There’s something magical about late August up north: warm Lake Michigan breezes, farmer’s markets brimming with just-picked produce, and long golden evenings. This year, that seasonal charm comes with a new twist. For the first time ever, Traverse City is hosting the Traverse City Food & Wine Festival, a five-day celebration of local flavor that’s both elevated and approachable. It’s a multi-day event showcasing the bounty of the region’s agriculture, craft, and creativity, think renowned chefs, homegrown wines, scenic venues, and a schedule full of delicious experiences. Whether you’re a Metro Detroit family plotting a last summer getaway, a wine lover eager to taste Michigan’s finest vintages, or a foodie searching for the next big culinary event, Traverse City Food & Wine 2025 promises something special. Here’s an inside look at this inaugural festival and why it’s generating buzz from Detroit to the Upper Peninsula (and beyond).
What Is the Traverse City Food & Wine Festival?
Traverse City Food & Wine is an all-new culinary festival running from Wednesday, August 20 through Sunday, August 24, 2025. Organized by Traverse City Tourism and presented by local sponsors, the festival spans over 70 food and wine events across more than 20 locations in the Traverse City area. In other words, this isn’t a single-location food fair – it’s a region-wide extravaganza taking place at wineries, farms, restaurants, the lakeshore, and even on boats. The goal is simple: offer a deeper, more delicious taste of what makes northern Michigan so special.
At its core, the festival is designed to celebrate local Michigan ingredients and culinary talent. Attendees can indulge in bold bites from acclaimed chefs, sip on over 100 local wines and craft beverages, and learn from experts in cooking and pairing, all set against the stunning Lake Michigan backdrop. It’s an immersive way to discover (or rediscover) the Traverse City region’s food scene. Unlike massive big-city food festivals where you might feel lost in the crowd, Traverse City’s event aims to feel personal and uniquely local. Organizers intentionally kept many events intimate and interactive, so guests can meet the chefs, vintners, and farmers behind the flavors. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, in true Up North style.
When and where
Key happenings will be centered in downtown Traverse City (notably the Open Space park by the bay) and at wineries on the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas that cradle the city on August 20-24, 2025. Events are individually ticketed, you can pick a single tasting or fill your itinerary with activities morning to night. Some events are free or low-cost, while marquee experiences (like gourmet dinners) command premium tickets. With so much going on, the festival offers a choose-your-own-adventure approach to eating and drinking your way through northern Michigan’s late summer bounty.
Michigan summer food and wine bucket list, check our 50 Must-Do Summer Activities in Michigan
Star-Studded Chefs with Michigan Roots
One reason Traverse City Food & Wine 2025 has food lovers statewide excited is the impressive lineup of culinary talent it’s bringing to town. In fact, the roster reads like a who’s who of Michigan’s food scene, featuring celebrity names alongside homegrown favorites. At the top of the bill is Tyler Florence, a Food Network veteran and two-time James Beard Award nominee, who will headline the festival. Florence isn’t just flying in for a cameo, he actually has a history in northern Michigan (having worked at Traverse City’s Grand Traverse Resort early in his career) and is returning to host an exclusive dinner and participate in demonstrations. His presence brings star power and underscores the festival’s serious culinary cred.
Joining Florence are several nationally recognized chefs with Michigan roots. Chef Mei Lin, winner of Top Chef and a Dearborn, MI native, will be on hand, blending her international experience with a home-state homecoming. From the Detroit area, chefs Sarah Welch and Cameron Rolka, known for leading acclaimed restaurants Marrow and Mink – are newcomers to Traverse City’s scene and plan to open a new restaurant there next year. They’ll be previewing their farm-to-table creativity at the festival’s tastings. Also on the roster are Ji Hye Kim of Ann Arbor’s beloved Miss Kim (a five-time James Beard semifinalist), Kate Williams formerly of Lady of the House in Detroit, Omar Anani of Detroit’s modern Moroccan hotspot Saffron De Twah, and Celina Tio of Belfry in Kansas City.
Crucially, Traverse City’s own culinary stars will share the spotlight too. Husband-and-wife chefs Jennifer Blakeslee and Eric Patterson of Traverse City’s iconic farm-to-table restaurant The Cooks’ House will not only cook for attendees but even lead a local farmer’s market tour culminating in a cooking demo. Renowned local wineries and eateries, from Chateau Chantal to The Good Bowl and more, are participating as well. In short, the festival lineup blends big names and local heroes, all with a personal connection to Michigan’s food culture. “We’re bringing in chefs who know and love this area, alongside our local talent,” explains Traverse City Tourism’s COO, emphasizing that many of the visiting chefs either hail from Michigan or have strong ties here. The result is a program of dinners, tastings, and classes that feels exciting yet authentically “close to home” for Michiganders.
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Traverse City Food & Wine, Facebook
Highlights of the Festival Week
With five days of programming, Traverse City Food & Wine offers plenty to do. Here are some of the major events and experiences that attendees can look forward to:
- Grand Tasting at the Open Space (Saturday, Aug 23): The marquee event, held outdoors at Traverse City’s scenic Open Space Park on the waterfront, will feature a bit of everything. Attendees can roam between tents to sample small plates crafted by both local and visiting chefs, sip from over 100 local wines and craft beverages, and catch live cooking demonstrations and music. This noon-to-4 p.m. tasting gala is essentially a giant picnic meets gourmet market, Michigan’s summer flavors all in one place. Don’t be surprised to see families with strollers alongside serious wine aficionados here; it’s designed to be casual, fun, and filled with discovery. (Pro tip: bring sunscreen and a hearty appetite!)
- Celebrity Chef Dinner: A few intimate tasting dinners cap the evenings, including a four-course dinner hosted by Chef Tyler Florence at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. This exclusive event gives guests a chance to savor Florence’s cuisine up close, pairing his California-meets-Michigan dishes with local wines. Expect artfully plated courses, personal stories from the chef, and a once-in-a-lifetime meal, tickets for this are limited and expected to sell out fast.
- Winery Estate Dinners & Cookouts: Throughout the week, local wineries will host special dinners and summer cookouts on their vineyards. Imagine an al fresco dinner among the rolling vines of Old Mission Peninsula, or a rustic BBQ at a Leelanau farmstead with a view of the bay. These events let visitors dine in situ, right where the grapes are grown, for a true farm-to-table (and vine-to-glass) experience. Many feature multi-course menus by guest chefs paired with the winery’s own vintages.
- Tasting and Pairing Classes: For those who love to learn while they sip, the festival offers educational tastings and workshops. For example, a seminar titled “Dirt to Glass: Elevating Michigan Wine” dives into how the region’s unique soils and climate influence the wine in your glass (perfect for budding oenologists). Other sessions will pair food and wine in guided tastings, teaching participants how to match local varietals with complementary flavors. You can also join cooking demonstrations, from mastering a perfect summer tart to crafting cocktails with local spirits, some even held at the Traverse City Farmers Market, using produce picked that morning. It’s a chance to pick up kitchen tips from the pros.
- 5K Vineyard Run/Walk (Friday, Aug 22): Balance out all those calories with a bit of cardio! One morning of the festival, participants can run or walk a 5K course through the vineyards on the Leelanau Peninsula. This scenic fun run winds between rows of grapes and hills, offering breathtaking views (and maybe a sneak taste of grapes on the vine). It’s a family-friendly, all-ages activity, strollers and kids welcome, that lets you literally step into northern Michigan wine country in a unique way.
- Food & Wine Sails on Grand Traverse Bay: In a pairing only Traverse City could offer, the festival includes wine-tasting boat cruises on Grand Traverse Bay. You can book an excursion on classic sailing vessels like the Wind Dancer or Nauticat, where you’ll sample local wines while gliding over blue waters. With the sun on your face and a glass in hand, you’ll get to toast the coastline from offshore, a truly “Up North” way to cap an evening.
- Sunday Brunches and Progressive Dinners: As the festival winds down, Sunday (Aug 24) features relaxed brunches and progressive meals at various locations. These might include a multi-stop tasting tour that takes you from appetizers at one cafe to mains at a second restaurant and dessert at a third, or a lakeside brunch buffet highlighting Michigan-grown eggs, fruits, and baked goods. It’s a final, leisurely taste of Traverse City’s hospitality before everyone heads home.
This is just a taste of the packed schedule, in total, dozens of events are on offer, ranging from hands-on classes (like blending your own custom whiskey or learning to distill vanilla) to cultural tie-ins like National Writers Series talks featuring food authors. There’s truly something for every palate and curiosity level. Traverse City Tourism will be updating the event list online continuously, so attendees can mix and match events that suit their interests. Whether you choose one special outing or try to hit five in a day, the festival lets you sip, savor, and explore at your own pace.
Insider tips for a perfect Traverse City getaway, visit our blog about Michigan Lake Towns Travel Guide
A Perfect Setting: Northern Michigan’s Wine Country
Why Traverse City? Those who know Michigan aren’t surprised that this lakeshore town is launching a major food and wine festival, in fact, the reaction has been “Why didn’t this happen sooner?”. Traverse City has long been celebrated for its natural beauty and agriculture. It proudly wears the title of Cherry Capital (thanks to the National Cherry Festival each summer) and has a growing reputation as the hub of Michigan’s wine country. The region around Traverse City is home to 50+ wineries spread across the verdant hills of the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas. Thanks to glacial soils, well-drained slopes, and the tempering effects of Lake Michigan, this area grows varietals like Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay particularly well. (Fun fact: the climate here is similar in latitude to parts of France and Germany, which is why Traverse City’s rieslings often earn comparisons to those from the Rhine or Alsace.)
In recent years, Michigan’s wine and craft food scene has truly blossomed. Boutique wineries, farm-to-table restaurants, and artisanal producers have popped up all over the north. Nearly 300 wineries now operate across Michigan, and the state’s wine regions attract about 1.7 million tourists annually, generating $330 million in spending. Traverse City is the crown jewel of this movement, a place where you can spend the day wine-tasting among vineyards, then dine at a chef-owned local restaurant downtown. The festival is a natural extension of this identity, essentially bottling up all of Northern Michigan’s flavors into one event.
Another reason Traverse City is the perfect host: it’s not just about wine, but the whole farm-to-fork ethos. Surrounding the city are cherry orchards, berry farms, dairy farms, and specialty growers that supply everything from heirloom tomatoes to lavender. “The region’s unique climate, the bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and diversity of high-quality agricultural products create a culinary atmosphere worth celebrating,” notes Trevor Tkach, president of Traverse City Tourism. In other words, Traverse City has all the ingredients, quite literally, for a fantastic food festival. Visitors will taste locally caught Whitefish, handcrafted farm cheeses, foraged morel mushrooms, and of course plenty of Michigan wine and craft brews. It’s a showcase of what Midwest terroir can do, set in a town that’s equal parts rugged nature and refined taste.
Something for Everyone – Families, Foodies, and Tourists Alike
One of the festival’s strengths is its broad appeal. It’s carefully curated to engage hardcore food and wine enthusiasts and casual visitors (including families with kids). If you’re worried a “food & wine” event might be too fancy or adult-centric, rest assured that Traverse City Food & Wine is designed with variety in mind. In fact, festival organizers have made it easy to pick and choose activities that fit your group’s interests, budget, and comfort level.
For families, there are plenty of family-friendly highlights woven into the schedule. The big Grand Tasting on Saturday, while offering wines for the grown-ups, is a casual outdoor affair that is stroller-friendly with lots of open space for kids to move around. Parents can sample bites and beverages while the little ones enjoy the park atmosphere (perhaps with a Moomers ice cream cone in hand from a local vendor). The 5K Vineyard Run is an activity parents and kids can do together, a chance to burn off energy in the morning and experience the countryside as a family. Farm tours will let children see animals, tractors, and where food comes from (all while adults sneak in a tasting or two). Many of the brunches and daytime tastings take place in laid-back settings like breweries or cafes that welcome kids and offer flexible menus. In short, this isn’t a stuffy wine gala; it’s a fun, community-oriented festival where locals and visitors of all ages can find something to enjoy. As one family travel writer put it, Traverse City Food & Wine “feels both exciting and close to home” for attendees, meaning you get the world-class food without sacrificing the friendly Michigan vibe.
For the foodies and wine lovers, needless to say, this event is a dream come true. The sheer scope of tastings – from rare varietals to inventive dishes, offers endless prospects to expand your palate. Serious wine aficionados can seek out reserve wine tastings or chat with vintners about this year’s grape harvest. Craft beer and cider fans will also find local pours, since northern Michigan’s beverage scene includes microbreweries and cideries too. Meanwhile, culinary enthusiasts can geek out over chef demos, get cookbook autographs, or even discover new restaurants (perhaps you’ll be among the first to taste a bite from the upcoming Umbo restaurant that Detroit chefs Welch and Rolka are planning). The festival effectively bridges Michigan’s culinary communities, it brings Detroit and Ann Arbor’s rising chefs up to Traverse City, and invites Traverse City’s food artisans to shine on a bigger stage. This cross-pollination is exciting for everyone involved.
And let’s not forget the out-of-town tourists. Traverse City in August is pure bliss: warm days, cool nights, beaches, and sunsets that linger past 9 PM. It’s no wonder people are flying in from around the country for this festival. In fact, with over 20 direct flights into Traverse City during summer, the event has drawn attendees from as far as New York and Texas, not to mention a big Midwest contingent. If you’re visiting from outside Michigan, the festival is a perfect centerpiece for a Northern Michigan vacation. You can spend your days enjoying food and wine, and your off days exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes, kayaking on an inland lake, or strolling the charming shops of downtown Traverse City. Locals often refer to this kind of trip as going “Up North,” a treasured tradition for Metro Detroit families seeking relaxation and natural beauty. Now, with the Food & Wine Festival in the mix, that Up North tradition gets a flavorful upgrade.
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Traverse City Food & Wine, Facebook
Insider Tips for Making the Most of Your Visit
Planning to attend Traverse City Food & Wine 2025? Here are a few local tips to help you maximize the fun (and flavor):
- Plan (and book) ahead: With over 70 events on the schedule, it pays to do a little research and reserve tickets early for any must-do experiences. Popular events, like the Tyler Florence dinner or the Grand Tasting, are expected to sell out. Check the official website for the latest event lineup and ticket availability, and snag your spots as soon as you can. Also, book your lodging in advance. Late August is peak travel season in Traverse City, so hotels, resorts, and rentals fill up quickly (especially with a big festival in town). Whether you opt for a downtown hotel like the Delamar (home to the opening night party) or a cozy cabin on the lake, make your reservations early for the best choice.
- Customize your itinerary: Don’t feel pressure to attend everything, there’s simply too much! Instead, pick events that match your interests and pace. For instance, if you’re a morning person or have kids, start the day with a family-friendly activity like the vineyard 5K or a farm tour. Save your date nights for an evening wine dinner or a pairing class while the kids stay with grandparents. If you’re most excited about wine, focus on the tasting tours and winery events; if food is your focus, load up on chef demos and dinners. The festival’s beauty is its flexibility; you can make it high-end gourmet or casual and light, depending on what you enjoy.
- Explore beyond the festival: While the Food & Wine events will keep you busy, make time to enjoy Traverse City’s local charm. Take an hour to walk Front Street downtown, you’ll find lovely bookstores, boutiques, and Moomers Homemade Ice Cream (a local legend). If you need a break from eating, drive out scenic M-22 along the Leelanau Peninsula for a dose of Lake Michigan vistas (you might even stop at a roadside farm stand for fresh cherries or sweet corn). The festival cleverly schedules some downtime between major events, so use that to sightsee or simply relax on the beach. Remember, you’re in one of the Midwest’s most beautiful destinations.
- Come hungry (and thirsty), but pace yourself: With so many tastings on offer, it’s easy to get full fast. Locals suggest a strategy: share samples with your partner or friend so you can try more things, stay hydrated (carry a reusable water bottle), and take small breaks. Maybe watch a cooking demo seated in the shade, or go for a short walk along the bay between tasting tents. This ensures you won’t burn out by midday. And if you’re sampling alcoholic beverages, be sure to have a designated driver or use the festival’s shuttle/transport options so everyone stays safe. Moderation means you’ll enjoy the entire day and still feel great for tomorrow’s lineup.
- Dress for comfort with a touch of “Up North” style: The vibe at Traverse City Food & Wine is “comfortable chic.” You’ll see sundresses and shorts, sandals and sun hats. Dress in layers; August days can be warm (high 70s°F), but evenings by the lake get cool, so bring a light sweater or jacket. Comfortable walking shoes are a must, as you might be on grass at winery events or walking between downtown venues. Basically, think picnic by the lake meets casual summer wedding attire. And don’t forget sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen) for those daytime outdoor tastings.
By following these tips, you’ll blend right in with the Michigan locals and get the most out of your festival experience. Traverse City’s laid-back hospitality means even a large event like this will feel welcoming and manageable, the key is to plan a little, then relax and enjoy.
Wine lovers can also explore Sleeping Bear Dunes nearby, explore Sleeping Bear Dunes Like a Local: What to See, Do, and Know Before You Go
The Traverse City Food & Wine Festival 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting weekends of the summer in Michigan. It’s not just about indulging in great food and drink (though there will be plenty of that); it’s about celebrating community, local farms, talented chefs, and the unique culture of northern Michigan. Over five days, visitors will get to taste, learn, and play in a way that engages all the senses, truly a feast for both palate and soul. From the perspective of a lifelong Michigander, this festival feels like a natural new tradition, one that could very well join the Cherry Festival and Film Festival as a signature Traverse City event in years to come.
If you love discovering local flavors or you’re simply looking for an unforgettable way to end your summer, put Traverse City Food & Wine on your calendar. It’s an experience that promises to leave you with a deeper appreciation for Michigan’s food scene, and probably a few new favorite wines, recipes, and memories too. Don’t miss out on being part of this inaugural celebration of Michigan’s taste and terroir.
Ready to savor Northern Michigan like a local? Start planning your trip to Traverse City for August 20–24, 2025, and grab your event tickets while they last. If you have questions or want personalized tips for making the most of your visit, reach out to a trusted local expert, there’s nothing like insider advice from someone who truly knows and loves the area. From navigating the festival to exploring the region’s real hidden gems, we’re here to help make your Up North adventure one to remember. Cheers to good food, good wine, and a great time in Traverse City!
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