Happy Friday, Traverse City. Hope you get a chance to relax this weekend. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let TC Brief serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.

📰 In the news

Local happenings: Drivers endure almost two grand in repair bills, a charity is giving away free backpacks, and a startup is devising a handheld PFAS sensor — catch up here.

State-level stories: Michigan teens showcase projects from livestock to robotics, drivers shoulder almost three thousand extra in road repairs, and a nuclear reactor roars back online — see what else is brewing.

National headlines: Homeowners are delisting homes rather than cutting prices, the S&P 500 hit record on AI gains, and Ford recalled 500,000 SUVs for brake hose flaws — peruse the best of the rest.

Highlights this week

• Attend free Peer Gynt family concert
• Forge your own silver ring with Jade
• Complete BLS training online then in-person
• Heal grief together with licensed healers
• Shark robot vacuums are 51% off on Amazon ’til 9/2

Drafty windows costing you?

Every time your furnace kicks on this winter, you’re basically heating the great outdoors. Old doors and windows leak heat, there’s no way around it. They don’t last forever, especially up north.

The Window Source of Western Michigan gets what the brutal winters do to houses—they’ve been upgrading homes around Traverse City for years.

No pushy sales tactics, just honest advice about which windows will actually save you money long-term. They’ll show up, measure everything, and explain your options, and in plain English.

Call 231-946-3697 or visit The Window Source to get your free quote.

Wanna see your business featured in a future ad spot like this? 👆

Fill out this quick form and we’ll get you in an upcoming edition!

🫶 We got your back

Bookstores: Sometimes you need more than an e-book, and you want the smell of paper and the thrill of flipping real pages. Around Traverse City, these bookstores have cozy corners and hidden treasures you won’t find anywhere else.

Produce: Never miss Michigan’s ruby-red strawberries or crisp October apples again. Our local harvest calendar shows exactly when each seasonal gem is at its peak.

Bookclubs: Starting a local book club is easier than you think. These simple steps will have you swapping stories and making friends in no time.

Wine: Whether you’re a casual sipper who still calls everything “red or white” or the friend who won’t shut up about tannins and terroir, Left Foot Charley pours the good stuff. Come for the glass (or bottle), stay for the vibe that makes weeknights feel like weekends.

Home: Labor Day means special deals on all sorts of things, and American Home Shield’s warranty coverage is no exception. For a limited time, they’re offering 50% off select plans than cover your big ticket appliances (yup, even the ones older than dirt).

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Have an event to share? Submit it here for free →

Today

🏃‍♂️ Loop the Lake 4 Mile, 8 Mile, and 2-Person Relay @ Hull Park | Friday (8/29) at 6:00pm – Take on the Boardman Lake Loop with a 4-mile, 8-mile, or two-person relay that winds through leafy curves, boardwalk over water, and pavement slightly rough enough to check your shoe loyalty. It’s scenic, local, and the perfect excuse to carbo-load at your favorite après-run haunt.

🎸 Keith Scott Blues @ Shorts Brewing | Friday (8/29) at 6:00pm – Nothing beats a night out when Chicago’s blues royalty takes over the bar. Keith Scott has spent 40 years squeezing every note with enough grit to sand your floors. Nine albums deep, world-toured, and still sounding effortlessly electric.

This weekend

🐶 Dog Man Kids’ Matinee @ The State Theatre | Saturday (8/30) at 10:00am – Grab your little ones and head to the State Theatre for Dog Man’s $1 kids’ matinee, because overpriced popcorn is overrated. It’s a gloriously absurd canine-human mashup full of heroic fetch tricks, strange surgeries, and one delightfully moustache-twirling cat villain.

🎤 Zie Simmons – Alt Acoustic @ The Workshop Brewing Company | Saturday (8/30) at 8:00pm – If you’ve been craving something raw, local, and acoustic, drop by Workshop Brewing and catch Zie Simmons weaving alt-folk magic between sips. It’s the kind of night where your neighbor might actually impress you, the beer’s decent, and your phone stays in your pocket.

👠 Drag Night on the Nauti-Cat @ Artisan Restaurant Traverse City | Saturday (8/30) at 10:00pm – Honey, this isn’t just a show—it’s a full-on spectacle on the water. With Mimi Southwest, Mercedes Bend-Over, and Lucious L Minj serving fierce looks and sharper wit, you’re in for a night of camp, cocktails, and cackles. Seats are limited, so snatch those tickets and bring a bestie—because fabulousness loves company.

💜 2nd Annual Visible Event | Sunday (8/31) at 10:00am – Eyeliner optional, tissues mandatory, this two-day gathering isn’t a funeral, it’s company for the heavy stuff. Licensed therapists, mediums, critter cuddles, and art workshops await, so bring your tears or your sass. Because grieving with strangers who get it beats solo sobbing at home.

🔨 Silversmithing Workshop @ The Workshop Brewing Company | Sunday (8/31) at 2:00pm – Forget another trivia night. Learn silversmithing at Workshop Brewing with Jade from Jackalope Label and make a ring you’ll actually wear. All tools are on the house, beer is optional, and your friends will be jealous.

🎻 Silver Creek Revival @ The DAM Shop | Sunday (8/31) at 7:00pm – Grab your lawn chair and head into the pines for Silver Creek Revival’s alt-country magic. Six Michiganders swap five-part harmonies like trading baseball cards. They’ll ease you from heartfelt ballads, gypsy jazz, and indie rock, with genuine Northern Michigan charm that never feels forced.

Next week

📚 HIStory / HERstory: Whose Story? @ Glen Arbor Arts Center | Monday (9/1) at 9:00am – If you still think history’s just royal pageantry, swing by the Glen Arbor Arts Center for HIStory/HERstory. Twenty-four artists take aim at the victors’ narrative, stitching in everything from erased Native tales to a mom’s internal monologue. It’s free, insightful, and a great conversation starter.

🃏 Euchre Tournament @ Workshop Brewing Company | Monday (9/1) at 6:30pm – Shuffle up, deal in, and let the cards (and craft beers) flow. No partner? No problem—this singles-style tournament rotates each round, so you’ll meet plenty of fellow card sharks. Play your hand right and you could snag one of the top prizes… plus bragging rights over your pint.

❓ Quizding Trivia Night @ Brewery Terra Firma | Tuesday (9/2) at 7:00pm – Whether you’re flying solo or dragging along your trivia MVPs, free live trivia pops up every Tuesday at 7 in our favorite corner pub, with teams, lone wolves, food-friendly vibes, and gift certificates for the brainiacs. Finally, a place where your useless facts pay off.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 8/29 Brian T. McCosky @ Brady’s Bar – 3 pm
• 8/29 Broom Closet Boys @ Rove Winery – 5:30 pm
• 8/29 Brother Wolf @ The Little Fleet – 6 pm
• 8/30 Rhett DuCouer @ North Bar – 1 pm
• 8/30 The Schleppinbop Kids @ Traverse City Civic Center – 7 pm
• 8/31 Craig Jolly @ North Bar – 1 pm
• 8/31 DJ 1 Wave @ Union Street Station – 9 pm
• 9/1 Jesse Jefferson @ French Valley – 4 pm
• 9/2 Luke Woltanski @ Bel Lago Vineyards – 3:30 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Traverse City edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Jack Lane (REO-TCRandolph-233022)

This Whiteford-designed East Bay retreat serves up sunrise views, moonlit nights, and a front-row seat to your own sandy beach. The Ipe wood deck is primed for sunset cocktails or lazy afternoons, while stone patios and lush gardens keep things feeling like a private resort. Inside, the main floor primary suite and an office with water views add a dash of everyday luxury.

Just minutes from downtown, this spot makes spontaneous bike rides, morning runs, and late-night ice cream runs almost too easy. Boating, swimming, and beach days are basically a given.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →