Friday Fundays!
Step aside, Saturday Night Live. Northern Michigan has found the key to weekend fun and it’s spelled F-R-I-D-A-Y. Here’s all the info on one of the biggest Friday night events Up North, plus its smaller (but no less fun) neighboring cousins.PETOSKEY ROCKS!
From the city of the Petoskey Stone comes Petoskey Rocks, buffed and polished for its fourth season and ready to go.
This Friday series of events in downtown Petoskey is complemented by familyfriendly late-night Movies in the Park, one of the most popular outdoor movieviewing events in northern Michigan; all movies start around sunset. Petoskey Rocks! kicks off July 10 with the Petoskey Stone Hunt, where participants search for Petoskey namesake Chief Ignatius Petoskey in downtown stores and are awarded a Petoskey stone if they find him.
July 17 is Trivia Night, another great way to work your way through Gaslight District shops answering trivia questions for a chance to win prizes. The night will also feature a downtown visit from a vintage fire truck to accompany the Movie in the Park, "Planes: Fire and Rescue."
July 24 is the big Murder Mystery Night, when popular acting troupe Murder Mystery Inc. sets the scene in Pennsylvania Park for a night of whodunit mysteries occurring downtown.
As summer winds down, Petoskey Rocks! coordinates with Sidewalk Sales on July 31 for your chance to snag huge deals. Aug. 7 is the Old-Fashioned Block Party, with literal dancing in the streets to music by pop-rock band The Cookies. Aug. 14 celebrates Festival by the Bay, and Aug. 21 is Jazz Night with live tunes, the perfect way to end the 2015 Petoskey Rocks! season.
Visit www.petoskeydowntown.com for all the specific times and locations of Petoskey Rocks! events.
PETOSKEY ROCKS!
FRIDAY MOVIES IN THE PARK SCHEDULE
July 10 – National Treasure
July 17 – Planes: Fire and Rescue
July 24 – Paddington
July 31 – Sleeping Beauty
Aug. 7 – Annie
Aug. 14 – Into the Woods
Aug. 21 – Cinderella
Friday Night Concert Series
Local pop-rock band The Cookies are popular returning performers at Gaylord’s 2015 Friday Night Concert Series, which will also include live shows from Oh Brother Big Sister, The Stand Ins and more kicking off at 7pm. The big downtown pavilion is where all the action takes place and it’s the perfect venue to get a front row seat. You’ll want to make sure to get up and dance in order to make room for top-notch slices from favorite local cafe Pizza Tonite. cityofgaylord.com
Stroll the Streets
Now in its 12th year, Boyne City’s Stroll the Streets is like a neighborhood party every Friday evening starting at 6pm, complete with horse-drawn carriage rides transporting folks around town. Live music includes folk, bluegrass, jazz and rock from 2015 performers like Kirby, Rustic Heart, Medicine Bell, Kenny Thompson and Northern Nites. When you’re not dancing the night away, you can check out the magicians, balloon-twisters, caricature artists and great food. boynechamber.com
TRAVERSE CITYFriday Night Live
TC’s Friday Night Live is an August tradition, filling up the last month of summer with fun every Friday from 5:30-9pm, Aug. 7-28. The 100 and 200 blocks of Front Street are chock-full of pedestrians ready to celebrate the weekend, beginning on Aug. 7 with the Downtown Street Sale (which actually gets a very early start at 8am). Regular Friday Night Live events offer a wide range of performers, food vendors and much more. downtowntc.com