Almanac

The Elk Rapids Farmers Market is brought to you by the Elk Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. This Friday morning market offers a wide selection of locally grown fruits and vegetables, fresh flowers and plants, baked goods, cheese, meats and fish, jams, maple syrup, local honey, coffee and tea, lavender products and so much more! In 2025, the Market is open every Friday from 8:00am to Noon from May 30th through October 3rd.

Plein Air Weekend
Experience the Magic of Plein Air Painting In and Around Glen Arbor!

Each first full weekend in August, artists from Michigan and the Midwest gather for a two-day event celebrating art, nature, and creativity. The Glen Arbor Arts Center’s Plein Air Weekend is a cherished community event supporting both the center and the artists. As one of Northern Michigan’s first Plein Air Paint-Outs, it continues to attract talent eager to paint outdoors and “capture the moment.”
What is Plein Air Painting?

Plein air painting means creating art outside, a method made famous by French Impressionists in the 19th century. Artists work quickly to finish their 2D paintings in a single day—rain or shine!
Weekend Highlights

Friday
Quick Draw: Artists have 3 hours to create works based on a theme, like “Village Life” or “Pastoral Life.”
Quick Draw Sale: Paintings are displayed and sold at the Glen Arbor Town Hall.
Sunsetter: Artists head out to paint beautiful sunsets.
Saturday – The Main Event
The “Paint Out” invites 75 artists to capture the area’s natural beauty, from lakes and rivers to gardens and landmarks. Sunsetter and Paint Out works are professionally displayed and sold that evening at the Glen Arbor Town Hall.

Awards and Community Fun

Saturday night celebrates creativity with the Amy L. Clark-Carels Award, honoring artistic excellence in memory of the local watercolorist. This lively event showcases diverse artwork, offering the community a chance to view, connect, and purchase unique pieces while supporting talented artists.
Admission and Donations

Both sales are open to the public, and admission is free. Donations are appreciated to support the Glen Arbor Arts Center.
https://glenarborart.org/events-page/plein-air-weekend/

The Oliver Art Center's annual Small Works, Community Collage project opens to the public on June 1st. This year's initiative aims to unite the community in the creation of a vibrant and expansive art installation, with a goal of assembling over 200 unique six-inch paintings into a breathtaking mosaic.

This engaging project underscores the Oliver Art Center's commitment to fostering awareness and accessibility of the visual arts by inviting artists of all ages and abilities to contribute their creativity. Local artists and art enthusiasts are invited to visit the Oliver Art Center to collect blank canvases and embark on creating their miniature masterpieces. These individual works will then be carefully assembled during the last week of May, with the completed community collage unveiled to the public on June 1st. The uniquely decorated canvases will be available for purchase at $40.00 each, with 100% of the proceeds directly supporting the Oliver Art Center's vital programming initiatives.

This year's exhibition holds special significance as it is presented in honor of Joe Muer, a longtime supporter, donor, and even participating artist of the Oliver Art Center, who passed away in 2024. The canvases for this project have been generously donated by Joe and Jane Muer over the past several years.

The Oliver Art Center encourages all members of the community to participate in this vibrant celebration of art and collaboration. Blank canvases will be available at the Art Center throughout the run of the exhibit.

Join the City of Traverse City and Jacobs Engineering for a tour of the facility where you’ll follow the path of wastewater throughout the multiple treatment processes
utilized to remove pollutants and protect the waterway. Tours will be held at 10 and 11am, and 12 and 1pm.

Charlotte Ross Lee Concerts in the Park Series

Pack a picnic and head to Pennsylvania Park in Downtown Petoskey for Crooked Tree Arts Center’s annual Charlotte Ross Lee Concerts in the Park Series!

Held 12:00 - 1:00 PM each Wednesday and Friday, June 18 through August 15, the concert series brings local musicians to the Gazebo stage.

Bring a lunch, lawn chair, or picnic blanket and enjoy live music in the park! These performances are free and open to the public.

Learn more and view the full schedule at: https://www.crookedtree.org/article/concerts-park or call 231-347-4337.

Date: M/T/F July 28 and 29; August 1, 2025
Time: 1 pm–4 pm
Registration Deadline: Thursday, July 24, 2025
Location: Thoreson Farm
Kurinuki is a traditional Japanese pottery technique carved from a single clay block. The word means “carving out.” A solid block of clay is minimally shaped and then carved to create the interior and exterior spaces. Spontaneous and showing the marks of the making process, Kurinuki pots tend to be more alive and sculptural than other hand-building methods. An excellent clay experience for beginners, Kurinuki can also be satisfying for experienced clay artists. Some forms made using Kurinuki include yunomi (teacups), boxes, vases, and sippers. In addition, Kurinuki vessels often capture the essence of the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, the beauty within imperfection. Students will be guided in creating a set of yunomi (small drinking vessels with tray) and a small, lidded box.

Blissfest Music Organization and Downtown Petoskey bring you Sounds of Summer for a third season! Sounds of Summer will feature a dynamic range of music that caters to everyone. With each concert curated by Blissfest Music Organization, this free, five-concert series will be held in Pennsylvania Park in Downtown Petoskey beginning at 7 pm, July 18 through August 15.

Grab a takeout or a drink from one of Downtown Petoskey's Social District bars and restaurants, bring your blanket and chairs, and enjoy the Sounds of Summer concert series!

July 18th - The Go Arounds
July 25th - Dig a Pony - A Beatles Tribute
August 1 - Great Lakes Brass Band
August 8 - Chloe Kimes
August 15 - Katy Guillen & The Drive

Support happy, healthy, and strong communities by riding with Norte on August 2nd! Norte’s Ride With Friends, sponsored by J Merchant Builders, is Norte's annual fundraiser to support championing bikes and community. Ride options cater to cyclists of all ages and abilities – there's a ride for everyone in the family!

Everyone can help support our mission of building community through cycling! For more information on how to support this year’s ride and empower the next generation of riders, visit https://www.norteyouthcycling.org/nortesride!

The festival is a free family friendly event! Live music, pie eating and t-shirt contests, a quilt raffle, and a fire hose spray provide entertainment for the participants and viewers alike. Many skilled artisans line the streets and fill the Village Hall to offer their goods for sale.

The highlight of the day is the Leo Porter Memorial Parade, featuring local leaders, sponsors, and various floats. Visitors of all ages and creeds are guaranteed to find something they enjoy.

The Suttons Bay Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning from 9 AM – 1 PM.

For the 2025 season, we will be at our established location on St. Joseph St. at the north end of the village. Located on the east side of the intersection of M22 and M204 (between Concord St. and Race St.)

Market Dates of Operation: May 24 – October 18, 2025