Celebrate the season at Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey! From festive holiday traditions and live performances to inspiring galleries filled with one-of-a-kind gifts, there are plenty of ways to connect with the arts and make the season a little more special.
Looking for CTAC - Traverse City's Merry Marketplace information? Click here!
On View: november 13 - december 17
Venue: bonfield & gilbert galleries, CTAC - Petoskey
Shop local, shop small this holiday season at Crooked Tree Arts Center’s 2026 Holiday Bazaar!
Explore our annual Holiday Bazaar, a showcase of original art available for purchase, to find handmade, one-of-a-kind gifts for everyone on your list. We've partnered with local artisans, artists, and makers to stock our shelves with unique items perfect for holiday gifts for your family, loved ones, and those hard-to-shop-for friends... and for yourself too! Whether you're looking for stocking stuffers or something really special, visit the Holiday Bazaar for knits, jewelry, pottery, ceramics, notecards, prints, ornaments, artwork, and more.
Celebrate the season in style at our Holiday Vernissage & Swirl on Thursday, November 12 from 5:30–7:00 pm! Enjoy a festive spread of hearty appetizers and mini sweet treats prepared by Spring and Porter, paired with your choice of wine, beer, or cocktails. Toast to the holidays with live music by Pete Kehoe, setting a cheerful tone for an evening of artful shopping and merriment.
Stroll through the Holiday Bazaar, where you’ll discover one-of-a-kind gifts handcrafted by local artisans — from knits, jewelry, pottery, ceramics, and prints to ornaments, artwork, and more. Whether you’re looking for stocking stuffers or something truly special, you’re sure to find the perfect presents for everyone on your list (and maybe a little something for yourself, too!).
Tickets: $30 for CTAC Members | $35 for non-members
Includes one drink ticket; cash bar available for additional beverages.
CTAC Members enjoy 20% off all art and gift sales!
Let’s mix, mingle, and celebrate the magic of the holidays — ages 21 and over only.
This year’s tea will be held at the
Inn at Bay Harbor, Sagamore’s Restaurant
December 6, 1:30 pm
Join in the magic of the holiday season at the Inn at Bay Harbor for Crooked Tree Arts Center School of Ballet's annual Sugar Plum Fairy Tea.
Boys and girls of all ages will enjoy an afternoon of festive activities with principal performers of the Crooked Tree Arts Center School of Ballet’s The Nutcracker, including: Clara, Nutcracker, Snow Queen, and of course, the Sugar Plum Fairy!
Each reservation includes tea or lemonade, sweet and savory treats, tea sandwiches, a reading of The Nutcracker story and a ticket to a performance of The Nutcracker. (Note: You will be given a code upon purchasing tickets to reserve your seat at The Nutcracker through Great Lakes Center for the Arts.)
Tickets to The Nutcracker are limited and will sell out quickly!
Performances of The Nutcracker are Saturday, December 19, at 3 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, December 20, at 3 p.m. at the Great Lakes Center for the Arts in Bay Harbor.
All proceeds of the Sugar Plum Fairy Tea support the dance scholarship fund.
Reservation options are as follows:
Tea for Two: $100: Includes two reservations at the Sugar Plum Fairy Tea and two tickets to your choice of Nutcracker performance (based on availability)
Additional Guest: $50: Includes a reservation at the Sugar Plum Fairy Tea and a ticket to your choice of Nutcracker performance (based on availability)
Infants (under 1): Free: please register for complimentary infant ticket for the guest count
Tea Table Sponsor: $1,500 includes tea for eight guests, eight tickets to your choice of Nutcracker performance, and listing in The Nutcracker program.
TBD A Cappella is a professional men’s vocal ensemble based in Metro Detroit, Michigan, known for dynamic, polished and entertaining live performances. Using only their voices and vocal percussion, TBD brings well-known songs from across the decades to life through rich harmonies, featured soloists and beatboxing. Their repertoire ranges from upbeat pop favorites and heartfelt ballads to holiday classics, creating a fun and memorable experience for audiences of all ages. Members include educators, musicians, arrangers and arts leaders who bring a wealth of musical experience to every performance. TBD performs at concert venues, schools, community celebrations, corporate and private events, and holiday programs. Their debut album, The Answer’s 42, was recognized with a Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award for Best Semi-Professional Album.
Doors open at 7:00 pm. Cash bar available.
Click here to listen!
Performances:
Saturday, December 19, 3:00 pm
Saturday, December 19, 7:00 pm
Sunday, December 20, 3:00 pm
This production of The Nutcracker is made possible by Patricia M. Kaine.
The Crooked Tree Arts Center School of Ballet returns to the Great Lakes Center for the Arts this season to share the holiday tradition of “The Nutcracker” with our Northern Michigan community. For 17 years, the CTAC School of Ballet's Nutcracker has delighted audiences of all ages with its dynamic choreography. Stars of the Miami City Ballet, Taylor Naturkas and Alexander Peters, will grace the stage for the second year in a row, exemplifying the magic of local talent and artistry.
The Nutcracker was first performed in Saint Petersburg in 1892. Our story begins at a lavish party at the home of the Stahlbaums. Their daughter, Clara, receives the most wonderful gift of all from Dr. Drosselmeyer – a wooden Nutcracker. She drifts off to sleep with her doll, then is startled awake when Dr. Drosselmeyer's magic begins bringing toys to life. When the clock strikes midnight, the Mouse Queen and her mischievous mice frighten Clara as toy soldiers and her valiant Nutcracker come to her rescue. The Mouse Queen attacks the Nutcracker, but Clara distracts the Mouse Queen long enough for the Nutcracker to recover and win the battle. The battle leaves the Nutcracker injured, but Dr. Drosselmeyer fixes him once again, magically transforming him into a Prince. The Nutcracker Prince takes Clara on a journey through the Land of the Snow and to the Kingdom of the Sweets, where Clara meets and dances with the most beautiful characters she has ever met. It is all so perfect…but even the most beautiful dream must end. The next morning Clara wakes up with her wooden Nutcracker beside her. Was it all a dream?
Proceeds benefit the CTAC Dance Scholarship Fund.