Happy Friday, Traverse City. In today’s edition: Merry Marketplace Holiday Pop-Up, Holiday Festival with the Phil, The Christmas Journey, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Mischief in a Christmas pageant: Elk Rapids Players present the holiday show “Shazam!” in the rescued Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall after a community group bought the 1883 building to secure its future for performances — read the full story.

A new model for teens: The Grand Traverse County Health Department will close Kingsley’s K-town Youth Health Center on Dec. 18 as it pivots to an in-school E-3 mental health program planned for Kingsley Schools — get all the details.

Snowy outdoor escape awaits: Hop Lot Brewing Co., USA Today’s 10Best No. 2 beer garden, has opened its winter Igloo Village in Suttons Bay with 18 heated, reservable igloos, bonfire pits, and 90-minute reservations — get all the details.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• Shop the 27th Annual Christmas Cookie Sale
• Meet Santa at Cherryland Children’s Christmas Party
• Celebrate Christmas in The Village
• Bid and shop to help Humanitarian Relief Efforts
• Enjoy Encore Symphonic Winds’ free holiday concert
• See why December’s the best time to try new hearing aids
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%

🫶 We got your back

Plan ahead, local travelers: Heads up: Grand Traverse County Treasurer’s Office has paused passport services as of Dec. 1 due to Governmental Center renovations. No restart date yet. Existing December appointments will be honored, but no new bookings. Need a passport? Try East Bay or Acme Township offices, or the Union Street post office. Learn where to go instead.

A festive dream realized: Traverse City’s Sherri Glezman has turned a decades-old wreath hobby into Outdoor Decor Traverse City, which recently opened a cozy log-cabin shop. The team now makes thousands of fresh Frazier Fir wreaths (about 2,300 in 2024) and hosts cocoa-fueled wreath-making parties. Forty years in, the holiday hustle is still growing. Read the full story.

Tap list to explore: Craving variety without the mental calculus? 7 Monks Taproom pours a constantly changing slate, from crisp lagers to hazy hop bombs and rich, malty sippers. Settle in for the neighborly vibe that turns a quick pint into a midweek catch-up before you even check the board.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy that targets regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify your identity and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 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.

Today

🍸 Prohibition Party & 12 Year Anniversary @ The Parlor | Friday (12/5) at 4:00pm – If you’ve been waiting for an excuse to dust off the pearls and forget what decade it is, The Parlor’s 12th is it. Live jazz, giggle water, classic cocktails with modern twists, half-off happy hour, photo ops, and just enough vintage flair to feel like you stepped back in time.

🖼️ Art Exhibition for Conservation: Jerry Gates Collection @ Conservation Resource Alliance | Friday (12/5) at 4:00pm – Shopping for something better than another scented candle? Swing by CRA’s office for the Jerry Gates art exhibition, featuring work from a local artist, teacher, and fisherman, where every piece you buy funds real river restoration in Northern Michigan, and each piece makes a meaningful impact.

This weekend

🎁 Merry Marketplace Holiday Pop-Up @ Crooked Tree Arts Center | Saturday (12/6) at 10:00am – If your holiday shopping list is giving you stress hives, this pop-up market is your cure. Browse handmade goods, original art, and gifts you definitely won’t find in the big-box aisles. Plus, Brilliant Books is hosting a cozy little book fair to round out your haul. It’s festive, local, and way more fun than panic-buying at midnight online.

🎺 Holiday Festival with the Phil @ Traverse City Philharmonic | Saturday (12/6) at 3:00pm – Festive brass, big tubas, and group carols fill the Traverse City Philharmonic Center at Cherryland Mall—and the whole thing is free. Bring the kids, the in-laws, and your camera for TubaChristmas and family-friendly surprises, all wrapped in low-stress holiday cheer.

✨ A Celebration of Wonder and Cheer @ City Opera House | Saturday (12/6) at 6:30pm – Break out the fancy shoes and meet me at City Opera House for a holiday bash with Broadway sparkle, playful performances, and the Christmas classics you secretly love. Heavy hors d’oeuvres before the show, cash bar throughout. Cocktail attire, bring your A-game.

🎬 Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo @ The State Theatre | Sunday (12/7) at 10:00am – Skip the eggs Benedict at home and head to the State for TCFF’s Sunday Brunch Cinema. Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo screens on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, with coffee, pastries, and a compelling slice of WWII history.

🎶 Messiah Sing @ Central United Methodist Church | Sunday (12/7) at 4:00pm – Whether you’re a full-voice belter or a quiet participant, join the annual community Messiah sing at Central United Methodist on Cass with the NMC Grand Traverse Chorale, organ, and chamber orchestra. Borrow a score, add your voice, donate if you can.

🎄 The Christmas Journey @ New Hope Community Church | Sunday (12/7) at 5:30pm – New Hope Community Church turns the woods into Bethlehem with a 45-minute guided walk through the Christmas story, live actors, animals, and a nativity. Think Mary and Joseph, awestruck shepherds, wandering wise men. It’s outdoors, so bundle up and wear real shoes.

Next week

✍️ Jim Harrison, A Writer’s Life – with biographer Todd Goddard @ City Opera House | Monday (12/8) at 7:00pm – Up North lit nerds, this is your Super Bowl. The National Writers Series hosts Todd Goddard to unpack the first and only literary biography of Jim Harrison, with Doug Stanton, longtime mentee and local legend, steering the chat. Expect stories, blunt wisdom, and myth-polishing.

🛍️ Holiday Artisan Boutique @ Oliver Art Center | Tuesday (12/9) at 10:00am – If you prefer gifts with a story, not a barcode, swing by the Holiday Artisan Boutique at Oliver Art Center. Local makers bring handmade cards, ornaments, accessories, and ready-to-gift treasures. Skip the big-box shuffle, support neighbors, and make your mantel look smug.

🎥 Souleymane’s Story @ State Theatre | Tuesday (12/9) at 1:00pm – Whether you still call it takeout or pretend DoorDash counts as cardio, this TCFF Tuesdays pick at the State Theatre lands with real weight. A gripping French drama about an asylum seeker courier, Cannes lauded, and a NYT Critic’s Pick, it’s smart, urgent, unforgettable.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/5 NMC Music Student Convocation @ Milliken Auditorium – 1 pm
• 12/6 Scarkazm @ Fraternal Order of Eagles – 7 pm
• 12/7 Duke Ellington’s “Nutcracker” @ Dedrinos Chapel – 7:30 pm
• 12/11 The Nutcracker @ Corson Auditorium – 7:30 pm
• 12/12 The Timebombs @ Union Street Station – 6 pm
• 12/12 Mal & Mike @ North Bar – 7 pm
• 12/13 Reese Keelor @ The Parlor – 9 pm
• 12/14 Cherry Capital Men’s Chorus @ Traverse Area District Library – 3 pm
• 12/14 Mr. Sun @ The Dennos Museum Center – 6 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: Barb Krueger (Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices – TC)

5 beds plus an office, 3.5 baths, and 3,500 square feet on 10 wooded acres at a quiet Leelanau cul-de-sac, 15 minutes to downtown TC. Two story living room with fireplace and tree views. Island kitchen, main floor laundry, and a heated three stall garage with bonus room.

Main level primary suite with walk-in and new luxury bath. Upstairs, two bedrooms and a bath. Finished walkout adds two more bedrooms, an office, and a theater. Outside, a custom patio, firepit, playhouse, and maple syrup sugar shack. Summer camp for grown-ups energy, with geothermal HVAC.

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