Fishing Tournaments & Events
West Michigan fishing tournaments give anglers a chance to add a little money to their pocket in addition to the fish in their bucket.
Photo by Cherry T-Ball Drop
Downtown Traverse City bustles with party goers for the annual CherryT Ball Drop held on New Year’s Eve. The gates open at 10:30pm and the event ends at 12:20am. Cost is a $5 donation that benefits a different charity each year. The beneficiary for 2024 was Project Feed the Kids which plays a critical role in ensuring children and their families have access to nutritious meals. Just over $15,573 was raised for the organization at the 2024 event.
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. The non-profit organization in charge raises money and collects non-perishable food items while people party for a purpose in Traverse City’s own version of Time Square.
Local acts and a DJ on the lit stage help bring in the new year. Right before midnight, the large illuminated cherry is lowered to usher in the coming year, courtesy of Team Elmers & North Michigan Concrete Asphalt Excavation Crane & Rigging. A short fireworks display follows the ball drop.
Sponsors for the 2024 event were Traverse City Tourism, Leelanau Cellars, Team Elmers, North Michigan Concrete Asphalt Excavation Crane & Rigging, Delamar Traverse City, DoorDash, North Bar TC, and UpNorthLive.
West Michigan fishing tournaments give anglers a chance to add a little money to their pocket in addition to the fish in their bucket.
Current family-friendly events in West Michigan, great, fun, things to do for kids of all ages! Fun for the whole family!
Book lovers will find bargains at the many used book sales held in Manistee, Ludington, and Hart in West Michigan.
The park remains open year-round for hiking, snowshoeing, activities to give those who love winter something fun to look forward to!
Before you make a splash in Lake Michigan, check out the water temperatures for beaches from Manistee, Ludington, Pentwater, and Silver Lake.
Scottville Riverside Park, along the Pere Marquette River, has over 50 modern sites and is popular for camping and fishing.
The spring/fall runs of steelhead and salmon, the resident brown trout and “brookies” make the PM River extremely popular for fishing.
The Michigan Audubon Society Lake Bluff Center overlooks Lake Michigan near Manistee and features wildlife and a bird sanctuary.
Visit the Old Mission Peninsula, situated between the west arm and east arm of Grand Traverse Bay.