Spring Into Summer wine trail, Downtown Art Walk, Cherry Bowl Drive-In, live music across the region, theater, and an open house at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain.
Compliments of The Foerster Group. We hope to see you around town!
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kickoff of northern Michigan summer — this one's stacked
| Time | Event | Type | Location | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00pm | Jazz 4 All — Final Thursday of the SeasonFree/DonationThe last Jazz 4 All at The Alluvion for the 2025-2026 season before it heads to Chateau Chantal for summer. Doors and bar open at 5:30, music runs 6–8:30pm. Sliding scale donation at the door. Come as you are — a genuinely warm, community-powered Thursday night tradition. | Music | The Alluvion, TC | → thealluvion.org |
| 7:00pm | Antrim County Community Choir: "All Together Now"TicketedA community choir concert celebrating voices coming together at Church in the Hills in Bellaire — a lovely Thursday evening excursion about an hour southeast of TC. | Music | Church in the Hills, Bellaire | → Details |
| 7:30pm | Glen Arbor Players: "An Inspector Calls" — Opening NightTicketedJ.B. Priestley's gripping mystery-thriller opens its Memorial Day weekend run at the Leelanau School auditorium. A wealthy family interrogated by a mysterious detective — nothing is as it seems. Opening night on the drive down M-22. | Theater & Film | Leelanau School Auditorium, Glen Arbor | → Details |
| 5:00pm | Business After Hours: Shady Lane CellarsMembersLeelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at Shady Lane Cellars — 5:00–6:30pm. Discounted glass pours, bottle sales, and complimentary charcuterie. A perfect preview of the Spring Into Summer weekend to come. | Wine | Shady Lane Cellars, Suttons Bay | → Details |
| 7:00pm | Film Screening: "Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise"FreeA documentary celebration of Maya Angelou's extraordinary life and legacy. Screening in TC — check Traverse City Ticker for venue details. A meaningful way to spend a Thursday evening. | Cultural | Traverse City (venue TBC) | → traverseticker.com |
| All Day | Spring Wine TastingsThe Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas are in peak late-spring form — 25+ tasting rooms, new releases, and that golden late-May light. Pre-Spring Into Summer is the best time to go without the crowds. | Wine | Leelanau & Old Mission Peninsula | → lpwines.com |
| Time | Event | Type | Location | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eve. | Downtown TC Art WalkFreeBusinesses stay open late hosting featured artists, pop-up exhibits, live music, and interactive art activities throughout downtown TC. Self-guided, free, and one of the best Friday evenings of the year. Shops, galleries, restaurants, creativity. May 29 is night one — it returns June 5 too. | Art Festival | Downtown Traverse City | → downtowntc.com |
| Noon | Spring Into Summer Wine Trail — Day 1TicketedThe Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail's biggest spring event opens — 20+ wineries, spring releases, live music, and winemaker events across the peninsula. Noon to 5pm. Buy tickets in advance; this one sells out. | Festival Wine | Leelanau Peninsula Wineries | → lpwines.com |
| 7:30pm | Cherry Bowl Drive-In — Memorial Day Weekend Night 1FamilyGates open 7:30pm, movies at dusk. Double feature under the stars at northern Michigan's legendary 1953 drive-in in Honor. Putt-putt golf, vintage snack bar, original-style speakers, and the best popcorn in the region. Check cherrybowldrivein.com for what's playing this weekend. | Theater & Film Family | Cherry Bowl Drive-In, Honor | → cherrybowldrivein.com |
| 7:00pm | Buster Keaton's "Sherlock, Jr." — Live Piano AccompanimentTicketedThe 1924 silent comedy masterpiece screened with live piano by Steve Larson at the Music House Museum in Williamsburg. A genuinely rare and wonderful evening — all ages, all welcome. One of those TC-area events that feels completely unique. | Theater & Film Family | Music House Museum, Williamsburg | → musichousemuseum.org |
| 7:00pm | Song of the LakesTicketedAn original vocal performance celebrating the Great Lakes and northern Michigan — at The Center in Suttons Bay. A beautiful way to open the long weekend in one of Leelanau's most charming lakeside villages. | Music | The Center, Suttons Bay | → Details |
| 5:00pm | Andrea BilderbackFreeLive music at Grand Traverse Resort — Andrea Bilderback is the resort's go-to Friday performer, bringing a warm, inviting sound to the patio. Great way to start the Memorial Day long weekend with a view. | Music | Grand Traverse Resort, Acme | → grandtraverseresort.com |
| 7:30pm | Glen Arbor Players: "An Inspector Calls" — Friday NightTicketedSecond performance of the Memorial Day weekend run of Priestley's classic thriller. Pair with dinner in Glen Arbor before the show — the village is at its most beautiful right now with spring in full bloom. | Theater & Film | Leelanau School Auditorium, Glen Arbor | → Details |
| 6:00pm | Live Music at Jacob's FarmFreeFriday evening live music at Jacob's Farm — one of TC's favorite outdoor music venues on M-72 east of town. Check jacobsfarmtc.com for the confirmed act this week. | Music | Jacob's Farm, TC | → jacobsfarmtc.com |
| 6:00pm | Little Dipper — 90s Country RevivalistsFreeThe Little Fleet's Memorial Day weekend opener featuring Little Dipper — Northern Michigan's premier '90s country revivalists, bringing pedal steel, tight harmonies, and that golden-era country sound to TC's beloved open-air bar. | Music | The Little Fleet, TC | → thelittlefleet.com |
| Time | Event | Type | Location | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00am | 🏡 Open House — 4144 S Sugar Loaf Mountain RdFoerster GroupCome see this stunning 2025-built ranch at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain. 3 bed / 2 bath / 2,010 sq ft / 0.49 wooded acres. New construction, move-in ready. $725,000 · MLS# 1942589 · Cedar, MI, Leelanau County. 11AM–1PM. | Open House | Cedar, MI — Leelanau County | → thefoerstergroup.com |
| Noon | Spring Into Summer Wine Trail — Day 2TicketedDay two of the Leelanau wine trail's signature spring event. Saturday is the peak day — all 20+ wineries in full swing, live music at every stop, and the peninsula looking its absolute best in late-May bloom. Go early, stay late. | Festival Wine | Leelanau Peninsula Wineries | → lpwines.com |
| All Day | Northwest Michigan Art & Culture Summit — Day 1Free/TicketedA two-day summit celebrating the arts and culture scene of northwest Michigan — panels, presentations, and conversations at venues across downtown TC. A great way to connect with the creative community over the long weekend. | Art Cultural | Downtown TC venues | → Details via IPR |
| 10:00am | Oliver Art Center Spring Fever Fashion Show & TeaTicketedThe Oliver Art Center in Frankfort hosts its annual Spring Fever Fashion Show and Tea — a delightful day trip down US-31 into Benzie County. Elegant, festive, and full of local character. | Cultural | Oliver Art Center, Frankfort | → oliverartcenter.org |
| 8:00pm | Hairball — Arena Rock Tribute Show$39One of the country's most celebrated arena rock tribute acts, putting on a full production show honoring KISS, Van Halen, Motley Crue, and more — with costumes, pyrotechnics, and massive energy. A seriously fun Memorial Day Saturday night out at Leelanau Sands Showroom. | Music | Leelanau Sands Casino Showroom, Peshawbestown | → Tickets |
| 7:30pm | Glen Arbor Players: "An Inspector Calls" — Saturday NightTicketedThe weekend's final evening performance of Priestley's classic thriller on the stunning Leelanau School stage. Perfect Memorial Day Saturday evening in Glen Arbor. | Theater & Film | Leelanau School Auditorium, Glen Arbor | → Details |
| 7:30pm | Cherry Bowl Drive-In — Memorial Day Weekend Night 2FamilyNight two at the Cherry Bowl — three nights of Memorial Day weekend fun under the stars in Honor. Gates open 7:30pm, movies at dusk. Double feature. Grab a blanket, pack snacks, and make a memory. | Theater & Film Family | Cherry Bowl Drive-In, Honor | → cherrybowldrivein.com |
| 6:00pm | Brother WolfFreeLive on the outdoor stage at The Little Fleet — Brother Wolf brings powerful, soulful energy to TC's favorite open-air spot. One of the standout Saturday acts of the season. | Music | The Little Fleet, TC | → thelittlefleet.com |
| 5:00pm | Andrea BilderbackFreeLive music at Grand Traverse Resort for the Memorial Day long weekend. Andrea Bilderback on the patio — a warm, welcoming way to ease into Saturday evening. | Music | Grand Traverse Resort, Acme | → grandtraverseresort.com |
| Time | Event | Type | Location | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noon | Spring Into Summer Wine Trail — Final DayTicketedThe final day of the Leelanau wine trail's Spring Into Summer event — Sunday is a quieter, more relaxed pace on the peninsula. A beautiful way to close out Memorial Day weekend in wine country. | Festival Wine | Leelanau Peninsula Wineries | → lpwines.com |
| 2:00pm | Glen Arbor Players: "An Inspector Calls" — Sunday MatineeTicketedThe Sunday matinee of Priestley's classic — a perfect afternoon on the Leelanau Peninsula. After the show, walk into Glen Arbor village for coffee or a scoop of ice cream before heading home. | Theater & Film | Leelanau School Auditorium, Glen Arbor | → Details |
| All Day | Northwest Michigan Art & Culture Summit — Day 2The closing day of the two-day summit across downtown TC venues — a great way to cap off a creative and culturally rich Memorial Day weekend. | Art Cultural | Downtown TC venues | → Details via IPR |
| 7:00pm | An Evening with Hiroya TsukamotoTicketedThe Memorial Day weekend closer at The Alluvion — fingerstyle guitar virtuoso Hiroya Tsukamoto in the intimate listening room setting of Traverse City's finest small venue. From Osaka to the world stage, Tsukamoto is extraordinary. A perfect final night of the long weekend. | Music | The Alluvion, TC | → thealluvion.org |
| 1:00pm | Metropolitan Opera in HD: Rossini's "The Barber of Seville"TicketedThe Met Opera's live HD broadcast of Rossini's beloved comic masterpiece — screened at the Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts in Manistee. A bit of a drive south of TC but a remarkable value and a world-class experience for opera fans. | Music Cultural | Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, Manistee | → ramsdelltheatre.org |
| 7:30pm | Cherry Bowl Drive-In — Memorial Day Weekend Night 3FamilyThe final night of Cherry Bowl's Memorial Day weekend run. Classics, camp, and popcorn under the stars. Nothing says northern Michigan summer like a Sunday night at the Cherry Bowl. | Theater & Film Family | Cherry Bowl Drive-In, Honor | → cherrybowldrivein.com |
| 10:00am | Memorial Day Ceremony — Leelanau CountyFreeMemorial Day observance in Leelanau County — a moment to pause and honor those who served. Check leelanauticker.com for specific ceremony times and locations across the county. | Cultural | Leelanau County | → leelanauticker.com |