Features

Four-Season Frankfort and the Four Pillars of Year-Round Living

What would it take for this Lake Michigan town to support a year-round population and economy?

By Abby McKiernan | June 14, 2025

As the winter months arrive, Frankfort begins to shift. Gone are the beach towels, farmers markets, and bustling sidewalks of summer. The breeze off Lake Michigan feels sharper, and the lakefront’s bright energy gives way to a slower, more introspective rhythm. Shops sit shuttered behind signs promising a return in May. Frankfort, like many small lakeshore towns in Michigan, has long depended on its warm-weather charm. But in recent years, a shift … Read More >>

A Big Old Dose of Joy

Counting down the days to the second annual Beryl Days Festival

By Matt Dursum | June 14, 2025

Surfers and music fans will once again get to party in the sand at the second annual Beryl Days Festival in Empire, June 20 to June 22. The event is a celebration of Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak’s founder, Beryl Skrocki, who passed away from cancer in 2022. Beryl and her husband Frank founded Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak in 2004 after relocating from downstate to the village of Empire with their … Read More >>

Historic Harbor Springs

A Main Street that stands the test of time

By Geri Dietze | June 14, 2025

Simply put, this place is gorgeous. From indigenous village to lumber town to its century-plus role as a premier resort destination, Harbor Springs enjoys pride of place on the northern shore of Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay, approximately 10 miles from Petoskey. With one of the most beautiful—read: unchanged—downtowns running adjacent to a sheltered deep-water harbor and tucked in at the base of a high bluff, Harbor, as it is known locally, … Read More >>

Cadillac, from Timber to Rails to Trails

The town that keeps reinventing itself

By Todd VanSickle | June 14, 2025

George Mitchell had a vision when he dreamed of developing what is known today as the city of Cadillac, but he may not have imagined that it would become a top destination for recreational trail users in the state. Today, Wexford County has hundreds of miles of trails, including more than 150 miles for off-road vehicles, 200 groomed miles for snowmobiles, and another 150 miles of non-motorized trails, according to the Cadillac … Read More >>

From Greenhouse to Community Incubator

How Grow Benzie powers rural connections

By Matt Dursum | June 14, 2025

Tucked on the Frankfort Highway, just a stone’s throw from the Betsie River watershed, sits a former homestead that is now one of Benzie County’s most vital community hubs. Grow Benzie, formed in 2008 by the Benzie County Human Services Collaborative Body, is a rural prosperity incubator that offers support to entrepreneurs, farmers, nonprofits, artists, and local community leaders. Inside its four-acre campus is an industrial kitchen, where businesses such as Off … Read More >>

Celebrating Juneteenth in TC

June 14, 2025

June 19, “Juneteenth,” is recognized as the day slavery ended in the United States. It became a federal holiday in 2021, and is often observed with celebrations and educational events. Anti-racism nonprofit Northern Michigan E3 is doing a bit of both: From 3-5pm, there will be a free screening of documentary film Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America at the Dennos Museum, followed by youth activities and a community … Read More >>

Exploring the Archives

Stuff We Love

June 14, 2025

In May, Petoskey’s McLean & Eakin Booksellers took a (tiny) step back in time, opening The Archives, a used bookstore just up the street from their flagship location. The shop features gently used books across a range of genres, and includes newly released titles, classics, and other cool finds. (Note: No rare or collectible editions here.) Shop till you drop, or bring in books of your own! The Archive accepts books in … Read More >>

Lions and Pianos at the Opera, Oh My!

June 14, 2025

The Cheboygan Opera House has two special events happening this week in their historic theater. Thursday, June 19, at 7:30pm, world-renowned pianist Orion Weiss comes to the stage for a program that will include Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Weiss has played with all the major orchestras in the country, from New York to Los Angeles. Tickets are $30; free for students. Then, on June 20-22, catch the Northland Players Summer Youth Theater with … Read More >>

The Longest Day Musical Showcase at Bier's Inwood Brewery

By Jamie Kauffold | June 14, 2025

Celebrate the day with the most light! The Tweed Tones (pictured) are just a few of the musical acts that will perform at the 3rd Annual Longest Day Musical Showcase, a benefit to support those affected by Alzheimer’s, at Bier’s Inwood Brewery in Charlevoix on Sunday, June 22, beginning at 2pm. Other performers include Lou Thumser, John Piatek, Michelle Chenard, Jeff Socia, Patrick Ryan, Josh Hall, Ken Shepley, Significant Others, Dan Duncan, … Read More >>

What’s Playing: Your 2025 Summer Concert Guide

500+ concerts, festivals, and shows across northern Michigan

By Ross Boissoneau | June 7, 2025

For the next three to four months, summertime sounds are everywhere. Rock to folk, country to jazz, classical to pop will be played in auditoriums, listening rooms—even on islands and (local) mountains. So grab your dancing shoes, get out there, and enjoy! [Editor’s Note: Believe it or not, this isn’t an exhaustive list! Be sure to check the weekly Dates and NiteLife sections of Northern Express for more live music Up North.] … Read More >>