Shoulder Season Celebrations in 2024

Comedy festivals, fat tire bike races, concerts, and more await in winter

By Ross Boissoneau | Jan. 6, 2024

Winter isn’t just coming—it’s here. While the fire may indeed be so delightful, that’s no reason to stay inside, sip hot cocoa, and brood until April. Not when there are restaurants, shopping, ski hills, movies, plays, laughs, and music to be found. If you’re having a good time, the weather outside is much less frightful.

There’s so much to do as the mercury dips, and it’s a great time for those who live in Up North to explore without being trampled by tourists. The hills and trails beckon, and the downtowns are slower but still vibrant. And so, without further ado, here are 15 events to look forward to in January and February.

Traverse City

“There’s always something happening, especially downtown,” says Abby Seittler. As the downtown experience coordinator for Traverse City’s Downtown Development Authority, she might not be completely objective, but that doesn’t mean she’s wrong.

The two biggest events of the winter are already on the downtown calendar. First is the Traverse City Comedy Fest, returning for its second year Jan. 31 through Feb. 3. Traverse City Restaurant Week follows, running Feb. 25 through March 2.

This year’s Comedy Fest features headliners Zainab Johnson, Rory Scovel, Joe List, Norm Stulz, and Dwayne Kennedy. Local and regional talent will tickle your funny bones as well, including Good On Paper, Tilt Think Improv, The Sal & Bob Show, and more. The festival is held at various venues, including the Alluvion, Old Town Playhouse, City Opera House, Encore 201, and TC Comedy Club.

“It’s a great event,” says Mickey Graham, director of sports and events for Traverse City Tourism. “Last year was a huge success. It proved these kinds of events can thrive in Traverse City.”

While the Comedy Fest is newer—at least in its current iteration (a different comedy festival was held in TC from 2010 to 2015 in connection with the Traverse City Film Festival)—Traverse City Restaurant Week has been a staple since 2011.

“We love Restaurant Week,” says Seittler. “It’s a great way for people to try a new restaurant.” She expects there will be upwards of 40 eateries participating, from downtown staples to those on the outskirts or even outside of Traverse City proper.

If laughing and eating aren’t your thing—well, we’re worried about you. But there’s still more to enjoy in TC: the North American Vasa takes place Feb. 10 and 11 at Timber Ridge Resort, while the 2024 USA Mixed Doubles Curling National Championships will be held at the Traverse City Curling Club Feb. 27 through March 3. The 2024 Special Olympics State Winter Games will run Jan. 30-Feb. 2 at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Schuss Village at Shanty Creek Resort, and Howe Arena.

Those into a different kind of competition can take part in the Traverse City Bourbon Fest Feb. 16 at Visions Weddings and Banquets.

Traverse City DDA CEO Jean Derenzy says it’s important to keep the downtown enticing for visitors and residents alike, and the so-called offseason is a perfect way for those who might avoid the summertime throngs. “It’s busy downtown, so some are not into it in July and August. There’s something for everyone, if not in July then in January.”

Petoskey

Hopefully New Year’s revelers have recovered by the second weekend of ’24, because they’ll need all their get-up-and-go for the Fat & Flurrious Bike Race on Jan. 13. Part of the Tour De Fat, the Northern Michigan Fat Tire Bike Series, the race takes place on the Avalanche Preserve trails in Boyne City. Great views of Lake Charlevoix are a given, but the racers may be too busy whooshing around the trail to take much notice.

That’s just the start, according to Jim Powell, executive director of the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau. He touts not just Petoskey, but the whole Little Traverse region, including Petoskey proper, Boyne City, Boyne Falls, and Harbor Springs.

The lattermost hosts the Harbor Springs Ice Festival Feb. 9 and 10. Rachel Roon, the interim DDA director for Harbor Springs, says the event will include all manner of fun, from games in the park, sledding and s'mores at Kiwanis Park, and trivia at Stafford’s Pier, while the ice sculptures take center stage all around town.

“Harbor Springs has small-town charm,” says Roon. “Walking through downtown, everyone is excited for that weekend. It doesn’t matter if it’s 10 below or a 50-degree day.” (Though we bet the ice carvers would no doubt prefer the former.)

Those ice carvers can take their lessons learned across Little Traverse Bay the next weekend. Petoskey’s Winter Wonderland Weekend Feb. 16-19 will feature ice carving demonstrations, downtown shopping and restaurant specials, a scavenger hunt through the downtown shops, and a Downtown Dollars shopping contest, all within the boundaries of the Downtown Petoskey Social District.

Of course, that’s not all. “One of the biggest things is we’re home to three of northern Michigan’s best ski resorts,” Powell says. All three are celebrating anniversaries this year: Boyne Highlands turns 60, Nub’s Nob 65, and Boyne Mountain 75. “It speaks to the heritage of skiing in the region.”

Cadillac

The Cadillac Visitors Bureau touts its appeal front and center on its website: “Finding something to do in the cold weather months is EASY in Cadillac.” Spoiler alert: They’re right. The slopes beckon at Caberfae, and you can even hit the waters. Seriously—the Pine River Paddlesports Center offers guided winter rafting trips.

Kathy Adair Morin, head of the Cadillac Visitors Bureau, says it’s all about taking in the area at your preferred pace. For her, it doesn’t get any better than the Lantern Lit Hikes on the Heritage Nature Trail. “It’s my favorite thing,” she says.

Those hikes take place at the trails surrounding the Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center on Friday nights during the winter through Feb. 9. “It’s a one-mile loop. There’s a bonfire, hot chocolate, the center to warm up. Snowshoes are available, or you can just hike,” Morin says.

For those more on the go, Cadillac’s premier event is the Fatty Caddy fat tire bike race, taking place Feb. 24 at the Cadillac Pathways. (It’s the series finale for the Tour De Fat.) Morin says last year’s frosty fun led to numerous racers finishing the race with beards full of icicles. She notes the trail is maintained by the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association, keeping the trails for fat tire bikes and cross-country and snowshoeing separate.

Cadillac has long been known as a headquarters for snowmobiles, and Morin says that continues, with one caveat: Snowmobiles need more snow than non-motorized trails. “It’s declined because of the lack of snow” the last couple years, she says, but if we get a snowy winter, she’s confident they’ll be back.

Oh, there’s fun indoors too. The Gopherwood concert series has been a Cadillac mainstay since 1984, and this winter it kicks off with Steppin’ In It on Jan. 13 at the Cadillac Elks Lodge. The Venue Event Center welcomes national touring acts, including Hinder Jan. 31 and Chris Cagle Feb. 3. And the Cadillac Public Library offers a popular History Speaker Series.

Morin says downtown Cadillac has a lot to offer. “It’s easy to navigate,” she says, “and it’s affordable and family friendly. People are pleasantly surprised. The shops, social district for walking and drinking, great dining, Cadillac Commons with fire.”

She echoes the others when talking about the downtown restaurants and retailers, noting they both need and deserve the support of the community. “They’re our friends, they’re our neighbors,” she says.

Morin also says the CVB and the Cadillac Area Chamber of Commerce are working together to better connect the downtown with Cadillac West, where Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac meet. “Downtown is more of a destination; West is more tourism-dependent and a pass-through for traffic. We want it all to be vibrant.”