Explore the Third Coast
The "Third Coast" refers to the Great Lakes region of Michigan.
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The Great Lakes Region
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The Region: The massive freshwater shorelines encompassing Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and the Canadian province of Ontario.
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Context: Also referred to as the "Fresh Coast," it holds over 4,500 miles of coastline, which is longer than the US East and West Coasts combined.
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Cultural Context: Often embraced by Midwest residents to celebrate the immense, ocean-like scale of the lakes.
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Art and Literature: The moniker is heavily utilized by local businesses, indie music festivals, literary magazines, and apparel brands (especially in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin) to anchor a distinct Midwestern creative identity.
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Beach Towns: The eastern shore of Lake Michigan is lined with massive, desert-like sand dunes and resort towns (like Saugatuck and Grand Haven) that function exactly like Cape Cod or West Coast beach towns during the summer months.
Visit
So many fun opportunities to find new books, new authors, fellow readers, and just celebrate a shared love of books!
Independent Book Stores operating up & down the coast.
Opportunities to learn the craft of writing and connect with fellow published and aspiring authors.
Sometimes you just want to chill with a good book, right? Here are a few events where you can do just that.
The Ultimate Third Coast Literary Roadtrip
Want to take an epic literary tour of the Third Coast? We've already mapped it out for you.