High Five Spirits to Transform Bay Harbor Equestrian Club into Distillery and Wedding Venue

High Five Spirits, a distillery based in Petoskey, announced the launch of a major restoration of the Bay Harbor Equestrian Center, a 40,000-square-foot center, into a distillery and wedding venue. The project, called Gypsy Farms, is scheduled to open in June.
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Petoskey-based distillery High Five Spirits will renovate the Bay Harbor Equestrian Club into a a distillery and wedding venue called Gypsy Farms. // Courtesy of High Five Spirits
Petoskey-based distillery High Five Spirits will renovate the Bay Harbor Equestrian Club into a a distillery and wedding venue called Gypsy Farms. // Courtesy of High Five Spirits

High Five Spirits, a distillery based in Petoskey, announced the launch of a major restoration of the Bay Harbor Equestrian Center, a 40,000-square-foot center, into a distillery and wedding venue. The project, called Gypsy Farms, is scheduled to open in June.

“The setting out here is unreal.  We cannot wait for people to discover and experience Gypsy Farms,” says Adam Kazanowski co-founder of Gypsy Vodka and High Five Spirits.

The Gypsy Farms property sits on 23 acres overlooking Little Traverse Bay and is surrounded by rolling hills, grassy knolls, vegetation, and pastures. At the epicenter of the remodel is the former equestrian center riding area that is now being retrofitted into an indoor beer garden and distillery.

The building’s indoor riding arena will become an adult activity center featuring duckpin bowling, indoor golf swing suites, and multiples bars. The outside grounds will remain virtually untouched, leaving the multiple horse stables and riding areas as a beautiful backdrop for weddings and events.

Plans for stage two of the renovation includes a glamping area and a music venue. The amount of land will also allow High Five Spirits to builds more rickhouses that will be used to store bourbon.

“We wanted to gear the Gypsy brand toward freedom, love, and adventure. We spent three summers living out of our van working at music festivals all over the country to build this brand. We want our story to inspire people to take risks and follow their dreams,” says Michael Kazanowski, co-founder of Gypsy Vodka and High Five Spirits.

Gypsy, a true craft premium vodka, is gluten free and seven times distilled using a 100 percent non-GMO sweetcorn base and local artesian spring water. The Kazanowski brothers started distilling it on their own before using it to create High Five Spirits, which offers a full line up of spirits and ready-to-drink cocktails in cans.