoming event, the significance of maple syrup and sugar production, and the work the GTB is doing to move the community toward food sovereignty.

What Is Sugar Bush Camp?

A “sugar bush” is a stand of maple trees in a forest used for maple sap harvesting. Sugar maple trees are tapped for a brief period in early spring, when the daytime temperatures start to rise above freezing.

Maple sap has a watery consistency, so it must be boiled down for many hours before it becomes maple syrup, or granulated maple sugar. Boiling the sap traditionally requires long hours of work and patience; about 40 gallons of sap are needed to produce just 1

GTB to host second annual Ishigamizaigan Camp

gallon of maple syrup.

Maple sugar was and is an important product for indigenous peoples in northern North America. It is used to preserve and sweeten food and provides crucial calories in the lean winter and early spring months. It even has some medicinal and ceremonial uses that have been passed down through generations. Native communities would set up a sugar bush camp for several weeks each spring, and the GTB is continuing the tradition today.

In 2023, the GTB received an initial grant from the USDA to promote the domestic maple syrup industry.

“The grant [application] we authored to USDA really focused on strengthening and promoting the Anishinaabe sugar bush traditions throughout the region,” says Derouin. With the funding from this and subsequent grants, the GTB was able to ramp up the production and promotion of these events.

The GTB has also made significant upgrades to its community sugar bush camp, with a new pavilion, enclosed lodge, and modernized sugar shack.

“We keep adding to our set-up every year; it’s just amazing,” says Derouin. “The building that has our modern evaporator in it now was used for storing fishing nets for a decade or two; it was really just a shed.”

Re-establishing Food Sovereignty

The GTB Ishigamizaigan Camp is cohosted by GTB’s Cultural Department and its Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Department, created in 2019. Food sovereignty is the right of a people to control their food/agricultural systems, including

the production of healthy and culturally appropriate food using sustainable methods.

According to the GTB website, “In a bright future envisioned by the GTB councilors and members who worked to establish this new department, the Tribe is able to produce food and food products for the tribal community.”

Derouin says the GTB is optimistic about achieving this goal, and that their efforts to increase production and awareness of the sugar bush tradition is a big step forward.

“We live in a really agriculturally diverse area... We would like to see a day where GTB is able to provide a good portion of the food that goes into its food outlets, like restaurants. Starting with [providing food for] our government programs like weekly meals for Tribal Elders, the daycare here, and annual events—that’s how we are getting started at chipping away toward that goal,” he says.

Along with the sugar bush camp expansion, the Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Department started a program to provide sugar bush kits to tribal families so they can harvest and produce their own maple products.

With the help of USDA grant funding and partnering with local nonprofits, the GTB has also had a major impact on combating food insecurity throughout our region, with a special focus on providing indigenous foods like bison, wild rice, and local fish.

“GTB has been the largest purchaser of food for food pantries in Northwest Lower Michigan over the last three or four years,” Derouin says.

A Day of Learning, Community Building, and Fun Attendees of the 2026 GTB Ishigamizaigan Camp will experience firsthand the traditional and modern methods of maple sugar production…and learn a few other things along the way.

There will be workshops on sewing mittens, carving paddles for stirring maple sugar, birchbark basket making, and Anishinaabe storytelling. Attendees will get to sample snacks like maple sugar candied nuts, and a meal is provided for workshop attendees.

The event is completely free of charge and open to the general public, but Derouin recommends you RSVP soon since spots for the workshops are filling quickly. The event is open to all ages, and is especially fun for (well supervised) children. Dress warmly; sugar bush camp activities are mostly outdoors.

“Come and learn some of these traditions, and even if you [harvest maple sap] at home, there are great ways to honor some of the traditions… like showing respect for the trees by knowing when to tap, when to pull your taps, and not tapping too much,” Derouin says. It’s also important to honor the seasonal signs; during years with mild winters, it’s a good idea not to tap the trees at all.

The GTB sugar bush camp is located at 3505 N Putnam Rd. in Suttons Bay. If you would like to attend a workshop, RSVP by emailing Derouin directly at William.Derouin@ gtb-nsn.gov. You can get more information at facebook.com/GrandTraverseBand, gtbindians.org/agricultural.asp, and gtbindians.org/events.asp.

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by Joseph beyer

With the Oscars just around the corner, allow me to give you an edge with your ballot and suggest that if history is any guide, there’s a decent chance that the documentary Mr. Nobody Against Putin will take home the gold.

That’s because “Hollywood” (as manifested by the 11,000 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences), has a long tradition of rewarding movies that poke the Russian bear and generate caricatures the likes of Ivan Drago in Rocky IV.

We’ve seen it happen from fictional stories like Doctor Zhivago in 1965 and Leviathan in 2015, to riveting true documentaries like Icarus in 2018, Navalny in 2023, or most recently 20 Days in Mariupol in 2024. Some say even the Best Picture winner Anora is really a thinly disguised takedown of the Russian kleptocracy.

Through all of it, the USA is good and the former Soviet Union is bad. And it’s precisely that age-old simplicity that made me skeptical that the documentary Mr. Nobody Against Putin would have anything new to add to the mix. But it does, and it’s deeply unsettling.

While shocking, this inside story of how the Russian government tried to control and manipulate views on its war with Ukraine (and how that propaganda became elementary school-level policy), isn’t unexpected. What differentiates this documentary is the deeply human voice behind the camera and the “nobody” in the film’s title.

Born and raised in Russia’s most-famouspolluted-city of Karabash, Pavel Talankin is the main character and guide of the film. “Pasha” is loved by his students in his role as the school’s videographer and official archivist, and the 33-year-old is passionate about his job.

But after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, his work is forced to shift from documentation to indoctrination as he films children in military drills, reciting party-line history, and pledging allegiance to the violence

and war thousands of miles away. Once records of happy moments, Pasha’s tapes and recordings now become required proof of the school’s compliance to the new “patriotic” requirements the government has imposed.

His first-person images capture not only the mind games being played on children, but also his own arc of frustration and his loss of innocence when he turns the camera on himself, recording confessionals as he becomes aware of what’s happening around him.

And in the background of this small town he loves, the young men sent off to this war stop returning and the government’s attempts to control the narrative become more desperate. When his disgust boils over, Pasha resigns from the school.

But he soon realizes the power of his own cameras and he returns to the school with a new goal in mind: secretly capture what’s happening using his job as a cover, secure the footage, and expose the truth.

The results are almost entirely Pasha’s making, but U.S. director David Borenstein shares credit and helped shape the documentary, working with Pasha secretly for two years of filming before helping to extract him from Russia after they discover he’s being surveilled.

A horrifying portrait of the human cost of war and the psychological toll of living under an oppressive regime, one can see Mr. Nobody Against Putin as a scathing reminder of tyranny and it is. But it’s also possible to see many of these tactics at work in our own Western cultural grooming, and the shameful oppression of speech happening all around us here at home, blurring the lines of Us versus Them.

Running 1 hour 30 minutes, Mr. Nobody Against Putin is available to stream on Amazon and AppleTV. The film has been nominated for Best Documentary in this year’s Academy Awards.

Saturday

2026 GAYLORD ALL OUT-

DOORS TRI 45 WINTER

TRIATHLON: 10am, Forbush Corners, 4971 W Co Rd 612, Frederic. Includes a 5K skate ski, 10K fat tire bike ride across frosty terrain, & 5K winter trail run through snow-packed paths. Choose from the Tri 45 Solo, Tri 45 Group (2-3 people), or Duathlon Bike/Run. $70-$170. runsignup. com/Race/Events/MI/frederic/2024GaylordA llOutdoorsTri45WinterTriathlon

AQUATIC INSECT ID & STREAM MONITOR TRAINING: 10am-noon, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Learn both how to identify common aquatic insects, & about the MiCorp Stream Monitoring Program & protocol. Practice your ID skills with real specimens & experienced professionals to help answer questions. RSVP: emma@grassriver.org. Free. grassriver.org

MAPLE SUGARING DAYS: 10am, Olsen Farm, 3164 W. Harbor Hwy., Maple City. Experience the sugaring process through time. Learn the history of maple sugaring from the Anishinaabe, & then travel to the present day at the Olsen Farm. End your adventure by sampling warm syrup or making maple taffy. The event is free with a park pass. nps.gov/ slbe/planyourvisit/maple-sugaring-days.htm

MARDI GRAS ON THE MOUNTAIN: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Lift ticket discount, Slopeside DJ, On-Slope Scavenger Hunt, & much more. crystalmountain.com/ events-activities/events/event-calendar/ mardi-gras-on-the-mountain

THE MINDFUL MARKET: 10am-2pm, Kaliseum Recreational Complex, Kalkaska. A free Brain Injury Awareness Month event to discover unique arts & crafts created by talented local artists, local resources for brain injury survivors, & much more. Sponsored by E3 Case Management and Beacon Therapies.

MUSICAL STORYTIME WITH THE TC PHIL: 11am, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Featuring Strings! Join members of the TC Philharmonic for music & movement. Explore rhythm & instruments of the orchestra with hands-on musical fun. Instrument petting zoo, story reading, movement, & crafts. Recommended ages: 7 & under. Free. tcphil. org/concerts

PROTEST ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE IN GAZA: 11am, Grandview Parkway + Union St., TC. Israel continues committing brutal genocide in Gaza & stealing more Palestinian land in the West Bank. Elected leaders are owned by Israel as the Epstein files show. It’s up to ordinary people to insist on justice. Stand together every Sat. mideastjustpeace.net

HOPS ‘N HIGHLANDS: Noon, The Highlands at Harbor Springs. A day of Michigan craft beer, music, friendly competition, & après-style fun - all served slopeside. Tickets are $25 & include 4 sampling tickets. Take on the IFOSH Stein Hoisting Championship at 2pm for bragging rights & a $150 Highlands gift card, & then keep things going with live music from Yankee Station at the Zoo Bar. For ages 21+. highlandsharborsprings. com/events/hops-n-highlands

GAAC GALLERY WALK + TALK: 1pm, Glen Arbor Arts Center, Main Gallery. Join a conversational tour of the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s current exhibits. GAAC Gallery Manager Sarah Bearup-Neal leads a Walk + Talk of INteriors, and Small Accomplishments. INteriors brings work that explores interior spaces real & imagined, in the home

& mind. Free. glenarborart.org/product/gallery-walk-talk-2

MAC & CHEESE COOK OFF: 1-3pm, Gypsy Distillery, Petoskey. Sample a variety of creative mac & cheese recipes, enjoy live music by the M-22 Duo, & celebrate local culinary talent. Taste all entries for $10 & vote for your favorites. gypsydistillery.com

SENSE OF NATURE: 1-3pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Become a wildlife detective & explore the natural world using your senses. Presented by the Sleeping Bear Wildlife Fund. Free. tadl.org/senseofnature

SUDS & SNOW 2026 - DETROIT THEME: 1-6pm, Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort, TC. “The Ultimate Party in the Woods.” Enjoy a half-mile hike to the backwoods where the event will take place. Featuring two stages, live music by 2BAYSDJS, 20 beverage vendors & two food trucks. Beverage vendors include Blackrocks Brewery, Old Mission Distilling, Tandem Ciders, Trail Point, Panther Coffee, & many more. $40$50. eventbrite.com/e/suds-snow-2026-tickets-1976262715983?aff=erelexpmlt

VOICES OF THE LAND: A SAND COUNTY ALMANAC COMMUNITY READING:

1-4pm, Charlevoix Conservation District, 303 North St., Boyne City. Among the shores, pines & vivid skies of northern Michigan, we join voices to honor the land that holds us. Let Leopold’s words awaken a deeper ethic of care as our communities expand, our landscapes feel new pressures, & reaffirm a simple truth: to live here is to care for the land. RSVP: 231-582-6193. Free.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S FAERY TALE: 2pm & 7pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. Presented by the Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre. The ballet is based on the children’s book of the same name by Wendy Froud & Terri Windling & was choreographed by artistic director Thomas Morrell. $12-$22. mynorthtickets.com/events/a-midsummernights-faery-tale-3-6-2026

NWS: ANNA QUINDLEN: 2pm, TC Central High School. Anna is the author of many bestselling books including the #1 New York Times bestselling novel “Rise and Shine.” Today she talks about her book “More Than Enough” that explores how we find ourselves again & again through the relationships that define us. $10-$55. nationalwritersseries. org/author-event/anna-quindlen-2

SLUSH CUP: 2pm, Shanty Creek Resort, Ivan’s Alley, Bellaire. Skiers & riders attempt to cross an icy 40’ pond. Some take it to another level with crazy costumes. Registration begins at 9am at Ivan’s. Yard games run from 9am-4pm. A Costume Contest takes place at 1pm at Ivan’s. Awards are at 4pm at Ivan’s. facebook.com/events/1754887495469658

TINY ART SHOW: 2-5pm, Bellaire Public Library. Tiny art pieces that were created by community members on display. Enjoy a hot cocoa bar in conjunction with downtown Bellaire’s Sweet Treat Bake Off. Art will be on display through March 22. bellairelibrary.org

BENZIE PRIDE NETWORK PRESENTS

“COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT”: 4pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. See this Academy Award nominated documentary. “Facing an incurable diagnosis, two poet lovers embark on a poignant yet unexpectedly humorous exploration of love, mortality, and life’s moments.” Free. gardentheater. org/comingsoon

St. Paddy’s Day fun at The Highlands in Harbor Springs includes the Kids Boardwalk Biathlon, Slide & Swing Challenge, green beers, live music by Galactic Sherpas and more, March 13-15! Visit highlandsharborsprings.com/events/ st-patricks-day-weekend for more info.

COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES: BOBBY FLAY: CHAPTER ONE: amical, TC, March 2-8. Bobby Flay has left a significant mark on American cuisine with his innovative restaurants, cookbooks & TV shows. This cookbook compiles his most notable recipes from his career. amical.com/bfchapterone

A YOGA-INSPIRED PRACTICE FOR ALL AGES: 4:30pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Facilitated by Crystal Woodward-Turner of Karasi Fitness and Healing Arts, this is a calming & restorative yoga-inspired practice infusing music, movement, & mindfulness intended to invigorate from the inside out, nurturing a lifestyle of love, peace & purpose. Free. tadl. org/event/karasi-yoga-program-29732

29TH ANNUAL HIBERNIAN ST. PATRICK’S PARTY: 7pm, K of C Hall, Gaylord. Irish music by The Pub Runners. Irish dancing by Hubbardston Dance Troupe. $20. gaylordchamber.com/events/details/29thannual-hibernian-st-patrick-s-party-13313

FUNDRAISER – GOOD ON PAPER: 7pm, Old Town Playhouse, Schmuckal Theatre, TC. Good on Paper is TC’s longest-running improv comedy troupe, creating comedy scenes based entirely on audience suggestions. Join as they partner with Old Town Playhouse for this FUNdraiser. $25. oldtownplayhouse.com/performances/specialevents/good-on-paper.html

BLISSFEST TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY

DANCE: 7:30pm, Littlefield/Alanson Community Building, Alanson. Music will be provided by Harbor Hoedown, with Larry Dyer calling. All dances taught (circles, contras, squares & more). No need to bring a partner. Potluck at 6:30pm. Bring table service & dish to pass. $10/person, $5/student, 12 & under free.

DOWNTOWN SOUND: WAKEFIRE: 7:30-

10:30pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Theater, Petoskey. Drawing their sound from Celtic rock, Baroque pop, Americana, folk rock, & their own signature style they call Bohemian Cabaret, Wakefire turns timeless songs into something fresh while crafting original music. $10-$40. crookedtree.org/ events-and-exhibitions/events/?page=1&loc ation=petoskey#class-list

IMAGINE US: YO-YO MA & INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS CELEBRATE AMERICA AT 250: SOLD OUT: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma & conductor Cristian Macelaru join Interlochen Arts Academy students for a vibrant celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday & the power of the youth creative voice. Tickets start at $65. interlochen.org/events/imagine-us-yoyo-ma-interlochen-center-for-arts-celebrateamerica-250-2026-03-07

mar 08

sunday

FREE FORMULA 1 WATCH PARTIES: 9am, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Held on the big screen, the first race will be shown this morning: Australia at 9am. There will also be Formula 1 games & doors open an hour before the start of each race. Visit web site for dates & more info. thebaytheatre.org/home-page

MAPLE SUGARING DAYS: (See Sat., March 7, except today starts at 11am.)

AAUW GAYLORD - 2026 WOMAN MAKING HISTORY LUNCHEON & SILENT AUCTION: 12:30-3pm, BJ’s Events Center, Gaylord. To celebrate March as “Women in History” month, AAUW Gaylord Area Branch honors Otsego County woman Judi A. Doan as the 2026 “Woman Making History” for her

positive, groundbreaking impacts. $30. gaylordchamber.com/events/details/aauw-gaylord-2026-woman-making-history-luncheonsilent-auction-13332

COMMUNITY SING FOR JUSTICE & PEACE: 3pm, The Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. Sponsored by the Northern Michigan Justice Singers, the group seeks to offer positive community singing in support of democracy, justice, & caring for one another. Free.

COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES: BOBBY FLAY: CHAPTER ONE: (See Sat., March 7) DMC CONCERT: TÉADA: 6pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. A traditional Irish band with a truly worldwide reach, Téada celebrates 25 years on the road in 2026. $25-$35. dennosmuseum.org/events/milliken

monday

TAROT WORKSHOP:

5:30pm, Up North Pride Community Center, TC. A monthly meet up for tarot enthusiasts & novices. Not a lecture nor review of meanings, but a collaborative exploration of tarot for self-care & inspiration. Decks & books by queer creators available to interact with. Bring pen & paper. Free. upnorthpride.com/listevents/2026/1/12/ tarot-workshop-9arxd-x3mal

GT HUMANISTS MEETING: USAID: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Grand Traverse Humanists welcome Phyllis & Dan Craun-Selka with a program titled U.S. Foreign Assistance: Purpose and Impact. Phyllis & Dan spent their careers in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). gthumanists.org

THE LIFE OF THE TRAVERSE CITY STATE HOSPITAL: CHANGING COMMUNITIES

OVER TIME: 6:30pm, The Village at GT Commons, Kirkbride Hall, TC. Join the Friends of Historic Commons & Interlochen Public Radio to celebrate the preservation & future of the Grand Traverse Commons. This event will trace the evolution of the historic State Hospital grounds - from Dr. Munson’s 19th-century vision to today’s vibrant Village. Find ‘The Life of the Traverse City State Hospital: Changing Communities Over Time’ on Facebook. Free.

WORKSHOP ON RESEARCHING & WRITING A COMMUNITY HISTORY: 7pm, Mackinaw Area Public Library, Mackinaw City. Presented by the Mackinaw Area Historical Society & author Frank Boles. Free. mackinawhistory.org

tuesday

MARCH EARLY CHILDHOOD EVENTS: 10am, Glen Lake Community Church, Glen Arbor. Featuring interactive storytelling with Jen Strauss, playgroup activities, snacks & a craft project. Each family will receive a book bag from PoWeR Book Bags. Free. northwested.org/article/2735054

FIGHT THE FIGHT FUNDRAISER: Twin Birch Golf Club & Restaurant, Kalkaska. 22 2 None will host this community fundraiser. A percentage of all dine-in & takeout sales from 4-9pm will support the organization’s free programs for local veterans & their families. 222none.org/eventspage/2026/twinbirchdinner

LIFE UNDER THE SNOW: 7pm, The Headlands Dark Sky Park, Mackinaw City. Join LTC Director of Environmental Education

Dylan for a presentation exploring the secret lives unfolding beneath the snow. You’ll uncover the subnivean world, the narrow space between snow & soil where small mammals, insects, & plants survive the long northern Michigan winter, & where predators rely on this hidden layer for hunting & shelter. landtrust.org/events

MONTHLY MOVIE CLUB: 7:30pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Featuring “Boondock Saints.” Free. gardentheater.org/comingsoon

wednesday

INDIE LENS POP-UP: THE INQUISITOR: 4pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Explore the life & legacy of Barbara Jordan in “The Inquisitor.” Jordan was a groundbreaking Texas congresswoman whose sharp intellect & moral clarity transformed U.S. politics. The League of Women Voters of the Grand Traverse Area will provide information onsite. Free. simpletix.com/e/the-inquisitor-an-indielens-pop-up-screen-tickets-247339

GAYLORD BUSINESS AFTER HOURS:

OCEA & FAIRFIELD INN: 5-7pm, Fairfield Inn, Gaylord. gaylordchamber.com/events/ details/business-after-hours-2026-fairfieldinn-13270?calendarMonth=2026-03-01

ART MEET UP: 6pm, Up North Pride Community Center, TC. Bring your own art project. If you don’t have one, just bring yourself! Free. upnorthpride.com/events

PLACE SERIES: Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. Join each Weds. of March. Indigenous community members share stories & histories that contrast the pervasive colonial narratives about this region. Sharing will be through storytelling, art, music, & ceremony. 5:30pm meal ($5-$7 suggested donation); 6:30pm program. March 11: Ishkode (Fire). JoAnne Cook & Hank Bailey will share. Find ‘PLACE: Re-taking the Story (week 2- Ishkode)’ on Facebook. Free.

WILD WEDNESDAY: LIFE UNDER THE SNOW: 6:30pm, Charlevoix Public Library. Explore the secret lives unfolding beneath the snow. You’ll uncover the subnivean world, the narrow space between snow & soil where small mammals, insects, & plants survive the long northern Michigan winter, & where predators rely on this hidden layer for hunting & shelter. landtrust.org/events-template/wild-wednesday-at-charlevoix-library-beneath-the-snow

HERE:SAY STORYTELLING: REBEL REBEL: 7-9pm, The Alluvion, TC. Storytellers tell true, first-person stories about a time in their lives that they defiantly bucked the system in big ways & small. $15. heresaystorytelling. com/storytelling-events/heresay-presentsrebel-rebel

t h ursday

“THE FRANKFORT LAKESIDE LITERARY CLUB: 1895 TO 1992”: 4pm, Mills Community House, Benzonia. Presented by Marianne Fleetwood & Pat Campbell. Meet the women who helped shape the village of Frankfort & Benzie County. The Benzie County Players will join the fun with an act from a play that the Lakeside Literary Club put on in 1930 at the Garden Theater. Recommended donation: $5. benziemuseum.org

HARVEY MASON

SATURDAY, MARCH 14 • DOORS & BAR AT 7:00, SHOW AT 7:30 PM MSU’S JAZZ ORCHESTRA I, AKA “THE BE-BOP SPARTANS,” ARE 25 PROMISING VIRTUOSOS UNDER THE

Meeting Room. “The Infra-Ordinary: All That Goes Unnoticed”: A writing workshop with Good Hart artist-in-residence Alecia Beymer. The workshop will focus on how we move in the mundane & the ordinary without often recognizing all the components of our lives. For ages 13+. Registration required. Free. petoskey.librarycalendar.com/event/infra-ordinaryall-goes-unnoticed-writing-workshop-8860

BELLAIRE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS:

5:30-7pm, Overlook at The Chief Event Center, Bellaire. From Fairways to Front Counters: Network with All of Chris Corbett’s Businesses. Light refreshments, appetizers. $3-$5. bellairechamber.org/2026/03/12/478235/ business-after-hours-14

EVERYONE HAS A STORY: STORYTELLING COMMUNITY CIRCLE: 5:30-7pm, Kingsley Branch Library. Join The Kingsley Folk School for a relaxed, no-prep storytelling community circle, Everyone Has a Story. Share real moments from your life, told to connect, laugh, reflect. Held the 2nd Thurs. of every month. Free. tadl.org/event/everyone-has-story-28438

MEAN GIRLS JR.: 6pm, Bellaire High School Performing Arts Center. Presented by Bellaire Middle High School Drama. $10; students free. bellairechamber. org/2026/03/12/490610/bellaire-middlehigh-school-drama-presents

BENEFIT CONCERT: IRISH MUSIC WITH SWITCHBACK: 7pm, 1st Congregational UCC of Charlevoix. This duo consists of Marty McCormack & Brian FitzGerald. Enjoy traditional Irish music plus a selection of songs from Switchback’s award-winning catalog of over 300 original tunes. They have shared the stage with everyone, from the legendary Irish band The Chieftains to the Moody Blues. A portion of the proceeds benefit a partnership with Healthy Communities Guatemala. $20-$25. waygoodmusic.com

DARK & STORMCLOUDY FILM & BEER SERIES: 7pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. This series pairs award-winning films with small batch dark beers, handcrafted specifically for each movie selection by Stormcloud Brewing. This month’s film is “Last Stop in Yuma County,” & this month’s beer is Last Stop for Rhubarb Pie. Tickets are $10/person & include a $5 coupon for Stormcloud Brewing. gardentheater.org/comingsoon

GITS & SHIGGLES: 7pm, AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center, Grayling. Enjoy a “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” style of comedy with lots of laughs & audience participation. Free; donations will be accepted to benefit the Crawford County Commission on Aging. artisanvillage.org

ROBERT FULGHUM’S “ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN”: 7pm, The Market at Cadillac Commons. Presented by Cadillac Footliters. $10-$12. cadillacfootliters.com

friday

MARCH EARLY CHILDHOOD EVENTS: 10:30am, Kalkaska County Library. Featuring interactive storytelling with Jen Strauss, playgroup activities, snacks & a craft project. Each family will receive a book bag from PoWeR Book Bags. Free. northwested.org/article/2735054

18TH ANNUAL TRAVERSE CITY BOAT SHOW: Noon-8pm, GT County Civic Center, Howe Arena, TC. See the latest, most innovative watercraft including pontoons, tritoons, tow boats, bow riders, center console,

fishing boats, personal watercraft, docks, boat lifts, water toys, boating accessories & much more. traversecityboatshow.com

2026-27 SEASON PREVIEW LUNCH WITH THE MAESTRO: Noon-1:30pm, TC Philharmonic Center, MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation Hall. Get a first look at the TC Philharmonic’s 2026–27 season with Artistic Director & Principal Conductor Kevin Rhodes—at the piano. Through live musical excerpts & insider commentary, Maestro Rhodes will preview the music, artists, & ideas shaping the season ahead. $35/ticket; lunch included. tcphil.org/concerts

FREE COMMUNITY SANGHA: 6pm, Yen Yoga, TC. An opportunity to move, reflect & gather together. 2 Fridays/month. yenyogafitness.com

MEAN GIRLS JR.: (See Thurs., March 12)

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO: BOTH SHOWS ARE SOLD OUT: 7pm & 9pm, The Alluvion, TC. A South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of isicathamiya & mbube. Known internationally after singing with American Paul Simon on his album “Graceland.” They have since won multiple awards, including five Grammy Awards. thealluvion.org/tickets/the-alluvion-world-music-series-presents-ladysmith-black-mambazo

ROBERT FULGHUM’S “ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN”: (See Thurs., March 12)

SWITCHBACK: 7pm, The Bay Community Theatre, Suttons Bay. Enjoy a St. Patrick’s Day celebration with the rich traditions of folk, Irish, rock & country music with Switchback. $25-$35. thebaytheatre.org/home-page

“VIRAGOS”: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Phoenix Theatre. Viragos follows a group of young Englishwomen as they rehearse a play at The Institute Mary Ward’s school for girls founded in France, 1609. Through their rehearsals, the girls test the boundaries of art, science, love, & politics. $19-$24. interlochen.org/concerts-andevents/all-events?search=Viragos

AIR & APRÈS: BIGGEST SKI & SNOWBOARDING SHOW IN THE MIDWEST: March 13-14. Boyne Mountain, Boyne Falls. Olympic, X Games, & pro athletes launch massive jumps & aerial tricks while the slope transforms into a jumbo screen bursting with motion graphics. Stick around for the athlete meet & greet. Tonight includes the Film Premier of “Pressure Drop by TGR” in the Vienna Ballroom at 7:30pm, & the Air & Après Practice Demo at the Base of Mclouth at 8pm. boynemountain. com/upcoming-events/air-and-apres

PAINT NIGHT: 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. In this play, six women gather for a girls’ night out. They eat, drink & paint while celebrating a bride to be. But as the alcohol flows, so do their thoughts on womanhood, & their carefully curated lives get hilariously & heartbreakingly real. $25. oldtownplayhouse.com/performances/mainstage/thedrowsy-chaperone.html

SPRING CARNIVAL: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Includes a $10 discount on your open-to-close window lift ticket if you rock a luau theme, Lodge Deck BBQ, Cardboard Classic, Slush Cup, On-Slope Scavenger Hunt & more. crystalmountain.com/events-activities/events/event-calendar/spring-carnival

18TH ANNUAL TRAVERSE CITY BOAT SHOW: (See Fri., March 13, except today’s hours are 10am-6pm.)

SAINT PATRICK’S 5KRAWL: 10am, Primos BBQ & The Greenhouse, Cadillac. Presented by Cadillac Firefighters Local 704. Wear all of your green. Besides awards for top finishers, there will be an award for best-dressed guy & gal. $30. runsignup.com/Race/Events/ MI/Cadillac/SaintPatricks5krawl

STORY TIME WITH MISS LINDA: 10am, Alden District Library. Kids will hear stories with a St. Patrick’s Day theme & enjoy simple activities. 231-331-4318.

LITTLE WAVES CHILDREN’S MUSIC

PROGRAM: Includes a multimedia musical storybook time & the chance to see instruments of the orchestra up close. For ages 4-10. Held at Petoskey District Library at 10:30am & at Charlevoix Public Library at 1pm. Free. glcorchestra.org/education

KIDS BIATHLON ON BOARDWALK: 11am, The Highlands at Harbor Springs, On Hill. Kids race uphill in ski boots, tackling hay bales, hoses, foam cushions & more. Then they click into skis & charge down the Silly Slalom course, finishing at the bottom of Boardwalk. Registration from 9-11am in the Brew Bar in Day Lodge. highlandsharborsprings. com/events/kids-biathlon-on-boardwalk

PROTEST ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE: (See Sat., March 7)

TRAVERSE CITY CENTRAL CHOIRS’ DISNEY & DESSERTS: 11am & 4pm, TC Central High School. Featuring TCC choir students performing music from various Disney productions. Attendees will enjoy face painting, activity booths, photo opportunities, & treats. $10/ticket; ages 2 and under free. givebutter.com/lSujw3

26TH ANNUAL EAGLE 101.5 ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE: Downtown Gaylord. 10-11:30am: Breakfast at Timothy’s Pub honoring Parade Grand Marshal Jerry Lambert. 11:30am: Parade line-up on Michigan Ave. Noon: Parade begins down M-32 east to Center Ave. After parade, head to Timothy’s Pub for a complimentary cup of Irish stew. gaylordchamber.com/events/details/st-patrick-s-dayparade-13384?calendarMonth=2026-03-01

AIR & APRÈS: BIGGEST SKI & SNOWBOARDING SHOW IN THE MIDWEST: March 13-14, Boyne Mountain, Boyne Falls. Olympic, X Games, & pro athletes launch massive jumps & aerial tricks while the slope transforms into a jumbo screen bursting with motion graphics. Stick around for the athlete meet & greet. Today includes the Air & Après Practice Demo at noon, & the Air & Après Main Event at 7:45pm. boynemountain.com/upcoming-events/air-and-apres

highlandsharborsprings.com/events/slideand-swing-challenge

SAINT PATRICK’S PARADE - TC: 1:30pm, downtown TC. Hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Bun Brady Division. Parade HQ: Middlecoast Brewing Co. Starting on Boardman to Front, Union, State streets.

MEAN GIRLS JR.: (See Thurs., March 12, except today’s times are 2pm & 6pm.)

DARK & STORMCLOUDY FILM & BEER SERIES: (See Thurs., March 12, except today’s time is 4pm.)

HOUSE OF HAMILL: 7pm, AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center, Grayling. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with an evening of high-energy Celtic music. House of Hamill delivers everything from fiery jigs & reels to rich three-part harmonies & hilarious stories from the road. $35. artisanvillage.org/events

ROBERT FULGHUM’S “ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN”: (See Thurs., March 12)

“VIRAGOS”: (See Fri., March 13)

HARVEY MASON & THE MSU JAZZ ORCHESTRA: 7:30-10pm, The Alluvion, TC. Iconic drummer & MSUFCU Guest Artist in Residence Harvey Mason will perform the legendary music of Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters & other jazz standards accompanied by the MSU Jazz Orchestra under the leadership of Rodney Whitaker. $10. thealluvion.org/tickets/harvey-mason-and-the-msu-jazz-orchestra-perform-herbie-hancocks-head-hunters

PAINT NIGHT: (See Fri., March 13)

SUSAN WERNER: 8pm, Freshwater Art Gallery/Concert Venue, Boyne City. A night of storytelling, humor & music. Chicago Tribune called Susan “one of the most innovative songwriters working today”. $45. 231-582-2588.

sunday

saturday

LEAPIN’ LEPRECHAUN 5K: 9am, Lake Ave., Old Town, TC. Proceeds from this event support the littlest leprechauns through a donation to Munson Medical Center’s NICU. $35; increases after March 12. runsignup. com/Race/MI/TraverseCity/LeapinLeprechaun5K

FREE LEPRECHAUN CANDY HUNT: Noon-4pm, Pond Hill Farm, Harbor Springs. Hike your way around the farm & collect a sweet treat at each gnome house. pondhill.com

SLIDE & SWING CHALLENGE: 1-3pm, The Highlands at Harbor Springs, On Hill. Meet at the top of Camelot run. Tee off, swing, & slide your way down Camelot on the 5-hole alpine snow course. Registration runs from 9am-noon in the Brew Bar in Day Lodge.

FREE FORMULA 1 WATCH PARTIES: CHINA: 9am, The Bay Community Theatre, Suttons Bay. Experience the thrilling races on the big screen, along with Formula 1 games. Doors open an hour before the start of each race. Free. thebaytheatre.org/home-page

18TH ANNUAL TRAVERSE CITY BOAT SHOW: (See Fri., March 13, except today’s time is 10am-4pm.)

TC YOUTH ART SHOW AWARDS & RECEPTION: 1-3pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. This will recognize the honorees & winners from Youth Arts Show & the Youth Arts College Scholarships. Free. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/events/?page=1&location=traversecity#class-list

THE IDES OF MARCH: 1-5pm, The Village at GT Commons, TC. Roam this free Shakespeare festival where food, drink & live performance intertwine. The day unfolds as a journey: you’ll move from venue to venue, encountering scenes, songs, & soliloquies. Presented in partnership with The World’s a Stage, Mashup Rock ‘n Roll Musical, & local breweries, wineries, & Village businesses. RSVP. theworldsastage.org/ides

“VIRAGOS”: (See Fri., March 13, except today’s time is 2pm.)

GREAT LAKES CINEMA SERIES: FANTASTIC FUNGI: 2pm, Great Lakes Center mar 13 mar 14 mar 15

for the Arts, Bay Harbor. A documentary that explores the hidden world of mushrooms & their powerful role in nature, medicine, & our planet’s ecosystems. $5 all seats. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/fantastic-fungi

PAINT NIGHT: (See Fri., March 13, except today’s time is 2pm.)

-

ROBERT FULGHUM’S “ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN”: (See Thurs., March 12, except today’s time is 2pm.)

BRAHMS’ REQUIEM: 3-5pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Performed by more than 250 artists. Featuring Caitlin Lynch & Jonathan Lasch, who have sung throughout the U.S. with all of the top opera companies. Jeffrey Cobb’s NMC choirs are joined by choirs from around the state. $27-$65. tcphil.org/concerts

OF STRAIGHT LINES & SPIRALS: 3pm, The GT Circuit, TC. A spoken word memoir exploring themes of race, class & culture through the voice of a twelve year old white boy in metro Detroit in 1967. Traverse City storyteller Steven Holl will reprise this story, suitable for teens. Donations gratefully accepted.

GLCO PRESENTS FREE HARP TRIO RE-

CITAL: 4pm, First Congregational UCC, Charlevoix. The public recital is part of GLCO’s Sunday Series, which features small chamber ensembles performing free of charge in venues around northern Michigan. glcorchestra.org/sundayseries

art

NEW EXHIBIT EXPLORES TRAVERSE CITY PSYCHIATRIST’S HISTORIC RESEARCH: Traverse Area District Library, TC. A new exhibit from TADL’s Local History Collection, “Traverse City Psychiatrist Makes History: The Shocking Career of Dr. Paul H. Wilcox” is on view through March. Examine mid-20th-century psychiatry & Wilcox’s electroshock therapy work. tadl.org/event/wilcoxlocal-history-exhibit-zoe-29735

THE WORK OF ROCCO PISTO EXHIBIT: Charlevoix Circle of Arts. Runs March 6 - April 11. Opening reception on Fri., March 6 from 5-7pm. Modern Expressionism, spontaneity & abstraction in watercolor. See web site for hours. charlevoixcircle.org/classes-workshops

WE WILL NOT WHISPER: The Commongrounds Building & The Alluvion, TC. Alluvion Arts presents “We Will Not Whisper,” an exhibition featuring 19 female visual artists, collectively responding to the ongoing erosion of civil liberties & democratic institutions in America. Opens March 7, 5-7pm. On view through April 11. See web site for hours. thealluvion.org

OUT OF THE BOX - ELEVATED CIGAR

BOXES: Higher Art Gallery, TC. “Out of The Box” is a group show & invitational featuring 30 artists. Cigar boxes have been elevated, transformed & turned into treasures. The exhibit runs through March 14. See web site for hours. higherartgallery.com

ANNUAL YOUTH ARTS SHOW: Crooked Tree Arts Center, all Carnegie & Cornwell Galleries, TC. Celebrating the work of K-12 art students & educators from throughout the Grand Traverse region. Runs March 10 - April 11. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/ events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/2026-youtharts-show-traverse-city.html -

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY:

- RADICAL POSSIBILITIES: ART IN PROTEST: Held in Atrium Gallery. The artworks in

this show bring people together, share hope, & show how creativity can help build strong communities. Runs March 3-28. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-andexhibitions/exhibits/radical-possibilities.html

- OPEN STUDIO: Held in the Visual Arts Room, Saturdays, 10am-1pm. Free drop-in art studio for the whole family. New projects are offered weekly. crookedtree.org

DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC:

- NEW PERSPECTIVES: RECENT AQUISITIONS FROM THE DENNOS PERMANENT ART COLLECTION: Held in McFarlane Gallery through May 31. From new paintings & works on paper gifted through the Museum Exchange program to generous donations on behalf of museum members, friends, & NMC alumni, New Perspectives seeks to highlight convergent, as well as, divergent perspectives on contemporary art & collecting practices in the 21st century. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org

- TRILOBITE TREASURES: Runs through May. This exhibit presents Paleozoic creatures in a way that tells a story of the prehistoric life in the ancient seas. The collection, assembled over 35 years, provides a unique snapshot of life in the ancient seas from 250 to 500 million years ago. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org

- TWELVE-BY-TWELVE: Runs through April 1. Created by students & faculty at Interlochen Arts Academy, every participant had to create something that would fit within an imaginary twelve-inch cube. They self-imposed this limit to discover what ideas those boundaries might produce. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org

- DOUG CANNELL: “SELECTIONS FROM BACKSTORIES”: An introduction to Doug Cannell’s works that merge sculpture, installation, & storytelling into layered experiences. Cannell creates objects that resist easy definition. Runs through April 3. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org

- IMPRESSIONS OF AN ERA: PRINTS FROM THE DENISON MUSEUM COLLECTION: This selection of prints, created between 1970 & 1990 by nationally & internationally recognized contemporary artists, reflects two transformative decades in contemporary printmaking. Artists include Dee Shapiro, Barbara Kohl-Spiro, KUDO Muramasa & James Rizzi. Runs through May 31. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org

GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER:

- INTERIORS EXHIBITION: An exploration of inner spaces, both real & imagined, spaces of the home & of the mind. Runs through March 12. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org

- SMALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY HARVEY GORDON: Enjoy this exhibition of acrylic paintings held in the Lobby Gallery through April 23. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org

OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT:

- CONSTRUCTED: Showcasing works in wood, paper & fiber, featured artists will present furniture, textiles, paper assemblages, basketry, & more in both functional & decorative creations. Runs March 14 - April 18. An opening reception will be held on Sat., March 14 from 5-7pm. Artist talk on April 18 at 2pm. Open Tues. - Sat., 10am-4pm, & Sun., noon4pm. Closed Mon. oliverart.org

- IMAGE MAKERS, THE ART OF ILLUSTRATION: Runs through March 28. Pen & ink, watercolor, pencil, gouache, whatever the media, the Illustrator is an artist with a story to tell. What is the difference between a painting & an illustration? This exhibition will explore the work of several artist-illustrators, their processes, differences, & similarities between art & illustration. See web site for hours. oliverart.org

Märzen on tap, Irish Lager coming March 14th!

2 locations!

439 E Eighth St. Traverse City

2770 e silver lake rd Traverse City

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska

CHATEAU GRAND TRAVERSE WINERY, TC

4-6:

3/7 -- Jeff Socia

3/14 – Jesse Jefferson

ENCORE 201, TC

3/6-7 & 3/13-14 -- DJ Ricky T, 9

IDENTITY BREWING CO., TC

3/9 -- Vinyl Night w/ DJ E-Knuf, 5-8

3/10 -- TC Celtic, 6-8

3/12 -- Beyond Trivia!, 7-8:30

KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC 9:30:

3/7 -- Protea

3/13-14 -- Jay Hawkins Band

KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING

3/10 -- Open Mic Night w/ Kevin & Sierra LaRose, 6-9

3/12 -- Trivia Night w/ Marcus Anderson, 6:30-8:30

3/13 -- TC Celtic, 6-9

LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC BARREL ROOM:

3/9 -- Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9

MARI VINEYARDS, TC 4-6: 3/7 -- David Baumann

3/13 -- Levi Britton

NOCTURNAL BLOOM, TC Thu -- Thurs. Night Trivia, 6

NORTH BAR, TC

3/12 -- Loren Kranz, 7-10

3/13 -- Sean Miller, 7-10

3/14 -- Blue Footed Booby, 1-5

OLD MISSION DISTILLING, TC

SEVEN HILLS, 6: 3/7 -- Brett Mitchell

3/13 -- Weston Buchan

3/14 -- Mitchell McKolay

RARE BIRD BREWPUB, TC 3/10 -- Tuesday Trivia Night, 7-9

TC WHISKEY CO. - THE STILLHOUSE

3/13 -- Acoustic Shoreline, 6-8

3/14 -- Winter Warm Up w/ Broom Closet Boys, 1-3 & Hot Flat Pop, 3-5; John Piatek, 6-8

THE ALLUVION, TC

3/13 -- Ladysmith Black Mambazo, 7 & 9: BOTH SHOWS ARE SOLD OUT

3/14 -- Harvey Mason & the MSU Jazz Orchestra, 7:30

THE HAYLOFT INN, TC 7:30-11:

3/6-7 -- Split Decision

Antrim & Charlevoix

3/13 -- Empire Highway

3/14 -- TimeBombs

THE LITTLE FLEET, TC

3/7 -- DJ Ras Marco, 8-11

3/11 -- DJ Dusty Staircase, 6-9

3/14 -- DJ Flannel, 8-11

THE PARLOR, TC

3/7 – Reese Keelor, 9

3/8 & 3/15 -- Music Bingo, 7-10

3/10 -- Jesse Jefferson, 8-11

3/11 -- Rob Coonrod, 8-11

3/12 -- Clint Weaner, 8-11

3/13 -- Rhett & John, 9

3/14 -- Blue Footed Booby, 7:3010:30

THE PUB, TC

3/7 -- David Martón, 8-11

3/9 -- Karaoke Mondays, 8

3/11 -- Zeke Clemons, 7-11

3/12 -- Music Bingo, 7:30-10:30

3/13 -- Clint Weaner, 8-11

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC

3/7 -- Zie Simmons, 7-10

3/8 -- Full Tilt Comedy Presents: Comedy Lab, 6-8

3/10 -- Open Mic w/ Zak Bunce, 6-9

3/12 -- DJ Trivia, 7-10

3/13 -- Jazz Jam w/ Ron Getz Trio, 6-9

nitelife

Send

Leelanau & Benzie

BC LANES, BOYNE CITY

3/14 – Peril, 8

BIER'S INWOOD BREWERY, CHARLEVOIX

3/12 -- Open Mic Night, 7-9

BOYNE CITY TAPROOM

3/12 -- Adam & The Cabana Boys, 7

BOYNE RIVER INN, BOYNE CITY

3/12 -- Nelson Olstrom, 7

CAFE SANTÉ, BOYNE CITY

3/7 & 3/14 -- Sean Bielby, 7-10

3/9 -- The Shifties, 6-9

3/13 -- Pete Kehoe, 7-10

CASTLE FARMS, CHARLEVOIX

3/13 -- DJ Bill Da Cat, 6; Strings Attached, 7-9

THE CASTLE PUB:

3/14 -- Michelle Keyboard, 7-10

CHALFONTE THEATRE, ELK RAPIDS THE PLATFORM:

3/8 – Tannahill Weavers, 5

ETHANOLOGY DISTILLATION, ELK RAPIDS

3/14 -- Pre St. Patrick's Day w/ Trent Breit & The Tradesmen, 7-10

FIRESIDE LOUNGE, BELLAIRE

3/14 -- St. Patrick's Glow Party w/ DJ Mark, 6-9:30

LOST CELLARS, CHARLEVOIX

3/8 & 3/15 -- Mastermind's Trivia, 4-6

MUSKRAT DISTILLING, BOYNE CITY 8: 3/11 -- Karaoke Night 3/13 -- Eric Jaqua

SHANTY CREEK RESORT, BELLAIRE

IVAN'S:

3/7 -- Collision Six, 8-11

SHORT'S PUB, BELLAIRE

3/11 -- Open Mic Night, 6-8

3/12 -- Trivia w/ DJ Trivia, 6-8

3/15 -- St. Praxtice Day w/ Braxton Hicks & The Contractions, 1; & The HeyMakers, 2

SHORT'S PULL BARN, ELK RAPIDS

3/12 -- Karaoke Night w/ Taylor & Rybo, 6

TORCH LAKE CAFE, CENTRAL LAKE

Thu -- Nick Vasquez, 6 Fri. & Sat. -- Leanna Collins & Ivan Greilick, 7

Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee

BUCKSNORT SALOON, MESICK

3/9 -- Open Mic w/ Vic Trip, 6-9

NORTHERN NATURAL CIDER

& WINERY, KALEVA 7:

ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD

3/13 – Jim Akans, 6-9

3/7 -- Andy Amstutz & Kirk

“Heavyhead” Abramowski

3/13 -- Gina & Jordan

3/14 -- Tali Snowden

RAVEN SOCIAL, CADILLAC

3/13 -- Vic Trip Rocks!, 6-9

THE GREENHOUSE - WILLOW/ PRIMOS, CADILLAC

3/13 -- St. Patty's Karaoke Night, 9

Otsego, Crawford & Central

SNOWBELT BREWING CO., GAYLORD 3/13 – Jakey T, 6-9

BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR

3/7 -- Andre Villoch, 5-7

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE VISTA LOUNGE:

3/7 -- Chris Smith, 2-5; Barefoot, 8-11

3/8 -- Christopher Winkelmann, 2-5

3/13 -- Christopher Winkelmann, 2-5; The M22's, 8-11

3/14 -- Drew Hale, 2-5; Bill Frary & the Frequency, 8-11

3/15 -- Jakob Abraham, 2-5

3/12 -- Trivia Thursdays

FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR

3/12 -- Loose Change, 3-6

IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE

5:30-7:30:

3/7 -- Brian Curran

3/14 -- Chris Smith

LAKE ANN BREWING CO.

3/7 -- Daydrinker's Series w/ Jim Crockett Band, 2:30-5:30; Little Dipper, 7-10

3/11 -- Open Mic Night Hosted by Johnathon North, 6:30-9:30

3/14 -- Daydrinkers Series w/ Andy Six, 3-6; Empire Highway, 6:30-9:30

LITTLE TRAVERSE INN, MAPLE CITY 6-9:

3/13 -- Elizabeth Landry

3/14 -- The Wild Sullys

NORTHERN LATITUDES DISTILLERY, LAKE LEELANAU

3/13 -- Jesse Jefferson, 4:456:45

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH

3/12 -- Open Mic Night, 6-9

3/13 -- Brian Curran & Howard Wilson, 5-8 Enjoy a wink and a pint with Blue Footed Booby, who brings St. Paddy’s Day performances to North Bar from 1-5pm and The Parlor, 7:30-10:30pm, who are both part of the 3rd Annual Cass Street Crawl in TC on Sat., March 14; and then to Lake Ann Brewing on St. Paddy’s Day from 6:30-9:30.

FIVE SHORES BREWING, BEULAH 6-8: 3/9 -- Monday Music Trivia

BOB'S PLACE, ALANSON

3/11 -- Mike Ridley, 6-9

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY

2-6:

3/7 -- Chase & Allie

3/14 -- Michelle Chenard

BRANDY'S HARBORTOWN, BAY HARBOR

5-8:

3/7 -- Nick Visconti

3/13 -- Derek Boik

3/14 -- Nelson Olstrom

CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY

3/10 -- Trivia Night, 7-9

3/13 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30

GYPSY DISTILLERY, PETOSKEY

3/7 – M-22 Duo, 1; Nick Visconti, 2 3/14 – Sean Bielby, 2

3/12 -- Trivia Night, 7-9

3/13 -- The HeyMakers, 6:309:30

Emmet & Cheboygan

NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY

3/7 -- Holly Keller, 7-10

3/9 -- Quiz Runners Trivia, 6-8

3/11 -- Singo Bingo: Golden Oldies, 6:30

3/13 -- Donald Benjamin, 7-10

3/14 -- Lee Fayssoux, 7-10

NORTHERN LIGHTS RECREATION, HARBOR SPRINGS

3/12 -- Trivia Night, 6:30-8:30

3/13 – Michelle Chenard, 6:309:30

ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY VICTORIES, 9:

3/7 -- DJ T-Bone

3/13 -- DJ Big Ton

3/14 -- DJ Hotkeys

POND HILL FARM, HARBOR SPRINGS 5-8:

3/7 -- Chris & Jeff Duo

3/14 -- Riff Ryder & the Vista Cruisers

THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN

3/7 -- The Beau House Band, 8

3/13 -- Musicians Playground, 7

3/14 -- Emily Kenyon, 7:30

THE HIGHLANDS AT HARBOR SPRINGS

MAIN LODGE BACKYARD

3/14 -- DJ T-Bone, noon-4 ZOO BAR, 4-8:

3/7 -- Yankee Station

3/14 -- Galactic Sherpas

THE WIGWAM, INDIAN RIVER

3/12 -- Dominic Fortuna, 7:309:30

3/13 -- Karaoke, 8-11

lOGY

MAR 09 - MAR 15

BY ROB BREZSNY

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Can you compel acts of grace to intervene in your destiny? Can bursts of divine favor be summoned through the power of your will? Some spiritual scholars say, “Absolutely not.” They claim life’s wild benevolence arrives only through the mysterious tides of fate—impossible to solicit and impossible to predict. But other observers, more open-minded, speculate that your intelligent goodness might indeed attract the vivid generosity of cosmic energies. I bring this up because I suspect you Pisceans are either receiving or will soon receive blessings that feel like divine favor. Did you earn them, or are you just lucky—or some of both? It doesn’t matter. Enjoy the gift.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Love is more than a gentle glow in your heart or a pleasurable spark in your body. When fully awakened and activated, it becomes a revolutionary way of being in the world that invites you to challenge and rethink all you’ve been taught about reality. It’s a bold magic that alters everything it encounters. You can certainly choose a milder, tamer version of love if you wish. But if you’d like to evolve into a love maestro—as you very well could during the next 12 months—I suggest you give yourself to the deeper, wilder form. Do you dare?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Octopuses have neuron clusters in their arms that enable them to “think with their limbs.” Let’s make them your spirit creature for now, Virgo. Your body’s intuitions are offering you guidance that might even be as helpful as your fine mind. This enhanced somatic brilliance can serve you in practical ways: a creative breakthrough while doing housework, a challenging transition handled with aplomb, a fresh alignment between your feelings and ideas. I hope you will listen to your body as if it were a beloved mentor. Trust your movements and physical sensations to reveal what you need to know.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): ): I love your diplomatic genius: the capacity to understand all sides, to hold space for contradictions, to find the middle ground. But right now it’s in danger of curdling into a kind of self-erasure where your own desires become the one thing you can't quite locate. Another way to understand this: You are so skilled at seeing everyone's perspective that you sometimes lose track of your own. Here’s the antidote I recommend: Practice the revolutionary act of having strong opinions, of preferring one thing over another without immediately undercutting your preference with a counter-argument. I guarantee that your relationships will survive your decisiveness. In fact, they will deepen as people locate the real you beneath your exquisite balance.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): New love cravings have been welling up inside you, Scorpio. These cries of the heart may confuse you even as they delight you and invigorate you. One of your main tasks is to listen closely to what they’re telling you, but to wait a while before expressing their messages to other people. You need to study them in detail before spilling them out. Another prime task is to feel patient awe and reverence for the immensity and intensity of these deep, wild desires.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If you are fulfilling your birthright as a Sagittarius, you are a philosopher-adventurer with a yearning for deep meaning. As you seek out interesting truths, your restless curiosity is a spiritual necessity. You understand that wisdom comes from collecting diverse, sometimes contradictory experiences and weaving them into a coherent worldview. You have a fundamental need to keep expanding and reinventing what freedom means to you. All these qualities may make some people nervous, but they really are among your primary assignments now and forever. They are especially important to cultivate these days.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In traditional navigation, "dead reckoning" means finding your position by tracking your previous movements. Where you have been tells you where you are. But it only works if you've been honest about your course. If you've been

misleading yourself about the direction you have been traveling, dead reckoning will get you lost. bring this to your attention, Capricorn, because I really want you to rededicate yourself to telling yourself the deepest, strongest, clearest truths. Where have you actually been going? Not where you told yourself you were going or where other people imagined you were going, but where your choices have actually been taking you. Look at the pattern of your real movements, not your stated intentions. Once you know your true position, you can chart a true course for the future.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’re entering a rambling zigzag phase. Each plot twist will branch into two more, and every supposed finale will reveal itself as the opening act of another surprise. Fortunately, your gift for quick thinking and innovative adaptation is sharper than ever, which means you will flourish where others might freeze. My suggestion? Forget the script. Approach the unpredictable adventures like an improv exercise: spontaneous, playful, and open to the fertile mysteries.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In theater, "breaking the fourth wall" means acknowledging the audience. An actor steps out of the pretense that what's happening on stage is real. It's a disruptive moment of truth that can deepen the experience. I would love you to break the fourth wall in your own life, Aries. It’s a favorable time to slip free of any roles you’ve been performing by rote and just blurt out the more interesting truths. Tell someone, "This isn't working for me." Or say, "I need to be my pure self with greater authenticity." Breaking the fourth wall won’t ruin the show; it will be more fun and real and entertaining.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): English speakers like me use the terms "destiny" and “fate” interchangeably. But a scholar of ancient Sumer claims they had different meanings in that culture. Nam, the word for "destiny," was fixed and immutable. Namtar, meaning "fate," could be manipulated, adjusted, and even cheated. bring this to your attention, Taurus, because I believe you now have a golden chance to veer off a path that leads to an uninteresting or unproductive destiny and start gliding along a fateful detour.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The coming months will be a favorable time for you to shed the fairytale story of success that once inspired you when you were younger and more idealistic. A riper vision is emerging, calling you toward a more realistic and satisfying version of your life’s purpose. The transformation may at first feel unsettling, but believe it will ultimately awaken even deeper zeal and greater creativity than your original dream. Bonus: Your revised, more mature goals will lead you to the very rewards your youthful hopes imagined but never quite delivered.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Even if you're not actually far from home, Cancerian, I bet you're on a pilgrimage or odyssey of some kind. The astrological omens tell me that you're being drawn away from familiar ideas and feelings and are en route to an unknown country. You're transforming, but you're not sure how yet. During this phase of exploration, I suggest that you adopt a nickname that celebrates being on a quest. This will be a playful alias that helps you focus on the pregnant potential of this interlude. A few you might want to consider: Journey Seed, Threshold Traveler, Holy Rambler, Map-Edge Maverick, or Wanderlust Wonderer. Others? Choose one that tickles you with the sense that you are being born again while you travel.

“Jonesin” Crosswords

"OK, OK" you'll see them twice. by Matt Jones

ACROSS

1. Words after "give" or "lend"

6. Beginning of an idea

10. Octagonal sign

14. Use crayons

15. Buttery substitute 16. Zanesville's state

17. Dance with a lot of moving parts?

19. Part of a telescope

20. And others, in a footnote 21. "Sure thing"

23. 1970s-'80s sketch comedy show with Catherine O'Hara

25. "No seats" letters

26. "Drugs are bad" ad, e.g.

29. "Gymnopedies" composer Satie

31. Video chats, in the 2010s

36. Play opener

38. One of the Inner Hebrides

40. Before the kids' bedtime, say

41. Investigated further

44. Sharpened

45. Nearly nonexistent

46. "Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1" rapper ___ Fiasco

47. Takes without asking

49. Letters before Q, often

51. ___ Moines, Iowa

52. Not feeling so great

54. Funny reaction

56. Place for knock-knocks

61. Discuss again

65. District

66. Korean simmered rice cake

68. Puzzle's central focus?

69. URL-starting letters

70. Patch or pipe material

71. District

72. Flue powder

73. "Please?"

DOWN

1. Dull pain

2. Owl sound

3. ___-Seltzer

4. Caroler's tunes

5. Frozen CO2, familiarly

6. Nonspecific semiliquid

7. City northeast of Reno

8. Stinks up the joint

9. White House Press Secretary and PBS journalist Bill

10. No longer in stock

11. One of the TV Huxtables

12. Pen noise

13. Prepare for pics

18. "Speed 2: Cruise Control" star Jason

22. One who teams oxen

24. Renaissance string instruments

26. Walkways

27. Hightail it

28. Make amends

30. Grassy spot at Dallas's Dealey Plaza

32. Southern collective?

33. Beaming

34. Run off for romance

35. Stand-up comic Wanda

37. Store whose Djungelskog toy was adopted by a Japanese monkey in a viral video

39. Heave ___ of relief

42. Wing it

43. Set sail

48. They're sorted by two or three toes per foot

50. Broadcaster of "University Challenge" and "Ludwig"

53. Powerball, essentially

55. Now, in Nueva York

56. Esperanza Spalding's genre

57. Cookie that for some reason has a cookies & cream variety

58. Acute

59. Simplify

60. High-fat, low-carb diet

62. Similar (to)

63. Misrepresent, as data

64. Put on the staff

67. Make a decision

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