Charlevoix & Petoskey · Small town
East Jordan
For paddlers and anyone avoiding crowds: the Jordan, Michigan's first designated Natural River, floats into this small city at the south tip of Lake Charlevoix.
Arts · Market · Music · East Jordan
Portside Art Fair
A juried weekend art fair at Elm Pointe on Lake Charlevoix, held the first full weekend of August with live music and the historical museum open.
The Portside Art Fair has been held for more than six decades (2025 was the 62nd), at Elm Pointe on the shore of Lake Charlevoix. The historical society sponsors it, and its museum in the estate lodge displays purchase-prize paintings from past fairs.
It is a relaxed fair by the lake, so plan an easy afternoon and check the hours before you go.
What to expect
Artists show on the grounds of Elm Pointe, the old lakeside estate just north of town, Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm, rain or shine. A judge picks a best of show each year, and there is live entertainment and food all weekend. Admission is free, with donations at the gate going to the East Jordan Historical Society.
Location
Where Portside Art Fair happens
4 places on an OpenStreetMap map
The pin marks the town; check the organizer for exact venues.
About East Jordan
Nearby attractions
Straight-line distances, not driving distances.
Beach
Tannery Beach
Boyne City's dog-friendly beach on Lake Charlevoix at 862 Front Street, with cleanup supplies on hand and an easy put-in for kayaks and canoes.
About 6 miles away (straight line)
State park
Young State Park
Boyne City's state park on Lake Charlevoix, with a swimming beach, a boat launch, three modern campgrounds and 6.5 miles of trails.
About 7 miles away (straight line)
Beach
Peninsula Beach
Boyne City's in-town beach on Front Street, a short walk from downtown, with a splash pad, playground, restrooms, picnic tables and a Mobi Mat. No lifeguard.
About 7 miles away (straight line)
More events in and around East Jordan
- East Jordan Freedom FestivalEast Jordan's five-day summer festival: Friday block party, youth and grand parades, a carnival and fireworks from a barge on the South Arm of Lake Charlevoix.
- Bay View Music FestivalA summer music festival in Bay View, billed as the longest continuously operating chamber music festival in the country, with Sunday vesper concerts.
- Charlevoix Waterfront Art FairA juried one-day art fair in East Park on the second Saturday in August, running since 1958 and one of the oldest in Michigan.
- Odawa Homecoming Pow WowAn August pow wow near Harbor Springs that is free and open to the public, with dance and drum contests and food.