Play · Events & Seasons
Northern Michigan Has a Reason for Every Season
There's always something worth planning around up here. From cherry blossoms to fall color to snow-dusted wine trails, the region's calendar runs year-round. These are some of the annual favorites that bring people back again and again — plan your stay around one, or simply let one surprise you while you're here.
TC Horse Shows
June · Annual
World-class equestrian competition set against the backdrop of northern Michigan. One of the premier hunter/jumper events in the Midwest, drawing competitors and spectators from across the country.
Interlochen Arts Festival
Summer · Ongoing Series
World-class performances spanning classical, jazz, folk, and beyond at the legendary Interlochen Center for the Arts. A summer-long concert series that draws exceptional artists to one of Michigan's most iconic stages.
National Cherry Festival
July · Annual
Eight days of parades, pie-eating contests, farm tours, live entertainment, and all things cherry in the heart of downtown Traverse City. One of the country's largest and most beloved summer celebrations.
Black Star Farms Harvest Wagon Rides
October · Weekends
Settle in for a guided wagon ride through the stunning 160-acre Black Star Farms estate as the colors peak across the Leelanau Peninsula. A warmly northern Michigan way to spend an October afternoon.
Iceman Cometh Challenge
November · Annual
One of the country's most celebrated mountain bike races cuts through the forests of northern Michigan from Kalkaska to Traverse City. A bucket-list event for serious riders and a thrilling spectacle for everyone else.
Leelanau Peninsula Harvest Days
September · Month-Long
A month-long autumn celebration across the Leelanau Peninsula wine trail, with VIP winery experiences, harvest tastings, and the kind of scenic drives that make fall in northern Michigan impossible to forget.
Traverse City Beer Week
November· Annual
A celebrated tour of the region's craft beer scene — tastings, specialty dinners, and a self-guided passport through Traverse City's best microbreweries and taprooms. A true locals' favorite that visitors quickly adopt.
Peninsula Cup
Summer · Annual
A premier invitational amateur golf tournament hosted at The Kingsley Club, one of northern Michigan's most celebrated courses. Mid-Am and Senior-Am players compete in a fourball format that prizes skill, integrity, and camaraderie in equal measure — set against scenery that makes every round worth the trip.
TC Restaurant Week
February · Annual
Traverse City's best restaurants offer special prix-fixe menus for one week every February — an ideal excuse to explore the region's thriving culinary scene when the pace is slower and the tables easier to get.
Old Mission Peninsula Riesling Roundup
February · Annual
A month-long autumn celebration across the Leelanau Peninsula wine trail, with VIP winery experiences, harvest tastings, and the kind of scenic drives that make fall in northern Michigan impossible to forget.
North American VASA
February · Annual
A beloved festival of cross-country ski races held since 1977, with distances ranging from 3.5 to 31 miles — open to all skill levels. This winter tradition draws competitors from across the continent.
Cherry T Ball Drop
December 31st · Annual
Downtown Traverse City rings in the new year with its own signature celebration — lights, crowds, and the iconic cherry drop. A festive, small-city New Year's Eve that feels just right.
Fresh Coast Film Festival
Spring · Annual
An independent film festival rooted in the culture and natural beauty of the Great Lakes region. Thoughtfully curated screenings, filmmaker conversations, and a community atmosphere that makes every showing feel like an event.
Downtown Art Walk Series
Spring/Summer · Series
A recurring celebration of local artists and creative makers in the heart of downtown Traverse City. Galleries open late, street art activates the sidewalks, and the whole district comes alive for an evening.
The Ides of March · Roaming Shakespeare
February · Annual
Shakespeare performed outdoors and on the move across unexpected northern Michigan locations. Equal parts theater and adventure — audiences follow the cast through the landscape as the story unfolds around them.
Bayshore Marathon
December 31st · Annual
A scenic race along the shores of Grand Traverse Bay — one of the most beautiful marathon routes in the Midwest. Offers full marathon, half marathon, and 10K options with a finish line right in the heart of Traverse City.
Plan Your Visit
Book Around an Event
Lakemore puts you minutes from it all. Choose your dates and let the season do the rest.