Local Events

Northern Michigan is packed with festivals, races, and cultural events year-round. Here’s a curated list of standout annual happenings in Leelanau County and the Traverse City area to help you plan your stay around what excites you most. Dates shift each year — always check the official event sites for the latest details.

SPRING (March – May)

Maple sugaring season — area sugar bushes open for tours and tastings (March)

Cherry Blossom season — wineries and orchards across Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsula bloom in pink and white (mid-May)

SUMMER (June – August)

Leland Wine & Food Festival — Fishtown’s signature culinary celebration (June)

Traverse City Pride Week — community celebrations and events (June)

National Cherry Festival — Traverse City’s iconic 8-day festival with parades, concerts, air shows, and pie-eating contests (early July)

Suttons Bay Art Festival — juried fine art show on the bay (July)

Traverse City Horse Shows — hunter and jumper competitions all summer at Flintfields Horse Park (June – August)

Traverse City Film Festival — indie and international films across historic theaters (late July, early August)

FALL (September – November)

Ironman 70.3 Michigan — triathlon weekend in Frankfort (September)

Fall color tours and harvest season — wineries, orchards, and Sleeping Bear at peak color (mid-September – late October)

Iceman Cometh Challenge — legendary point-to-point mountain bike race ending in Traverse City (early November)

Traverse City Beer Week — weeklong celebration of Northern Michigan craft brewing (November)

WINTER (December – February)

Sleeping Bear winter activities — cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and winter dune hiking

Traverse City Restaurant Week — prix-fixe menus at top local kitchens (late February, early March)

Traverse City Uncorked — winter wine tasting event featuring regional vintners (winter)

YEAR-ROUND

Good Harbor Beach — one of Michigan’s most stunning stretches of shoreline, just minutes from the cabin (year-round)

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore — iconic sand dunes, scenic overlooks, and Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive (year-round, fees apply)

Leelanau Wine Trail — Black Star Farms, Shady Lane Cellars, Bel Lago, and more than a dozen wineries along the M-22 corridor (year-round, hours vary by season)

Harbor town exploring — Suttons Bay, Northport, Glen Arbor, and Leland’s Fishtown are walkable, charming, and welcoming in every season

Glen Lake — crystal-clear freshwater swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding in warm months; stunning frozen landscapes in winter

Hiking and trail systems — Empire Bluff Trail, Inspiration Point, and the Leelanau Trail offer scenery at every season