TRAVERSE CITY — The Fresh Coast Film Festival will expand to Traverse City next spring, bringing four days of films, panels, outdoor experiences, and community events celebrating the Great Lakes and outdoor lifestyle.
According to an Oct. 20 news release, the inaugural Fresh Coast Film Festival: Traverse City (FCFF/tc) will take place from April 30 through May 3, 2026. Early-bird passes are on sale now at traversecity.freshcoastfilm.com.
Founded in 2016 by Aaron Peterson, Bugsy Sailor, and Bill Thompson, the original Marquette-based festival combines environmental and cultural filmmaking with outdoor recreation and regional storytelling. The Traverse City edition will be presented by Traverse City Tourism, West Shore Bank, the Herrington Fitch Family Foundation, and Ludus.
The new event, led by local volunteers, will be based around the North Boardman Lake District and downtown Traverse City. Venues include the City Opera House, The Alluvion, Silver Spruce Brewing Company, Right Brain Brewery, Up North Pride Community Center, ELEV8 Climbing and Fitness, and the Traverse Area District Library.
Festivalgoers can expect a mix of short and feature-length films exploring outdoor adventure, recreation, and conservation, many featuring guest filmmakers for audience Q&As. The Traverse City edition will feature selections from Marquette’s 100-film lineup, alongside new titles curated specifically for the event. Local nonprofits and community partners will host themed screenings, and guided tours, artist panels, and after-parties will complement the programming.
The festival will open with a free community gala and screening at 7 p.m. April 30 at ELEV8 Climbing and Fitness. The same program will be shown simultaneously at independent theaters across Northern Michigan, including The Bay Community Theatre in Suttons Bay, The Vogue Theatre in Manistee, The Garden Theater in Frankfort, the Elk Rapids Cinema, the Charlevoix Cinema III, and The Lyric Theatre in Harbor Springs. Donations from the event will support the host venues.
“It’s inspiring to see people who love the Fresh Coast Film vibe so much that they came together just to bring it to their town,” said Peterson, the festival’s co-founder. “The Traverse City group has taken that idea of sharing freshcoasting and turned it into a cool extension of what we’ve created now for almost a decade above the bridge.”
Traverse City Mayor Amy Shamroe said the event aligns perfectly with the community’s values.
“With the Boardman Lake district, it has the perfect combination of indoor and outdoor experiences,” Shamroe said. “The fact that it’s being run here for locals from our own community makes it even more exciting and worthy of support.”
Traverse City Tourism President and CEO Trevor Tkach called the event “a natural fit” for the region.
“The extension of the Fresh Coast Film Festival to Traverse City offers a great opportunity to celebrate our values – like the great outdoors and lake life – with locals and guests alike,” he said.
Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Harry Burkholder said the festival will help energize the area during a slower time of year.
“Hosting an event like this, especially in the early spring, brings fresh energy to our streets and provides important support for downtown businesses,” Burkholder said.
The volunteer-run festival is hosted by the local nonprofit Old Mission Culture Company, founded in 2021 to promote arts and culture in the region. Bay Area Recycling for Community will serve as a sustainability partner, and launch media sponsors include Interlochen Public Radio, Pancake Boy Productions, and The Boardman Review.
Early-bird all-access weekend passes are available for $75 and day passes for $25 through Dec. 31 or until sold out. Each pass includes admission to all screenings, evening gala events, and after-parties.
Evening gala tickets for the City Opera House on May 1 and 2 are $20, and individual screening tickets will be available Jan. 1 for $10 each.
For a full schedule and ticket information, visit traversecity.freshcoastfilm.com.