Every year, Traverse City resident Mike Norton puts on his boots and spends a day or two jumping up and down on giant cubes of snow. It’s his low-tech, heavy-footed contribution to the success of Traverse City’s annual Cherry Capital Winter Wow!fest, held this year on Feb. 17-19.

Some people will do anything to get out of a day of work. They’ll even spend hours shoveling snow into a giant wooden cube, jump up and down on it like maniacs to make sure it’s properly packed, and then move on to another cube to do it all over again. And again. And again.

Every February, that’s what we do – a dozen of us from the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau and the National Cherry Festival – as part of the preparation for our annual winter carnival, the Cherry Capital Winter Wow!fest. One of the most popular attractions at Winter Wow!fest (held this year on Feb. 17-19) is the Snow Sculpture Garden: 10 massive sculptures carved from huge blocks of snow by teams of master artisans from all over Michigan.

And who makes those huge blocks of snow? We do! Fortunately, it doesn’t take a lot of skill — just a lot of time. (Well, big feet are helpful, too.) A week before the festival, relays of trucks shuttle back and forth between Traverse City and Bellaire, bringing loads of pure white snow donated by Shanty Creek Resorts to the sculpture garden site near the Clinch Park Marina. Then, for two days, we go to work stuffing snow into large 8’x 8’ x 8’ wooden forms.

Each time a load of snow is dumped into the top of the big cubes, we “snow-stompers” climb up into the interior with shovels, breaking up the bigger chunks, spreading each layer out evenly, and jumping up and down on it to pack it into a firm, carvable mass. It’s a little intimidating at first, because you have to jump down into the bottom of a nearly empty box, but as the level of snow rises it gets easier and easier – until you’re standing on the very top trying not to fall off!

Snow-stomping is actually a lot of fun. We get a lot of encouragement from passers-by, and we feel a sense of proprietary pride to watch the master carvers transform our blank-faced cubes into whimsical works of winter art. But we also know that we’re only a few of the many volunteers who help out at Winter Wow!fest, a celebration of  music, food, and fun that takes place each year on the President’s Day Weekend.

This season’s Wow!fest will feature several new events – including the Soup’R Chili 5K, where runners will compete on an oval course along the beach, and the “Curb Crusher” Rail Jam, in which snowboarders and skiers will compete on a series of snow-covered 10-foot ramps.

For the first time, several events – such as the popular Snow Ball Co-ed Softball Tournament and snow sculpture competition – will be held in the City’s Festival Open Space Park on West Grand Traverse Bay. Most other activity will be located across the Grandview Parkway at “Celebration Central,” between Cass and Union streets.

That’s where the action begins on Friday night with “Winter, Wine & Wow,” a reception featuring local wines, craft brews, edibles and live entertainment in a huge heated tent.

Saturday morning will begin with a new, kid-friendly feast — a Cherry Pancake Breakfast in the new ECCO meeting center on Front Street, linked to the festival area by a pedestrian bridge across the Boardman River. The downtown area will continue to be used for a number of Wow!fest attractions, including a series of popular ice sculptures created by the Ice Brigade (of Food Network fame) and a three-day Presidents Weekend Sale.

Other Saturday events include the Monster Dog Pull, where canine Olympians compete for the title of “monster dog” by pulling weighted sleds. There’ll also be winter versions of popular Cherry Festival competitions like the Frozen Pit Spit contest and the Brain Freeze ice cream eating contest,  the uproarious Frozen Bed Race, and the Soup r’ Bowl where participants slurp up soups created by local chefs.

One special Saturday event is a once-only extravaganza to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of Wow!fest partner WKLT as Traverse City’s premiere rock station – it’s the Winter Wow!fest Summer Festival Fantasy, an 80s party featuring music from the 1980s featuring music videos and huge summer festival giveaways including the season’s hottest concert ticket – VanHalen for two!

Snow for the various snowsport competitions is being provided by Shanty Creek Resorts, which is a little too far from town to be a convenient festival venue. Even so, the resort is building a Snow Park and Tubing Hill where families can enjoy the fun of snow-tubing, while local outfitters will be introducing novice skiers and snowshoers to the joys of cold-weather sports.

Competitions that require steeper hills will still be held at the nearby Mt. Holiday Ski Area, including such offbeat competitions as the Friday “Downhill Dash,” a no-holds-barred mountain bike/ski/snowboard race down the ski hill and the “Cardboard Classic” in which competitors must use sleds made only with cardboard, tape and paint. As always, the festival will end Sunday night with a fireworks display above the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.

Come and join us! It’s a lot of fun – even if you’re not stomping snow.

Mike Norton, a native of Grand Rapids, spent 25 years as newspaper writer and columnist before starting a second career as media relations director at the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau. An avid cross-country skier and snowshoer, he lives in the village of Old Mission.

On our Facebook wall in January, we received a lot of great pictures of New Year’s activities, winter sports, favorite cars and snowmen. Here are some of our favorites that we posted on our Pure Michigan Flickr page. Thanks as always to everybody who shared pictures!

February in Pure Michigan means winter fun, food and family events. From award winning musicals to winter sporting events, there’s something for everyone this month.  For more suggestions of things to do this month in Michigan, visit michigan.org.

Southeast

African American History Day
February 4, 2012, Detroit
Join in the celebration of African American history and culture as the Detroit Historical Museum kicks off Black History Month with this annual event. Find gifts from our Artists Market, learn from historical organizations and neighborhood organizations in the area, and bring kids to enjoy entertainment and a caricature artist. Renowned storytellers Ivory D. Williams and Shanta and the Kidz Art Zone will provide enthralling experiences for children. For more information, visit the event website or call (313) 833-1805.

Toy Collectible Show
February 4, 2012, Jackson
The Toy Collectible Show will take place on the Jackson Fairgrounds, inside the heated fair events center.  Attendees can browse more than 155 tables featuring toys from Nascar, Hotwheels, Star Wars, Pez, Matchbox and more. Show information is available by calling (517) 524-8899.

Love, Loss and What I Wore
February 8 – March 4, 2012, Detroit
Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore, an intimate collection of stories covering some of life’s most poignant moments and their corresponding wardrobe, will appear at Detroit’s historic Gem Theatre this month. The evening of vignettes, which is based on the best-selling book of the same name by Ilene Beckerman as well as personal reminiscences from the Ephrons and their friends, will feature a cast of five powerful actresses. Tickets are on sale at the Gem Theatre and Fisher Theatre box offices, at all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com and by calling (313) 963-9800 or (800) 982-2787.

Detroit Boat Show
February 11 – 19, 2012, Detroit
The Detroit Boat Show is the original, biggest and best boat show in the state of Michigan, featuring the premiere showing of hundreds of new 2012 and non-current model boats, motors, trailers, accessories and more. For more information call the Cobo Center at (800) 338-7648 or (313) 338-7648.

Motown Winter Blast 2012
February 11 – 13, 2012, Detroit
Motown Winter Blast is a unique combination of hip and fun winter events that are centered on Campus Martius Park. This year we are celebrating Motown with a fun celebration you will not want to miss. For more information, please visit the event website.

Storytelling Festival
February 18 – 19, 2012, Ann Arbor
Each year The Ark revives the oldest of all the arts with the February Storytelling Festival, featuring talespinners from far and wide. Sunday’s program features kid-oriented stories from 2012 Storytelling Festival artists. For more information, visit the event website or call (734) 761-1800.

Fire & Ice Fest
February 24 – 26, 2012, Rochester
Downtown Rochester’s much-anticipated winter festival features ice sculptures, ice skating, a tubing run, fireworks, and a taste fest inside the warming tent featuring beer and wine provided by Rochester Mills Beer Company. For more information, contact (248) 858-5437.

Shrek The Musical
February 28 – March 11, 2012, Detroit
Shrek the Musical, which tells the story of a swamp-dwelling ogre who goes on a life-changing adventure to reclaim the deed to his land, comes to the Fisher Theatre at the end of the month. Joined by a wise-cracking donkey, this unlikely hero fights a fearsome dragon, rescues a feisty princess and learns that real friendship and true love aren’t only found in fairy tales. For more information on this performance, visit the website or call (313) 872-1000.

Southwest

Ice Breaker 2012
February 3 – 5, 2012, South Haven
Come Enjoy “The Four Seasons of South Haven” Ice Breaker 2012, where the Lake Michigan resort community of South Haven will heat up as it celebrates the 19th annual Ice Breaker festival. A major focus of the event is the sculpting of more than 50 blocks of ice, weighing 300 pounds each, into dazzling displays themed by “The Four Seasons of South Haven.” For more information, visit the event website or call (269) 637-5171.

Winter Blues Festival
February 11, 2012, Marshall
Winter Blues are usually a bad thing but not at this event! This is your chance to enjoy some great live blues music, enjoy dinner (catered by Roma’s Corner Café), or participate in several workshops offered. For more information, visit the event website or call (269) 789-9677.

Kalamazoo Live Green Fair & Home Show
February 18 – 19, 2012, Kalamazoo
The Live Green Fair and Home Show helps families live a healthier life, while saving money and energy too! The show offers products and services from over 60 exhibitors to help families live a greener life. For more information, visit the event website or call (734) 320-5322.

Great Scrapbook Show
February 24 – 25, 2012, Kalamazoo
Shop a large selection of paper crafting products at this scrapbooking and stamping show. For more information, visit the show website or call (810) 287-7711.

Upper Peninsula

International 500 Snowmobile Race
February 4, 2012, Sault Sainte Marie
Mark your calendar for the first Saturday in February and get ready for the thrill of a lifetime, and get ready to see drivers accelerate to speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour on the straight-aways! For more information, visit the event website or call (989)808-5266.

Michigan Ice Fest Family Activities
February 4, 2012, Munising
Different family events throughout the afternoon include the annual cardboard classic, a 5K snowshoe relay, children’s activities and games, food and beverages and a free shuttle to the Michigan Ice Fest climbing activities. Activities are in and behind the American Legion. For more information on this event call (906) 387-2138.

UP Snow Softball Tournament
February 11 – 12, 2012, St. Ignace
Come join the fun as teams compete against each other in the UP Snow Softball Tournament! Teams of 9-12 players will battle the elements as they vie for top honors. This game gives new meaning to the phrase ‘sliding into home plate.’ For more information, call (800) 338-6660.

UP 200 Dog Sled Races
February 16 – 20, 2012, Marquette
The UP 200 is one of America’s premier 12-dog, mid-distance sled dog races. Mushers say this is one of their favorite races, not only because of the challenging race, but because of the cheering crowds and warm welcome they receive here in the Upper Peninsula. Come join in the excitement for the start of the race located in downtown Marquette, MI.  For more information on this event, visit the website or call (906) 228-3072 or (906) 869-2640.

West Central

Camper, Travel, & RV Show
February 2 – 5, 2012, Grand Rapids
This show will fill every square inch of the beautiful DeVos Place with the latest motor homes, fifth wheels, travel trailers, campers, accessories, campgrounds, and vacation destinations. For more information, visit the event website or call (616) 742-6500.

Animal Adventures: Growing Up Wild
February 6, 2012, Grand Rapids
Enjoy an evening of warmth and wonder and discover fascinating things about four animals – a mammal, a reptile, an amphibian and a bird. Watch live animal presentations, enjoy animal story time, explore the Tropical Conservatory by flashlight, or become engrossed in animal art activities. Reservations required by calling Meijer Gardens at (616) 974-5239 or John Ball Zoo at (616) 336-4310.

Nordic Nights Gourmet Dine & Glides
February 11, 2012, North Muskegon
Don’t miss out on one of the best culinary experiences in Michigan this winter. This event includes a four course dinner, ski pass and entrance to heated tent with live music. There will be three stations offering delicious food, featuring a blazing fire placed throughout your 5K glide. Back at the heated tent, guests will enjoy dessert and music by Mike Snell. For more information, call (231) 744-9629.

Grand Rapids Boat Show
February 15 – 19, 2012, Grand Rapids
This Boat Show includes powerboats and more sailboats on display than any other show in the state of Michigan! Fishing boats, water sport accessories and boating services like marina slips and sail lofts will be some of the attractions at DeVos Place. For more information, visit the show website or call (616) 742-6500.

Michigan Winter Beer Festival
February 25, 2012, Comstock Park
Hundreds of hand-crafted beers from Michigan’s finest microbreweries will be served up in this chilly outdoor festival. Entertainment, food and fun will help keep you warm! Tickets are sold in advance and are available online or at the Fifth-Third Ballpark box office or at participating Guild member breweries. For more information, call (517) 327-5004.

East Central

Shakespearean Dreams Performance
February 11, 2012, Saginaw
Poets have come and gone for centuries, but only one is known as “the Bard.” Finzi’s music and Timothy Jones’ powerful voice will bring some of Shakespeare’s most emotionally stirring verses to life. The Pit & Balcony Theatre Co. will perform a semi-staged version of one of the world’s greatest comedies, while the SBSO and the Saginaw Choral Society will perform the music that comedy inspired in Mendelssohn. For more information on this event, call (989) 755-6471.

Shanty Days
February 17 – 19, Caseville
Indulge in some fun in the wintertime! Enjoy four wheeler races, ice fishing, food and beverages tents, live entertainment, craft show, kids’ activities and demo derby. For more information, call (989) 856-3818.

Northeast

Winter Fun Days
February 3 – 5, 2012, Grayling
Lots of fun things for families to do in Grayling starting Friday with Dollar night, DJ music and a marshmallow roast over a campfire. The events continue Saturday and Sunday with free lift tickets and trail passes, Big Air Competition, chili cook off, Slush Pit and Sled Box race. For more information, call (989) 348-9266.

Alpenfrost 2012
February 11, 2012, Grayling
The first annual Alpenfrost winter celebration in downtown Gaylord combines anchor events such as the Polar Plunge and a Craft Beer & Wine Festival at Treetops Resort, with a flurry of downtown activities, games, and merchant sales. Alpine Village will unveil an open-air ice skating rink. For a schedule of events or for more information, visit the event website or call (989) 731-7378.

Treetops Olympics
February 23 – 26, 2012, Gaylord
The Treetops Olympics is an event for the whole family! Participate in crazy games such as Human Bowling, Human Curling and Minute to Win It. For more information, visit the event website or call (888) 873-3867.

Northwest

North American Snow Festival – 2012
February 2 – 5, 2012, Cadillac
Thursday night kicks off with a chili cook-off at this winter festival and the fun doesn’t stop there. Friday brings the Poker Fun Run, sleigh rides, a grilling contest and more entertainment at The Armory. Saturday compete in ice fishing, motorcycle and snowmobile races on Lake Cadillac – and a polar dip in the lake for those brave enough! Sunday, snow sculptures will dot the Lake Cadillac shoreline and the fun continues with more lake races. For more information, call (800) 22-LAKES or (231) 775-0657.

Mid-Winter’s Chocolate Therapy
February 4, 2012, Bellaire
An afternoon of chocolate featuring Michigan chocolatiers. Enjoy tasting samples, chocolate-making demo, cupcake competition, Valentine’s gifts, chocolate spa treatments, live music and more. For more information on this event, visit the event website or call (800)678-4111.

Taste the Passion
February 4 – 5, 2012, Cedar
This special weekend celebrates wine, chocolate and love in anticipation of Valentine’s Day! The combination of winter’s beauty in Leelanau with the special pleasures of life always makes a wonderful weekend. The weekend starts on Saturday as participants head to their first winery stop to collect a souvenir glass, then the fun begins with special pours and tasty chocolate treats offered at wineries throughout the rest of the weekend. In addition to chocolate, savory dishes will be served at a number of tasting rooms. For more information, visit the event website or call (231)421-1172.

Cherry Festival Winter Wonderfest
February 17 – 19, 2012, Acme
The Cherry Capital Winter WonderFest features a “Winter Fun Zone” at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa offering ice skating, bonfires, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and more. In downtown Traverse City, you can find beautiful ice carvings and walk through the snow sculpture park, enjoy live music under the tent at the Annual Soup’r Bowl Competition and Beer Tent and watch the Frozen Bed Race, Monster Dog Pull competition and “Tommy Tropic” juggler, take part in the Brain Freeze ice cream eating competition or frozen cherry pit contest, or take a horse and carriage ride. There’s also a two-day Snowball Winter Softball Tournament at the Grand Traverse Civic Center. For more information, visit the event website.

Michigan celebrated a big birthday in January, and this blog’s 500th post gives another great excuse for cake!  In honor of the milestone, we looked at roads less traveled and came up with a 500-mile (OK, 504 miles) “Top O’ The Mitten To Ya”  road trip that encompasses all the natural beauty and relaxation of Pure Michigan.

Start in Muskegon, home to Michigan’s Adventure Amusement and Waterpark.  If the season’s not right for the “Shivering Timbers” rollercoaster (or Muskegon’s 27 miles of beach), explore life as an old-timey lumber baron at the Hackley and Hume Historic Site.

Heading north will lead you to the beaches, trails, lighthouses and dunes of beautiful Ludington, where you (and your car) can cruise Lake Michigan aboard a real steamship.  While a honey badger might not care, the S.S. Badger does.

Next, head northeast to Manistee – home to quaint Victorian shops, the world-class Arcadia Bluffs golf course and Little River Casino.  Manistee County is also one of the best places in the world for rainbow trout and salmon fishing.

Again heading north, stop in at the Sleeping Bear Dunes Natural Lakeshore.  Encompassing 35 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, Sleeping Bear Lakeshore is also home to an 1871 lighthouse and an extensive rural historic farm district.

Now, head east, with a quick detour north to the wine country of Suttons Bay.  You won’t find a parking meter or stoplight, but you will find art, antiques and Ciccone Vineyard & Winery, owned by the family of a little-known entertainer by the name of Madonna.

Head south again for Traverse City.  Grand Traverse Bay is a four-season destination, featuring 180 miles of sugar sand shoreline and extensive snowmobile and ski trails.  Chances are good you’ll find cherry everything, among other delicious eats.

Continue northeast towards Charlevoix, where you can catch a ride on the Beaver Island Ferry and Petoskey, known for its fresh air, historic architecture and lending its name to Michigan’s state stone.

From Petoskey, head south towards the charming Alpine delights of Gaylord, and Grayling, for canoeing, kayaking, fishing on the AuSable and Manistee rivers, and snowboarding, sledding and ice skating in the winter.  Grayling is even a great place for downhill skiing.

Head southwest towards the Traverse City Forest, and on to Cadillac.  In the winter, Cadillac offers 200 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and 34 downhill ski runs with over 485 feet of vertical drop.  Year-round, Cadillac offers 90,000 acres of state and national forest.

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and this trip winds down in Big Rapids.  One of Michigan’s better-kept secrets, Big Rapids offers swimming in the summer, gorgeous color in the fall, snowshoe trekking in the winter and lakefront picnic ground in the spring.

Aaron Peterson, a contributing photographer for Michigan Travel Ideas, is always up for a challenge, especially if it involves the outdoors and equipment. Aaron shares one of his favorite ski hang outs, Marquette Mountain.

One of the things I love about living near Marquette is immediate access to outdoor opportunities. Marquette Mountain ski area sits within city limits, less than 10 minutes from downtown shopping such as the Masonic Square Mall on Washington Street. In fact, you can see the white ribbons of runs from there!

Marquette Mountain is on one of a string of rugged hills rimming the city and leading north into the Huron Mountain range. Its location near the shore of Lake Superior, and 600 feet of vertical rise, means that dense clouds of lake-effect snow dump around 200 inches of white stuff annually. Yep, that means we average 130 days of skiing, from Thanksgiving through April!

You’ll need more than one day to tackle the mountain, which offers something for everyone, with 25 runs and three terrain parks. Marquette Mountain is home to some talented freestyle skiers and snowboarders who take full advantage of the parks. It’s always a thrill to check out the new tricks being thrown down on Contour’s jumps and rails. Looking for something more intense? Try Chute with 35-  to 50-foot decks. Ridge caters to beginners.

When the snow is especially good and I’m feeling brave, I head for the backcountry and ski Renegade and Weasels Gulch. At the end of those runs, you cross a bridge over the fast-moving Carp River to catch chair three to the top.

Hint: You’ll want to get to the hill early to get good parking near the chalet. The lot fills up quickly, and parking in the overflow area means having to cross highway M-553 with an armload of equipment. The chalet is fairly small, so I dress for the hill ahead of time to avoid the crowds inside.

Aaron Peterson is a travel photographer based near Lake Superior on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. His work has appeared in several publications, including Michigan Travel Ideas, Outside, National Geographic Adventure and Outdoor Life.

Lisa Diggs is the founder of Buy Michigan Now. On our blog today, she shares some thoughts about Michigan marking its 175th birthday. Plus, check out the bottom of this post for updates and pictures throughout the day using Storify.

One needs only to see the natural outline of our state from space, stare out from the shoreline of a Great Lake, or walk amidst the towering trees of a northern forest to get a sense that the land known as Michigan has been here for a very, very long time.  In fact Petoskey Stones are fossilized coral, believed to have existed 350 million years ago.  Yet, as a state, Michigan is only 175 years young.

January 26, 2012, marks one hundred and seventy five years since President Andrew Jackson signed a bill officially making Michigan our nation’s 26^th state.  What a cause to celebrate!  That’s why the Buy Michigan Now campaign has launched an initiative to get us all talking about and sharing reasons why we love this state.  Whether you live here, or just like to visit, I hope you’ll join the party.

Traditional media has not always been kind to our state and its cities.  Now we have an opportunity to combine our voices and tell our own story.  Using social media, like Facebook and Twitter, we can change the national conversation about Michigan with every piece of good news, stunning picture, and optimistic status update we post.

Dine in local restaurants and shop in unique stores and brag about your experience.  Add pictures of your favorite sights, post a video about why you love the state, or declare your joy in a status update.

If you’re a Twitter user create your own “Tweets” or look for other people’s messages about Michigan that inspire you and “Retweet” them so they reach more people.  With each message, be sure to use the hashtag #Mich175 so that we may all follow along.

Live events are happening too.  Proud Michigan companies like Tubby’s Sub Shops, Hiller’s Markets, Cherry Republic, and Black Star Farms are all doing something special this week, as are Dow Gardens, the Michigan Historical Center and the Detroit Institute of Arts.  Visit Buy Michigan Now for details on their events, and many more.

Create your own unique tribute, today or any day.  Buy all Michigan-made products and cook a special meal or bake a birthday cake.  Toast with a locally-produced wine, beer, or spirit.  Visit a museum.  Talk with the children in your life about our state’s traditions and future.   Enjoy a stroll in one of our glorious parks.  Ski, skate, or snowmobile.  Take advantage of one of the four wondrous seasons we are fortunate enough to experience by living here.

Most importantly, become an ambassador for Michigan, not just this week, but all year long.  Together, with each story we tell and image we share, we have an opportunity to sculpt the world’s view of our astonishing state.  Happy birthday to us all!

This Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET, join us for a live Web chat about ice climbing in Michigan. Chatting will be Bill Thompson from Downwind Sports and Garrett Peabody from the Peabody Ice Climbing Club. The chat is open to everybody. We hope you can join us!

As temperatures drop, it’s the perfect time of year to cozy up with friends and family and enjoy your favorite comfort foods. From the mac and cheese at the Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen to the chicken at Zehnder’s or Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth, there are plenty of places to indulge in your favorite comfort dishes across the state – including a few hidden gems.

We got some great responses over the weekend when we asked fans on our Facebook page: “What’s your favorite place in Michigan to get comfort food?” Here are some comments we wanted to share. Thanks to everyone who responded!

“xochimilcos in Mexican town in Detroit.” – Alex Gurne

“Chicken Jalapeno soup at Art’s in Glen Arbor!” – Aline Levanen Gauss

“The best breakfast comfort food is at Suomi’s, in Houghton, way up in da UP. Traditional Finnish breakfast and regular breakfast foods. All. SO. GOOD.” – Olivia Zajac

“RUB BBQ across from Comerica park has the best Mac n Cheese hands down.” – Jesse Cahill

“Clarkston Union has awesome (gourmet) mac n cheese.” – Patrick Fetterman

“Mac and cheese from Blue Tractor in Traverse City. ♥ it!!” – Chelsea Lyn

“Grand Rapids: Hopcat – Killer Mac n Cheese. Tip: add bacon and jalapenos, mmmm!” – Kevin Littlepage

“The Hilltop in L’anse. Cinnamon rolls the size of your head.” – Robert Bruce Brevitz

“Central City Tap House in downtown Kalamazoo serves mac & cheese with pork belly. Can’t think of a more perfect combination! Plus vast scotch whisky menu and craft beers.” – Karel Juhl

“Slow’s BBQ in Corktown, and the Mac ‘n Cheese at Zingermans Deli in A2 (Ann Arbor) can’t be beat. It’s divine!” – Colleen Smith Adkins

“Besides my own kitchen, DeLuca’s in Lansing.” – Lucy Dionise Platte

“Fieldstone Grille in Portage…they have the best pot roast sandwhich!” – Jennifer Zindler

“At home; my husbands meatloaf. It must be why God made cows! And Zehnder’s in Frankenmuth for CHICKEN !!! YAY!!!” – Sarahlynn E Kelly

On our blog today, we conducted a roundtable with some of Michigan’s most passionate fans about how they describe Michigan to others, their favorite parts of our state, and much more. Let’s meet the participants:

Charlie Wollborg is the curator of TEDx Detroit, an independently organized TED event that brings together talented creators, artists, entrepreneurs, designers, geeks, poets, scientists, thinkers and doers to share fresh ideas and to find inspiration.

Alex Beaton is the Queen Bee of The Awesome Mitten, a site that discovers and uncovers “awesome” events, businesses, music, people, places, products and anything that the Great Lakes State has to offer.

Deb Fellows is the founder of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine that, for more than 30 years, has been dedicated to sharing stories and photos that embody life in Northern Michigan including Traverse City, Petoskey, Mackinac Island,Harbor Springs, Charlevoix, Leland, Frankfort and more.

Onto the roundtable!

Q: What words do you use to describe Michigan to others?

Charlie Wollborg: Great lakes and good people. Seriously, beyond the natural beauty, the people here are remarkable. I think “We are the X” sums it up well from TEDxDetroit (click image to enlarge).

Alex Beaton: Awesome. Obviously haha! After college, I left Michigan to move to Nashville, TN, a place where many people have never visited the Mitten State. I found myself raving about our lakes – not just the “Great” ones either, but rather the small lakes where I would spend summers boating and swimming, and winters ice skating. I would tell them about the beautiful autumns, how the colors in my hometown in northern Michigan are more vibrant than I’ve seen anywhere else. And I told them about the people – people so passionate about their state that they were in uproar that Wisconsin was trying to steal Michigan’s identity.

Deb Fellows: Gorgeous peninsula surrounded by fresh water. Innovative and entrepreneurial. Filled with dreamers who have the Midwest practical streak to work hard and make it happen. Four seasons, each unique, each filled with recreational opportunities that can rival those found anywhere. A state who once created a roadmap for how environmental protection and business growth can go hand in hand. A tradition of valuing the arts and our creators.

Q: Why do you enjoy living in Michigan?

DF: For me it starts with the seasons. True, we can get a little short changed on spring, but Michigan has four distinct seasons, each spectacular in its own way. I love the sense of change and rebirth but also the knowledge that there is a constant—the leaves will fall again. We live and play differently in each season, and of course that is particularly true in Northern Michigan. From there my love of Michigan goes to the combination of the dreamer and the pragmatist found in the people and the water, water and more water.

CW: Springtime and flowering trees in Ann Arbor. Summers on the shore along Lake Michigan. Fall color tours and cider mills in Southeastern Michigan. Winter wonderland on the slopes of Northern Michigan. And Detroit Rock City all year long.

AB: There are too many reasons to count! Having all four seasons is definitely one of my favorite things about living in Michigan, but I also love all the amazing local food, wine & beer that I can find all over the state. I also love the diversity of Michigan; I can go to Grand Rapids to experience things like Art Prize, get a preview of the newest cars on the market at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and revel in the wonder that is GMA’s Most Beautiful Place in America, the Sleeping Bear Dunes Lakeshore.

Q: What do you personally do to tell others about what our state offers?

AB: When I moved back from Nashville, I was disappointed that some people questioned my decision to return. This negative response prompted me to do something to show everyone WHY I moved back, and why they should love living here too! So I started a website called The Awesome Mitten and launched a campaign on June 6th, 2011 called “365 Days of Awesome” with the goal of publishing a different feature every day about something “awesome” in Michigan. Through responses to the campaign, I’ve discovered that so many other Michiganders love the mitten state as much as I do, and the support and enthusiasm have been amazing.

DF: I started Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine over 30 years ago, to celebrate and protect Northern Michigan’s natural resources, entrepreneurial spirit, intact small communities and unique life. I chose four color and fine paper from the start because I believed that was what the beauty and quality of this part of Michigan deserved. Northern Michigan is a place where some people pursue their dream of a life lived surrounded by beautiful landscapes and fresh water. It is also a place people depend on being there when they want to celebrate, unplug with family and friends, renew their spirit, grieve, play and regenerate. I have believed fervently, as do so many, that it is really important that places like Northern Michigan continue to exist as a place to build a different kind of life and as a haven for people throughout the state, the country and the world. Today, we share the essence of this place and the message of celebration and protection with people in 179 countries and every state, in print, online at mynorth.com, in videos and enewsletters. Telling people what I love about Northern Michigan and Michigan has provided my work life with a fabulous and rewarding mission, and living in Northern Michigan, meeting my husband and raising my kids here, has been a gift beyond measure.

CW: Michigan really offers something for everyone. Craving adventure? Head for the trails of Presque Isle Falls in the Porcupine Mountains. Need sugar sand between your toes? Head for Sleeping Bear Lakeshore or Silver Lake Dunes. Love fresh power? Crystal Mountain and Boyne Highlands are waxed and ready. Feeling cosmopolitan? From big city lights to small town charm, the downtowns of Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor and Detroit are a great time.

Q: When you vacation in Michigan, where do you go and what do you do?

CW: Michigan is perfect for my short attention span. I’m always in the mood for something new. And no where offers more variety than Michigan. I’ve listed many of my favorite locales in my other answers, so here are a few of the shops and spots I love to return to again and again: Cherry Republic Glen Arbor, Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, Mac Wood’s Dune Rides, breakfast at Sundance Grill in Grand Rapids, bubbly at L Mawby Vineyards, Dinner at Red Ginger in Traverse City, canoeing on the Au Sable in Roscommon, Lake of the Clouds, biking around Mackinac Island, sailing on the Tall Ship Manitou, Art Prize in Grand Rapids, Ignite in Lansing, Kerrytown Market in Ann Arbor, Deering’s Jerky in Traverse City, Grand Rapids Riverwalk, Slows BBQ in Detroit…

The Detroit Institute of Art, an architectural tour of Detroit including the Guardian Building, Historic Parshallville Grist Mill, Yates Cider Mill, corned beef at Mudgie’s Deli, jet skiing on Higgins Lake, getting lost in history at Greenfield Village, sailing on Lake Huron, I could keep going for another hour and still not list all of my favorite places. This is a great state.

AB: My favorite spot to vacation in Michigan will always be my hometown, Traverse City. In the winter, I wander the shops in Grand Traverse Commons (be sure to stop at High Five Threads!) before partaking in one of the area’s best restaurants, Trattoria Stella. I can’t offer suggestions as to what you should order there, because I’ve have yet to have a bad meal! In the summer, I love to spend a day at the beach or on the lake, and then venture into downtown Traverse City for happy hour at Red Ginger (the Red Dragon Martini is delicious). For a light dessert, I walk on over to Morsel’s Bite Sized Bakery, where anything is sure to be pleasing to the palate. In the fall, a wine tour is a must, whether on Old Mission Peninsula or the Leelanau Peninsula, as both provide breathtaking views. And no matter what the season, I try to visit Pyramid Point or Empire Bluffs, because as I’ve said, the views of our lakeshore are amazing, and they never fail to inspire.

DF: The U.P. is an endless source of exploration for us. Keweenaw, the Porcupine Mountains, Pictured Rocks and everywhere in between. I grew up in the Detroit area, and have headed to Detroit to see the Tigers, Lions and Pistons a few times, made many visits to the Detroit Zoo and been to the Fox Theater. We’ve enjoyed being tourists at Greenfield Village and we’ve built a weekend around Detroit Institute of Arts exhibits a few times, most recently the Robert Frank photographs from the 50s, my parent’s era. My oldest son goes to the University of Michigan, so we love to make mini-vacations of trips to Ann Arbor, a fabulous city. And we can get to Grand Rapids easily for a concert, shopping and, of course, ArtPrize.

Q: What’s one thing everybody needs to do in Michigan?

DF: This is torture when we send people to literally hundreds of wonderful things to do every day! First and foremost, I guess I’d say gather the person or people you care about, leave all your technology behind and climb to the top of Pyramid Point in the Sleeping Bear Dunes where the Manitou Islands float in a gorgeous inland sea, or drift in a boat on one of our inland lakes and watch the full moon rise as the sun is setting and stay until the sky fills with stars, or….the key is taking time with the people you care about and having fun, being awed, finding joy, adventure and peace together.

CW: Get lost along M22. Out of everywhere I’ve traveled, the Leelanau Peninsula still rates as one of my favorite places on the planet. It has it a bit of everything along its meandering hundred mile route: crystal blue sharkfree waters, rolling hills, cherry orchards, sugar sand beaches, lighthouses, wineries, art galleries, ski resorts, golf courses, cute little towns and amazing food.

AB: How do I choose just one?! Besides visiting the places mentioned above, I think everyone should take a trip to Mackinac Island. Everything about a trip up there is charming, a true Michigan getaway. Taking the ferry across the lake to the island transports visitors to a different world; a world of horse drawn carriages, carefully preserved buildings and forts, and melt-in-your-mouth fudge. Since there are no cars allowed on the island, bikes are the primary method of transportation for most, and a ride around the island is a must. No matter what your age, Mackinac Island a great weekend adventure.

Randy Finch and Derek Maxfield own and operate Ice Sculptures Ltd in Grand Rapids. You may have also seen them on Ice Brigade on the Food Network. Randy was kind enough to answer a few questions about ice carving.

Q: Is ice carving a popular Michigan activity?

A: Although Michigan is no stranger to ice carving festivals, they are more common in the winter because it is a wonderful to way to generate traffic in a city’s downtown area in an otherwise slow economical time.  An example of this is in Rockford. Three years ago there would be maybe 30 people in the town on an average Saturday. In one weekend last year, they had over 15,000 visiting shops.

Q: How would a beginner learn more about ice carving?

A: Ice sculpting is usually learned in culinary schools or apprenticing with a professional in the  industry. However, in 2003 we published the first ever ice sculpting book in English for students to have the ability to learn on their own as well as have as a reference material. At this time, this book has become the standard in culinary schools around the United States.  You can check it out here:  http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Sculpting-Modern-Robert-Garlough/dp/1401804055

Q: What kind of ice and tools do you use?

A: The ice is specially made in clinebell tanks to alleviate the ice of impurities. Major carving tools can range based on the project that is taking place. With that said, there are traditional tool like chisels, handsaws, ice chipers.  We also use die grinders, chainsaws, and we even have a computerized ice sculpting machine that can give us perfect sculptures. With each of these tools, we are able to address any and all projects that people bring to us.

Q: What are some of the big festivals or events in Michigan that feature ice carving?

A: Although several of Michigan’s Winter festivals purchase their ice and scultpures from out of state, the two most important winter festivals in Michigan are the Rockford Ice Festival (which was just this past weekend) and the Traverse City Winter WOW Fest (February 18 – 21) These two festivals not only have an amazing turnout but live up to the standard of Pure Michigan because they strictly use Michigan-based ice sculpting.

Q: What have been some of the biggest or most unique creations done by the Ice Brigade?

A: There are so many exciting moments and fun sculptures we were able to create –  from a 30 ft by 30 ft chess set which was playable, a functional ice piano, a pinball machine, a rideable rotating carasel, a playable casino with rollete wheel and rollable dice for the craps table, a riding bull and so many more!!!

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges when doing an ice sculpture?

A: Designing to fit the needs of client, what they want,  figuring out how its going to be transported, and how to make it last the length of the party are all challenges. There are a wide range of factors that are taken into consideration to make each ice sculpture unique and successful.  A successful sculpture begins and ends with a successful plan.

Q: Where can people learn more about ice carving?

A: Check out our site, along with our Facebook page, Twitter account and YouTube channel.