TRAVERSE CITY — Fresh Coast Film Festival: Traverse City has unveiled its 2026 poster design by Michigan-born artist Geoffrey Holstad as organizers announced new partnerships ahead of the inaugural event April 30-May 3 across downtown venues.
Old Mission Culture Company said the festival is partnering with Alluvion Arts and the Traverse City Arts Commission to highlight visual art beyond the screen during the four-day event.
In keeping with the spirit of the flagship Fresh Coast Film Festival in Marquette — which commissions a different Midwest visual artist each year to create designs celebrating the outdoor lifestyle, water-rich environment and resilient spirit of the Great Lakes — the Traverse City festival is featuring Holstad’s original work for 2026.
Holstad, who previously created designs for the 2017 Marquette festival, returned to develop the Traverse City look and feel, including a limited-edition art print poster, silk-screened stickers, a small-batch coffee label collaboration with Higher Grounds Coffee and merchandise featuring his hand-drawn illustrations.
With the Traverse City festival taking place in spring, Holstad’s design celebrates emergence from winter with a throwback aesthetic highlighting Northern Michigan iconography including waves, sunshine, paddles, the Manitou Islands and Petoskey stones in vibrant blue hues.
Inspired by adventure brochures and nature guides, the art print features a bold collage style on the front and an illustrated guide to birds of the Boardman watershed on the back.
Holstad is an art director, designer, lake surfer and trail runner who lives most of the year in Ojai, California.
He has worked for more than a decade as a senior art director on product at Patagonia, focusing on trail running, mountain bike and kids products. He has collaborated with grassroots environmental organizations, many based in the Great Lakes region.
Holstad and his wife, Sarah Darnell, also a Michigan-born Patagonia designer, return often to their Leelanau County cabin with their two daughters and are involved in efforts to preserve natural landscapes.
Holstad will discuss his career and work during a free artist panel at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2 at The Alluvion within the Commongrounds Cooperative. Hosted by Alluvion Arts curator Jessica Kooiman Parker, the event will include a poster signing. A suggested $10 donation will benefit the festival’s “Making Waves” commitment grant for young artists.
Commongrounds Cooperative will also host mini art exhibits featuring 10 years of Fresh Coast Film Festival posters and artists, visual projections and behind-the-scenes materials from Holstad’s design process before and during the festival.
Additional support for artist activities comes from the Traverse City Arts Commission, established in 2014 to lead a public art program aimed at enhancing access to the arts and enriching the city’s cultural and aesthetic quality of life.
A guided tour of downtown murals and public artworks will take place during the festival weekend as part of outdoor tours offered between screenings.
Image360 and Nuart Signs are providing environmental graphics services as community sponsors, while JenTees is partnering on select merchandise.
The festival will be held at seven venues across the North Boardman Lake District and downtown Traverse City. Screenings will include more than 50 films, with nearly two dozen filmmakers attending from 11 states.
Day passes and individual tickets are available at TC.FreshCoastFilm.com. Day passes are $35 and include general admission screenings, evening gala events and private after-parties for that day. Individual City Opera House gala tickets are $20, and general admission screenings are $10. All fees are included.
Lodging specials are available through partnerships with local hotels and Traverse City Tourism.
Fresh Coast Film Festival: Traverse City is an all-volunteer event presented by the nonprofit Old Mission Culture Company, founded in 2021 to bring arts and culture experiences to local audiences.