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Boyne City has often been called the place where life meets the lake. And from the moment you arrive, you’ll see why. Nestled along the shores of Lake Charlevoix, when you’re in Boyne City you’re never more than a few minutes from the sparkling water and all it offers. Click here to see all of our vacation rentals on Lake Charlevoix.
From leisurely afternoons on the Boyne River to the beauty of watching a sailboat catch a summer breeze, anything having to do with fun on the water is found in and around Boyne City.
No matter the season, there is always something special happening. Boyne City has a bustling farmer’s market, an art district, and wonderful street music, and is a short drive to Boyne Mountain Resort.
One of the most famous attractions in Boyne City is the National Morel Festival which is held every May. In fact, morel mushroom hunters from around the country come in search of these gourmet delicacies.
Other great attractions include Boyne Mountain located in Boyne Falls. It has two championship golf courses, Deer Lake, Avalanche Bay – Michigan’s largest indoor waterpark, 60 downhill ski runs, tubing, and fantastic cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails. The Boyne Falls community also hosts the Polish Festival every year on the first full weekend in August. (Click here to see all Lake Charlevoix Homes for Sale)
Downtown Boyne City is the place to go when you’re looking for great dining. In fact, the list of choices is long, the quality excellent and the opportunities to enjoy yourself are immense. Moreover, there are more than 20 eating establishments in and around Boyne City, all offering a wide array of entrees.
There are several beaches and amenities in Boyne City such as Young State Park, Peninsula Municipal Park Beach which is near The Harborage, and Tannery Beach on Lake Charlevoix.
Also downtown is North Country Cycle Sport and they handle bike repairs, rentals, and sales. They are very knowledgeable about mountain biking and hiking in the area. The local trails include Avalanche Mountain Preserve, Charlevoix Trail, and Boyne City School Forest Trails. There are also numerous preserves offering off-road adventures, whether cycling or hiking. The groomed trails are ideal for fat tire cycling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing during the winter months.
Boyne Water Sports operates directly on Lake Charlevoix. They offer luxury pontoons, tritoons, ski boats, jet skis, stand-up paddleboards, and kayak boat rentals in downtown Boyne City.
Wildwood Rush is the Midwest’s largest zipline adventure park with over 7,000 feet of ziplines and tree platforms. Full canopy tours are 2 1/2 hours, with suspension bridges, tree-to-tree platforms, and amazing views of Lake Charlevoix.
Boyne River Adventures allows you to Experience the tranquil beauty of the Boyne River, which is a great river for the beginner and appropriate for most age groups. Boyne River Adventures will take you to the river, launch you in the water and meet you at the end of your trip to ensure a carefree experience. With Boyne River Adventures you can rent a kayak for a day of fun on a local lake or choose the river experience.
BC Lanes is a local bowling alley that also offers laser tag and the Venue Sports bar.
Create is a Community Arts Studio whose mission is to provide arts-based programming to enrich and strengthen the ties of families in the Boyne City community and surrounding areas through the arts.
Boyne City is also home to a year-round farmers market. Starting in mid-May it’s outside at Veterans Park on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 am – 12 pm. When the weather starts to cool off around mid-October they move over to Boyne City Hall and are open on Saturdays from 9 am – 12 pm.
In January, Boyne City hosts the most challenging fat tire bike race in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula – Fat & Flurrious. The race starts and finishes downtown. There are two divisions you can choose to compete in: the Sport Class races to complete one lap on the course, and the Open Class competes over two laps.
Paint The Town Red is a fundraising gala event held every April. Proceeds from the event provide funding for the students at Boyne City Public Schools. You can purchase individual tickets to attend or pay for a “Reserved” table for your party of ten.
The Craft Beer Block Party is the kick-off event for the annual Nation Morel Mushroom Festival. The event happens in downtown Boyne City and features craft breweries and wineries along with local food vendors. It draws a big crowd downtown and they close off the 100 block of South Lake Street for the event.
The annual National Morel Mushroom Festival is a 4-day event for visitors to hunt and taste the highly coveted morel mushroom. The premier event is the Taste of Morels which is a taste test where more than a dozen local restaurants and chefs cook with morels.
Run for Their Lives is a 5K Run/Walk to raise money for the Charlevoix Humane Society. It’s held the same weekend as the annual National Morel Mushroom Festival.
Join the summer Friday fun and come to downtown Boyne City from 6 – 9 pm for Stroll the Streets. Every Friday evening for 12 weeks in the summer there’s live music around every corner and fun activities for kids like face painting and balloon animals.
Taste your way around local restaurants at Boyne Appetit! – Boyne City’s restaurant week.
Test your biking skills with the Michigan Mountain Mayhem cycling events. Advertised as “likely the hardest ride you’ll ever attempt,” these two events allow cyclists to push their prowess to the limit. They offer a Spring Classic on the third Saturday in June, and the Gravel Grinder on the last Saturday in September. Are you up for this cycling challenge?
Soak up the sounds of local musicians at the Boyne Area Chamber’s Evenings at the Gazebo. These summer concerts are on Wednesdays in Old City Park and start at 6:30 pm.
Local Events
Known as the Greatest 4th In the North, Boyne City’s nationally recognized festivities are not something you want to miss! Read more about all the fun on our blog here.
One of the biggest events on the lake is the Boyne Thunder race in July. It’s a Poker Race, which means it’s not about being the fastest boat. Instead, racers must reach five checkpoints on race day to collect a playing card. At the end of the day, the crew with the best poker hand with those five cards wins the race. The boats leave from Boyne city in the morning, travel across Lake Charlevoix, through the Charlevoix’s Round Lake Channel, race across Lake Michigan, Grand Traverse Bay, and Little Traverse Bay, and come back to Boyne City to finish the race.
In mid-July the Boyne City Farmers Market and Boyne City Main Street host a food truck rally at Veterans Park. There are multiple food and beverage vendors serving up amazing stuff. All proceeds from this event go to support the Boyne City Farmers Market.
More Local Events
The second weekend of Arrrr-gust, Boyne City is invaded by pirates for the annual Pirates Festival. Throughout the weekend there is fun for everyone including a treasure hunt, costume contest, petting zoo, highlander games, and much more!
The Antique Auto Show and Flea Market happen along the shores of Lake Charlevoix in early August. The car show includes two classes of antique cars and another class of muscle cars and hot rods. Plus, the flea market normally has more than 40 vendors.
Over Labor Day weekend, the Kiwanis Club hosts another car show at Veteran Park. There are 21 registration classes with trophies awarded to participants. Throughout the day door prizes are given out to attendees.
Watch the sailboats race across Lake Charlevoix during the Red Fox Regatta at the end of August. It’s hosted by the Charlevoix Yacht Club and is a two-day event that has sailors covering the full length of Lake Charlevoix.
Every Labor Day weekend there are drag races at the Boyne City Airport. The 8-mile races happen in the afternoon on Sunday and are fun for the whole family.
Another Labor Day weekend event is the Boyne City Triathlon. This triathlon supports Team Lucky Seven, Inc and its mission to fight brain disease.
On Thanksgiving, the Kiwanis Turkey Trot 5K and 1-mile Fun Run take over Boyne City. The fun event is a way to collect donations for local food pantries, and all proceeds go to the Kiwanis Club of Boyne City Foundation.
Boyne City sparkles and glistens, dressed in its holiday finest, for the Santa Parade and Downtown Open House the Friday evening after Thanksgiving. The streets are filled with families and friends enjoying the sounds, sights, and smells of the holiday season. Santa makes his first appearance of the season at the Santa Parade which leads to the tree lighting and an opportunity for children to visit with Santa!
