Community Calendar

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.

Enjoy a bit of Michigan’s finest winter magic at the Pure Ludington Brrrewfest, returning to our quaint lakeshore town on January 31.

This is a sure cure for the winter blues: Put on your warmest long underwear, wrangle your friends and hustle to Legacy Plaza for an afternoon of sipping! Here, you will find a heated tent, a rockin’ stage, and crafters from 20 Michigan breweries. Sample beer, cider, wine and mead from 1-6 p.m. Proceeds from this event benefit Friends of the Ludington State Park, a non-profit volunteer group that cares for the local park. The Friends group adds programs, activities and volunteer support where needed for items not traditionally funded by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

What is Soup and Bread? It’s simple. Local restaurants donate soup. You come, eat, and pay what you want. All money raised goes to a local non-profit.

November: Planned Parenthood
December: North Sky Raptor Sanctuary
January: FLOW For Water
February: Jubilee House
March: Women's Resource Center

Participating Restaurants include: Bubbies Bagels, Cooks House, S2S, Umbo, Modern Bird, Black Star Farms, Common Good Bakery, Identity Brewing, and Farm Club

Sparking Creativity with instructor Carol Hohle

Registration Deadline: Sunday, January 4, 2026
Location: GAAC Classroom
Skill: All Skill Levels
Cost: $130 member/ $145 nonmember

Launch the new year with a new view of creativity. Using “best hits” from the book The Artist’s Way–A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron, participants will engage in journal writing and creative play to express ideas and intentions and come away with a deeper, creative approach to life.

Back again for 2026! Launch the new year with a new view of creativity. Using “best hits” from the book The Artist’s Way–A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron, participants will engage in journal writing and creative play to express ideas and intentions and come away with a deeper, creative approach to life.

Painting with Water and Light—Watercolor
Cheryl Boc-Chidester
Thursday, February 5, and Friday, February 6, 2026
10 am–2 pm
GAAC Classroom
Beginner to Intermediate
$150 member / $165 nonmember

In this class, Cheryl Ann Boc-Chidester will guide students through the beauty and versatility of watercolor with hands-on experimentation. Participants will explore color theory and mixing, and practice fundamental techniques such as wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, and dry-on-dry. They will also experiment with different papers and texture-making methods to expand their creative possibilities. Most projects are based on enlarged photographs, though students may bring their own references or select from images provided by the instructor. For those less confident in drawing, there is an option to trace or transfer images onto watercolor paper, with guidance on drawing and composition. Geared toward beginning and intermediate students, the class welcomes all who wish to paint, create, and enjoy the artistic process.

Painting with Water and Light—Watercolor
Cheryl Boc-Chidester
Thursday, February 5, and Friday, February 6, 2026
10 am–2 pm
GAAC Classroom
Beginner to Intermediate
$150 member / $165 nonmember

In this class, Cheryl Ann Boc-Chidester will guide students through the beauty and versatility of watercolor with hands-on experimentation. Participants will explore color theory and mixing, and practice fundamental techniques such as wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, and dry-on-dry. They will also experiment with different papers and texture-making methods to expand their creative possibilities. Most projects are based on enlarged photographs, though students may bring their own references or select from images provided by the instructor. For those less confident in drawing, there is an option to trace or transfer images onto watercolor paper, with guidance on drawing and composition. Geared toward beginning and intermediate students, the class welcomes all who wish to paint, create, and enjoy the artistic process.

Sparking Creativity with instructor Carol Hohle

Registration Deadline: Sunday, January 4, 2026
Location: GAAC Classroom
Skill: All Skill Levels
Cost: $130 member/ $145 nonmember

Launch the new year with a new view of creativity. Using “best hits” from the book The Artist’s Way–A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron, participants will engage in journal writing and creative play to express ideas and intentions and come away with a deeper, creative approach to life.

Back again for 2026! Launch the new year with a new view of creativity. Using “best hits” from the book The Artist’s Way–A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron, participants will engage in journal writing and creative play to express ideas and intentions and come away with a deeper, creative approach to life.

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