Features

13 Spooky Happenings Up North

Halloween events for all ages

By Geri Dietze | Oct. 25, 2025

It’s hard to find a town or village that does not have some sort of Halloween fun planned for residents and visitors. We’re courting the goblins by only listing 13 events here, but check out area websites for many more events to get your scare on. 1. Boyne Mountain Halloween Hoopla Boyne Falls Let the Hoopla begin Oct. 24-25, with loads of family fun. Disney characters will meet and greet their fans … Read More >>

Would the Real Mrs. Stickney Please Stand Up? Setting the Old Mission Ghost Story Straight

A local historian on Jennie (not Genevieve) Stickney and the false tales surrounding the Bowers Harbor “ghost”

By Anna Faller | Oct. 25, 2025

If you’ve spent any time on Old Mission Peninsula, you’ve no doubt heard of “Genevieve” Stickney, whose sorrowful (and sometimes mischievous) spirit is said to haunt the picturesque estate that Mission Table, Jolly Pumpkin, and the Peninsula Room now occupy—formerly Bowers Harbor Inn and The Bowery. But what if most, if not all of, that supernatural storytelling is verifiably incorrect? According to the extensive research of local historian and writer Julie Morris, … Read More >>

The One with the Dragon: Joe Hill Returns to Traverse City with His Latest Novel

The bestselling horror writer talks dragons, cats, and existential questions

By Jillian Manning | Oct. 25, 2025

The last time #1 New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill came to the National Writers Series, the year was 2018. A lot has changed in those seven years, but a lot has stayed the same. “Like a dragon eating its tail,” Hill quips. And speaking of dragons, this time around, the son of Stephen King—and a renowned horror writer in his own right—will be talking about legends, Faustian bargains, and giant … Read More >>

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

Local musicians team up to embrace the shorter days

By Ross Boissoneau | Oct. 25, 2025

The dark is a scary place. That’s where all the bad stuff happens, from horror movies to monsters under the bed to long winters. But maybe the dark can be warm and inviting, too. That was the hope when local musicians Andrew Dost, A.S. Lutes, and Jack M. Senff first decided to embrace the shorter days and longer nights with their annual “Hello Darkness” concert, a takeoff on the opening line of … Read More >>

Candy Land

Local shops see sweet opportunities ahead

By Ellen Miller | Oct. 25, 2025

Leaves are turning and the shelves are stocked with Halloween sweets…but skip the chain store aisles this year and instead, get your sweet tooth fix close to home. Below, explore the offerings at local candy purveyors before the first trick-or-treater rings the doorbell. Traverse City Natural Candy Store Traverse City Traverse City Natural Candy Store was founded not here in northern Michigan as you might suppose, but in California in 2007. Current … Read More >>

Thrills & Chills in Cadillac

Oct. 25, 2025

Cadillac is ready for its Halloween closeup this week! Take the kiddos to the Downtown Trick or Treat on Mitchell Street from 4-6pm on Oct. 29, where participating businesses will have candy, photo ops, and plenty of Halloween decor. On Oct. 31, do a little more trick-or-treating at the Cadillac Farmers Market (117 W Cass St.) from 9am-2pm, with a spooky storytime and dye-free candy. The Dick Family Farm has their closing … Read More >>

Howling at the Moon

Stuff We Love

Oct. 25, 2025

Your Halloween costume needs one final touch…and Northern Nail Polish has you covered. This Traverse City-based brand is vegan, cruelty free, nontoxic, and long lasting, so you can rock your look even after the Home Depot skeletons come down. Our pick for this week is Howl at the Moon, described as “deep, mysterious polish [that] shimmers with flashes of pink, gold, and green, like moonlight breaking through midnight clouds.” For something a … Read More >>

Interlochen Presents 'The Laramie Project'

Oct. 25, 2025

In October of 1998, college student Matthew Shepard was beaten and left to die near Laramie, Wyoming. His death eventually led to the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, passed by Congress more than a decade later, which expanded federal hate crimes to include those motivated by gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, and disabilities. This weekend, Interlochen Center for the Arts will put on "The Laramie Project," a theatrical … Read More >>

Freshwater Summit in Traverse City

By Jamie Kauffold | Oct. 25, 2025

Bioregionalism, sea lamprey control, and environmental DNA are just a few topics of the 18th annual Freshwater Summit, where you’ll learn all about the health of the Great Lakes and Grand Traverse Bay regions on Thursday, Oct. 30, from 9am-3pm at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City. Hear from environmental author Stephanie Mills, executive director of The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay Christine Crissman, and many others. Tickets: $20-$40. gtbay.org/freshwater-summit Read More >>

The More You Grow

Extending the growing season this fall

By Drew VanDrie | Oct. 18, 2025

The unseasonably warm September weather and lengthy “locals summer” had some of us blissfully believing that winter may never come. But take heed! The gales of November will inevitably arrive, ushering in the long frigid months of Michigan winter. But it’s not all gloom and doom! For those looking to pluck a taste of summer and access fresh greens even in the throes of chilly autumn, Northern Express connected with Adam Brown, … Read More >>