Traverse City, Mich. – July 2, 2017 – Starting next week, the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF) will once again become many exhibitors’ summer home away from home for six weeks of action-packed hunter, jumper and equitation competition including internationally-rated CSI2* and CSI3* events. Experience the classic tastes of Traverse City at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival this year! Set in picturesque Traverse City, Michigan, the area surrounding the showgrounds boasts a number of popular food and wine hot spots for visitors and exhibitors to indulge in.
Relax ringside in the VIP Club with a GLEF summer cocktail in hand, made with cherry vodka and lemonade, courtesy of Grand Traverse Distillery, the official distillery of GLEF. Wine will also be provided in the VIP Club from Black Star Farms, the official celebration wine for welcome stake, grand prix and hunter derby winners each week throughout the series.
Join the GLEF VIP Wine Club, featuring your choice of any of Black Star Farms’ international award-winning wines! Order online here between July 1–Aug. 7. Enter the code Equestrian at check-out and receive 20 percent off your entire order. Your wine will be delivered and available to pick up at GLEF during one of Black Star Farms’ tastings/pick-up parties held July 7 at the Hunter Pavilion and July 29 at the Riders Lounge next to the Grand Prix Ring at 3 p.m.
If beer is more your horse show beverage of choice, never fear. GLEF will be featuring beer from North Peak Brewing Company all summer in the VIP Club as well as holding tastings on July 23 and Aug. 13 to try their Mellow Cherry Hibiscus, Archangel Summer Wheat and Original Pale Ale made from locally-grown ingredients.
Fully immerse yourself in the local Traverse City culture and give back to the community at the Oryana Natural Foods Market, which will be onsite at the Flintfields Horse Park at dates to be announced soon. The market will feature goods produced by local Traverse City farmers and will also provide healthy treats in the exhibitor hospitality tent, sponsored by Sea Change Farm.
“Our local partners are extremely valuable to the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival,” said GLEF show organizer Matt Morrissey of Morrissey Management Group. “They each bring something special and uniquely Traverse City to GLEF, which our exhibitors and visitors really appreciate and enjoy. It’s a great opportunity to showcase the local flavors that make our event great and truly standout. We are so lucky and proud to call Traverse City home.”
To add even more excitement to next week’s kick-off of the 2017 GLEF, Week One, beginning July 5, overlaps with Traverse City’s famed annual National Cherry Festival, which runs July 1–8. Featuring the city’s signature fruit, this family friendly event is in its 91st year and is jam-packed with over 150 different activities to enjoy after the horse show such as air shows, fireworks, nightly concerts and, of course, plenty of opportunities to taste Traverse City’s irresistible cherries.
Join the fun at Flintfields Horse Park this summer and experience the heart-stopping thrill of grand prix show jumping each Sunday July 5–Aug. 13 featuring top riders from across the county, and watch in style with a ringside VIP table for six complete with food and beverage services. Gates open at noon and weekly grand prix competitions begin at 2 p.m. Download a VIP Club table reservation form here.
