Community Calendar

Internationally acclaimed fingerstyle guitarist Richard Gilewitz will appear live on The Platform at the Chalfonte Theatre on Thursday, May 14, 2026, as part of his album release tour supporting his tenth studio recording, GILEWITZ. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with the performance beginning at 7:00 p.m., featuring two 45-minute sets.

Tickets for the Elk Rapids performance are $25 general admission, $20 for Elk Rapids Cinema members, and $12.50 for youth ages 18 and under.

International Affairs Forum & On The Ground Global present Land of Canaan, a documentary on Palestinian farmers and their ancient olive trees—symbols of resilience, heritage, and home, followed by filmmaker Q&A Thursday, May 14 at the Dennos Museum Center Milliken Auditorium. Event is free and open to the public.

Tickets & details at TCIAF.com

Intimate documentary on Palestinian farmers and their ancient olive trees—symbols of resilience, heritage, and home. Set in the occupied West Bank, it follows a farmer uniting small-scale growers through fair trade cooperatives, connecting them to global markets while sustaining their land and livelihoods. Filmmaker Q&A to follow featuring:

Nasser Abufarha, Ph.D., Protagonist & Producer, Anthropologist
Dr. Nasser Abufarha was raised among the olive groves of Jenin. Abufarha founded Canaan Palestine, the world’s first fair‑trade and organic olive oil company. Through his work he has connected more than 2,000 small‑scale Palestinian farming families to global markets, brought Palestinian olive oil to international recognition and funded scholarships and women’s cooperatives.

Maggie Lemere, Director
Award‑winning filmmaker and oral historian Maggie Lemere is a National Geographic Explorer and co‑founder of the Rhiza Collective. Lemere’s storytelling focuses on the intersections of humanity and the environment; she is currently directing Land of Canaan, “a National Geographic Society‑supported feature film about Palestinians’ relationship with ancient olive trees” .

“Life on the Car Ferries.”
Presented by: Tim Foster
Mills Community House & ZOOM

Ever wonder what it was like to work on the car ferries? Or how about living on one? Join us on May 14th for our upcoming Benzonia Academy Lecture as Tim Foster takes an in-depth look at what it was like to live and work on the boats.

*Please note the start time change to 7 pm, starting with our May Benzonia Academy Lecture through our September Benzonia Academy Lecture.*

Presenter: Tim Foster

A native of Evanston, IL., Tim now resides in Frankfort. He has a lifelong interest in the Great Lakes. He is on the board of the SS City of Milwaukee National Historic Landmark in Manistee and the Benzie Area Historical Museum. He enjoys building scale models and spending time outdoors.

This presentation is part of the Benzie Area Historical Society’s Benzonia Academy Lecture Series, held on the second Thursday of each month. Admission is by donation, with a recommended $5 donation.

To learn more about the May 14th lecture, visit the Benzie Area Historical Society’s website, benziemuseum.org, Instagram, or Facebook page; call the Museum at (231) 882-5539; or email info@benziemuseum.org.

Round up the family and head out to Coy Mountain, located at 9011 Valley St. in Alden, to enjoy a romp in the woods and reading a good book along the way.

A new story will be placed each month and covers about a 1/2-mile portion of the trail, and is open from dawn to dusk. The storybook for the month of May is “My Little Book of Wood Ducks” by Hope Irvin Marston.

Join us for a guided 1/2-mile spring hike to celebrate the induction of Misty Acres: The Borwell Preserve into the national Old-Growth Forest Network (OGFN).

Misty Acres: The Borwell Preserve will join more than 320 forests nationwide recognized in the Old-Growth Forest Network. A brief induction ceremony, including remarks by the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy staff and Leona Addie of the Old-Growth Forest Network, will take place at the Misty Acres Preserve Trailhead before the hike.

For more information and to register, please click here.

Registration is required; updates or cancellations will be emailed to registered participants. If you're completing registration for multiple people, please register each individually.

Thank you for your interest in joining us! If you have any questions, please contact us at (231) 929-7911 or info@gtrlc.org.

For more information, please contact:
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
Michelle Fielstra, Communications & Engagement Specialist
mfielstra@gtrlc.org

Old-Growth Forest Network
Leona Addie, Great Lakes Regional Manager
leona@oldgrowthforest.net

Join Miss Anne for a fun hour of stories, friendship, and crafts! Each week will have a different theme with several stories, a craft and time to play with friends both new and old. Free Event

Join us for HOPE Blooms Festival – a FREE family-friendly Spring celebration and Community Open House! Bring the kids! Invite your friends! We cannot wait to welcome you and your family! There will be a GIANT red kettle bounce house, fun and unique kids’ games, face painting, FREE FOOD (thank you Jimmy John’s of Traverse City for sponsoring the food!), refreshments, and ice cream served out of our Emergency Disaster Services Canteen!

Grab your HOPE Blooms Passport for adults and kids when you arrive and visit ALL of the program stations to receive your stamp. When ALL the stamps are completed, turn in your passport and adults receive 10 tickets for drawings of incredible prizes, and the kids will receive a ticket for a free ice cream and a prize of their choice from the prize table!

All Media are welcome to contact Sue Brown for more information and to schedule interviews. Keep up to date with this event and our programs by following us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tsatraversecity

Mystery unfolds at Magnolia Place Assisted Living when four sassy seniors try to outsmart an evil nurse. Why are residents moving to "the dark side," what IS that mysterious pill, and what happened to Doctor Head? As the Senior Citizen Pageant and a chance to cruise the Caribbean approach, hilarity ensues for these golden gals as they piece together clues.

Boat America, an 8-hour class, is a boater safety class for novice recreational boaters age 12 and older. The class is being offered in Elk Rapids. Topics covered include boating safety and safety equipment, emergency procedures, navigation rules and aids, and boating regulations. The class will meet on Saturday, May 16 at the Harbor Pavilion in Elk Rapids.

The class will meet from 9 am to 5 pm with a lunch break at noon. You must attend all 8 hours to get your boater safety certificate. Cost is $15 to cover cost of book and boater safety certificate. Pre-register by May 14 by going to

Eventbrite link: here

Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
Time: 9:30 am–3:30 pm
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Location: Glen Arbor Arts Classroom
Skill: Beginner to Intermediate

Whether this is your first time dabbling with watercolor or you’re a curious intermediate, this one-day overview of watercolor offers a strong foundation for building your own studio practice. Together, we’ll look at an array of watercolor artists and their unique styles. Learn about paint brands, brushes, and papers. Practice color mixing and techniques for achieving texture and layers. Then you’ll be guided through an abstract landscape exercise to practice your skills and explore techniques. Expect plenty of demos and guidance that will help you understand watercolor to create beautiful works of art.

Objective: Skill Development, Creativity Enhancement

Outcome: Improved Technique, Creation of Artwork