Winter What To Do‘s

Dec. 7, 2005

A seasonal rundown on concerts, festivals, races & events in Northern Michigan

To enjoy winter in Northern Michigan, you’ve got to embrace it. That means getting out in the cold and roaring lustily with laughter in Old Man Winter’s face. Skiing, snowshoeing, festival fun -- it’s time to peel yourself off the couch and be a winter ranger. Following are a few ideas on where to start:

DECEMBER
17: Aerosmith with Lenny Kravitz, Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids
22: Andy Williams Christmas Show at the Soaring Eagle Casino,
Mt. Pleasant.
23: The Verve Pipe rocks The Intersection, Grand Rapids.
26: Mustard Plug brings ska dancebeat to The Intersection, Grand Rapids.
28: Ron White at Soaring Eagle Casino, Mt. Pleasant.

JANUARY
1: Happy New Year -- fireworks, parades and
celebrations at area ski resorts.
7: Monty Alexander blends American jazz
with Jamaican roots at Milliken Auditor-
ium at Dennos Museum Center, TC.
8: Downtown TC Bridal Show. Offers
30 local experts on all aspects of wedding
planning with a bridal fashion show at
3:15 p.m. Park Place Dome.
10: Start the bubble machine: it’s Guy
& Ralna of The Lawrence Welk Show at
Soaring Eagle Casino, Mt. Pleasant.
13: “Anatomy of a Murder” begins at Old
Town Playhouse, TC, with dates
through Jan. 28.
13-14: Phoenix Ensemble performs tango
music at Crooked Tree Arts Center,
Petoskey.
14: Moonlight Ski at Big-M Lodge cross-
country ski area 14 miles east of
Manistee, 7-9 pm.
14: K. Jones & the Benzie Playboys
perform at the Gopherwood concert
series in Cadillac.
15: SHeDAISY performs folk pop in Mt.
Pleasant.
15-25: “Winter Horses” photo exhibit by
Kim Aikens at Crooked Tree Arts
Center.
19-21:Mackinaw City Winterfest, with
snowmobile races, food, music,
snowcarving and more.
19-22: Women’s Winter Escape at Crystal
Mountain, skiing, snowshoeing, yoga
and more.
20: James Moody brings jazz brass
to Interlochen.
21-22: Kalkaska Winterfest Sled dog races,
dog weight pull competition, pancake
breakfast, chili cookoff, demonstrations.
Kalkaska County Fairgrounds.
20-22:It’s the East Jordan 25th annual Sno-
Blast Winter Festival with snowmobile
fun, crafts, ice sculptures and more.
21: Don’t fear the Reaper: Blue Oyster Cult
rocks the Leelanau Sands Showcase with ticket at $17.50 & $27.50.
21: Five-time Grammy nominee Nnenna
Freelon sings soaring jazz & blues at
Milliken Auditorium at Dennos Museum
Center, TC.
21: Downtown TC Chili Cook-Off: The 12th
anniversary event includes local
restaurants and chefs at the Park Place
Dome.
21: Blissfest Music Organization presents
Millish, playing a blend of Celtic and
jazz at Crooked Tree in Petoskey.
26-29: North American Snow Festival
in Cadillac includes snowmobile fun,
ice fishing, chili cookoff and more.
27: American band Grand Funk Railroad
rocks the Soaring Eagle Casino, Mt.
Pleasant.
27-29: Bay Harbor Ice Festival and Ice &
Spice Chili Cookoff
28: The Lost Bayou Ramblers ramble in concert at CMU, Mt. Pleasant.
28: The Michigan Songwriters Showcase
features local and regional Michigan
singer/songwriters at the Crooked Tree
Arts Center in Petoskey.
28:
Bigfoot Showshoe Race at Timber Ridge Campground, TC.
31: The James Sewell Ballet offers their
adaption of “Guy Noir,” the gag detective
spoof from A Prairie Home Companion,
at Interlochen.

FEBRUARY
3:
Jerry Seinfeld plays DeVos Hall, Grand Rapids.
4: Alden State Bank White Pine Stampede.
This cross-country ski race and tour
begins in Mancelona and ends at Shanty
Creek ski resort.
3-4: CMU Percussion Ensemble bangs
the drums at Crooked Tree Arts Center,
Petoskey.
4-5: Mackinaw Mush Sled Dog Races in
Mackinaw City.
5: Womens Ski Tour: The Madeleine
Thomas Memorial Tour includes 3 km,
5 km and 15 km loops on the Vasa Trail.
With food, wines, demos and
snowshoeing fun.
5-11: Empire Winterfest; Take a Polar Bear
Dip in South Bar Lake or enjoy ice
skating, curling, an XC ski race,
sledding, a bonfire and more in
downtown Empire.
10:
“The Fallen in Coeur d’ Alene” is staged
at the Studio Theatre, Old Town Playhouse, with dates through Feb. 25.
11: Swing Dance with the Up North Big
Band at North Central Michigan
College.
11: The Oak Ridge Boys play two shows
at 7 & 9 pm, tickets $25 & $35, Leelanau
Sands Showroom.
11: Lake Effect & Duck Soup perform at
the Gopherwood concert series in
Cadillac.
11: Moonlight Ski at Big-M Lodge cross-
country ski area 14 miles east of
Manistee, 7-9 pm.
11: Leelanau Children’s Center Winter
Carnival at the Leland Public School
gym. Games, raffle, food & family fun.
11: Benzie Winterfest and Da Yoopers with
snowmobile poker run, kids games and
Da Yoopers will performing at Benzie
High School Auditorium.
11-12: North American Vasa. Cross-country
ski race offers both classic and freestyle
events with 12 km, 27 km, and 50 km
courses. Also a 9 km ski tour.
12: Gran Travers Cross-Country Classic.
An easy-does-it race with a 16km loop
on the Vasa Trail.
14: Gene Pitney offers a singing valentine
at Soaring Eagle Casino, Mt. Pleasant.
18: Blissfest presents Whit Hill and the
Postcards, performing straight country
to straight pop to slightly bent versions in
between at Crooked Tree in Petoskey.
18: Sigur Ros plays Icelandic prog & emo
rock at Calvin College, Grand Rapids.
18: Taste the Passion Snowshoe Stomp
with 4 & 2 mile tour through Leelanau
Vineyards.
18-19, 25-26: Cadillac Footliters present
“Harvey.”
19: Crystal Highlander XC Race at Crystal
Mountain.
25: Mardi Gras Party at Shanty Creek.

MARCH
1: The Smothers Brothers bring ‘60s laffs
to Plachta Auditorium, Mt. Pleasant.
3: “Rocky Horror Picture Show” is staged
at Old Town Playhouse, TC, with dates
through March 25.
3-5: Slush Cup Weekend, a winter carnival
at Shanty Creek ski resort.
3-5: Mardi Gras weekend at Treetops Resort,
Gaylord.
3-5: Snowfest winter carnival at Caberfae
Peaks, Cadillac.
4: Janis Ian brings feminist folk dating
back to the ‘60s to Milliken Auditorium
at Dennos Museum Center, TC.
9: Travis Tritt brings top country hits to
Soaring Eagle Casino, Mt. Pleasant.
10-11: Twin Bays Skating Club Ice Show.
Some of the region’s best skaters
perform a Holiday On Ice style show at
Centre ICE arena in TC.
10-12: 30th Annual Little Traverse
Association of Home Builders Home
Show at North Central Michigan
College.
11: Swing Dance with the Up North Big
Band at North Central Michigan
College.
11: Brenda Lee sings you back down
memory lane at the Leelanau Sands
Showroom, tickets, $15 & $25.
15: Taste of Gaylord offers the best of local
restaurants.
17-19: Cardboard Classic at Shanty Creek
includes races on homemade cardboard
sleds.
18: Royal Garden Trio offers gypsy jazz,
Dixieland and ethnic swing dance music
at Crooked Tree Arts Center.
18: Krazy Daze at Boyne Highlands wraps
up the ski season with a party.
25 :Blissfest presents Danu at Harbor
Springs High School Auditorium. Danu
is an Irish group based in Waterford,
Ireland, made up of seven traditional
musicians.