How to Festival
We recognize and honor the Anishinaabe people on whose ancestral lands this event takes place, and we affirm Indigenous sovereignty, history, and express gratitude and appreciation to the Anishinaabe people for the gifts of their culture to the world.
Official Screening Venues
Traverse Area District Library
The Filling Station Microbrewery Depot Building
Official Event Venues
The Filling Station Microbrewery Depot Building (Mini-Store)
Up North Pride Community Center (Festival and Volunteer HQ)
Traverse City Whiskey Co. (Thursday and Friday Artist Panels)
The Alluvion (Saturday Artist Panel)
Nocturnal Bloom Brewing (Friday Night After-Party)
The Workshop Brewing Co. (Saturday Night After-Party)
Esperance Teaching Kitchen (Sunday Morning Pancake Breakfast)
Attending the Festival
All festival event listings are in Eastern-Time (ET).
Skip the car — lace up or hop on a bike. Most of our 2026 festival venues are clustered right around Boardman Lake, just a breezy stroll or pedal apart. No parking, no stress, no problem.
Parking
Limited Event-Only parking is available for free at the corner of Wellington and E. Eighth Streets during the Fresh Coast Film Festival Traverse City only – thanks to Blarney Castle and the City of Traverse City, Michigan. Please Park at Your Own Risk: FCFF/tc is not responsible for personal Injuries, loss or damage to vehicles and the lot is unattended.
Thursday April 30 to Sunday May 3, 2026
Available Daily 9:00 AM - 11:30 PM
The Alluvion / Commongrounds building has 16 metered parking spaces located at the west entrance and below the building in the parking garage. There are two accessible parking spaces on the west side of the building. The parking garage has direct access to the elevator and stairway. You can pay in three hour increments with coins or the ParkMobile app.
Government Center on Boardman Ave: Located northwest of The Alluvion on Boardman Ave. This lot is free after 4:00 PM on weekdays and free all day on the weekends.
Other Options: There are various parallel parking options nearby as well. One of our other favorite free parking areas is in front of Silver Spruce Brewing on either side of Wellington Street.
Old Town Parking Structure, about a 5 minute walk to The Alluvion / Commongrounds Building and Silver Spruce Brewing Co. and a 6 minute walk to Traverse Area District Library and The Filling Station Microbrewery Depot Building. About a 15 minute walk to Right Brain Brewery.
Parking is free after 6:00 PM Monday to Saturday and all day on Sundays at all ParkMobile meters in Traverse City.
Fresh Coast Film Festival TC Shuttles - Sponsored by Brew Bus
Look for our friends from Traverse City’s iconic green Brew Buses, providing limited rides around town between our venues. With a capacity of 14 passengers, festivalgoers are always welcome to hop on board and catch a ride with any available seat.
Stops and routes vary between Wellington and E. Eighth Streets and our venues.
Ticket Prices and Fees
The prices you see are the prices you’ll pay! All our prices INCLUDE the processing, transaction, and service fees. No fees are added at checkout!
The festival does NOT accept cash or check payments for tickets, merchandise, or concessions but can accept credit card, debit, Venmo and PayPal payments.
Any ticket purchases will be stored in your personal Ludus.com account, and you’ll have the choice to print or save your tickets digitally at checkout (or anytime online).
Weekend Passholders may pick up a physical souvenir badge at the Main Box Office, this badge will speed your entry and is transferable.
Friday, Saturday, or Sunday Day Passholders may pick up a physical wristband at their first screening event. Wristbands will speed your entry.
Individual Ticket purchases must present a printed receipt, or a digital copy of the receipt and/or QR code on your smartphone. Please have your ticket details ready to help speed your entry.
When to Arrive
Please arrive at least 15 minutes before published start times, and remember to give yourself extra time for food and drink options at most events.
All Fresh Coast Film Festival Traverse City events are first-come, first-served seating. Festival Attendees line up in the order of arrival, and then groups are admitted in priority order to take any available seat.
Weekend Passes
Day-Passes and Individual Tickets
Special Guests
Volunteers
We will strive to open the doors to events no later than 15 minutes before the start-time.
In the event a screening is sold-out by the time you arrive, don’t worry! Most of our venues are within easy walking distance of each other, and our volunteers can help you find a new event to attend. Most programs are presented twice over four days.
Ticket Limits: in an effort to share the festival with as many people as possible, each Ludus.com account is limited to purchasing a maximum of 4 tickets per event, and 20 tickets per gala at City Opera House.
Waiting-List Tickets: there’s a great chance seats will be available at every screening, and sometimes we release more tickets after cancellations or refunds. If an event is sold-out, a Waiting-List option will be available both online and at each event in-person.
Refunds and Transfers
We’re sorry, but all sales are final and non-refundable once purchased.
You may transfer your digital pass and/or tickets in advance, by using the tools in your Ludus.com account – or by simply giving a friend your printout, or digital copy of your ticket. Once a QR code has been checked into an event, it has been used.
If your plans change or you can’t make the event, please transfer your tickets or let us know, and we’ll donate them to a lucky guest in the Waiting-List line.
Cancellation
The festival will take place Rain or Shine, and all our screening events are indoors. Some of our outdoor experiences will be Weather-Permitting and updates will be texted to registered attendees. If for any reason the festival is cancelled due to emergency circumstances outside our control, every attempt will be made to reschedule the event as soon as possible – but is not guaranteed due to the complexity of venue availability.
Free to festival attendees with advance registration.
Please arrive at our tours and experiences with all the things that make you comfortable for a light adventure. Outdoor tours and experiences are presented rain or shine, unless otherwise announced.
Help make it possible for everyone to enjoy! Registrations are limited to one per person, and three events total per person. If your plans change, just let us know and we can offer your spot to someone on our Waiting List. Final details will be texted to registered attendees.
traversecity+tours@freshcoastfilm.com
Traverse City celebrates independent storytellers and the communities they create through their work. Our event is a welcoming environment for all community members, including staff, volunteers, artists, audiences, vendors, and partners.
Please show respect: treat all individuals with dignity and kindness, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity/expression, ability, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, age, physical appearance, language spoken, and immigration or economic status.
Please never use or allow others to use discriminatory language, or demeaning or harassing behavior.
Please acknowledge and respect the originality of others’ work and refrain from plagiarism or piracy. Report any attempt to record any festival films or other protected works to the nearest volunteer.
Please help us respect the work of our filmmakers - don’t use your phone or device during the event, exit the venue if you need to, and make sure you’ve MUTED or turned your phone off during the program.
Feel free to start posting the minute the credits come up, just remember to tag @oldmissionculturecompany and @freshcoastfilm and use the hashtag #freshcoasting
Please value our local communities: be courteous to our local residents and businesses.