Features

A Tale of Two Historic Buildings in Elk Rapids

2025 was a rocky year for HERTH and the Elk Rapids Cinema. What comes next in 2026?

By Ross Boissoneau | Jan. 17, 2026

For one iconic building in Elk Rapids, a 2025 controversy has largely subsided. But for another it continues, as ownership transitions for both the town hall and the Elk Rapids Cinema resulted in fraught relations in the Antrim County village and township. After a heated bidding war, the Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall—HERTH for short—is now owned by the Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall Association (HERTHA). (There is still a mortgage on … Read More >>

A Mystery Set Just a Stone’s Throw Away

Inside the fictional world of Eloise Corvo

By Rachel Pasche | Jan. 17, 2026

Meet one of Traverse City’s sort-of-secret authors, Grace Edinger. You may recognize her pen name, Eloise Corvo, from her first (but not last!) published novel, Off the Beaten Path, a cozy mystery set in a fictional town that closely resembles northern Michigan. The book was one of the best-selling books at local bookstores this summer. When Edinger moved to Traverse City in 2020, she found solace and peace in a newly developed … Read More >>

Voices Carry Forward on MLK Day

Building Bridges with Music’s MLK Day 2026

By Anna Faller | Jan. 17, 2026

Longtime musician and founder of Traverse City nonprofit Building Bridges with Music (BBwM) Jeff Haas was only nine or 10 years old when he first heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. attribute the root of human action to love or fear. Haas believes love is always the right choice, so BBwM has made a mission of cultivating connection, both through community programming, which aims to unite participants through shared creative experiences, as … Read More >>

Seven Stops for History Buffs

Explore local culture in Leelanau & Benzie counties

By Rachel Pasche | Jan. 17, 2026

When you’re not in the mood for bundling up and going outside, winter is a great time to learn about local history. We headed to Benzie and Leelanau counties to find the museums, galleries, and other hotspots that tell the tales of days gone by. BENZIE Stop #1: Benzie Area Historical Society & Museum6941 Traverse Ave, BenzoniaWith more than 37,000 artifacts, the Benzie Area Historical Museum tells the history of Benzie County … Read More >>

A Classical Connection with IPR

Jan. 17, 2026

Ever wish you had a dedicated concert buddy? Interlochen Public Radio has the solution with the launch of their Concertino Club, described as “a new initiative designed to bring together people who love classical music but don’t always have someone to attend concerts with.” The idea was inspired by community members who had lost their spouses and other built-in concert-going friends. Concertino Club offers a pre-show reception for folks to mingle before … Read More >>

Pathfinder’s Celebration of MLK Day

Stuff We Love

Jan. 17, 2026

For 10 years, the Pathfinder School in Traverse City has been honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. not by taking the day off but with an MLK Day of Service. This year, students across all grade levels will spend Monday, Jan. 19, giving back to their communities in big and small ways. The Early Childhood group will help collect food and pack lunches for Lunches for Love, while kindergarteners will visit residents at … Read More >>

Eating Well This Winter

Three dining events Up North in January

Jan. 17, 2026

What’s a hibernating mammal to do except eat and sleep this time of year? We’ll leave the latter up to you, but for the former, winter is a spectacular time to experience the NoMi culinary scene. On Jan. 21 at 6pm, Iron Fish Distillery partners with The Cook’s House in Traverse City for a “field to bottle, plate to palate” five-course dinner. ($146 per person; cookshousetc.com/events.) In Charlevoix, Grey Gables will shake … Read More >>

Slushy Outdoor Fun

Jan. 17, 2026

Ready to get a little sloshy—we mean slushy? Local wineries and winter-weather hotspots are leaning into the season with a mix of winter fun and craft beverages. On Saturday, Jan. 24, the Cross County Ski Headquarters in Roscommon hosts their Bavarian Ski Festival from 12-6pm, complete with a costume contest and German beer. Then, on Sunday, Jan. 25, head to Rove Winery just outside Traverse City from 1-4pm for their annual Sip … Read More >>

There and Back Again at Old Town Playhouse

By Jamie Kauffold | Jan. 17, 2026

We’re going on an adventure! And there will be trolls, goblins, and giant spiders! But also good friends and better tales to tell. This January, the shy but intrepid hobbit Bilbo Baggins ends up on an epic journey with a group of dwarves to try to reclaim a stolen treasure from the mighty dragon Smaug right here in Traverse City. Old Town Playhouse’s Young Company presents The Hobbit Jan. 16-17 and 22-24 … Read More >>

No Winter Blues Here: 40+ Concerts & Shows

Check out these Up North concerts in January and February 2026

By Ross Boissoneau | Jan. 10, 2026

Things may slow down in the winter compared with summer’s hectic pace, but there is still plenty to do in northern Michigan…and plenty to hear. Whether your preference is folk or metal, classical or punk, there’s bound to be something on stage this winter to get everyone out of the house and into a concert venue. The Bay Theatre Bay Theatre Executive Director Graham Powers says that idea—a little something for everyone—informs … Read More >>