Keep winter fresh in February with winter festivals and snow-filled fun around Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Snowshoe the vines. Sample chili on an outdoor deck. Hit the slopes at The Homestead. Hunt for the Yeti. Venture into the snowy woods. Play a game of pick-up hockey. Or warm up with a concert or an art exhibit.
There is no reason to whine about winter when you have 71,000 acres of national lakeshore to explore, wineries galore, and creative cultural opportunities. Learn more about winter recreation in the national lakeshore and participate in a guided outing.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes region caters to all interests. Bundle up and make the most of winter.
Leelanau Winter Festivals
Suttons Bay’s Yeti Fest is a popular annual tradition in the heart of downtown Suttons Bay.
Billed "The Best Yeti Fest This Side of the Himalayas," the festival runs 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15 and includes children’s activities, a chili cook-off, snow-themed activities, and Yeti sightings at area merchants.
Yeti Central is the headquarters and will be located at the VI Grill event space adjacent to the bar. For more information, visit suttonsbaychamber.com/yetifest.
In Glen Arbor, the community comes together for a Chili Cook-Off and Perch Fishing Contest. The annual Chili Cook-Off takes place noon-2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15 on the deck at Boonedocks in Glen Arbor with chili tasting, music, and fun.
Admission is $15 per person, ages 6 and up, and includes all the chili samples! Kids under 6 enter for free. Sign-up for the Perch Fishing Contest will be at The Sportsman Shop from 6:30-7 a.m., with fishing to follow on the Glen Lakes. To learn more or enter your chili, head to visitglenarbor.com/event/chili-cook-off.
Snowshoe the vine
Leelanau wineries also offer opportunities to sip and sample wine by a cozy fire or make snowshoe tracks through the vineyards. Explore the snow-covered landscape with friends or bask in the solitude on a solo outing.
Make it a weekend and snowshoe the vine for a truly unique Northern Michigan experience. Check out these wineries for seasonal events, including self-guided snowshoe trails, cross-country skiing, and even sledding.
You can also book a Vine to Wine Snowshoe Tour through Grand Traverse Bike Tours. Offered Saturdays in February and led by a local guide, the tour includes a casual snowshoe hike via a private vineyard trail that connects Suttons Bay Ciders, Ciccone Vineyards and BigLittle Wines.
Or skip all the outdoorsy stuff and find a new favorite vintage at the annual Taste the Passion food and wine event. Hosted by LP Wines from noon-5 p.m. Feb. 14-16, wine lovers unite for perfect pairings of wine and delectable cuisine at each of the participating wineries. Learn more at lpwines.com or book a package through The Homestead.
Art and music programs
Looking for something to occupy your hands and mind and fill your creative cup? After a sleepy January, many art centers resume classes, exhibits, and concerts.
Glen Arbor Arts Center:
The Sky Is Always There is an exhibition that moves beyond direct representation to explore the vastness and the mystery of what lies above us in the atmosphere. The exhibit is on display until March 20.
Reflections In Water is a small exhibit of colored pencil drawings depicting a vital life force by Judith Shepelak. The exhibit will hang until April 24 in the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s Lobby Gallery.
Join Sarah Bearup-Neal, GAAC Gallery Manager, for a free Gallery Walk and Talk of the two exhibits. The talks will be offered 1 p.m. Feb. 8 and March 8 and meet in the GAAC’s Main Gallery.
Check out a diverse schedule of art classes including embroidery, freestyle needlepoint, watercolor, embroidered table runners, book discussions, an introduction to linocut and more.
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Warm up your winter with a concert or recital at Interlochen Center for the Arts. The dance academy students present “Swan Lake” on Feb. 14-16 in Corson Auditorium.
Avid readers may want to opt for Sunrise Nights an Evening with Brittany Cavallaro and Jeff Zentner at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 at The Alluvion. Join authors Brittany Cavallaro and Jeff Zentner as they present a reading and conversation about their cowritten verse-and-dialogue novel Sunrise Nights.
Interlochen’s annual winter festival, Winterlochen, includes free family fun on Feb. 22. Join the students, faculty, and staff for outdoor fun such as sledding and s’mores, or head inside for a variety of arts exploration activities for all ages. The festivities conclude with a multidisciplinary performance showcasing the different art forms represented at Interlochen.
Other February performances include Piano Department Recital, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19; Wind Symphony with Choir, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19; Orchestra and String Orchestra: Basler Memorial Scholarship Benefit, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20; Faculty Recital, 4 p.m. Feb. 23; Guitar Studio and Ensemble Recital, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27; and Jazz Combos 
and Orchestra: Digging Deep with Afro Cuban Jazz, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28.
For a complete list of events, visit interlochen.org/concerts-and-events.
Send off February in style and celebrate Mardi Gras with The Backroom Gang 7-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 at the Old Art Building in Leland. The evening includes food, dancing, and music featuring New Orleans-style jazz courtesy of Traverse City's Backroom Gang and Big Easy bites from Fiddleheads. Cash bar available.
Drinks, Drama & Dessert will offer a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, March 9, at the Old Art Building following a quick sellout of the original 6 p.m. show. Get your tickets ASAP before this one sells out.
Oliver Art Center
She: Honoring Women in Art explores what it means to be a woman and an artist in today’s world. The exhibit runs Feb. 21-March 28 at the Oliver Art Center.
The exhibit highlights the work of four Michigan artists: Judy Jashinksy, Melissa Jones, Rebecca Mott, and Shelly Taylor. Come out for the opening reception 5-7 p.m. Feb. 21 or a concluding artist talk 2-4 p.m. March 28.
In addition, Oliver opens Piece Work: Gee's Bend Quilt Exhibit, Feb 14. This collection of Gee's Bend quilts, on loan from Patricia Peich, will be on display in the Fisher Room in honor of Black History Month.
If you admire or collect pottery, why not learn to make and glaze your own? The center will begin new Ceramics Exploration classes in March. View the calendar for a complete list of events.
With fewer crowds and a landscape sparkling with snow, the Lakeshore remains a wonderful, peaceful place to explore during the winter. Ranger-led snowshoe hikes, family programs, and self-guided hikes are listed on the Lakeshore's calendar.
Ditch your phone and bask in the beauty of nature — it’s the best cure for cabin fever.
Marla R. Miller is a freelance travel writer, blogger, and content writer who enjoys exploring the Sleeping Bear area. Visit her website at marlarmiller.com.