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Photo by National Cherry Festival
Festivals celebrating many aspects of life are scheduled throughout the year in the Traverse City area. These festivals celebrate cherries, microbrews, wine, comedy, films, equestrians, ski races, and even macaroni and cheese!
Others celebrate women and seniors, boats, homes, food, blossoms and trains. And still others feature children’s books, mountain bike races, businesses, hunting and fishing, and RVs.
Here we’ve condensed the most popular annual happenings, so you can see at a glance which time of year you may want to visit our wonderful area. Welcome to Grand Traverse County!
The wineries of Old Mission Peninsula celebrate Blossom Days annually in mid-May. On that weekend, winemakers invite the public to their tasting rooms to sample unreleased wines in addition to their customary tasting list. A souvenir glass and tasting at all eight Old Mission wineries are included in the ticket price. Tickets go on sale 60 days before the event.
The Leelanau Peninsula Birding Festival is held annually for three days in late-May, and is hosted by the Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. A variety of festival field trips are offered within this event.
The Traverse City area bursts at the seams each summer when the National Cherry Festival occurs. The festival includes eight days of air shows, concerts, parades, food tastings, arts/crafts show, and fireworks.
The Northwestern Michigan Fair in Traverse City is held in mid-August. It was established in 1908 and has been held at its current location on Blair Townhall Road, Traverse City, since 1975. The fair continues to follow its original purpose of celebrating area agriculture and youth programs.
Downtown Traverse City bustles with party goers for the annual CherryT Ball Drop held on New Year’s Eve. CherryT is a play on words for Charity and the cherry, a symbol of the Traverse City region, which grows about 75% of the nations tart cherry crop each year. The celebration takes place at the downtown intersection of Front Street and Cass Street. The family-friendly event sees crowds estimated at 8,000 to 12,000 people.
Sugar sand beaches along Lake Michigan, outdoor activities, an energetic downtown and many wineries make Traverse City the place to be
Visit the Old Mission Peninsula, situated between the west arm and east arm of Grand Traverse Bay.
West Michigan is home to wineries galore! Enjoy a wine tasting tour and sample award winning wines.
The Traverse City Opera House has a 700-seat theater which offers a place for quality arts and cultural entertainment.
The Grand Traverse Lighthouse is situated at the end of the Leelanau Peninsula within, about eight miles north of the town of Northport.
Take one of the most scenic drives in the nation as you travel across M-22 in West Michigan. A long winding road of adventure awaits!