Up North Fourth booms in Charlevoix

June 26, 2011

Up North Fourth booms in Charlevoix
By Rick Coates
You can expect Charlevoix’s Up North Fourth to rock out a lot more this
year, thanks to some high-powered promotional help.
Since returning to his hometown from Montana a few years ago Sam Porter
and his Porterhouse Productions team have focused on events in Traverse
City. He is now expanding into Charlevoix with the Up North Fourth one-day
celebration Saturday, July 2  at the East Park Odmark Performance
Pavilion.
“We are very fortunate to be working with Sam Porter and Porterhouse
Productions,” said Amanda Wilken of the Charlevoix Convention and Visitors
Bureau. “Sam is really the best in the business at this sort of thing. He
knows talent and how to set up an event of this nature. We are very
excited about what he has put together for us.”
The 4-8 p.m. event will feature the the “Afro-Caribbean-Barnyard-Funk”
of Euforquestra and the rockabilly of Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys,
along with a variety of food offerings and the Short’s Brewery Experience.
“From what we understand both of these bands are awesome,” said Wilken.
“Plus, Euforquestra is playing at the Electric Rain Forest Festival
(formally known as Rothbury) the day after they perform here. So we feel
lucky to have both these bands.”

HULA-HOOPERS
“Another musical aspect we are offering is somewhat of an interactive
entertainment experience,” said Porter. We have Hula-hoopers and West
African hand-drumming ensembles  that will march the harbor and festival
grounds.”
Wilken said they also like the Short’s Brewery component. 
“We are only offering Short’s Beer, in fact they are bringing at least 10
different kinds. We like the fact that all the beer was made just down the
road. Plus all the proceeds from the Short’s Brewery Experience will
benefit the Keep Charlevoix Beautiful campaign.”
Up North Fourth will be a family-friendly event.
“Charlevoix is a very kid-friendly town. We have a trout pond that the
kids love checking out and we have an interactive water fountain,” said
Wilken. “There will be plenty of kids activities inside the event as well
from hula-hooping to simply dancing to the music.”
With an already crowded entertainment calendar over the Fourth of July
weekend, why did Charlevoix decide on an event this particular weekend?
“We didn’t have a Fourth of July celebration,” said Wilken.  “So we
started thinking what we could do and we wanted to do something fun; and
we developed Up North Fourth. Since we are doing it on July 2 there are no
fireworks that night so this won’t conflict with that.”
Planners also opted for an early evening event.
“We wanted a festival that gives people the daytime to go to the beach,
boating, golfing or other outdoor activity and not be in conflict with
those activities,” said Wilken.  “We felt with the music component that
early evening was a good time for a concert setting. Then we are ending
early enough for people to enjoy the nightlife of the region.”
The Up North Fourth will offer an optional Short’s Brewery Experience
with 10 varieties of beer. This backyard BBQ picnic will feature ribs to
pulled pork and potato salad offered by Friske Orchards and Cross
Fisheries whitefish tacos prepared by local chefs with several vegetarian
options. Proceeds generated by the Short’s Brewery Experience benefit
“Keep Charlevoix Beautiful,” a local non-profit organization that is
behind Charlevoix’s petunias.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door (kids 5 and under free).
The Short’s Brewery Experience offers a commemorative pint glass and five
7-oz. pours for an additional $20 with extra pours available for purchase.
For details check out www.visitcharlevoix.com or
www.porterhouseproductions.com or call the CVB at 800.0367-8557.