Community Calendar

Join artist and instructor Cheryl Meyer in this three-day course for teens and adults, and delve into the artistry of watercolor painting. This course will guide you in various brushstrokes and techniques to control your water and pigment, allowing students to play with mixing colors and color theory. You will explore hard versus soft edges, wet on wet, wet on dry, pouring, glazing, spritzing, & masking techniques. This course is suited for beginners or those with prior experience; the goal is experimentation and enjoying the process! The small class size is perfectly suited for one-on-one help and achieving your watercolor goals.

This three-day course will be held daily from 10:30 am-12:30 pm on Wednesday, July 8, to Friday, July 10, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant, MI.

Recommended age: 13 and up

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

Indigenous arts comprise a wide variety of art forms from varied original peoples from around the world. Mt. Pleasant is the home to the modern-day Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and the ancestral lands of the Anishinabek people. This tie to the tribe affords our region a rich history of cultural traditions, as well as a variety of art forms. Art Reach presents a series of classes with the hope of widening our worldview and offering an avenue for sharing this cultural tradition.

Anishinaabe artist and instructor Chyann Haas will cover the local history of basketmaking and guide you through the Anishinabek art form of coiled grass baskets. Utilizing long pine needles or dried grasses, students will be guided in creating a coiled basket from natural materials, formed around a base vessel of their choosing. Students will spend the 4 sessions of this course building up their form, and finish with decorative embellishments to make each project unique. Students will leave with a fully completed project and the skills to delve into more advanced baskets. All supplies are provided.

This four-week course will be held weekly from 1-3 pm on Friday, July 10-31, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended age: 10 and up

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

Take a deep dive into our underwater worlds during an evening of freshwater and ocean storytelling. Join acclaimed filmmakers Jennifer Idol and Alex Rose for a special screening of four short films from their Protected Waters series. Together, you will explore underwater sanctuaries, vibrant aquatic ecosystems, and the science shaping their future.

The screening features films that have premiered at previous Thunder Bay International Film Festivals, including Acid Trip, which highlights vital conservation work right here in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The evening will wrap up with an interactive Q & A session, giving you the chance to chat directly with the filmmakers about their adventures and the marine life they document.

Film Descriptions:

Protected Waters: Acid Trip explores how rising acidity is reshaping both freshwater and marine ecosystems. Filmed in partnership with scientists in Florida and Michigan, the short film blends underwater imagery with on-site research to reveal how acidification affects coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses, and Great Lakes habitats. Through personal field experiences and expert insight, the film shows how changes in water chemistry ripple across entire food webs. Protected Waters: Acid Trip invites viewers to understand what is at stake and why protecting our waters has never mattered more.

Protected Waters: Exploring Laguna Madre takes the viewer on an adventure in the world’s largest hypersaline lagoon, the Laguna Madre in south Texas. The film shares glimpses into this diverse ecosystem and the important life it supports such as the critically endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle.

Protected Waters: Exploring La Jolla dives into protected waters along the west coast. The long-term conservation of marine resources and services for ecosystems depends on these designated areas. This film digs into some of the shark science surrounding this geographically unique area outside San Diego and brings in local experts on leopard sharks and critically endangered tope sharks. La Jolla is a known destination for biodiversity that includes the revered California sea lion, bizarre mola mola, critically endangered giant sea bass, and prehistoric shovelnose guitarfish.

Protected Waters: Exploring Yellowstone takes you to the world’s first national park which inspired the creation of 60 more parks in the United States and hundreds of parks in more than 100 countries. From geysers and hot springs to glacial lakes, water has defined the park and filled it with some of the strangest lifeforms. Alex Rose and Jennifer Idol dive beneath the waters of Yellowstone Lake to see unusual and lesser known geothermal features and the strange life they support.

The Protected Waters (see July 10 event) adventure continues with a hands-on workshop designed for young explorers! Children ages 5 to 9 are invited to discover the wonders of aquatic ecosystems through a fun mix of science, art, and storytelling alongside visiting filmmakers and creators of the video series Protected Waters Jennifer Idol and Alex Rose.

During this interactive two-hour workshop, kids will:

Explore chemistry by discovering the pH scale through a colorful activity using baking soda and dye.

Get creative by coloring their own aquatic plants and animals to see how different habitats fit together.

Learn about nature by building a connected food chain to see what happens when a single link is removed.

The workshop wraps up with a lively sea-creature puppet show, giving children the perfect chance to create and share their own stories inspired by the magic of the underwater world.

This event is free, but to prepare the needed materials, please sign up through the attached link.

This event is part of a larger weekend event with Filmmakers Jennifer Idol and Alex Rose. Learn more at their event listing for the Friday night Protected Waters viewing.

Join us Saturday, July 11, 2026, 12:00 PM–6:00 PM at Harrisville Harbor for the Sunrise Side Wine, Brew & Food Festival. Sample Michigan wine and craft beer, enjoy food from local restaurants and food trucks, shop artisan booths, and listen to live music. Admission is $20 at the door and includes two drink tickets. Pay with cash, card, Venmo, or Cash App. Some vendors and artisans may be cash-only. Have questions—or want to volunteer or become a vendor please email sunrisesidewinefest@gmail.com.

Join instructor Kim Bigard to learn the sustainable art and practice of creating handmade paper with equipment you probably have at home! Utilizing kitchen blenders, a handmade mould & deckle, and recycled paper, you can create beautiful papers for your artistic practices, including collage, journaling, sculpture, and more. Students will learn the Western dip method of papermaking and explore different fibers that can be incorporated into their pulp. Time will be provided to experiment with a variety of added colorants, inclusions, and textures to create uniquely artful papers. This workshop is open to all ages, and all supplies are provided.

This workshop will be held 12-2:30 pm on Saturday, July 11, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant, MI.

Recommended age: 10 and up

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

Play with the toys on Monday! This is a great opportunity to connect with each other, play with some different toys, and look at and check out library books. Drop-in between 10:00am and 11:30am or stay the whole time.
This program is best for ages 0-5. Siblings and children of all ages are welcome.

Recurring every Monday from 6/1-8/31 10-11:30am.

Join Artist Matthew Grimmer as we learn to oil paint from a beautiful floral-inspired still life! We'll work with a wide range of colors as we experiment with mixing paints, brushwork, and placing objects within the composition.
During the first session, students will learn to apply paint using a "lean" layer, mapping out our main shapes, colors, and values while laying the groundwork for day two. Next, we'll be applying additional details using a "fatty" layer. We'll dive deeper into how best to use our colors to create form with light and shadow, while also creating harmony within the work as a whole.
This class is beginner-friendly and meant for beginners or artists looking to try something new while leaving with a one-of-a-kind work.

This two-day workshop will be held from 10 am-12:30 pm on Monday, July 13 & Tuesday, July 14, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended age: 16 and up

Join us for summer fun at our fifth annual Family Art Camp at Coldwater Lake on Monday, July 13-Wednesday, July 15!

Activities include arts and crafts for all ages, tie-dying t-shirts, separate adult/teen projects, family games, campfires, and more! A responsible adult must accompany their children to the camp. Participants are not required to camp overnight and are welcome to participate in daytime activities! Downtime is allotted for relaxation or enjoying the beach and facilities.

This Art Camp will be held at Coldwater Lake Family Campground in Weidman, MI. Activities are held at the Lakeview Pavilion and will get started at 6 pm on Monday, July 13, and finish at 12 pm on Wednesday, July 15.

Campsites and cabins may be reserved HERE.

Reserve your site and your Art Camp spot as soon as possible, as campsites and cabins are not guaranteed to be available!

*Art Camp activities are $70 for an individual or $200 for a family of up to 4. Family price includes up to 4 members of the same household or family only. Additional members may be added for a fee.

*Registrations made after July 1 will not be guaranteed a commemorative T-shirt to tie-dye.

Join instructor Cheryl Meyer and the enchanting world of watercolors in this summertime showcase of flowing water. You will be guided in creating a scene of the scenic Chippewa River from the air-conditioned comfort of our classroom. Working from photographs, instruction will focus on developing finer details in the landscape, enabling you to enhance the depth and realism of your paintings. Bring your creativity and leave with a beautiful piece of art that captures the essence of summertime in Michigan!

This two-week class will be held from 6-8 pm on Monday, July 13 and 20 in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway St. in Mt. Pleasant.

Recommended age: 16 and up

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

MIDLAND MAN SCOUTS

Second and fourth Monday of each Month
7:00 – 8:30 pm / $8 each day - Let us know you are coming!
Jan 12
Jan 26
Feb 9
Feb 23
March 9
March 23
April 13
April 27
May 11

WHAT: Men developing camaraderie and a social network through participation in a variety of tasks and challenges.

HOW: We will meet up to chat and pick tasks, challenges, competitions to complete. For instance, we might task each member to write one sentence about their life each day for fourteen days. At the next session, members share what they completed. We might challenge everyone to pick one health related behavior and do that for two weeks, reporting back to the group. The competition will obviously be arm wrestling. Group members will be encouraged to plan and participate in mutually beneficial outings.

Let’s show this loneliness epidemic who is boss!

With Eric Beasley, Ph.D., Sociology Michigan State University. Eric has been a professor for many years and likes improv, yoga, comedy, basketball, and guitar, along with whatever you're interested in! Send any questions, suggestions, one-liners, etc. to Eric at beasle23@msu.edu.

What's included
Chatting, bonding, and fun challenges!

UNA Cadillac Plein Air Challenge - Spring and Summer 2026 

Calling all artists!

This summer we’re gathering every Tuesday morning from 9:30-11:30 to paint and sketch around beautiful Cadillac.

Each week we’ll explore a different scenic location — lakes, parks, downtown landmarks, and more. When you join you’ll receive a text or email with each week’s location.

This is a free event for all members of Up-North Arts. Not a member? Join today! Only $35 for an annual membership with many benefits. www.upnorthartsinc.org.

Bring your supplies and join us for:

🎨 Creativity
🌞 Fresh air
👩‍🎨 New artist friends
📍 Amazing local views

The challenge runs May through July, ending with an August community art exhibit.

All skill levels welcome.

Join Artist Matthew Grimmer as we learn to oil paint from a beautiful floral-inspired still life! We'll work with a wide range of colors as we experiment with mixing paints, brushwork, and placing objects within the composition.
During the first session, students will learn to apply paint using a "lean" layer, mapping out our main shapes, colors, and values while laying the groundwork for day two. Next, we'll be applying additional details using a "fatty" layer. We'll dive deeper into how best to use our colors to create form with light and shadow, while also creating harmony within the work as a whole.
This class is beginner-friendly and meant for beginners or artists looking to try something new while leaving with a one-of-a-kind work.

This two-day workshop will be held from 10 am-12:30 pm on Monday, July 13 & Tuesday, July 14, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended age: 16 and up

Explore the world of theater, improv, and more with Mount Pleasant’s own Tena Gilbreath, a professional Hollywood theatre and Second City improv actress. Students age 7-12 can gain insight into the theater world and learn the fundamentals of acting through improvisation, scene work, voice acting, character development, and performance techniques. You’ll gain confidence in public speaking, storytelling, and exercise creativity while having fun in a supportive environment. Expect to improve your acting technique and build performance experience through creative exercises and theater games, culminating in a showcase of your skills at the final session.

This 6-week course will be held from 3-6 pm on Tuesdays, July 7-August 11, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant, MI.

Recommended age: 7-12

A snack will be provided midway through each session. Students with food sensitivities should bring a snack from home.

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

Play in your pajamas! The children's program room will be open for ages 0-5 and their caregiver(s) for an evening of play. This is a great opportunity to connect with each other, play with some different toys, and look at and check out library books.

Recurring every Tuesday and Thursday 6/2-8/27 5:30-6:45pm