It is the final weekend in January, and soon, we will find out just how many more weeks of winter we will have, courtesy of the prognosticator of all prognosticators. But until the time where the snow is gone, winter fun will remain in Northern Michigan. With that, so winter weekend fun!
This kids will have fun at the Kids Mountain Challenge event at the Highlands at Harbor Springs on , Saturday from 2PM-4PM. This will be a three-part mountain adventure.
• Leg 1: Ski Race – test your speed on the Camelot Race Arena.
• Leg 2: Obstacle Course – climb, hop & dash your way through.
• Leg 3: Disc Golf – disc golf challenge.
Registration runs from 9am-noon at the Brew Bar, located in the Day Lodge. You can get complete details at HighlandsHarborSprings.com on their events page.
Next, we have an event that will smell as good as it tastes… The 2nd Annual Banana Bread Festival in downtown Petoskey will take place on Saturday at Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts. Everyone is invited to bring their homemade banana bread to Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on the day of the event. There will be a $15 entry donation to the Manna Food Project, a local nonprofit dedicated to fighting hunger in northern Michigan. Each participant will receive a $25 gift certificate to Grandpa Shorter’s. Go to Grandpa Shorter’s Facebook page for rules and details.
If you want a little bit of outdoor adventure, I suggest the Bearcub Outfitters and Terrace Inn Snowshoe Event on Saturday, from 3:00 till 5:00 p.m. at the Terrace Inn.
It will be a magical afternoon of snowshoeing fun. For just $30, you will snowshoe a scenic loop on the Bayview Woods Trail, then warm up back at the Inn with a complimentary drink. The price includes 20% off dinner at 1911 Restaurant valid through April. Email sales@bearcuboutfitters.com to reserve a spot.
As our January comes to a close, you can raise your glass to toast it’s departure at the Ice Wine Festival, this Saturday, starting at 11AM at Chateau Chantal in Traverse City. Events range from family-friendly snowman building and ice sculptures to outdoor fire pits with roasted treats. The winery’s walking trail will be open for snowshoeing or skiing. Bring your own snow gear. There will also be an ice wine vineyard tour, ice wine production & cellar tour, & Fire & Ice Wine Dinner. Further details at ChateauChantal.com… under events.
Finally, if a warm, indoor setting appeals to you, bring that special person in your life to see, Downtown Sound: Jeff Haas Quintet, Saturday night, from 7:30 – 9:30p.m. at the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey. The Jeff Haas Quintet is a dynamic and genre-bending jazz ensemble led by acclaimed composer and pianist Jeff Haas. Rooted in jazz and infused with funk, Judaica, and world music with a message of love and peace, Haas’s original compositions reflect his deeply personal and boundary-pushing musical vision. The quintet features some of the Midwest’s finest jazz musicians. For more details and tickets, go to CrookedTree.org on their events page.
Star warm, safe, and have a great weekend,
John Kelly
