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Benzie County Fallfest October 4-5 & 11-12

September 26, 2008 – 12:59 pm

Here's a feature from Absolute Michigan!

Benzie County Coastal Color by John Clement Howe

The annual Fall Festival offers two weeks of fun in Frankfort, Beulah, Benzonia and the surrounding area. The Benzie County Visitor's Bureau has a page of information on the festival and for more details visit the Frankfort-Elberta Chamber.

Weekend of October 4-5

Fall food takes center stage with the Fall Soup Contest on Saturday (Oct 4) in Beulah Park and the Honor Lions Club Hillbilly Breakfast from 8:00 – 12:30 and Darcy Memorial Library of Beulah Cookie Bake Sale at the Trailhead in Beulah. 10am -2pm on Sunday (Oct 5).

There's also a Sidewalk Art Contest and a Fall Market in Beulah on Saturday and the Crystal Lake Elementary FallFest Fundraiser in Benzonia on Saturday with a full lineup of fun for families including a produce & products market, cider press, carnival with prizes, food, refreshments, petting zoo and fire truck rides.

Crystal Mountain offers scenic chairlift rides to view the fall colors (4-6 PM both Saturday the 5th & 12th) and a haunted forest (6:30-9:30 PM) on Saturday and then hosts the Betsie Valley Run on Sunday with a 10K Run and Half Marathon Walk & Run.

Trick or Treat!!! by John Clement Howe

Weekend of October 11-12

At 11 AM on Saturday, October 11 2008, the Fall Festival Parade and Mutt March will take place in downtown Frankfort (costume judging for the Mutts is at 10 AM). Other events following the parade include a Pumpkin luncheon at the Recreation Center, performances by the internationally acclaimed Scottville Clown Band and a ton of fall fun at the Open Space including:

Giant Pumpkin weigh-in (guess the weight and win a bike!)
Mutt Corral with awards and doggy fun
Giant Pumpkin Carving by Ed Moody and Auction
A hay wagon ride through Frankfort with a storyteller
The Pumpkin Regatta
Activities for kids including games, pumpkin decorating, face painting, balloon man, straw maze, fortune teller, pumpkin bowling and pumpkin hillbilly golf!

On Saturday a really cool feature is the Pumpkin Chuckin' Catapults and the Giant Pumpkin Drop on a Car at 3:00 PM in Frankfort! Check out the video below to see what happens when a 500 lb. pumpkin is dropped on a vehicle from over 100 feet in the air.

By betsiebay.net | Also posted in Arts and Culture, Beulah, Community, Food & Dining, Frankfort, Lodging, Media, Photo, Shopping, Stories, Thompsonville | Comments (0)

Glider Ride: Soaring over Frankfort

September 4, 2008 – 6:37 am

In our latest video, Glider Ride, Ken takes a ride in a glider…

If you'd like to take your own ride in a glider, check out the Northwest Soaring Club, who say:

If you are new to the sport and simply looking for the ride of a lifetime, come and take an introductory flight with one of our experienced pilots. You will experience first hand the quite wonder of seemingly motionless flight while sitting above some of the most glorious countryside in the Midwest. With Lake Michigan to the west, the cities of Frankfort and Elberta surrounding the historic Betsie Bay, and the many crystal clear inland lakes you will find the sport of soaring as enchanting as it is exciting. Prices begin at $55 to join our club for a day and taking an introductory flight.

The Wind Riders by Bob Downes in the Northern Express has a great look at soaring in the Frankfort area – from history to and modern day.

By betsiebay.net | Also posted in Arts and Culture, Community, Frankfort, Lodging, Media, Outdoor Recreation | Comments (0)

Blocking The View

August 18, 2008 – 7:50 pm

Blocking The View, photo by jbnuthatch.

jbnuthatch writes Channel marker base on the northern stub pier of Frankfort Harbor. The channel is the entrance into Betsie Bay – a.k.a. Lake Betsie

Sorry posting has been light this month – too much fun stuff to do outside!
Speaking of lighthouses, if you haven't already, take a look at The Town Between Two Lighthouses video!

By betsiebay.net | Also posted in Arts and Culture, Community, Frankfort, Lodging, Media, Outdoor Recreation, Photo | Comments (0)

Tribute to Gwen Frostic

August 4, 2008 – 8:35 pm

A very well produced short film by Steve Palackdharry, narrated by Huel Perkins:

He writes:

A short tribute film on Gwen Frostic, the legendary Michigan artist who died on April 25, 2001 – the day before her 95th birthday. Frostic was owner and president of a multi-million publishing company in Benzonia, Michigan. As a child, she contracted polio and it affected her walk and her speech. But it never affected her ability to create intricate designs faithful to nature. She continued to work until days before died. The interview with Frostic that I did for this film was done six months before her death.

Visit Steve Palackdharry's website for more about his work and Gwen Frostic Prints for more about this Benzie legend and her work.

You can also see the presses in action in this video.

By betsiebay.net | Also posted in Arts and Culture, Benzonia, Media, Shopping, Stories | Comments (0)

Josh White Jr. at the Betsie Bay Inn

July 1, 2008 – 7:01 am

On Friday July 11th the Betsie Bay Inn & Restaurant in Frankfort will host Josh White Jr. from 8-10 PM. Josh is the son of legendary folk & blues player Josh White and a fantastic musician in his own right. If you can, you should go. Visit their site or call the Betsie Bay Inn at (231) 352-8090 for details!

Here's a video of Josh playing a little song high above the Michigan countryside with fellow guitarist Mike Ball and pilot Scott Lorenz of Westwind Balloon Company:

By betsiebay.net | Also posted in Arts and Culture, Frankfort, Media, Stories | Comments (0)