Community Calendar

A Guided Winter Trek, Hot Cocoa, and a Flavor of History in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Discover Port Oneida’s past on snow-covered paths with your history guide. Your adventure begins and ends at the historic Olsen House where after a gentle trek, you will gather in the kitchen for a hot cocoa bar with all the fixings, and warm cookies, using Hattie Olsen’s own recipe. Visit this cozy, charming home during the winter season and get a unique snowy view of the Olsen farmstead and surrounding landscapes.

If conditions do not allow for snowshoeing, we will take a winter hike. Bring your own snowshoes and a change of shoes for inside the Olsen House.

This event is for adults and children over 12. This is a free event and donations are welcome. Registration is requested so we can prepare enough cocoa and bake enough cookies!

Kids and their families are invited to join park rangers for youth ice fishing events. Young participants will learn essential ice fishing skills, safety measures, and fishing regulations, culminating in a "Junior Angler" certification and a fishing pole to take home (while supplies last). If ice conditions permit, attendees will have the opportunity to ice fish at North Bar Lake. No registration is required. Organized groups may register at 231-326-4700, ext. 5005.

All programs are free with a valid park entrance pass. Passes may be purchased at the Phillip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, Michigan, and cost $25 (per vehicle) for seven days, $45 for an annual Sleeping Bear Dunes pass, or $80 (or less) for the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands pass series.

Grab your winter hiking gear and join Walloon Lake Association and Conservancy staff for a guided snowshoe hike at Postle Farm Preserve. We’ll explore this magnificent protected area in search of signs of winter wildlife activity. We’ll take a quick detour to enjoy a glass of wine at Boyne Valley Vineyards – our next-door neighbors to the preserve – before returning back to the preserve trailhead to end the hike.

Your first glass of wine and light appetizers are on us! WLAC will provide snowshoes or crampons for participants, if conditions require them.

This event is free and open to the public. Directions to the Postle Farm Preserve trailhead can be found here.

Join Little Traverse Conservancy (LTC) for an engaging and family-friendly event dedicated to one of North America’s smallest and most colorful falcons—the American Kestrel. Learn about their natural history, why their populations are declining, and how you can help make a difference through nest box monitoring and community science.

This special program features live American Kestrels, presented with Skegemog Raptor Center, and our collaborating partner, Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch (MSRW)

Discover how you can get involved and help protect the American Kestrel in our region.

This event is free of charge, but please register so we know you are coming.

Join the Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA) for a magical evening at Leo Creek! On Friday, February 27, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, we invite you to wander a lantern-lit loop through the preserve. This casual community event is the perfect way to embrace the season, enjoy the crisp winter air, and learn a bit more about what we do.

Warm up with a cup of hot cocoa at our check-in tables and, if the weather permits, borrow a pair of our snowshoes (limited adult and child sizes available) to explore the trail. We can’t wait to see you there!

Kids and their families are invited to join park rangers for youth ice fishing events. Young participants will learn essential ice fishing skills, safety measures, and fishing regulations, culminating in a "Junior Angler" certification and a fishing pole to take home (while supplies last). If ice conditions permit, attendees will have the opportunity to ice fish at North Bar Lake. No registration is required. Organized groups may register at 231-326-4700, ext. 5005.

All programs are free with a valid park entrance pass. Passes may be purchased at the Phillip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, Michigan, and cost $25 (per vehicle) for seven days, $45 for an annual Sleeping Bear Dunes pass, or $80 (or less) for the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands pass series.

Join GTCD at Hickory Meadows for a quiet, lantern-lit, self-guided hike under the striking beauty of the Blood Moon - a total lunar eclipse that casts the moon in a deep red glow. As winter begins to give way to spring, experience the mystery and stillness of nature after dark.

When: Tuesday, March 3rd from 5:00 - 8:00pm

Where: Hickory Meadows Natural Area. Meet at the Randolph Trailhead.

Registration: $5/person. Free for ages 12 & under. Registration is required. Please visit www.natureiscalling.cog/events.

Audience: Adults & families.

Bundle up and venture out with the Charlevoix Conservation District and Walloon Lake Association and Conservancy this winter!

Join local tree identification expert Chris Anderson from the Conservation District for an educational hike at WLAC’s Field Preserve to identify as many tree species at this diverse nature preserve as possible.

WLAC will provide snowshoes or crampons for participants, if conditions require them. Directions to the Fields Preserve trailhead can be found here.

Celebrate spring at the Grand Traverse Conservation District among local nature-themed artisans! Stop in anytime from 11:00 am-2:00 pm to find the perfect gift for a friend, loved one, or treat yourself!

When: Saturday, March 21st from 11:00am - 2:00pm

Where: Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City MI 49685

Registration: Free. No registration required.

Calling all trivia buffs! Test your knowledge of the natural world with us at Earthen Ales! Occurring seasonally, each trivia night will include five exciting rounds and one speed-round featuring a local partner organization who will bring their own expertise to the evening. Expect engaging questions, great conversation, and a deeper connection to our region’s ecology and community!

When: Friday, March 27th from 6:00 - 8:00pm

Where: Earthen Ales, 1371 Gray Dr #200, Traverse City, MI 49684

Registration: $5/person at the door. No registration required.

Audience: Adults