For the past 18 years, Traverse City has been provided with some of the best family-friendly movies during our beloved film festival. At the end of July every year, there is a week full of movie nights held downtown in the Open Space. These movies start after the sun sets, with all of the snacks you can think of. Unfortunately, the 2022 Film Festival was the last.
  The founder of the film festival, Michael Moore, decided that the film festival would no longer be held. In an email to UpNorthLive, Moore said that after many years of being in debt, the film festival finally broke even, so it’s time to close this era of the film festival. Every summer, the film festival is an event that everyone looks forward to, and taking it away is heartbreaking.
  Although there won’t be a film festival anymore, Moore plans on stepping it up with the Bijou and the State Theater by bringing back their post-pandemic crowds. In Moore’s letter to UpNorthLive, he states that he is planning to invent something new and sustainable for the people of Traverse City to experience and enjoy.
  While many are sad about the end of this era, the Traverse City Film Festival (TCFF) crew still plans on doing things for Traverse City as a whole. In the past, the film fest crew has done a lot, from protecting Planned Parenthood when it was under attack, and getting TCAPS to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. day. They have and continue to tend to people’s wants and needs by offering free screenings for students and schools, and never turning down someone that can’t afford a ticket.
  Although attending the film festival week isn’t available anymore, there are plenty of movie events you can attend. During the summer, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the Cherry Bowl Drive-In hosts two movies. The first movie starts after the sun sets, then after that movie finishes, the next one starts. Usually the first movie is a family-friendly movie and the later movie is more for the adults. There is a diner where popcorn, candy, and lots of other foods are sold.
  Traverse City offers year-round places to watch movies, the State Theater and Bijou are two great places to go watch a movie in a fun environment. Every week they offer a new movie to watch, usually starting at 7p.m. For adults, tickets are nine dollars, seniors and students are eight dollars, and children 12 and under can watch the movie for seven dollars. The State Theater and Bijou are both great ways for people to come together and watch a movie with little expenses.