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For more than a century, Cadillac has welcomed visitors seeking natural settings for leisure and business activities. Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) is among them, choosing Cadillac for this year’s Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities Conference at the end of May. “Cadillac is growing fast with new retail shops, restaurants, and cafes opening in just the last year,” says Parker Jones, innovation counselor at MSUE’s Product Center, citing Threads North, The Bird House, Roasted Cafe, Chunky Bear Coffee Roasters, and Wildflour Bakery among them. “It’s that entrepreneurial ecosystem that we want to showcase to other communities across the state.”

Nostalgic charm meets modern flair in the art-centric small towns of Saugatuck and Douglas. For decades, these communities—located just 140 miles around the Lake Michigan coastline from Chicago—have welcomed all creative types and proudly promoted themselves as being LGBTQ+ friendly. Nestled between two of Michigan’s five federally recognized American Viticultural Areas, the region also is known for its deep agricultural roots and growing beverage offerings including wineries, breweries, cideries, and distilleries. Gerald R. Ford International Airport, located 45 miles away in Grand Rapids, is the closest transportation hub with service from Detroit, Chicago, and all points beyond.

Midwestern hospitality, history, and culture are found at every turn throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region – encompassing three counties (Bay, Midland, and Saginaw) and six communities (Bay City, Midland, Saginaw, Chesaning, Frankenmuth, and Birch Run).