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click for a Dunegrass slideshow!

Dunegrass 2010 by Sarah Moore Kuschell

Held every year the the beginning of August in Northern Michigan, the Dunegrass Music Festival features the best local, regional and national touring acts.

2011 headliners include Donna The Buffalo, Ella Riot (formerly My Dear Disco), The Ragbirds, Seth Bernard & May Erlewine, Ralston Bowles, Grasshoppah, Rootstand, The Journeyman, Delilah Dewylde & the Lost Boys, Luke Winslow-King, Detour Bluegrass and many others. Click here for the complete schedule and definitely go to their website to listen to all the great bands. Most are from right here in Michigan and the musical range the festival offers means there's something for everyone!

Dunegrass has a new location this year on 100 acres near Lake Ann that offers wooded camping, something that's great after a late night jam session around the bonfire after the shows! One nice twist is free admission for 12 & under (accompanied by an adult) and the fact that tickets for kids 13-17 are just $30. There's also a beer garden, fine food, arts & crafts, kids area, free shuttle to beaches, music/arts workshops and much more.

It's hard to choose between all the great acts that are there, but here's Donna the Buffalo!

Here's some videos from presenters and performers who will be at the Benzie County Water Festival, along with some videos of the beautiful water they'll be talking about!

The First Annual Benzie County Water Festival is a community water celebration that takes place on Saturday, March 18-19 south of us in Frankfort. This will be a unique event designed to engage folks in the stewardship of the Great Lakes and the cultivation of a vibrant and sustainable local culture in our region.

A family-oriented, community-centered program will feature Michigan musicians, speeches from water luminaries (including Tom Kelly of Inland Seas Education Association and GTB Tribal Chairman Derek Bailey), interactive multimedia projects and presentations, artisan foods and beverages, workshops, visual art, theater and dance, children's activities, an ice fishing contest, as well as connections to campaigns and projects protecting our water locally and/or addressing global water challenges.

A highlight is the showing of the showing of the award-winning documentary WATERLIFE on Friday night (March 18) at the Garden Theatre in Frankfort. If you have not seen this extraordinary film and love the Great Lakes YOU SHOULD SEE IT!!!

The Benzie County Water Festival is co-sponsored by the Benzie Conservation District and Absolute Michigan. For more information, check out the Benzie Water Festival Facebook and contact Sarah Louisignau by calling 231-871-1075 or by e-mail.

The first Michigan Water Festival was held on the Straits in Mackinaw City in August of 2006 and attracted 500 people from all over the state. The Water Festival moves around Michigan every year, bringing the message of the vitality of Michigan's water all around the state (there's a video in the series above). Learn more at water-festival.org!

Photo Credit: 'Lighthouse Dawn' Point Betsie Lighthouse, Lake Michigan by Michigan Nut

The Mills Community House of Benzonia is celebrating one hundred years of community operations with an inspiring work from history – dance pioneer Martha Graham's American Document (click for the Facebook event). This production incorporates vaudevillian structures, folk rhythms, and readings of historical records that address the questions; "What is America?" and "What is an American?" Performances have been slated for Friday, August 27 and Saturday, August 28 beginning at 7:30 pm at the Mills Community House.

In recognition of the Mills centennial year, selections from Bruce Catton's Waiting for the Morning Train will bring to life scenes of Benzonia and northern Michigan at the beginning of the twentieth century. The work has been adapted by Gretchen Eichberger and includes a cast of dancers and narrators from northwest Michigan.

Tickets may be purchased at the Benzie County Chamber of Commerce or the Frankfort-Elberta Chamber of Commerce during normal business hours. You may also reserve you tickets by calling the Mills Community house at 231-882-0591. Leave your name, contact information, and indicate which night you prefer to attend.

Food For Thought's annual Green Cuisine is a celebration that seeks to bring more awareness to local food and sustainable business practices. Green Cuisine is held annually the third Wednesday in July (next Wed - July 14) from 5-8 PM at the Food For Thought Farm, 10704 Oviatt Rd. Honor, MI 49640. Visitors will be able to sample some of the best products of local food and beverage artisans, tour Food For Thought’s organic farm and green buildings as they socialize, learn and have fun in a beautiful setting.

Green Cuisine is free BUT YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER - Register online here.  Children are welcome! For more information, please call 231-326-5444 or visit the Food for Thought web site.

FOOD/BEVERAGE VENDORS La Becasse Oryana Higher Grounds Trading Co. Chateau Chantal Black Star Farms Cherry Republic Ciccone Vineyard and Winery Shady Lane Vineyards Trattoria Stella Short's Brewery Light of Day Organics L. Mawby Vineyard Shetler Dairy Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery Honor Family Market Good Neighbor Organic Winery and Vineyard Stone House Bread Naturally Nutty Nut Butters Cook's House Bel Lago Vineyard Right Brain Brewery Siren Hall Lori's Salsa and Hummus Del Sol Land of Goshen 45 North Winery

GREEN LIFESTYLE / AWARENESS Green Island / Eco Lunch Gear Wings of Wonder Salon Verve Deep Wood Press Indira Skin Products Run Across Ethiopia Recycle Chicken Bay Area Recycling 9 Bean Rows CSA Providence Farms CSA Ware Farm CSA

Green Carpet Premiere Event on Monday, 6 pm June 21 at the State!

FREE to everyone!

Volunteers for the partner organizations have been hard at work on short videos covering a wide range of topics, from Sunrise on the Boardman to Alien Invaders of our Waters. Come and celebrate our unique environment and the passion of your neighbors at the Green Carpet Gala Premiere event at the State Theater on Monday, June 21, 6:00 PM. There is no charge to attend, though you will need a ticket (available at the State Theater box office).

Anyone who wears green to the event gets free popcorn!

These videos are the result of the Focus on the Watershed project. This is a joint project of the UpNorth Media Center, Grand Traverse Conservation District, Inland Seas Education Association and the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay.

Visit Up North Rentals is hosting an Open House this week. Visit their new location at 600 W Front Street in Traverse City anytime between 1pm - 4pm for light refreshments. On Friday, they will have their official Ribbon Cutting, celebrating with hot dogs and burgers!

At your visit, learn about their summer photo contest, where you could win a FREE 3 night stay at one of their cottages or condos.

Visit Up North Rentals has properties available throughout northern Michigan. New properties added daily! Let them make one of their vacation homes, your home away from home.

From The Grand Vision:

ACTION FOR TOMORROW!

The Grand Vision Citizen Action Expo takes place on Monday, May 10th at Northwest Michigan College's Hagerty Center in Traverse City from 5:30 - 7:30 PM.

Grand Vision WorkshopsOver the past three years, nearly 15,000 residents from Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Wexford counties participated in the Grand Vision: attending workshops, filling out scorecards and generating an unprecedented level of community support in selecting a preferred growth scenario for the next 50 years.

Now the time for action has come. On May 10, 2010 the Grand Vision Citizen Action Expo will kick off a six-county wide action campaign to implement the Grand Vision.

This event will kick off our citizen action campaign and offer folks in the region a chance to learn how to get personally involved with implementing the Grand Vision. Participants will engage in a hands-on session that will guide them through specific action opportunities to implement the Grand Vision. Opportunities range from personal action, to volunteer partnerships with local organizations and non-profits, and community leadership roles. In true Grand Vision fashion, the whole process will be citizen led.

Dozens of local organizations, non-profits and businesses who are building the Grand Vision will be on-hand to offer information and support. Plus, there will be a fresh update on the progress of the Grand Vision working groups and the Grand Vision Transportation study.

The Grand Vision Citizen Action Expo will launch a series of expos that will take place in Antrim, Benzie, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Wexford counties. More information on those events will be coming soon.

What: Grand Vision Citizen Action Expo

Help us promote the Grand Vision Expo!

Download and print the 2010 Grand Vision Expo Poster!

Promote the Grand Vision Citizen Action Expo by joining our cause on Facebook!

The 2010 Annual GTASFA Membership Banquet - a night that any Northwest Michigan Angler would want to be a part of!
Saturday, April 10, at NMC – Hagerty Center. All are invited to attend!

Keynote speaker – Mark Romanack

Sponsored by Miller Lite and may local and regional sponsors! Please…support your fishing community and the resources we protect! Interested Guests and GTASFA Members may RSVP on line at: www.gtasfa.com
Pre-registration to can be sent to 401 S. Union St, Traverse City, MI 49684

Photo credit: Vintage Fishing Michigan Cool Boat by UpNorth Memories - Donald (Don) Harrison

The Traverse Area Photography Club is hosting their 11th annual Student Photography Competition.

The Record Eagle reports:

Geared to spark young photographers, these enticing words blaze from posters advertising the 11th annual Student Photography Competition. A yearly event hosted by the Traverse Area Camera Club, the contest is open to students in grades 9-12 in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Wexford counties.

With an entry deadline of Jan. 26, students are invited to enter up to three photos in the following categories: landscapes and waterscapes, architecture, human interest and photographer's choice. Printed photos may be film or digital, black and white or color, Photoshopped or straight up -- the sky's the limit. Entries should be unframed and unmatted; it's all about the image.

For more information, read the rest of the Record Eagle article here. Or visit the Traverse Area Photography Club's website! Good luck to all the students!

Photo credit: Haven Steinebach, TC West Junior

Michigan's movie production tax incentive, which became effective in April 2008, is drawing some of the industry's top movie makers to our region. "Youth in Revolt," which stars Michael Cera and Justin Long, was filmed last June in Lake Leelanau, Frankfort, and Empire.

MyNorth.com talks about some of the behind the scenes moments:

Lake Leelanau was one of several Michigan filming locations, including Frankfort, Ferndale and Ann Arbor. The sparkling, family-run Lake Leelanau RV Park transformed into Restless Axels Trailer Park for a full week, where Michael Cera (Juno, Superbad) played the leading man in the adaptation of C.D. Payne’s bitingly hilarious novel about whip-smart, sex-obsessed teen Nick Twisp.

Frankfort will once again play a part in the movie, as The Garden Theater will have a sneak preview later this month. The Record Eagle reported:

But in tiny Frankfort, the VIP is ... well, Frankfort. The refurbished Garden Theater there will offer a special screening of "Youth in Revolt," a movie filmed in the area in June 2008, on Dec. 29. It won't be released until next month. The "pre-screening" is scheduled for 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be available beginning Saturday.

It took some work to score an early viewing, according to Rick Schmitt, co-owner of the newly restored theater.

"We've been working on it for over a year," Schmitt said. "I guess persistence was a factor."

Another movie currently be shot in the area, is A Year in Mooring by 2009 Michigan Filmmaker of the Year, Rich Brauer. All this activity means more money in our area's downed economy.