Craig Manning | Author

Cherry Capital of Nothing: Is northern Michigan at risk of losing its global cherry crown?

July 2, 2022

Traverse City has long been known as the “Cherry Capital of the World.” The first National Cherry Festival was hosted here in 1925—known at the time as “the Blessing of the Blossoms”—and the rest was history.

Nearly a century later, northern Mic... Read More >>

The Good Fight

June 18, 2022

It was injustice and tragedy that sparked the formation of Northern Michigan E3.

Like so many other organizations and initiatives aimed at fighting back against racism, Northern Michigan E3—with the “E3” standing for “educate, elevate, and engage”&mda... Read More >>

Sipping Sustainably

June 4, 2022

Northern Michigan’s wineries are famous for their breathtaking beauty, with rolling green hills and rows of grapes as far as the eye can see. In many cases, a glimpse of the Grand Traverse Bay shimmers somewhere in the distance.

It’s no wonder that many of the region&r... Read More >>

Traverse City Whiskey Co.’s Lakeside Peach

May 28, 2022

In our opinion, there is no fruit that screams “summertime” as loudly as a fresh, juicy peach. (Okay, except maybe an equally fresh, juicy cherry.) How fitting, then, that Traverse City Whiskey Co. is kicking off summer 2022 by introducing a brand-new, peach-infused bourbon wh... Read More >>

Summer Employment Forecast

May 14, 2022

If you look at a northern Michigan events calendar for the next four months, the easy takeaway is that things are reverting to the way they were before COVID-19 put the region’s tourism machine on ice. From the Traverse City Film Festival to the Interlochen Arts Festival, big summer... Read More >>

Northern Michigan’s Most Iconic Eats, 2022 Edition

May 7, 2022

Sometimes, an entrée on a restaurant menu is just a meal, but every once in a while, it becomes mythic. You know the type of dish we’re talking about: the ones you tell all your friends and family about; the ones you try (and usually fail) to recreate at home; the ones that y... Read More >>

Dredging in Paradise

April 30, 2022

Who owns the lakeshore?

That question is at the heart of a contentious debate in Hayes Township that could have huge implications for the future of Lake Charlevoix. On one side of the debate, you’ll find local residents, watershed protectors, and environmental advocates. On ... Read More >>

The Great Marijuana Miscalculation

April 16, 2022

What a difference three years makes.

Rewind, for a moment, to the spring of 2019, when it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Traverse City would become the epicenter of cannabis commerce in northern Michigan. All the dominoes were falling, seemingly at the perfect time, to mak... Read More >>

State of the State Parks

April 9, 2022

Thirty percent: That’s how much the traffic at Michigan’s state parks increased from 2019 to 2020. So says Ron Olson, the parks chief for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). It wasn’t a fluke, either: Olson tells Northern Express that parks ... Read More >>

A Hoppy Medium

March 12, 2022

If you’ve been looking for a local alternative to your favorite sparkling water brand—be it LaCroix, Perrier, or Bublé (sorry…Bubly)—Beards Brewery has you covered.

Since opening its doors in 2012, the Petoskey-based brewery has made its name on cle... Read More >>

Unstacking the Deck

Feb. 26, 2022

Every nine minutes.
 
That’s how often child protective service agencies in the United States substantiate a claim of child sexual abuse (CSA), according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

In total, one in every nine girls and one in e... Read More >>

I Propose

Feb. 5, 2022

Contrary to popular belief, Valentine’s Day is actually not the biggest day for proposals and engagements. According to wedding planning website The Knot, the most popular day of the year to ask someone to spend their life with you is actually Christmas Day, followed closely by Chri... Read More >>

Two K’s 2020 Heirloom Ice Cider

Jan. 8, 2022

You’ve heard of ice wine, but what about ice cider? With ice wine, winemakers harvest grapes that have frozen while still on the vine. When grapes freeze, their water content turns to ice; not the sugars or other dissolved solids in the grape. That means frozen grapes give way ... Read More >>

Don't Call it a Comeback: Up North's Indie Bookstores Defy Odds

Dec. 18, 2021

Independent bookstores weren’t supposed to make it to 2021.

For decades, this embattled segment of the retail marketplace has faced one existential threat after another 

First, it was the invasion of big box bookstores like Borders and Barnes & Noble, sneaki... Read More >>

Let's Shred!

Dec. 11, 2021

As we write this, snow is cascading from the sky and blanketing every surface in sight, suggesting that the long, strange autumn of 2021 might be permanently in the rearview. It’s the moment each year that confounds drivers, gives kids their first “snow day” of the seaso... Read More >>

Our Go-to Guide to Up North's Holiday Art & Craft Markets

Nov. 20, 2021

2021 might just be the toughest season ever for holiday shopping.

Lately, that’s the general wisdom being shared by retail experts and splattered across the headlines of national media outlets like CNBC and USA Today. The culprit is the supply chain, which is still suffering... Read More >>

Unwell Up North: Northern Michigan's Mental Health Crisis

Nov. 13, 2021

If you’ve tried finding a therapist for yourself or your child lately, you’ve probably had a hard time. That’s because northern Michigan doesn’t have the capacity to handle the huge spike in demand for mental health care services that COVID-19 triggered, local ment... Read More >>

The Worst Year on Two Wheels — and Foot

Nov. 6, 2021

On Aug. 24 this year, a 16-year-old girl died after being struck by a semi-truck while riding her bike in Interlochen. She was on her way to work.

On Sept. 6, a 76-year-old woman was killed after being hit by a pickup truck. It was 10am, and she had been walking along Traversefiel... Read More >>

One For The "Record" Books

Oct. 16, 2021

Let’s dance.

That’s the invitation that  authors Janet Borgerson and Jonathan Schroeder are extending to readers with their new book, titled Designed for Dancing: How Midcentury Records Taught America to Dance and out this month on MIT Press.

Read More >>

Unconventional Farming

Oct. 2, 2021

It started more than 100 years ago, as a quaint family farm. Today, it’s one of the hottest family-friendly hangout spots in northern Michigan.

Such is the epic story of Jacob’s Farm, a 40-acre slice of gorgeous agricultural property off M-72, just minutes from Travers... Read More >>