Traverse City's unbeach-like attraction

Ah yes. The sixth annual Traverse City Film Festival. I have never been to it. But I might – just might – make it up to northern Michigan this weekend to take in at least one or possibly two days of the growing event.....I had my first taste of “up north,” as you Michiganders call it, a month ago, when there were plenty of vacancies from Petoskey to T.C. Not so this weekend. So I guess this must be the high point of the Mich. summer. Still I eventually found a room but at three times the price I paid a month ago.....Enough about me. Several of the fest's films are sold out but there’s plenty more on offer. The fest’s web site is http://www.traversecityfilmfest.org/ .....Here’s what I’ve tentatively picked: Saturday: The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (Rick Goldsmith & Judith Ehrlich 2009), Me & Orson Welles (Richard Linklater 2008), The Tillman Story (Amy Bar-Levy 2009) and The Man Next Door (Mariano Cohn & Gaston Duprat 2009).....On Sunday The Elephant in the Living Room (Michael Webber 2010), When We Leave (Feo Aladag 2009) and Mike's Surprise in which fest founder Michael Moore unveils one of his surprise screenings (sometimes even he’s not aware of what it’s going to be).....I’m not that much of a Moore fan. But this fest looks like a neat smaller festival and from its web site seems to have good vibes.....The venues for the six day event (starting tomorrow) look great. There will be 80 films and 40 shorts from more than 25 countries - a total of 135 screenings. A bonus (if you’re into it) - five free panel discussions, and even six movies under the stars.....There’s a free shuttle running every 5-15 minutes to take you around the six theatres....Traverse City seems the ideal resort town. My trip to the area last month skirted the city. So if I make it there this weekend I’ll also be able to check out this community in some satisfying detail, when I’m not inside watching movies, of course.