NanBop Farm gathering kicks off summer event season in Grand Traverse County

NanBop Farm turned its grounds at 8240 Broadcast Way in Cadillac into a warm-weather marketplace Thursday night, as The Gathering drew vendors and visitors from around Northern Michigan and marked the start of a weekly summer run.

The first night featured live music from Traverse City artists Skylea and Whitney Marie, along with shopping, food and drink options, fresh produce, and games. A local events listing says The Gathering will continue every Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. through Sept. 3, giving the farm a steady place on the region’s summer calendar.

For Grand Traverse County readers, the event is another sign that the outdoor season is moving from spring into its busiest stretch, when families start choosing between farmers markets, music nights, festivals and other weekend outings. At NanBop Farm, the pitch is a little different from a standard market. The farm describes itself as a center for food, education, conversation and community gatherings, and says its events are meant to foster meaningful connection across ages, perspectives and backgrounds.

That mix matters in a crowded seasonal lineup. Around a dozen vendors, plus live music and food, creates an event that is small enough to feel local but broad enough to keep people on the property longer. The result is less like a quick stop and more like an evening out, with the farm setting adding the kind of scenic backdrop that many Northern Michigan events try to sell but cannot replicate.

NanBop Farm also appears to be building out for more than one purpose. Multiple May stories from 9&10 News have highlighted the property’s maple syrup production, planting in the fieldhouse, automatic watering infrastructure and wedding-facility preparation, suggesting the farm is developing into a year-round destination rather than a one-off event space.

A venue listing describes NanBop Farm as a family-run biodynamic farm named for the owners’ parents, who were nicknamed Nana and Boppy. Combined with the Thursday night series, that identity gives The Gathering a clear place in the local season: part community hangout, part farm experience, and part early marker that summer events have arrived in Northern Michigan.