Community Curling Night Draws Neighbors Together, Boosts Local Social Health
On November 7, The Ticker hosted a community curling night at the Traverse City Curling Club inside the Cherryland Center, offering demonstrations, hands on activities, snacks, local beer, and coffee samples. The event provided a low cost opportunity for physical activity and social connection, with implications for local public health, community engagement, and economic support for small businesses.
The Ticker brought curling to downtown Traverse City on November 7, converting the Traverse City Curling Club at the Cherryland Center into a social networking space with a sporting twist. The event ran from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., and for a $10 admission attendees could watch demonstrations, try curling games such as Closest to the Button, sample Panther Coffee, enjoy tailgate style snacks and local beer on tap, and enter a prize drawing that included an ice rental for a small group and beginner classes.
Organizers pitched the gathering as a friendly happy hour with a hands on sport experience aimed at people who had never tried curling before. The event listing encouraged tennis shoes or rubber soled shoes for those who wanted to step onto the ice. By pairing a simple admission fee with on site samples and a mix of sport and socializing, the event lowered the barrier to trying a winter sport while supporting local food and beverage vendors.
For Grand Traverse County residents, the night had a range of community level benefits. Introducing people to curling can expand opportunities for regular physical activity in a season when outdoor options shrink. Community based recreation events like this also create chances for social connection that matter to mental health, particularly for adults who may feel isolated. The combination of sport instruction and prize offerings such as beginner classes can build pathways from a single event to ongoing participation, which may improve sustained activity levels and civic engagement.
There are equity considerations for organizers and local policymakers to keep in mind. A modest admission fee helps offset costs for clubs and vendors, but ongoing outreach and sliding scale options can broaden access for households facing economic barriers. Site accessibility, transportation to the Cherryland Center at 1712 S. Garfield Avenue, and the availability of adaptive equipment influence who can participate. Partnerships between community media outlets, recreation providers, and public health agencies could help scale inclusive offerings and ensure the health benefits reach older adults, youth, and residents with disabilities.
Beyond immediate health impacts, the event illustrated how local gatherings support the regional economy. Featuring Panther Coffee and local beer on tap kept spending within the community and highlighted small businesses that often rely on winter foot traffic. For those who missed the November 7 night, organizers and the curling club have signaled opportunities for beginner classes and group ice rentals that can continue to build a more active, connected winter community in Grand Traverse County.
