Community Calendar

Join us for a fun night of trivia and botanical spirits at The Botanic Garden!

Just in time for the Yuletide, join us for a Holiday Plant Trivia event like never before. Questions about botanical holiday traditions from wassailing to holiday wreaths, and much more. Celebrate New Year and seasonal transitions from across the globe and their botanical influence in a fun and inspiring plant trivia contest.

Teams of up to four will compete for Holiday-themed grand prize and adoration for their botanical brilliance. UGLY SWEATERS are encouraged but not required and the top team members will all receive a FREE 1-Year Family Membership.

We will provide a series of botanical spirits (mocktails) using local products and healthy snacks for all participants with a twist of holiday cheer, too!

You can register as a team of up to four or as an individual that would like to join a team too!

Join us for a fun evening to make the perfect Winter Centerpiece. Bring your own container to this event and take home a masterpiece!

Get into the holiday spirit and create your own festive centerpiece using seedheads, berries, branches, and evergreens in this joyful, hands-on experience. Join Executive Director Matthew Ross as he shares tips on plants that can bring natural beauty and joy to your holiday season and table décor.

No experience necessary — this class is perfect for all skill levels and makes a great gift idea for friends or loved ones! Together, we’ll gather inspiration (and materials) from the permanent collection at The Gardens along with a few fresh greens.

Please bring your favorite snips or pruners and a container with a 6–8” opening for your arrangement. Light refreshments and holiday cookies will be provided as you explore your creative side and celebrate the season at The Botanic Garden.

Join TART Trails for a fun, family-friendly day of winter trail activities at the 16th annual Winter Trails Day at Timber Ridge Resort.

We’re teaming up with the Record Eagle, Vasa Ski Club, Brick Wheels, NMMBA, Suttons Bay Bikes and Timber Ridge Resort to offer FREE trail access, and FREE fat tire bike, cross country ski and snowshoe demos!

There will be a limited number of cross-country skis, snowshoes and fatbikes to try out on the trails. TART volunteers and members of the Vasa Ski Club will provide free introductory ski lessons, TART volunteers will lead snowshoe hikes and NMMBA volunteers will provide fat tire bike demos.

Spots are limited; click here to register for events.

Join GTCD and the Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network to learn about the importance of native plants and the cold-moist stratification process. Using recycled materials, we will sow seeds in containers to set outside for the remainder of the winter season. Once spring comes, the seeds will germinate at their own rate with very little maintenance - ready to be planted in their new homes soon after!

When: Thursday, January 22nd from 6:00 - 7:30pm

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

Registration: $10/person. Registration is required. Please visit www.natureiscalling.org/events to register.

Audience: Adults

Join GTCD for a self-guided snowshoe hike, and take in all of the winter beauty that the Natural Education Reserve has to offer! Bring your own mug, and GTCD naturalists will greet you with hot cocoa and help ensure your snowshoes fit properly. A limited amount of adult snowshoes will be available to borrow.

When: Friday, January 30th from 10:00 - 11:00am

Where: Natural Education Reserve. Meet at the Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City, MI 49685

Registration: $5/person. Registration is required. Please visit www.natureiscalling.org/events.

Audience: Adults & families.

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.

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

Try a 204-mile trek from Au Gres on Lake Huron to Ludington on Lake Michigan or… a 100-mile loop that begins and ends at Stearns Park.