When a town is designated a village, the name has the propensity to conjure the anachronism of a time before now. A place where everyone kind of knows everyone. Where residents work hard to protect the dark sky from urban light intrusion, and where there is not one traffic light. A place for fishing, swimming, boating and cherry orchards, wine, cheese and quiet.

On a recent steamy August Saturday, the people of the Village of Northport (population 496, per the 2020 census), high up in Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula, hosted the 28th Annual Northport Dog Parade.

The sounds of sweet barks, slurps from surrounding water bowls and giggles over the elaborate canine costumes filled the air. With temps topping 93 degrees, the Leelanau Township Fire Department hosed down the parade route, which br

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