Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Habitat for Humanity - Flower & Garden Show

Habitat for Humanity Flower and Garden Show

More than 40 vendors set up displays at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center to the delight of gardeners, homeowners and those just yearning for a splash of spring color.

For more information please call (231) 941-4663.

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Peepers Program: Ducks and Geese

Peeper Program: Ducks & Geese

April 21, 2009
10am to 11am
Location: Boardman River Nature Center

Join the Grand Traverse Conservation District for the new Peepers Program at the Boardman River Nature Center! This fun and educational program is designed to foster the exploration of nature in preschoolers. Peeper's will take place every Tuesday morning from 10-11am. Preschoolers will explore nature and seasonal nature themes with experienced early childhood educators and naturalists. Each morning will include indoor and outdoor activities-so dress for the weather.
Fee: $3 per child or $45 for entire session. For more information, or to register your little peeper, call (231) 941-0960 or email cmasterson@gtcd.org. Drop-ins are always welcome.

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Nagata Shachu - Dennos Museum Center

Nagata Shachu (formerly Kiyoshi Nagata Ensemble)

When: April 24, 2009
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Milliken Auditorium, Dennos Museum Center
Website: www.dennosmuseum.org

While firmly rooted in the folk drumming traditions found throughout Japan, Nagata Shachu aims to rejuvenate and redefine this ancient art form ensuring its relevance in today's society. Under the direction of Kiyoshi Nagata, the ensemble has earned a reputation for its straight-forward yet exciting approach to playing the taiko. With their vast array of Japanese taiko, gongs, bells, wooden clappers, shakers and bamboo flutes, Nagata Shachu will take you on a musical journey beyond all borders. $25 adv, $28 dr and $22 member.

Contact Information: Box Office Phone: (231) 995-1553

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73rd National Trout Festival - Kalkaska

73rd National Trout Festival

Annual Event
Location: Downtown Kalkaska
Website: www.nationaltroutfestival.com

There's fun for everyone with trout fishing contests, special breakfasts, family entertainment tent, queen coronation, children's fishing contest, parades, special dinners, craft show, flea market and fireworks. Highlights include: Wed. Taste of Trout, Sat. Kalkaska Idol Contest, Sun. Demolition Derby. Phone: (231) 258-9103

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Chef's Challenge 2009 - Shanty Creek

2009 Chef's Challenge

April 24 - 26, 2009
Location: Shanty Creek Resorts
Website: www.chefs-challenge.com
Professional chefs, hot food competition and tasting featuring Michigan food products, wines and microbrews. In addition to the Chef's Challenge competition, the weekend will feature cooking seminars and vendors showcasing Michigan agriculture ~ second only to California in number of diverse food products.
E-Mail: info@springtimesplendor.com

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Friday, February 27, 2009

HGTV - Carter Oosterhouse Hosting Special - Traverse City

Carter Comes Home

Carter Osterhouse is hosting a special HGTV show this 2009 Holiday season called "Carter Comes Home." Carter will be helping some folks that are in need of some restoration help her in Traverse City. One project will be to help and area woman who adopts and cares for children with special needs. The second project will be to help the Traverse City Fire Station on Eight Street renovate its 1960s kitchen into an area that they can use to give host to the community.

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Thursday, February 19, 2009

A Success! - Traverse City's WinterFest 2009

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – Even during an ordinary season, February is a busy time in this northern Michigan resort community of skiers, snowmobilers and snowboarders.
But thanks to a rare conjunction of events, the 2009 President’s Day weekend (Feb. 13-16) promises to take things to an entirely new level.
For the first time, Traverse City’s annual February winter carnival -- the Cherry Capital
Winter WonderFest -- coincides with the North American Vasa Festival of Races, which
draws hundreds of cross-country skiers and fans to the area each year. Winter
WonderFest has grown rapidly in size and scope since its 2007 startup, with more than
50 indoor and outdoor events scheduled between Friday evening and Monday
afternoon. And the North American Vasa is a perfect complement to its atmosphere of
casual merrymaking.
Now in its 33rd year, the Vasa is a hugely popular event among Midwestern ski racers –
thanks largely to the beauty of the course, which snakes through the pines and
hardwoods of the Pere Marquette State Forest. The main competition, which features
12K, 27K and 50K races in both freestyle and classic modes, will take place on
Saturday, Feb. 14, while its companion event – the Gran Travers Classic (6K and 16K)
is scheduled for Sunday.
This winter, those skiers and their supporters won’t have to look far for opportunities to
entertain themselves between races. The Third Annual Cherry Capital Winter
WonderFest encompass a rich menu of concerts, competitions, films, fireworks, food
tastings and children’s activities -- most of them concentrated on the scenic 900-acre
grounds of the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, just a snowball’s throw from the Vasa
racecourse.
“The Winter WonderFest has grown into a community-wide celebration in just a couple
of years, and we see it continuing to grow thanks to the multiple venues we’ve created,”
said Resort general manager Grant Channing. “They provide variety for the weekend’s
activities and show a strong commitment from our partners.”
The centerpiece of the festival is a “Winter Fun Zone” with ice skating, pony rides,
inflatable play structures, rides on ponies, dogsleds, snowmobiles and horse-drawn
sleighs, sledding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing and a selection of competitive
events that range from the familiar (the Running Fit Frosty 5K foot race and a kid’s
snowshoe race) to the unlikely (a “frozen fish toss” and a “Polar Plunge” event where
daring swimmers jump into an icy pond to raise money for charity). There are bonfires,
films, live music, fireworks, and lots of festive food and beverages.
But the festival has spread to other venues, including the nearby Mt. Holiday Ski Area –
where there’ll be such offbeat competitions as a snowboarding “rail jam” event, a
mountain bike race down the ski hill and a “Cardboard Bobsled-o-Rama” in which
competitors must use sleds made only with cardboard, tape and paint.
“How could we not get involved?” asked Mt. Holiday general manager Rick Van
Tongeren. “Everybody who’s heard about this thing is just extremely excited. I went into
the bank the other day and the clerks all came running up asking me how many sleds
they could enter.”
A full schedule is also in place in Traverse City’s charming 19th century downtown
shopping district, where there’ll be a “Save the Bees” dessert reception (with local
honey and live entertainment by Grammy Award winning vocal troupe Sweet Honey in
the Rock) in the elegantly-restored City Opera House , ice carving and snow sculpture
displays, a “frozen bed race” through the streets and the popular “Soup r’ Bowl”
competition in which participants slurp up soups created by local chefs and cast ballots
for their favorites.
“Winter WonderFest truly demonstrates the four-season nature of our destination,” said
Brad Van Dommelen, president of the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“Traverse City is much more than just the great beach town many people think of, and
this event is a great way for visitors to be introduced to a different side of our
community.”
A portion of the Winter WonderFest proceeds support the programs of Special Olympics
Michigan.

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