Almanac

Help us give Wintergreen Woods Nature Preserve some TLC! During this session will be tackling the removal of old fencing material to create healthier habitats for native plants and animals.

GTRLC will supply all tools and personal protective equipment necessary for the work day. We will teach you everything you need to know about tool use, safety, healthy habitats, and the importance of the work you will be doing. No prior experience necessary - just come ready to learn something new! This activity is moderately strenuous, with volunteers often bending, kneeling, lifting, and carrying out wire fencing.

What will volunteers be doing:
Clipping and pulling out old wire fencing
Digging out buried fencing
Trimming vegetation around wire fencing

Location: Please meet us in the parking lot at Wintergreen Woods Nature Preserve.

Come enjoy our 31st Annual Arts and Crafts Shows, located in the heart of the Village of Elk Rapids on River Street. Our shows feature 60+ artisans and crafters.  The show features art and homemade items in many areas including coastal art, home decor, jewelry, ceramics, woodcrafts, photography, skincare products, candles, soups, apparel, specialty food and much more.

WATERCOLOR FOR ALL LEVELS - Charlevoix
JULY 31 2025
THURSDAY
10am - 1pm

REGISTER BY: July 26

CLASS FEE: $50, or $45 for members​

FORMAT: in-person

I’m so excited to return to the Circle to paint with vacationers and residents of the Charlevoix region! In this watercolor-for-all-levels class we’ll create two paintings, two different sizes. We’ll use wet-into-wet techniques and wet-into-dry, and use some unique household tools, beyond the paint brush!

​
SUPPLY LIST
• 140-pound cold press watercolor paper. 9” x 12”, plus a half sheet of 9” x 12”
• A board for your paper. Can be a corrugated box side.
• Painter’s tape to tape your paper down to your board.
• Table Salt (regular and/or Kosher, larger grains).
• White Crayon or white taper candle.
• Brushes: Round brushes that come to a point when wet, including a size 0 or smaller for details, 4, 6, and optional larger.
• Watercolor paint colors: Sap green, a warm yellow, a pink, violet or purple, a deep blue, ocher, a quinacridone gold is optional, green-gold (or can make with sap green and LEMON yellow), cerulean blue, red, burnt sienna, indigo or Payne’s gray, brown. (Don’t worry if you don’t have all these colors; most can be mixed with basic colors such as red, yellow, blue)

SUPPLIES CAN ALSO BE PURCHASED! Contact Megan if you would like her to bring supplies for your use, the cost is $10 per head, bring cash to class and pay teacher directly. Please notify Megan in advance at megan@waterloogroup.com .

Story Time – Ice Cream Cone Theme (baby-age 5) and Kids’ Crafts: Recycled Rubber Band Car (ages 6-12).

Free Event. Sponsored by Alden District Library and held at Helena Township Community Center, 8751 Helena Rd, Alden, 231-331-4318.

Join us at Crooked Tree Arts Center – Petoskey every Thursday from 10:00 - 11:00 AM in the Gilbert Gallery for Coffee @ Ten! Enjoy complimentary coffee and pastries from Roast & Toast while attending engaging lectures and presentations by experts from a wide range of fields. These weekly events are designed to inspire curiosity, promote community connection, and support lifelong learning. Free and open to the public – all are welcome!

Learn more and view the full schedule at: https://crookedtree.org/article/ctac-petoskey/lecture-series or call 231-347-4337.

Join Blanca and Jesse of Musiquita for this bilingual musical performance!

For all preschool, elementary and middle-school students! Keep your reading skills sharp & have fun by participating in your library’s Color Our World Summer Reading Program. All are welcome!

Date: M/T/F July 28 and 29; August 1, 2025
Time: 1 pm–4 pm
Registration Deadline: Thursday, July 24, 2025
Location: Thoreson Farm
Kurinuki is a traditional Japanese pottery technique carved from a single clay block. The word means “carving out.” A solid block of clay is minimally shaped and then carved to create the interior and exterior spaces. Spontaneous and showing the marks of the making process, Kurinuki pots tend to be more alive and sculptural than other hand-building methods. An excellent clay experience for beginners, Kurinuki can also be satisfying for experienced clay artists. Some forms made using Kurinuki include yunomi (teacups), boxes, vases, and sippers. In addition, Kurinuki vessels often capture the essence of the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, the beauty within imperfection. Students will be guided in creating a set of yunomi (small drinking vessels with tray) and a small, lidded box.

The purpose of the East Bay Corners Farmers Market is to provide fresh and locally grown products, educate the public on the importance of farming best practices, promote local agriculturally based business development, forge partnerships with local farmers and community partners, and create a community gathering space at the Township Hall. East Bay Corners Farmers Market accepts SNAP/EBT benefits and also offers a Power of Produce program for kids ages 5-13. There is family-friendly programming throughout the summer including live music, food trucks, and family game nights. It is a great night out for the whole family.

The Market will open on June 5, 2025 and run until October 2, 2025. It will be held on Thursdays from 2:00pm to 6:00pm at the Township Hall at 1965 N. 3 Mile Road Traverse City, MI 49696. More information about the East Bay Corners Farmers Market and other Food Security programs can be found on the East Bay Township website by visiting: https://eastbaytwp.org/residents/food_security.php

PUPPET SHOWS * STORIES * CRAFTS * ACTIVITIES * PRIZES

Join us for fun with the always hilarious Benzonia Public Library Puppet Lab this summer. There will be fan favorites, along with a NEW friend that we are very excited to introduce to you!

You do NOT need to be a member to Benzonia Public Library to participate, all are welcome!
More details are available at www.benzonialibrary.org/summer-reading-program-2025.html

Fiddleheads presents: Artist in Residence Series with host, Sierra Cassidy.

The series kicks off on June 19th and is every other Thursday from 5:30-8pm through the summer (6/19-9/25). Local musician and host, Sierra Cassidy kicks off each concert with a 30 minute set to be followed by a rotating touring, but Michigan- based singer-songwriter.

The events are free, outdoors, and family-friendly. We are encouraging folks to come have dinner at Fiddleheads and enjoy a night of free music and community.

July 31st artist is Travis Atkinson

This is rain or shine series!