The Ticker’s Recess, a regular networking night organized by local news outlet The Ticker, will take place Friday, Nov. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Traverse City Curling Club. Admission to the event is $10, and attendees are advised to wear tennis or rubber-soled shoes for on-ice demonstrations. The evening will include on-ice curling demos, snacks, coffee samples, prizes and beverages available from the club’s taproom.

Moving the networking night to the Curling Club brings a familiar professional mixer into a recreational community space, blending social and economic activity in a setting that encourages informal conversation. For local professionals, entrepreneurs and civic-minded residents, the event provides a low-cost way to expand networks, meet potential collaborators and learn about community organizations in a relaxed atmosphere.

For the Traverse City Curling Club, hosting The Ticker’s Recess directs foot traffic to a community amenity that relies on event rentals, memberships and on-site beverage sales to subsidize operations. The presence of snacks, coffee sampling and taproom purchases means the evening will likely increase short-term revenue for the facility and contribute to spillover spending in the surrounding neighborhood. Such events also help keep civic institutions visible and relevant to younger professionals who may not otherwise visit a curling club.

From an economic perspective, local networking nights function as micromarkets where social capital is traded alongside goods and services. A $10 entry fee keeps the barrier to participation low while covering basic costs; combined on-site purchases and prize incentives can amplify the event’s value for both attendees and hosts. Small, recurring gatherings like this also serve as a pipeline for volunteer recruitment, membership growth and business referrals — modest but cumulative contributors to local economic resilience.

Practical considerations for attendees include the recommended footwear for safety on ice and the event’s two-hour window, which fits into typical after-work schedules. Organizers’ inclusion of demonstrations and prizes aims to broaden appeal beyond strictly professional networking, making the event accessible to residents curious about curling or looking for casual social contact.

As Grand Traverse County continues to rebuild and diversify its local economy, initiatives that pair community recreation with networking create low-cost platforms for relationship-building and economic exchange. The Ticker’s Friday Recess at the Traverse City Curling Club is one such example, combining sport, refreshments and conversation to keep local ties active and support a civic venue.