Small Town Charms: Boyne City's Morel Festival

If there's anything quite as charming or quite as fun as a small-town festival, we'd love to know what it is! Boyne City takes center stage in Northern Michigan this weekend with the National Morel Festival! 

Yep, we're excited. Just a short drive north of our Elk Rapids office sits the town of Boyne City. Every year, on the weekend after Mother's Day, Boyne City plays host to the National Morel Festival. Now in its 57th year, the event is truly a mark of spring, and a sign that small-town living is as healthy and wholesome as ever. 

From May 18-21, Boyne City has a full schedule of events for the whole family. Of course, it's all about the mushrooms, and the experts in the area offer the best tips and places to focus your morel search each spring. Join classes and even go out into the woods in search of the most elusive, delicious seasonal offering Northern Michigan enjoys each spring. The area is famous for the ripe pickings, and the local restaurants compete for the honor of being the best at including them in recipes with the "Taste of Morels" competition. 

Things get started Thursday, with an on-going carnival and a Craft Beer party right downtown from 5-9pm. Friday, you can still join the morel seminar, and check out tickets to the Wine and Dine meal. The weekend sees everyone enjoy a National Mushroom Hunt, a Morel Breakfast, and plenty of other great family events that you can see in detail here. 

It's a celebration of morels, sure. But it's also proof that the simple pleasures of yesteryear are still alive and well. We love being a part of the community, knowing our neighbors, and coming together for things as enjoyable as a craft show or a pancake breakfast. That's what the small towns of Northern Michigan keep alive, and we love having things like the National Morel Festival right in our backyards!