Art is where it's at over the next couple of weeks in Leelanau!
Empire's galleries and artist studios kick things off next Thursday evening (July 28) from 5-9 PM with the “Empire Art Encounter” where you can wander the village of Empire and for a wide variety of fine art, including painting, various works on paper, photography, furniture-making, weaving, and jewelry. You can also enjoy the the Empire Summer Music Series that night with the folk duo Emma and Will. They play on The Green next to the post office and you can get maps to galleries are available at Ripple Effect Studio & Gallery and Miser’s Hoard Antiques and Art. Call 231-326-6081 for more information!
Next up is an evening of art & music the Leland Art Walk held on Friday, August 5th from 5-9 PM. Participating stores & galleries will be serving hors d' oeuvres and refreshments. Contact Roxane Langner at 994-2707 for more information.
Then on Saturday & Sunday (August 6 & 7) it's the annual Suttons Bay Art Festival. Held every year on the first weekend of August at beautiful Suttons Bay Marina Park, the festival draws one hundred artists along with community groups and food vendors for an art-filled weekend at the beach. There's also a children's area where young artists can sell their work and a Sunday morning pancake breakfast in the park!
Empire's annual Anchor Day takes place every year on the third Saturday of July (that's this Saturday, July 14). The fun begins tonight with a street dance and then Friday night join Sleeping Bear Surf and Kayak at the Empire Open Space at dusk for a free movie. Saturday morning there's a fun run at 9 AM (registration at 8:45 at the picnic pavilion on Empire beach). At 2 PM the Empire Anchor Day parade and then from 2-8 PM the Lions Club hold their annual Chicken BBQ at the Empire Town Hall. It supports local Lions projects and international sight and hearing programs and diabetes education.
Empire’s biggest event of the year, the Anchor Day festival, will be held, as always, during the third Saturday in July, which falls this year on July 16. The celebration commemorates the raising of the village’s famous anchor from the depths of Lake Michigan in July of 1977, and its placement at the entrance to the Empire public beach. Who among the longtime residents of Empire will ever forget that exciting day? After all, news does spread like wildfire in a small town like ours.
Two weeks before the first Anchor Day, locals Doug Manning and Michelle Stryker discovered the anchor while canoeing off the shore. They saw the prize clearly in 18 feet of water and reported the rare find to Dave Taghon, who was village president at the time. Doug asked if the museum could use a freighter anchor attached to a large wooden beam. Taghon knew that any relic found in Great Lakes waters belongs to the State of Michigan, so he called the Dorsett Maritime Academy and Oberlin College with his dilemma. He was assured that, if the anchor was properly displayed, Empire could have it, and plans were made at once to raise the anchor.
Leelanau Farmer's Markets are underway in Glen Arbor, Lake Leelanau, Leland, Northport and Suttons Bay. They offer you a chance to get out and connect with farmers and other folks who produce food in Leelanau County. Tell us your favorite Leelanau farmers market in our poll!
Tuesdays in Glen Arbor
9 am—1 pm
June 21 - August 30
Location: Behind the Township Hall on Western Ave
Thursdays in Leland
9 am—Noon
June 23 - September 1
Location: Parking lot across from the Bluebird Restaurant
Fridays in Northport
9 am—1 pm
June 17 - September 16
Location: The Depot, next to the marina
Saturdays in Suttons Bay
9 am—1 pm
May 14 - October 22
NEW Location: North Park; intersection of M-204 & M-22, water side
Saturdays in Empire
9 am—1 pm
June 18 - September 10
Location: Downtown, next to the Post Office
Sundays in Lake Leelanau
9 am—1 pm
June 19 - September 4
Location: Parking lot across from NJ's Grocery downtown
Loading ...
Radishes, eggs, salad greens and garlic from Abra at Bare Knuckle Farm
Taste the Local Difference is a comprehensive guide that includes farm, farm market, CSA, winery and other listings with addresses, phone numbers and an index to seasonal food availability. The guide includes farms and winery listings, CSA contacts, addresses, phone numbers and an index to seasonal food availability. A kind of phone book for food. No need to shuffle through the yellow pages--just pick up a guide and start eating!
Farmers Nikki and Steve Sobkowski are relying less on cherries, and more on hops -- a key ingredient in making beer. The hops crop was grown widely on the peninsula 50 years ago, but a disease in the plant brought that practice to an end.
The Sobkowski's have 20 acres of hops in production and grow even more on the Leelanau Peninsula. At a manufacturing facility the Sobkowskis turn the plant into pellets, which brewers prefer.
A brewer already using the Old Mission hops is Mike Hall, master brewer at the North Peak Brewery. Hall and his staff created the "Furry" and the "Wanderer." Hall says the locally grown and processed hops is fresher and has a superb aroma. Now he'll be making fewer orders for hops grown in the Pacific Northwest.
The Leelanau Farmers Markets Association will hold their Annual Kick-Off Meeting and Potluck next Wednesday, May 11 from 6-8 pm at the Leelanau County Government Center, 8527 E Government Center Drive, Suttons Bay. Join Board members, market vendors and community supporters for information, networking and camaraderie. Guests are asked to bring a dish to pass and their own table service; beverages are provided.
There will be a presentation by Local Orbit to learn about buying and selling local products for delivery at the new local “hub” - the Suttons Bay Market on Saturday mornings. Also on the agenda will be information on the acceptance of EBT Bridge Cards at the Suttons Bay Market, and a Q & A Session to answer any questions about any of the six Leelanau Farmers Markets.
The 2011 season begins at the Suttons Bay Market on May 14. Check out www.eatleelanau.org for dates and times of all the Leelanau Farmers Markets in Empire, Glen Arbor, Lake Leelanau, Leland, Northport and Suttons Bay. For more information contact Debby Disch, LFMA Board Chair, at 231-386-5686 or Leelanau MSU Extension at 231-256-9888.
The Empire Area Heritage Group will present the program “The Boizard Letters” next Friday, May 6th at 7PM at the Empire Area Museum.
A half hour video presentation will feature recollections of Julia Dickinson and Joan Bolton telling the tale of finding of over one hundred letters written before, during and after the Civil War between a husband, off in the service, and his wife, left in Glen Arbor to fare for herself and her small child. Fascinating letters between them and other relatives telling what it was like to live in Glen Arbor and him telling of the outside world and his military life. The second part of the program involves a discussion of fate, luck and perseverance and the writing of a second book by Jodie Sewall “Long Distance Love” which includes over one hundred and fifty additional Boizard letters.
Names of local Civil War veterans will also be recognized, so join them for an educational and enjoyable evening with lots of FREE POPCORN!
The 8th Annual Empire Asparagus Festival will be held May 20-22, 2011 and features a slew of asparagus-themed events including a fun run (or walk), Asparagus Eats/Wine and Beer Tasting, Asparagus recipe contest, the Asparagus Parade, chalk art, music & dance and kids games. You can get all the details on the tasty eats and drinks below!
There's a reason Empire touts itself as the apex of asparagus-a vegetable whose short growing season begins in early May and flows into June. The area's sandy soil, plentitude of water and temperate microclimate-fostered by Lake Michigan, make this the perfect place to nurture wild and farmed asparagus. In fact, Michigan ranks third behind California and Washington as a producer of this commercial crop which garners the state a surprising $29 million annually.
Truth be told, only one local farmer, Harry Norconk, runs a 240-acre asparagus-growing business south of town. But what the heck, this slender green harbinger of spring grows wild all over the place. And while surrounding towns, for years, positioned themselves as prime purveyors of cherries, morel mushrooms and wines, Empire decided to become the Valhalla of that savory veggie-the asparagus.
Facebook is a great way to connect with people who love Leelanau and Northern Michigan, and we'll be featuring some of our favorite Facebook pages on the Leelanau blog. Of course you are invited to share them on the Leelanau.com Facebook page as well!
While sensible people tend to shun the waters of Lake Michigan in October, many of the folks who frequent Northern Michigan Surf on Facebook are excited because the real surfing season is in full swing!
The heart of the page are updates from the admin and others about where the waves are likely to be breaking. You can also let others know where you'll be surfing - a great thing because surfing in the fall (or really any time there are big waves) is not something that you want to do alone.
You can check out some great photos that folks have taken and share your own. They also have a cool video that you'll want to check out!
On the Ground hosts the Run FOR Ethiopia, a special evening of running, pasta and film. The event takes place Saturday, October 16 at 5 PM at Food for Thought just south of Empire, and you can choose between a 5k, 10k, or 1 mile fun run. Following the races, participants and their families can hang out on the farm and enjoy a post-race pasta dinner - featuring the launch of Food For Thought’s new Wild Leek Marinara Sauce!
After dinner, the movie Black Gold (see trailer below) will be shown. Bring your running shoes, blanket, loved ones and let’s help build schools in Ethiopia! Funds raised will go to Run Across Ethiopia, a 250 mile running expedition that hopes to raise $100,000 for schools in Ethiopia.
Art is where it's at over the next couple of weeks in Leelanau!
Loading ...
