A community home built around stories
The Folded Leaf is also home to storytimes, writing circles, book clubs, author events, local art, inclusive programming, and gatherings created with community partners.
Whether you are looking for your next book, your people, a place to write, or simply somewhere comfortable to exist for a while, there is room for you here.
The Open Page: A Queer Writers Circle
The Open Page: A Queer Writers Circle is a monthly writing group hosted in collaboration with Up North Pride and The Folded Leaf. This circle is designed for LGBTQ+ writers, questioning creatives, and allies who are looking for a soft, supportive place to write, explore, and connect.
Each gathering begins with a short prompt inspired by queer literature, memory, identity, place, imagination, or joy. From there, participants will have quiet writing time followed by optional sharing. You do not need to be an experienced writer to attend, and you never have to read aloud. Poems, fiction, essays, memoir, journaling, letters, fragments, and unfinished thoughts are all welcome here.
Rachel's Birthday Bash!
You’re invited to Rachel’s Birthday Bash!
To celebrate our Founder & Executive Director, we will be enjoying an evening of origami (using book pages!), light appetizers and drinks from Colibri Wine Bar, and, of course, discounted books!
Our goal is to create 250 origami birds to hang from the ceiling of the shop! We’re so excited for YOU to become part of our journey as we take flight into the next chapter of Rachel’s and The Folded Leaf Foundation’s life!
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library GTR Fundraiser
Join us for an evening in support of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Grand Traverse Region, a program that mails free, high-quality books directly to children from birth to age five, helping build early literacy, family connection, and a lifelong love of reading.
The community fundraiser at Colibri is from 4:45–7:00 pm. Guests are invited to enjoy light food, a cash bar, silent auction, brief speaker/testimonial moment, and plenty of time to mingle with fellow supporters of childhood literacy.
This event is a celebration of what happens when a community comes together around books, children, and the belief that every child deserves stories of their own.
All proceeds raised will support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Grand Traverse Region and help place more books directly into the hands and homes of local children.
We hope you’ll join us for this joyful evening of books, community, and giving.
Stairytime
Join us on the big stairs at Commongrounds for Stairytime! On the third Tuesday of each month, at 3:30 p.m. Rachel will read 1-3 themed stories! There will always be a fun activity or thought exercise to do together!
While this event is geared towards younger kiddos, all ages are welcome!
We’ll see you on the stairs!
The Writer’s Block
The Writer’s Block is a group of aspiring creatives who get together to write, play, work, and encourage each other through positive community connection and quiet peer pressure.
If you’ve been stuck rewriting the same sentence for months, this group is for you!
Totally free. Open to all.
Books and Beers Club
Books and Beers Club at Brewery Terra Firma with The Folded Leaf Foundation
Frame the Theme: Intent to Submit
Would you like to submit your work for the 2026 Frame the Theme Art Auction?
Please read and agree to the following terms and conditions and then fill out the form. We’re excited to showcase your work to show Northern Michigan what literacy means to you!
- All work must be original
- No AI imagery or fabrication allowed
- No pornographic themes or images
- No live animals
- All work submitted will be auctioned to support The Folded Leaf Foundation* and its mission
*Artists will receive 20% of the auction price
Author Event: Sierra Biidaaban Nadeau
Join us for an evening with Sierra Biidaaban Nadeau, author of What the Ancestors Say, on Saturday, Sept. 26th at 6:00-7:30 pm.
“A moving story of reclaiming an erased heritage.” – Publishers Weekly
️ “Balancing keen reportage with emotional and spiritual reclamation, What the Ancestors Say is a gripping history about the reprehensibility of Indigenous American boarding schools.” – Foreword Reviews, starred review
In her debut book, local Odawa Anishinaabe reporter Sierra Biidaaban Nadeau uncovers ten of her own relatives in enrollment records of Native American boarding schools and traces the legacy of these institutions across generations.
Drawing on survivor testimony, archival research, and her own family’s stories, Sierra documents how over 500 residential schools operated in the US—facilities that sought to erase Indigenous identity through cultural suppression, abuse, and forced assimilation—while illuminating the resilience, resistance, and memory‑keeping that persisted despite them.
About the author:
Sierra Biidaaban Nadeau is an award-winning Odawa Anishinaabe storyteller from Traverse City, Michigan. In 2020, she started a fellowship with the Mishigamiing Journalism Project, a partnership between the Traverse City Record-Eagle and Indigenizing the News. In 2021, she received a fellowship with Report for America and became the Record-Eagle's first full-time Native American reporter and the state's only full-time Indigenous affairs reporter. She currently works as the reporting specialist for Miigwech, Inc., and also works as a freelance writer and keynote speaker.
Glen Arbor Book Club Meetup
This book club will be meeting in Colibri Wine Bar and reading Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez. Books are available for purchase at The Folded Leaf and through Libro.fm.
Author Event: Keith Stahl
Join us for an evening with Keith Stahl, author of Dear Future Occupants.
It is 1979, and patriarch Bud relocates his family to his conservative hometown of Greenhill, Connecticut. Despite dubious restaurant experience, he uses his wife’s inheritance to purchase a diner in hopes of proving himself. Things begin to fall apart when police find an all-too-literal skeleton in the family’s basement. A series of misfortunes, accidents, and comedic events follow, including the creation of a vending-machine-sandwich/drug-dealing business and a protest-turned-siege at the local hospital.
Charting one family’s rise to subversive glory in a genteel New England town, this colonial gothic novel is told through found documents and multiple perspectives, including those of Bud; Victor, the middle son; and Herman, the ahead-of-their time, nonbinary, eldest child whose journal entries serve as a kind of Greek chorus throughout. In this breathless, exuberant work, Keith Stahl brilliantly captures the foundational dichotomies at the heart of the American experience: a puritanical distrust of anything fun and a nearly anarchic love of pleasure and freedom. Moving and bitterly humorous, Dear Future Occupants is a paean to the working class and the diversity that holds a family together.
Author bio: Keith Stahl is a former restaurateur who teaches creative writing at Syracuse University and Writers Voice. He is the author of the poetry collection From the Gunroom. Originally from Litchfield, Connecticut, he lives in Skaneateles, New York.
Story & Song: Emilia Ramos
Join us at The Alluvion for an evening of reading & performance from Ramos’s newest book, Valaztein.
Accompanied by student musicians from Interlochen, Ramos will perform original songs from the last book in her hit trilogy.
Frame the Theme: Art Submission Deadline
Thank you for participating in the 2026 Frame the Theme Art Auction to support the Folded Leaf Foundation!
We hope you have enjoyed the process of creating art based on what literacy means to you! We’ll see you on November 21, 2026 for the showcase and final auction!
The Blush Gathering
Escape into a weekend designed for women who love books, connection, and unforgettable experiences at The Blush Gathering Book Retreat. Your Ticket includes either a private room or a shared two- or three-person room and access to an inspiring itinerary filled with literary fun and meaningful moments. Bring your book bestie and enjoy a weekend of reading, or go in blind and meet a new bookish friend. Every detail has been thoughtfully planned to create a memorable getaway.
Kick off the weekend with:
- Snacks and welcome gifts upon arrival
- Cozy Casual Dinner and Book Fair
- Breakfast on Saturday
- Wine tasting & lunch book discussion
- Dinner on Saturday
- A relaxing yoga session
- Champagne Brunch on Sunday
Transportation to and from the retreat, including flights and driving expenses, is not included. Guests must be 21 years of age or older to attend. All ticket purchases are non-refundable.
Author Event: Carmen Skipworth - "Leading with Intelligence: A Woman's Guide to Thriving in the Age of AI"
Join us for an evening with author Carmen Skipworth as she shares her book “Lead With Intelligence: A Woman’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of AI.”
Moderated by Rachel Zemanek, Carmen will sit down for an interview with AI, read excerpts from her book, and share a practical and inspiring roadmap for women (and men) who want to understand AI, strengthen their leadership, and remain relevant in a rapidly changing workplace.
The Writer’s Block
The Writer’s Block is a group of aspiring creatives who get together to write, play, work, and encourage each other through positive community connection and quiet peer pressure.
If you’ve been stuck rewriting the same sentence for months, this group is for you!
Totally free. Open to all.
Stairytime
Join us on the big stairs at Commongrounds for Stairytime! On the third Tuesday of each month, at 3:30 p.m. Rachel will read 1-3 themed stories! There will always be a fun activity or thought exercise to do together!
While this event is geared towards younger kiddos, all ages are welcome!
We’ll see you on the stairs!
Author Event: Jillian Laine
Readers who preorder Henry Tudor Must Die from The Folded Leaf will get a signed copy and an exclusive Anne Boleyn "OFF WITH HIS HEAD" print from queer bookish artist Stephanie Hulsebus of the Bus Stop Shop (@s_holdthebus).
Meet Cute: A Romance Book Club
Join us August 13, 2026, at 6 pm to discuss Forget Me Not by Julie Soto! Don’t have a copy? That’s okay! You can pick yours up at The Folded Leaf anytime!
The Open Page: A Queer Writers Circle
The Open Page: A Queer Writers Circle is a monthly writing group hosted in collaboration with Up North Pride and The Folded Leaf. This circle is designed for LGBTQ+ writers, questioning creatives, and allies who are looking for a soft, supportive place to write, explore, and connect.
Each gathering begins with a short prompt inspired by queer literature, memory, identity, place, imagination, or joy. From there, participants will have quiet writing time followed by optional sharing. You do not need to be an experienced writer to attend, and you never have to read aloud. Poems, fiction, essays, memoir, journaling, letters, fragments, and unfinished thoughts are all welcome here.
Private Event: CLOSED
TFL will be CLOSED to the public from 2 to 4 pm.
Open for regular business hours outside of that time slot.
The Writer’s Block
The Writer’s Block is a group of aspiring creatives who get together to write, play, work, and encourage each other through positive community connection and quiet peer pressure.
If you’ve been stuck rewriting the same sentence for months, this group is for you!
Totally free. Open to all.
Stairytime
Join us on the big stairs at Commongrounds for Stairytime! On the third Tuesday of each month, at 3:30 p.m. Rachel will read 1-3 themed stories! There will always be a fun activity or thought exercise to do together!
While this event is geared towards younger kiddos, all ages are welcome!
We’ll see you on the stairs!
The Open Page: A Queer Writers Circle
The Open Page: A Queer Writers Circle is a monthly writing group hosted in collaboration with Up North Pride and The Folded Leaf. This circle is designed for LGBTQ+ writers, questioning creatives, and allies who are looking for a soft, supportive place to write, explore, and connect.
Each gathering begins with a short prompt inspired by queer literature, memory, identity, place, imagination, or joy. From there, participants will have quiet writing time followed by optional sharing. You do not need to be an experienced writer to attend, and you never have to read aloud. Poems, fiction, essays, memoir, journaling, letters, fragments, and unfinished thoughts are all welcome here.
CANCELED: Second Breakfast Book Club
Have you ever dreamed of making Second Breakfast, chocolate frogs, or Turkish delights? This is your chance!
Books by the Glass
Books by the Glass is a monthly literary gathering in the Lounge at Colibri Wine Bar within Commongrounds, pairing thoughtful conversation with wines inspired by the landscapes, cultures, and lives behind each book.
July’s book is The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. If you already have a copy of the book, great! If not, please consider purchasing it from us in-store or through one of our partner platforms linked below.
Libro.fm
Bookshop.org
FREE - Join us at Colibri with no pressure to purchase anything. If you’d like to change your mind when you get there, by all means, purchase some food and drink! No pressure!
Join us at Colibri with no pressure to purchase anything. If you’d like to change your mind when you get there, by all means, purchase some food and drink! No pressure!
Meet Cute: A Romance Book Club
Join us July 9, 2026, at 6 pm to discuss Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory! Don’t have a copy? That’s okay! You can pick yours up at The Folded Leaf anytime!
Pride & Pages Bookfair
A full-day queer bookfair to close out the month, featuring LGBTQ+ books across genres, staff picks, local/community highlights, and a celebration of queer stories all year long.
Author Event: Signing & Open House with Tylee Shay!
Join us for Tylee Shay’s debut book launch, signing, and open house. Life on the Lake is an ode to summer days on freshwater shores, pairing lake life photography—beaches, boating, sand dunes, sunsets—along with creative essays on slowing down and savoring the sacred summer season.
Stairytime
Join us on the big stairs at Commongrounds for Stairytime! On the third Tuesday of each month, at 3:30 p.m. Rachel will read 1-3 themed stories! There will always be a fun activity or thought exercise to do together!
While this event is geared towards younger kiddos, all ages are welcome!
We’ll see you on the stairs!
Queer Joy Story Hour — For Grown-Ups
An evening of readings and reflection honoring the LGBTQ+ stories that have shaped us, steadied us, and helped us feel less alone. Guests are invited to bring a short passage from a queer book that mattered to them, or simply come listen, gather, and celebrate the stories some people tried to silence — and the people who found themselves in the pages anyway.
Second Breakfast Book Club
Have you ever dreamed of making Second Breakfast, chocolate frogs, or Turkish delights? This is your chance!
Audiobook & Brew Walk
Audiobook & Brew: An Audiobook Walk Around NoBo
Join The Folded Leaf for a wandering audiobook social through the NoBo district. Your ticket includes one complimentary beer, cider, house wine, or nonalcoholic beverage at each participating stop, plus entry into a raffle to win 10 Libro.fm audiobook credits, generously provided by Libro.fm. Bring your headphones, choose your current listen, and wander with fellow book lovers.
Meet Cute: A Romance Book Club
Join us June 11, 2026, at 6 pm to discuss A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall! Don’t have a copy? That’s okay! You can pick yours up at The Folded Leaf anytime!
The Open Page: A Queer Writers Circle
The Open Page: A Queer Writers Circle is a monthly writing group hosted in collaboration with Up North Pride and The Folded Leaf. This circle is designed for LGBTQ+ writers, questioning creatives, and allies who are looking for a soft, supportive place to write, explore, and connect.
Each gathering begins with a short prompt inspired by queer literature, memory, identity, place, imagination, or joy. From there, participants will have quiet writing time followed by optional sharing. You do not need to be an experienced writer to attend, and you never have to read aloud. Poems, fiction, essays, memoir, journaling, letters, fragments, and unfinished thoughts are all welcome here.
Letters to Our Younger Selves
This is an on-going in-store community support event!
Letters to Our Younger Selves
Write the words you needed to hear. To your younger self, your future self, or someone still trying to believe they belong.
You can choose to:
Keep your letter
Seal it and take it home
Add an anonymous excerpt to the community wall
Leave a note for queer youth/community members to read
Always remember that you are loved.
Book Donation Day!
To better serve our community, The Folded Leaf Foundation will accept book donations every other week on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. only. Thank you for helping us stay organized!
We are kindly asking that you pre-sort your donations. We cannot accept any books that smell like mold or must, have mold or animal feces, have yellowed or brittle pages, have missing covers, are textbooks or travel guides more than 2 years old, or are mass-market paperback books.
We happily accept hardcover fiction (from the last 3 years), local history and authors, well-maintained classics, high-quality kids' books, and well-maintained banned or challenged books. There is also a list of preferred titles on The Folded Leaf Foundation page!
Thank you for supporting The Folded Leaf Foundation!
Book Donation Day!
To better serve our community, The Folded Leaf Foundation will accept book donations every other week on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. only. Thank you for helping us stay organized!
We are kindly asking that you pre-sort your donations. We cannot accept any books that smell like mold or must, have mold or animal feces, have yellowed or brittle pages, have missing covers, are textbooks or travel guides more than 2 years old, or are mass-market paperback books.
We happily accept hardcover fiction (from the last 3 years), local history and authors, well-maintained classics, high-quality kids' books, and well-maintained banned or challenged books. There is also a list of preferred titles on The Folded Leaf Foundation page!
Thank you for supporting The Folded Leaf Foundation!
Stairytime
Join us on the big stairs at Commongrounds for Stairytime! On the third Tuesday of each month, at 3:30 p.m. Rachel will read 1-3 themed stories! There will always be a fun activity or thought exercise to do together!
While this event is geared towards younger kiddos, all ages are welcome!
We’ll see you on the stairs!