Downtown Manistee Features Beer & Boats During 4th Annual Hops & Props, September 18-20

Downtown Manistee will be brewing as the 4th Annual Hops & Props Craft Beer and Classic Boat Show returns to the riverfront, Sept. 18-20. Tickets for all festival events are on sale now online here.

“Craft Beer and Classic Boats—what’s not to love?” says Patrick Kay, director of the Manistee Main Street Downtown Development Authority. “This is the only event of its kind and what better place to do this than on the shores of Lake Michigan with Craft Beer exclusively from Michigan; the primary home and headquarters of the Century Boat Company for 60 years.”

The festival weekend kicks off on Friday with a 5-course Beer and Food Pairing at Bluefish Kitchen + Bar for $25 per person. Space is limited to 100 and reservations are required by contacting the restaurant directly at 231-887-4188.

Saturday’s festivities run throughout the day and include a Boat Show 10am-7pm along the Riverwalk. As many as 40 classic and wooden boats are expected to line the riverfront, both in and out of the water—including many Century Classic Boats, which were made for 60 years in Manistee. This year, a “Best in Show People’s Choice” award will be presented based on votes from the public.

Saturday also features Art Fair from 10am-7pm directly beside the main event space and live music from 2-7pm in front of the Marina.

The Michigan Craft Beer Tasting takes place from 2-8pm along the downtown streets. Tickets are $20 per person ($25 at the gate) and includes admission, a tasting glass and 6 tickets. Additional tickets are for purchase, at 3 for $5. Some 25 Michigan breweries are expected to participate. Several downtown restaurants will also be featuring “Michigan Beer Tap Take Over” offerings, from 6pm until Midnight.

The weekend concludes with Sunday Brunch, including a buffet, mimosa or Bloody Mary and coffee, from 9-11am at Bluefish Kitchen + Bar. Tickets are $15 per person and advanced reservations are strongly recommended.

For more information on Hops & Props, including the list of participating breweries, log onto VisitManistee.com and click on the “Events & Festivals” tab. You’re also invited to Like the Hops & Props Facebook Page.

Downtown Manistee is home to nearly 150 businesses and community resources, many overlooking the Manistee River Channel and the Riverwalk, with a Central Business District listed on the “National Register of Historic Places.”

The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) of the City of Manistee is an independent, special taxing district created in 1982. The DDA encourages redevelopment and revitalization and is an active participant in economic development, marketing and the stimulation of private investment.

M22 / Sleeping Bear Dunes Foodie Tour Featured on Award-Winning Michigan.org

You’re invited to “Savor the Flavors” along the M22 and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, as part of a new 3-county “Foodie Tour” featured on Michigan.org – the award-winning website of Travel Michigan and its Pure Michigan brand. The self-guided route was crafted by Promote Michigan, with assistance from the Visitor Bureaus in Manistee, Benzie and Leelanau counties.

These three counties have been actively promoting the M22 corridor for several years, as a prime four-season touring route. This new foodie trail features 11 of the area’s top agricultural and culinary destinations, based on guidelines established by the Michigan Culinary Tourism Alliance, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Travel Michigan. The properties on the M22-Sleeping Bear Dunes Foodie Tour include:

• Blue Fish Kitchen & Bar, Manistee
• Douglas Valley Organic Vineyards, Manistee
• Pierport Farms, Onekama
• Elberta Farmers Market, Elberta
• Coho, Frankfort
• Stormcloud Brewing, Frankfort
• Hill Top Soda Shoppe, Benzonia
• Nonna’s Ristorante at The Homestead Resort, Glen Arbor
• Carlson’s Fishery, Leland
• Martha’s Leelanau Table, Suttons Bay
• Leelanau Cheese, Suttons Bay

Known for rolling through lush countrysides and along freshwater shorelines, the M22-Sleeping Bear Dunes area also boasts more than 30 restaurants and charter boat operators that participate in the award-winning “Catch & Cook” program – where a day of fishing turns into a gourmet meal featuring your own fresh catch.

Countless other agricultural and culinary destinations can be found throughout the region, including farm markets, wineries, cideries, meaderies, distilleries, farm-to-table eateries and lodging properties offering unique packages and activities.

To learn more about the M22 area, visit M22ColorTour.com. The site also includes links to the individual county pages.

Manistee County Introduces 3 Ways to Explore Its Newly Updated Historic Buildings Tour

Manistee County boasts one of the finest collections of historic buildings in the nation, according to the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office. More than 80 of these sites have been cataloged—with histories, addresses and photographs—in a new publication released this month.

Four self-guided routes take visitors through the historic central business district of Downtown Manistee, East and West historic home district, as well as destination sights throughout the county. Each tour starts and ends at one of the Historic Museums, where you can stop in and the experienced staff can assist you in learning more about any one of the great historic sites you have explored.

These detailed routes are outlined in a 52-page printed pocket-sized directory, available for free at the Visitor’s Bureau office. It can also be requested by calling 877.626.4783 or by requesting it online at VisitManisteeCounty.com, while supplies last (3,000 copies were printed).

A digital version of the publication can be downloaded in a flip-book format by clicking here.

The Historic Building Tour routes can also be accessed remotely, via the Manistee County mobile app, available in Apple and Android platforms, by following the links below.

• Apple
• Android

The first settlers arrived in Manistee County in 1841 and it was formally organized in 1855. During its first census, in 1860, the county recorded 975 residents. In 1871, the year of the “Great Fire” in Chicago also proved devastating to Manistee, when over half of the city’s buildings were destroyed. The town quickly rebuilt itself and by 1885, the region was flourishing with nearly 15,000 people. In fact, at the time, the area claimed to have more millionaires per capita than any other city in the United States. Lumbering was the first major industry here, given the flowing rivers and Lake Michigan access. Salt mining followed, as did agriculture and fishing, among other smaller commerce operations.

Today, approximately 25,000 people call Manistee County home. The city of Manistee is the county seat, and the only actual city in the county. There are, however, five incorporated villages, eight unincorporated villages and 14 townships in the county. While there are some ties to past industries here, tourism is now driving the local economy—with an emphasis on natural resources, agriculture and historic preservation.

There are 28 properties in Manistee County listed with the State of Michigan as Historic Sites or as having Michigan Historical Markers; 15 properties are listed with the National Register of Historic Places, through the National Park System.

Located along 25 miles of sugar-sand Lake Michigan beaches, Manistee is a Pure Michigan destination, nestled in the heart of the Manistee National Forest. The scenic M-22 highway begins here, at the intersection of US-31, as it heads north 116.6 miles through the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The Manistee County Visitors Bureau is an official travel and tourism organization, incorporated in 1997, as a non-profit agency, to promote Manistee County. Its mission is to promote Manistee County as a travel destination, to increase overnight visits and be the lead organization focusing on building the local tourism economy.

Hops & Props Craft Beer and Classic Boat Show Returns to Downtown Manistee, Sept. 12-14

Downtown Manistee will be brewing as the 3rd Annual Hops & Props Craft Beer and Classic Boat Show returns to the riverfront, Sept. 12-14. Tickets for all festival events go on sale Friday, August 1 online here.

“Last year, we had close to 2000 attendees and we expect this year’s event will be even bigger,” says Patrick Kay, director of the Manistee Main Street Downtown Development Authority.

The festival weekend kicks off on Friday with a reception at the Boathouse Grill, from 5-9pm. Tickets are $10 and are limited.

Saturday’s festivities run throughout the day and include a Boat Show, featuring the Century Boat Club, from 9am to 3pm along the Riverwalk. As many as 40 classic and wooden boats are expected to line the riverfront, both in and out of the water, in an event that has called Manistee home now for 57 years.

Saturday also features an Art’s Alive Art & Artisan Fair from 10am-6pm directly beside the main event space and live music from Noon to 6pm in front of the Marina.

A VIP Beer Tasting begins Saturday at 11:30am and runs until 1pm and includes 15 tasting tickets, a private gathering and lunch with the brewers, a commemorative tasting glass, custom polo shirt and admission to the main beer event. Limited tickets are available for this special preview, at $50 per person.

The Michigan Craft Beer Tasting takes place from 1-6pm along the downtown streets. Tickets are $20 per person and includes 10 tasting tickets. Nearly two dozen Michigan breweries are expected to participate. Several downtown restaurants will also be featuring “Michigan Beer Tap Take Over” offerings, from 6pm until Midnight.

The weekend concludes on Sunday with a Boater’s Brunch from 9-11am in the lobby of the Ramsdell Inn. Tickets are $15 per person.

For more information on Hops & Props, including the list of participating breweries, log onto VisitManistee.com and click on the “Events & Festivals” tab.

Downtown Manistee is home to nearly 150 businesses and community resources, many overlooking the Manistee River Channel and the Riverwalk, with a Central Business District listed on the “National Register of Historic Places.”

The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) of the City of Manistee is an independent, special taxing district created in 1982. The DDA encourages redevelopment and revitalization and is an active participant in economic development, marketing and the stimulation of private investment.

Pure Michigan Nature & History Lovers Will Fall for Camp Tosebo’s Autumn Allure

Nestled amidst more than 50 colorful acres of protected forests along the southern shore of Portage Lake, between Manistee and Onekama, sets a picturesque camp that has been welcoming visitors for generations. Founded in 1912 as a private camp for boys, Camp Tosebo is one of the most historic and treasured vacation retreats in Northern Michigan. Located just off the famed M22 scenic highway, this four-season destination provides the ideal setting to soak up the explosion of fall colors.

Within just a short drive of Camp Tosebo, visitors will find dozens of natural and historic sites waiting to be explored, camera in hand. A nearly 100-mile route, originally created by the West Michigan Tourist Association (www.wmta.org), takes travelers along the winding backroads of M22, M115 and M55 through the nearby towns of Onekama, Pierport, Arcadia, Thompsonville, Kaleva, Brethren and Manistee.

Among the sites one can expect to find nearby are the Lake Bluff Audubon Center & Bird Sanctuary, the North Country Scenic Trail, Arcadia Overlook, Gwen Frostic Studios, the Bottle House Museum and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore – recently named “The Most Beautiful Place in America” by viewers of Good Morning America.

Listed with both the Michigan and National Register of Historic Places, Camp Tosebo boasts three lodging buildings which can collectively accommodate 38 guests.

Originally built as a dance pavilion, the 1893 Victorian-era Clubhouse with its covered porch easily accommodates 17 guests, with nine bedrooms and 7½ bathrooms (five with antique claw-foot tubs). There’s plenty of space to spread out through the fully-equipped chef’s kitchen, dining hall, game room, library and large living room with a stone fireplace.

The rustic Trunk House – which once was a storage facility for the campers’ luggage – is a large, one-room studio with vaulted ceilings, living and dining areas, kitchenette, queen bed and twin bed, and a bathroom with a claw foot tub and shower.

Built in 1910, the Welcome House is a two-story cottage that comfortably sleeps 10-12 people with a main floor master bedroom and bath, two bedrooms with a bath upstairs and a couch that converts to a bed in the living room. Ideal as a vacation rental for a family, this charming cottage is equipped with a fully-stocked kitchen, living room with a brick fireplace, dining room and more.

Situated in the heart of the Manistee National Forest, Camp Tosebo is the ideal setting for a quiet autumn escape, where time is spent walking the trails, paddling the lake, catching up on a good book and relaxing in front of the fireplace. Whether planning a romantic weekend, a family reunion or group gathering, the outdoor splendor and indoor relaxation of Camp Tosebo cannot be compared. Find out for yourself!