Festival of the Senses

Celebrates Regions Cultural, Culinary & Countryside Offerings
September 14 – 24, 2006


A collaborative effort spearheaded by leaders of the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners, Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Traverse Area Arts Council has resulted in a unique offering of events and festivals celebrating the arts, culture, winemaking, heritage and culinary creativity of the region.
The Festival of the Senses is a collection of independently coordinated events, festivals and celebrations throughout the Traverse Region (Grand Traverse, Benzie and Leelanau) that have joined together to educate residents and visitors about the diverse year round offerings in the region.
With over 100 events, organizers feel there is something for everyone. Some events are no charge—others require a ticket. Listed is just a sampling of what is available. To learn more about these events and others visit www.festivalofthesenses.org or call (231) 938-1811.


Traverse Epicurean Classic: Sept. 14-16
Food lovers can mingle with 30 of America’s top chefs, cookbook authors and wine experts - including seven James Beard award winners - in three days of cooking classes, international wine, beer, spirits and cheese tastings, exquisite dinners, tours of Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsula wineries, a kitchenware and specialty food expo and other events.
(231) 933-9688

Leelanau Peninsula Wineries Harvest Stompede: Sept. 15 –17
Enjoy wines, gourmet pasta and other culinary delights while touring the 13 wineries of the beautiful Leelanau Peninsula. For those wanting a close up of the vineyards participate in the Sept. 16 Run/Walk Thru The Vineyards. Choose either the 7-mile “Grape Buster,” 5K “Stinger” or the 3-mile “Harvester” walk. Participants receive logoed event shirt. (231) 938-1811

Traverse City Downtown Art Walk: Sept. 15
Explore the galleries, shops and restaurants of downtown Traverse City during this evening tour, designed to display the creative forces at work in this growing art mecca. Downtown businesses will be festooned with artworks, and food and wine will be available. Walking maps available at participating galleries and the Downtown Traverse City office.
(231) 922-2050
Tour de Leelanau: Sept. 16
This European-style bicycle road race- 104 miles for men and 66 miles for women - is the largest event of its kind in Michigan, weaving through the lovely hill country of the Leelanau Peninsula from Leland to Peshawbestown. Spectators are welcome to line the roads, watch the race, and participate in the competitive environment. (231) 922-5926

Leland Heritage Celebration/Boats on the Wall: Sept. 16
The village of Leland celebrates its history with an exhibition of vintage wood boats along the Leland River and a variety of other exhibits and programs - including an exhibit in the Old Art Building on “Maro, The Magician,” an internationally renowned figure who lived here at the turn of the century. (231) 256-0079

Leelanau Harvest Bike Tour: Sept. 17
Hosted by the Cherry Capital Cycling Club, this noncompetitive cycling tour of the Leelanau Peninsula features lightly traveled roads, rolling hills through farms and orchards, panoramic views - plus homemade goodies at numerous food stops! Participants can choose from routes of 25, 45, 65 or 100 miles. (231) 941-4300

Heritage ‘n’ Wheels: Sept. 16
The 11th annual Heritage Festival, presented by the Grand Traverse Heritage Center, will feature a variety of family oriented activities of a historical nature. There will be dozens of costumed historic interpreters in Hannah Park from various historical periods including: French Colonial and Trade, British Colonial, Civil War, and crafts people presenting pioneer life skills. This year, in addition to the activities in Hannah Park, there will be a vintage car show on 6th Street between Union and Oak Streets. The car show is being sponsored by the Hagerty Family Foundation. In the evening, there will be a Pancake Supper and Traditional Folk Dance in front of the Heritage Center. (231) 995-0313

CLUE: Sept. 15-16, 21-24, 28-30, Oct. 1, 5-7
The Old Town Playhouse inaugurates its 2006-2007 season with the opening weekend performances of this rollicking comedy. Professor Plum in the library with the knife or is it Miss Scarlet in the kitchen with the rope? If you’ve ever enjoyed playing the game, you’ll love this musical whodunit. Based on the popular board game, CLUE, this rousing, fun-filled musical brings the world’s best-known mystery suspects to life on the stage, and invites the audience to play along to solve a mystery; with a different ending every performance. Comic antics, witty lyrics and a beguiling score carry the investigation from room to room. (231) 947-2210

Blast from the Past: Art of the 60s: Aug. 20 - Nov. 26
The Dennos Museum Center is hosting this retrospective exhibition, showcasing more than 50 works from the tumultuous 1960s - from traditional painting and sculpture to Pop Art, Op Art and Figurative Expressionism - on loan from the collection of the Kresge Art Museum at Michigan State University. (231) 995-1055

Greensky Bluegrass Concert: Sept. 21
Greensky Bluegrass in concert with Seth Bernard and Daisy May Erlewine. The compositions of Greensky Bluegrass offer a unique perspective on tradition and insight into their own experiences. Driving instrumentals and lyrics contribute a fresh sound to an eclectic acoustic genre. Seth Bernard and Daisy May Erlewine have been touring the country performing their unified folk jazz blend of Daisy May’s sliding bluegrass sound and Bernard’s folk influence. Traverse City Opera House. (231) 941-8082

Third Thursday Artist Reception: Sept. 21
Please join Gallery Fifty for our Third Thursday Artist Reception series featuring artwork by Paul Welsh on Thursday, September 21, 2006, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The “Paul Welsh Original Watercolors” exhibit will be on display for viewing at Gallery Fifty throughout September. (231) 922-0775

Sensible Art Show Reception: Sept. 23
The artcenter Traverse City hosts the opening reception from 3-5 p.m.; the show will be on display for one week. The reception features multi-sensory themed works of art, live music and refreshments. (231) 941-9488

Old Blind Dogs in Concert: Sept. 23
The Milliken Auditorium of the Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College will host the Scottish Folk Band of the year in 2004, Old Blind Dogs, in a concert of Scottish roots music presented in collaboration with WCMU public radio’s Our Front Porch Series hosted by John Scheffler. From ballads to foot-stomping reels, Old Blind Dogs will move your body and inspire your soul. (231) 995-1055

Arts Tour: Interlochen Center for the Arts: Sept. 23
Wear comfortable shoes for a free walking tour of the world-renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts, training ground for such esteemed artists as Felicity Huffman, Jewel, Nora Jones, Josh Groban and Lorin Maazel. The tour will begin at 2 p.m. at the information booth near the campus main entrance. (231) 276-7200
Experience Nature through Art: Sept. 23
Enjoy art beyond museum walls in the serene natural environment of the Michigan Legacy Art Park, which will offer free tours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Crystal Mountain Resort. (231) 378-4963.

Traverse Symphony Orchestra: Vienne Varieté: Sept. 23-24
Opening night of the Traverse Symphony Orchestra season has become a ritual heralding the arrival of the fall, and a don’t-miss event in the area. The 2006-2007 season will open on Saturday, September 23, at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 24, at 3:00 p.m. in Corson Auditorium with a festive concert gala, including red carpets, decorations, sparkling grape juice, and a program celebrating the varied musical moods of old Vienna. The first half of the concert will feature Johann Strauss’s Overture to “Die Fledermaus,” “Hungarian Polka,” “Pizzicato Polka,” and “The Blue Danube.” Reflecting the remarkable artistic growth of the ensemble, the second half will mark the Traverse Symphony Orchestra’s first performance of one of the greatest symphonies of all time - Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 1 “Titan.” Audience members are invited to attend in traditional Viennese attire. Season sponsor: Wayne and Nancy Kiley of Bayview Pines. (231) 947-7120
Interlochen Faculty Art Exhibition: Sept. 9 - Oct. 7
Interlochen Center for the Arts present a free exhibition of artwork by Interlochen’s High School Arts Academy’s faculty members in the Visual Arts Gallery. Visit the world-renowned educational institution, located on a 1,200-acre campus 16 miles southwest of Traverse City. Exhibit is open Tuesdays though Saturdays 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (231) 276-7200


Additional events listed at www.festivalofthesenses.org. Listing information compiled by the Traverse Area Arts Council and Northern Express staffers. View On Our Website