Northport's Greatest Hits in 70th Foundation Anniversary Parade

A parade begins with anticipation, with people along the streets waiting in holiday mood for the marchers and floats to pass by.

The occasion for Sunday's parade in Northport was the 70th anniversary of the Leelanau Township Community Foundation, founded in 1945 to support nonprofit organizations in Northport, Omena, and the surrounding township. Francis Haserot, for whom Haserot Park is named, then owner of the old Northport Cherry Factory, kicked off the Foundation with a $35,000 gift. Organizations and groups benefited by the Foundation were represented in the parade, along with just about every other local group and annual event. Proud banners were held high!

Sorry the old fire engine is a little fuzzy. Apologies also to anyone I've missed. 

If you're wondering why there are so few people on the sidewalks, it's largely because most of the township was in the parade. This was Leelanau Township celebrating itself, not a tourist event -- although any strangers who caught the parade got a good introduction to the community.

And there they go, down to the park for games and refreshments. It was a fantastic parade!

Dashing In for a Quick Shout-Out

Thank heaven I have a commute that soothes my soul on the mornings and evenings I make time to go by the back roads. If you follow that link, you can see more, but I'm not going to write much this morning. Tomorrow is the day that David Roll comes to Dog Ears Books with his nationally important and very well-reviewed new book, The Hopkins Touch, a biography of Harry Hopkins, advisor to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during World War II, and I'm a little antsy about the event. It takes a lot of planning to have authors come to my bookstore -- getting books, exchanging e-mails, advertising, sending out press releases, posting fliers, putting invitations and notices on Facebook, etc. I don't just give an author a place to sit and let him sink or swim. It's pretty incredible, too, the quality of writers who have been willing to come up to little Northport at the end of an Up North peninsula. Your online bookseller will never come through for you like this, so think it over, and please -- if you're going to buy the book, buy it from me. I'm your local bookseller, whether you shop local or not.

February Fun in Northport

Friday morning coming into town

Snow! How can there be fun in February without snow? In Northern Michigan there hasn't been much we could do about it this year, so most locals were relieved when the snow arrived on Friday, in time for the weekend.

Nothing goes together like kids and a sled

Looking north on Mill Street from Tom's Market

That's because today, Saturday, the main action will be north of town, where Winter Carnival will be taking place at Braman Hill from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Go north on Mill Street and turn left at the corner where you see North End Restaurant. Go up past the Old Mill Pond B&B. Look for the cars!

Forced forsythioa

As for me, I will be indoors at my bookstore, as usual, for anyone who gets too cold or too tired or just can't resist a quiet, sunny bookstore afternoon. Each of us has a role to fill in the community, and I chose mine nineteen years ago. Dog Ears Books is where you'll find me, even on a winter day.


Tonight? You want evening fun? The Garage Bar & Grill on Waukazoo Street has arranged for that! Beginning at 9 p.m., two bands will be playing in a specially constructed warm area, with tables cleared out of the restaurant to make room for dancing.

George is getting ready

Space under transformation

By tonight the drafts will be all sewed up, and the fun can begin. It's the first gig for the Droogs, so tonight will give new meaning to the term "garage band." Absolutely Nothing--that's the name of the other band--will be the pros on the bill.





And there! I have done my part, composing online (which I don't usually do), not proof-reading, not going for the fancy capitals at the beginning of paragraphs, all to get the word out that today is the day for fun in Northport!