Community Calendar

YOUTH CERAMICS - VALENTINE'S THEME!
Ages 7 - 12
REGISTER BY: Feb. 2nd
CLASS FEE: $45, or $40.50 for members​
FORMAT: in-person

Join instructor Bethany Newman for a fun-filled hour of playing with clay! Students will learn some basics of hand-building and will get to take home their very own Valentine's themed creations. Glazing is done by the instructor; a pick-up date will be emailed once the final firing is completed. All supplies are provided.

Imbolc Full Moon Party at Blessed Be Tea

Presented by the Conscious Community Coven

Join us for a cozy, open-house Imbolc Full Moon Party at Blessed Be Tea—a gentle gathering rooted in hope, renewal, and community connection. Imbolc marks the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, a sacred threshold where the quiet of winter begins to soften and the first stirrings of spring are felt. It is a time to honor the light returning, both in the world and within ourselves.

This open-house–style celebration invites you to come and go as you please. Settle in with community, enjoy warm conversation, and take part in a short, accessible mini ritual focused on intention setting, clarity, and nurturing what is beginning to grow. Together, we’ll reflect on what we are ready to awaken, tend, and carry forward as the seasons shift.

Whether you stay for a moment or the full evening, this gathering is an offering of space—to pause, to hope, and to connect. All are welcome. Come as you are, and be part of the turning of the wheel.

Free, peer-led mental health support groups: NAMI Family Support and NAMI Connection Group.

Both held Wednesdays, 12pm at Christ Church, 430 Fair St. (See website for zoom link)

Free, peer-led mental health support: NAMI Connection Group. Held Wednesdays, 5pm Online (see website for zoom link) and at Child & Family Services, 3785 Veterans Dr.

EXPAND Storytelling #10 will take place at The Alluvion community performance venue at 6:30PM on February 4, 2026. Storytellers invited from the NoMi community will take the stage to share their life stories around how they find fulfillment from the inside out wherever they are. How they came to find the little things that make them come alive and how they continue to expand their being from right here, right NOW. Mindful, aware, present, grateful. Never arriving, always expanding.

STORYTELLERS:
Ella Skrocki, Sleeping Bear Surf
Dana Falconberry, Artist, Musician and Chef
Ryan Hannon, Central United Methodist

Created and hosted by Chelsea Bay Dennis of C.Bay Design

Three of Traverse City’s literary nonprofits have joined forces to bring TJ Klune to the City Opera House stage to talk about his #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today breakout, contemporary fantasy, The House in the Cerulean Sea.

T.J. Klune has a new book coming out on April 28, 2026, called We Burned So Bright. The story follows an older queer couple on a poignant end‑of‑the‑world road trip as they seek to finish unfinished business before a black hole destroys the planet. Born in Roseburg, Oregon, Travis John Klune was eight years old when he first began to write. His earliest published works included poetry and short stories.

He has now emerged as one of the country’s most popular fantasy authors. The House in the Cerulean Sea topped the country’s major bestseller lists and won the Lambda Literary Award. Klune’s novels also include Under the Whispering Door, In the Lives of Puppets, the Green Creek Series for adults, the Extraordinaries Series for teens, and more. As a queer author himself, Klune believes it’s important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories.

Event Details
Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with live music, and the conversation begins at 7:00 p.m. This event includes a Q&A session and a photo line immediately following in the lobby.

Join us--first thing in the morning--a book club in collaboration with the Grand Traverse County Senior Center Network. We will talk about books, authors, read excerpts, maybe even have an author visit! Anything goes with this club, you just show up and we will stay golden together.

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.

Ken Harrison, a successful sculptor, is paralyzed and kept alive by support systems. Outwardly he's cheerful, but he's overwhelmed that he has lost control of his life. He does not want to live only as a medical achievement, but his physician is determined to preserve his life. This powerful, emotional, drama asks the question of who has the choice when it comes to being a medical miracle.

A play in Old Town Playhouse’s Studio Theatre series, performed in the Schmuckal Theatre in the lower level of the OTP building.