Traverse City Film Festival: Frequently Asked Questions

by mynorthmedia | Jul 27, 2009 | Counties, Towns

Make the most of your time spent at the Traverse City Film Festival by getting your answers to your questions before you head downtown. Where’s the box office? What are options grabbing some food between films? Need some fresh air—we’ve got suggestions? Love the festival and want to pitch in next year? We tell you how. We’ve covered a lot of bases here but we know there are always more questions. Drop yours in the comment box and we’ll get them answered!

Where’s the box office?

Find it at 300 E. Front St. at Park, home of the Traverse City Film Festival. Relax in comfort in the Cyber Café sponsored by Art Van Furniture. Check your email courtesy of CityMac, and enjoy coffee courtesy of Crèma.

How can I find a schedule?

The complete schedule can be found here. Check out Hot Picks for the 2009 Traverse City Film Festival and Traverse City Film Festival: What to See If… before you make your choices!

Venues: Click here for maps and descriptions of each venue

  • State Theatre: 233 E Front St. Traverse City, (231) 947-4800
  • City Opera House: 106 E Front St. Traverse City, (231) 941-8082
  • Traverse City Open Space: Union St. and Grandview Pkwy.
  • Old Town Playhouse: 148 E. Eighth St., Traverse City, (231) 947-2210
  • Lars Hockstad Auditorium, 301 W. 7th St., Traverse City, (231) 933-5600

Parking

Free parking in the Cherry Lot at Northwestern Michigan College, near Milliken Auditorium (see map here). From there, just hop on the Festival Loop shuttle bus. Or find metered spaces throughout downtown, including small lots behind businesses along Front Street. The Larry C. Hardy Parking Deck, between Park Street and Boardman Street, is accessible via either Front Street or State Street.

Transportation

The Festival Loop shuttle stops at each of the venues, plus NMC’s Cherry lot. Departing every 10-20 minutes from each location.

Restrooms

Find public restrooms at all festival venues. Additional facilities are available at the Traverse City Visitor Center (CORNER OF GRANDVIEW PARKWAY AND UNION STREET, 231-947-0692).

What the best place to…

Load up on Handcrafted Bon-Bons

Jacques Torres Chocolates (225 E. FRONT ST., 231-929-7100, MRCHOCOLATE.COM), and at the chocolate bar at Phil’s on Front (236 E. FRONT ST., 231-929-1710).

Pretend Your in Paris

Patisserie Amie (237 LAKE AVE., 231-922-9645, PATISSERIEAMIE.COM), where the food is as enticing as the ambience.

Grab a Meal

  • El Dorado: Tantalizing Tex Mex and rustic takes on the classics at the shotgun-slim, Western-themed (149 E. FRONT ST., (231) 421-3228)
  • Happy Hog Cafe: Three-egg omelets with Dearborn ham or housemade soups (810 E. FRONT ST., 231-947-4644)
  • EuroStop Café: baguette-clad hotdogs and freshly made focaccia filled with Italian deli specialties served in the historic TC Railway Station’s former baggage room (620 RAILROAD PLACE, 231-421-1168, EUROSTOPCAFE.COM)
  • Cooks’ House: Raclette-and potato omelet or spaghetti Bolognese at the diminutive, sustainable-local-ag-inspired Cooks’ House (439 E. FRONT ST., BETWEEN WELLINGTON AND BOARDMAN, 231-946-8700, THECOOKSHOUSE.TYPEPAD.COM).
  • Hanna Bistro: The Sunday chicken dinner is better and hipper than grandma’s. (118 CASS ST., 231-946-8207, HANNABISTROBAR.COM).
  • Poppycocks: Eclectic menu featuring a daily Green Plate, dishes like Thai cakes and squash ravioli and salads that make a meal. (128 EAST FRONT ST
  • TRAVERSE CITY, (231) 941-7632, POPPYCOCKSTC.COM)
  • Amical: European cuisine featured in a revolving menu, including chicken and spinach cavatappi and salmon with euro-cucumber salad. (229 E Front St Traverse City, (231) 941-8888, AMICAL.COM)
  • Choose from hundreds of restaurants in the Complete Restaurant Guide for Traverse City and all of Northern Michigan.

Pick Up a Picnic

Want picnic fare or other moveable feasts?

  • Mary’s Kitchen Port for goodie-filled baskets, bigger-than-your-mouth sandwiches and chunky salads like cherry walnut turkey (539 W. FRONT ST., 941-0525).
  • At Folgarelli’s, across the street from Mary’s, (424 W. FRONT ST., 231-941-7651, FOLGARELLIS.COM), the century-old wooden floor holds barrels of pickles and whole spices, and the deli counter is a festa of Italian meats, salads and carryout cuisine.
  • Radish is all about salad—compose your own from leafy organic greens and some 30 toppings (408 S. UNION, 231-932-9330, MYRADISH.NET).
  • The veg-friendly Wellington Street Market features a multi-ethnic array of spicy-sweet Indian curries, Thai salads, wraps, burritos and baklava (115 WELLINGTON ST., 231-946-8702, WELLINGTONSTREETMARKET.BLOGSPOT.COM).

Drink in the View

When the sun, moon and stars align in TC, you gotta get outside and soak up the scenery, and why not a libation or two paired with great food? Our picks:

  • A tropical mojito on Café Habana’s rooftop deck (live weekend entertainment) (423 S. UNION, 231-929-4150, CAFEHABANAS.COM)
  • A Red Dragon martini at Red Ginger (237 E. FRONT ST., 944-1733, EATATGINGER.COM)
  • A half-price martini or mojito (Thursdays starting at 5 p.m.) overlooking the Boardman River at Firefly (310 CASS, 231-932-1310, TCFOOD.COM)
  • A crisp local Chardonnay while peoplewatching on Amical’s patio (229 E. FRONT ST., 231-941-8888, AMICAL.COM).

Sip a Glass of Wine in an Urban Village

Café Leftique’s patio at Left Foot Charley (806 RED DR., 231-995-0500, LEFTFOOTCHARLEY.COM), and the cozy inner environs of Black Star Tasting Room (800 COTTAGE VIEW DR., 231-944-1255, BLACKSTARFARMS.COM/TASTING/TASTES), just two good reasons to turn right on 11th Street, off Division.

Get Fresh Air

  • Picnic on the platform at the bank of the Boardman River on Sixth Street at Union Street.
  • Rent a parasail or jet ski at Holiday Inn West (800-888-8020 OR 231-947-3700, TCWESTBAY.COM/TRAVERSECITY).
  • Take a spin through town on a rental bike from McLain’s (750 E. 8TH ST., 231-941-7161, MCLAINCYCLE.COM) or Brick Wheels (736 E. 8TH ST., 231-947-4274 BRICKWHEELS.COM).
  • Hit the beach, watch a volleyball game at the Open Space or stroll Clinch Park Marina (111 E. GRANDVIEW PKWY., 231-922-4903).
  • Walk to Grand Traverse Commons and tour the grounds under towering trees (200 W. 11TH ST., 231-941-1900, THEVILLAGETC.COM).

What else is going on this week?

Check out hundreds of Events in the Traverse City region.

Accessibility

For info on wheelchair access, hearing assistance transmitters and more, contact the festival offices (231-392-1134, TRAVERSECITYFILMFEST.ORG).

Where can I pick up Film Fest swag?

Tees, recycled bags, posters, hats, sweatshirts and more are available at the venues, main box office and festival store, and online at traversecityfilmfest.org.

How can I volunteer?

The festival relies on more than 1,200 volunteers who usher, take tickets, sell merchandise and concessions, staff green rooms and ferry equipment in and around town, in addition to other tasks. Find the volunteer handbook and signup form online at traversecityfilmfest. org/volunteer, or call the festival office at 231-392-1134.

Find Out More About the Traverse City Film Festival:

Read the Digital 2009 Traverse City Filmgoers’ Guide for tips of all kinds and links to hundreds of websites.

Quick Links to More Fun in Traverse City