Presented by the Muskegon County Convention & Visitors Bureau
01/11/2016 – 01/26/16 January Series
The Calvin College January Series is streamed live in the Beardsley Theater and is free to the public. Lectures are January 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25 and 26 from 12:30pm – 1:30pm. For more information on the speakers please visit calvin.edu/january-series/speakers/.
01/11/2016 – WWII Book Discussion: Sophie’s Choice
The Silversides Museum is sponsoring a film and book discussion group on the topic of the Holocaust. The film will be shown at the Museum, the book discussion will take place at Hackley Public Library Monday, January 11 at 6:00pm. This month the book is Sophie’s Choice by William Stryron and the Movie is “Sophie’s Choice” which will be shown at 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm at the Silversides Museum on Wednesday, January 13. www.silversidesmuseum.org
01/12/2016 – Las Vegas Travel Guide
Thinking of going to Las Vegas? Before you do, come to Hackley Public Library Monday, January 12 at 6:00pm and hear from Lou Gifford on what to see and do. For more information, call 231-722-7276.
01/14/2016 – Brown Bag Film: The Quilts of Gee’s Bend
Thursday, January 14 at 12:15pm, come to the Muskegon Museum of Art for the Brown Bag Film, “The Quilts of Gee’s Bend.’ (28 mins.) This remarkable group of women that make up Gee’s Bend pushed the ordinary quilt to new boundaries. Learn about the history behind their quilts and how these stunning and vibrant quilts were discovered. An etching and aquatint by Mary Lee Bendolph, inspired by African American quilts, is part of the Common Ground exhibition.
The MMA’s Winter Brown Bag Films highlight the lives and work of renowned African American artists as part of the MMA’s Finding Common Ground program series. Film admission is free. You may bring your lunch. Free coffee and cookies will be served. Brown Bag films are shown on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 12:15pm. The auditorium doors open at noon. (Please note: Paid admission is required to enter the galleries.) Films are underwritten by MMA Education Partner: Alcoa Foundation/Whitehall Operations. For more information, visit www.muskegonartmuseum.org.
01/14/2016 – Digital Regional Entry Workshop
Thursday, January 14 from 6:00–7:00pm, come to the Muskegon Museum of Art for the Digital Regional Entry Workshop. MMA Associate Curator, Art Martin, will walk you through their new Regional Exhibition digital entry process, including how to prepare digital images of your artwork. Admission is free. Visit muskegonartmuseum.org for more information.
01/15/2016 – Advancing an Urban Agenda
Unity is the theme of the day January 15, and local mayors and city managers will join the public to discuss issues facing Muskegon County communities. The public roundtable discussion “Advancing an Urban Agenda” will follow the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Day Breakfast, tickets for which are sold out. The breakfast will be at Muskegon Community College, while the roundtable discussion will be across the street at Baker College’s Student Center, 1903 Marquette Ave., beginning at 10:00am.
The public is encouraged to join the conversation as the community leaders tackle three crucial issues: public safety, healthy neighborhoods and economic development that creates family-sustaining jobs. The roundtable discussion is described as an “interactive, problem-solving, future-action oriented session.”
01/15/2016 – West Michigan Symphony Presents: Luck of the Irish
Enjoy a little luck of the Irish with international recording artist and former lead singer of Cherish the Ladies, Cathie Ryan, as she warms up West Michigan with heartfelt lyrics, beloved ballads and traditional tunes of the Emerald Isle. An inaugural member of the Michigan Irish American Hall of Fame, Cathie Ryan along with her band will provide a spirit-lifting evening of Irish music with guest conductor Andrew Koehler and the West Michigan Symphony orchestra.
Single Ticket Prices: $22-$52 Student tickets: $10
Call Rita at 231-726-3231 x223 for tickets and more information.
01/16/2016 – 01/17/16 White River Steelheaders Annual Perch Festival
The White River Steelheaders Annual Perch Festival is returning to Montague January 16-17 at the Montague VFW. The 32nd annual event is scheduled to have a chili cookoff on Saturday, as well as two days to catch the largest fish in Muskegon, Oceana, Mason and Newaygo counties.
The festival kicks off at noon January 16 with weigh-in times scheduled during the day between noon and 4:00pm, and also on January 17 between 10:00am and 2:00pm. For more information on the event or to find out how to get involved, contact Clint Pollock at 231-893-0210.
01/16/2016 – 9th Annual Hot Rod Harley-Davidson Chili Cook-Off
The 9thAnnual Hot Rod Harley-Davidson Chili Cook-Off is happening Saturday, January 16 from 12:00pm – 2:00pm. Join the Coastline Deli, Hennessy’s Pub, Third Street Grill & Texas Roadhouse as they compete for the title of Chili Champion! Get free samples and vote for your favorite (while supplies last). Donations will be accepted on behalf of the Pioneer Resources “Pioneer Trails Camp”.
Also, enjoy sizzling hot deals all day. Pick a pepper and get 15% to 25% off all officially licensed products. Discount will be drawn at time of purchase and applies to regular priced items. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Excludes motorcycles, labor, after-market parts, previous purchases and select special orders. For more information, call 231-722-0000.
January 16 from 6:00-10:00pm, come to the Polish Falcons Club for Polish Palooza! This fundraiser for the first annual Muskegon Polish Festival will feature live music from Box On, authentic Polish food and a cash bar. All proceeds go toward the start up costs for Muskegon Polish Festival, happening Labor Day Weekend 2016. For more information, visit muskegonpolishfest.com or check them out on Facebook.
01/18/2016 – Baker College of Muskegon to Honor Martin Luther King Jr.
Baker College service projects on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Monday, January 18, 8:00am-5:00pm at the Student Center include:
- Coloring lunch bags to be used for take-home meals by children served by the not-for-profit Kids’ Food Basket, which focuses on childhood hunger.
- Painting peace poles to donate to Pathfinders of Muskegon Heights to sell as a fundraiser. Pathfinders is an education, life skills and violence prevention program for children and teens.
- collecting canned food for the Baker College Residence Life Food Pantry, which assists students in need.
- A donation truck from Goodwill will be on site with bins located throughout campus for clothing and household items in good condition.
For more information about Baker College activities for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, contact Kathy Jacobson in the admissions office at kathy.jacobson@baker.edu or 231-777-5200.
01/18/2016 – Martin Luther King FREE COMMUNITY DAY
Monday, January 18 from 11:00am-7:00pm, come to the Muskegon Museum of Art for Martin Luther King FREE COMMUNITY DAY! The MMA will open its doors for free on this community day that will include free admission, children’s art activities, guided exhibition tours, and films that will be shown throughout the day. Three exhibitions of artwork by African American artists will be open to view at the MMA on January 18: Common Ground: African American Art from the Flint Institute of Arts, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and the Muskegon Museum of Art, The Public Life of Richard Hunt: 21st Century Projects, and I, Too, Am America: The Art of Bryan Collier.
FREE BUS RIDES
To help people get to the Muskegon Museum of Art, the Muskegon Area Transit System (MATS) will provide free round-trip bus passes to the MMA on January 18. The special bus passes are available at the following Muskegon locations:
Muskegon Museum of Art (296 W. Webster Ave.)
Hackley Public Library (316 W. Webster Ave.)
Muskegon Heights Public Library (2808 Sanford St.)
Mona Shores Public Library (705 Seminole Rd.)
Hackley Community Care Center (2700 Baker St.)
MATS Administration Office and Louis A. McMurray Conference Center (2624 Sixth St.)
The Beat 103.7 radio station (1877 Peck St.)
Muskegon County Clerk’s Office (990 Terrace St., 1st floor)
Selected area businesses
Many area churches
Riders may present their passes at the Muskegon Museum of Art on January 18 to receive the free return ride to their home bus stop. The free bus pass program is underwritten by Muskegon County Clerk Nancy A. Waters and Attorney James. L. Waters, Fifth Third Bank, and the Muskegon Museum of Art. This community day is underwritten by Meijer. Visit muskegonartmuseum.org for more information.
01/18/2016 – Lumberjacks MLK Day Lunchtime Hockey!
The Lumberjacks celebrate Muskegon, honor Martin Luther King Junior and play “Lunch-time Hockey” Monday, January 4! The Muskegon Lumberjacks have partnered with the City of Muskegon, the Chamber of Commerce and Muskegon Heights to create a must-attend event that celebrates the ongoing revitalization of Muskegon, while also honoring the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King.
This unique 12:15pm game (doors open at 11:15pm) provides a great opportunity for local businesses to come together and cheer on one another, the City of Muskegon and the Muskegon Lumberjacks.
“With many Muskegon County school-age children as well as State and Federal Employees enjoying the MLK Holi-day, we have a special-priced Watch Us Go $12 Ticket available. The ticket includes a great seat, a hot-dog and soda voucher, and also a $2 donation to support the “Watch Muskegon Campaign”. “We are pulling out all the stops to make Monday, January 18th a special day in Muskegon,” shared Lumberjack’s President, Rob Murphy.
Additionally, local businesses are encouraged to provide value added coupons and special offers to be included in a special “Watch Us Go” goodie bag that will be given to all guests in attendance.
The Lumberjacks will sport special “Watch Us Go” patches on their jerseys and special guests including Fox Sports Detroit analyst (and former Detroit Red Wing), Darren Eliot, as well as members of the West Michigan LakeHawks will be in attendance to meet and greet fans pre-and post-game.
For more information, or to get involved, please contact the Muskegon Lumberjacks President of Business Opera-tions, Rob Murphy at rmurphy@muskegonlumberjacks.com or 231-724-5225 x 235, or Sales and Marketing Coordi-nator Cara Mendelson at cmendelson@muskegonlumberjacks.com or 231-724-5225 x 224.
Ongoing Events:
Pennants from the collection of Peggy Tully are now on display in the Collectors Corner at the Lakeshore Museum Center. Her collection showcases pennants collected in the late 1940s and early 1950s from all over the United States and Canada. Starting with the collector’s hometown of Marshall, Michigan all the way to the Grand Canyon and beyond. This collection will be on display through the end of February 2016. The museum is open weekdays from 9:30am to 4:30pm and Saturdays from 10:00 am to 4:00pm. For more information, call 231-722-0278 or visit lakeshoremuseum.org.
The Holocaust: A Ripple in Time
When you have survived one of the greatest tragedies imaginable, where do you go from there? Walk through an exhibit that explains life before, during and after the Holocaust. Cost is $5.00 per person or free with your USS Silversides Submarine Museum membership. The exhibit will run through February 22, 2016. For more information, call 231-755-1230.
Storytelling through the Mail: Tall Tale Postcards
The Lakeshore Museum Center invites you to explore the exhibit “Storytelling through the Mail: Tall Tale Postcards.” Imagine a land where corn grows to the size of tree trunks; where the lakes are so cold the trout have fur coats; where deer have become the hunters and men are their prey. These assorted oddities come vividly to life in this exhibit at the Lakeshore Museum Center. Tall tales are humorous stories of exaggeration that often involve ludicrous or absurd imagery. The exhibit features over 80 tall tale postcards demonstrating this unique form of popular humor. The exhibit is on loan from the Michigan State University Museum. The Lakeshore Museum Center is located at 430 W. Clay Ave. Hours are weekdays from 9:30am to 4:30pm and Saturdays from Noon to 4:00pm. Admission is free. For more information, visit lakeshoremuseum.org.
A Bridge Between: Whitehall and Montague .
The Lakeshore Museum Center invites you to view the exhibit, “A Bridge Between: Whitehall and Montague.” Artifacts and photographs tell the story of the early days of Montague and Whitehall when the cities got their start during the lumbering industry. Lumber mills attracted workers who needed housing, food, and supplies so stores and hotels were built. Businesses like tanneries and shingle mills which made use of the excess bark and wood from lumbering also moved into the community. Hours are weekdays from 9:30am to 4:30pm and Saturdays from Noon to 4:00pm. Admission is free. For more information, visit lakeshoremuseum.org
Reading by Any Means Necessary
You’re invited to the James Jackson Museum of African American History for the “Reading…by any means necessary” program, every Monday through Saturday from 2:00-5:30pm. The museum is located at 7 E. Center St. in Muskegon Heights. Call 231-739-9500 for more information.
A fury is building on the surface of the sun, with high-velocity jets, a fiery tsunami wave that reaches 100,000 kilometers high, and rising loops of electrified gas. What’s driving these strange phenomena? How will they affect planet Earth? Find the answers as we venture into the seething interior of our star. “Solar Superstorms” is a major new production that takes viewers into dramatic flares, violent solar tornadoes, and the largest eruptions in the solar system: coronal mass ejections. The program features one of the most intensive efforts ever made to visualize the inner workings of the sun, including a series of groundbreaking computer visualizations. This NEW 30-minute program will be at 7:00 pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, January 12 – March 31 (except: closed Mar 1 & 3 for spring break), and will be followed by a brief constellation demonstration projected on the planetarium dome. As always, the show is free, and no reservations are needed. Doors open for seating at 6:45. For more information, or to schedule a private show for groups of 15-44, please call (231) 777-0289 or email tamera.owens@muskegoncc.edu.
The Public Life of Richard Hunt: 21st Century Projects
November 5, 2015 through January 24, 2016, you’re invited to the Muskegon Museum of Art for “The Public Life of Richard Hunt: 21st Century Projects”! Sculptor Richard Hunt is nationally known for his bent, shaped, and welded steel or bronze sculptures of fluid and vibrant organic forms. Hunt is one of the most prolific artists working in public art today and created Muskegon, Together Rising, the monumental stainless steel sculpture at the center of the Patricia B. Johnson (traffic) Circle in downtown Muskegon. Because of Muskegon’s relationship with Hunt, and in honor of his 80th birthday this year, the MMA present the exhibition, The Public Life of Richard Hunt: 21st Century Projects, organized by the Krasl Art Center, Saint Joseph, Michigan. Muskegon, Together Rising will be a key component of the exhibition, its history and development represented by two stainless steel models from the MMA collection, and a group of preliminary drawings and installation photographs. Visitors will discover how large scale public works develop and the many subtle changes that come about during the creative and collaborative process before a final project is realized. The Public Life of Richard Hunt is underwritten by PNC. Media sponsor is Blue Lake Public Radio. For more information, visit muskegonartmuseum.org.
COMMON GROUND: African American Art
December 10, 2015 through March 20, 2016, come to the Muskegon Museum of Art for the exhibition, “COMMON GROUND: African American Art from the Flint Institute of Arts, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, and the Muskegon Museum of Art”! Common Ground is a collaboration between three Michigan art museums showcasing the best of each institution’s renowned collections of African American artwork combined in one exhibition, including some of the most important African American artists from the nineteenth century to present day. Common Ground is divided into five thematic areas that will give a broad overview of the history of African American art, showing its diversity as well as its commonality. The exhibition includes more than 60 top-rated works in various mediums, including painting, sculpture, and works on paper. Common Ground is underwritten by DTE Foundation with additional support from Fifth Third Bank and the Nancy A. Waters and Mark Waters Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. MLive/Muskegon Chronicle is the Common Ground media sponsor. For more information, visit muskegonartmuseum.org.
Kids are invited to Walker Public Library at 3:15pm every Thursday (except for when there is a half-day or no school) for “After School Movie Madness!” Age appropriate movies are shown and popcorn is provided while supplies last! Call 231-744-6080 or visit the library to find out what movie is playing each week!
Muskegon Civic Theatre Saturday Classes
The Muskegon Civic Theatre offers wonderful enrichment classes for kids every Saturday from January 2-February 6. There are three different levels based on your child’s age:
Kreative Kids and Characters
Grades 2–3
Saturdays 10:00-11:00am
$75 per 6-week semester
Characters Create
Grades 4–6
Saturdays 10:00-11:00am
$75 per 6-week semester
Exploring Characters
Grades 7–12
Saturdays 9:00-10:00am
$75 per 6-week semester
They accept cash, check or credit card for tuition payment. Bring or mail your registration and payment to:
Muskegon Civic Theatre
425 W. Western Avenue, Suite 401
Muskegon, MI 49440
For more information, call (231) 722-3852.
Taco Saturday at Mona Lake Boating Club
The public is invited to the Mona Lake Boating Club every Saturday September 5 – May 28 from 11:30am-2:00pm for their famous homemade tacos, taco salads and nachos! Call 231-798-4011 for more information.
I, TOO, AM AMERICA: The Art of Bryan Collier
January 18-April 17, come to the Muskegon Museum of Art for the exhibition, “I, too, am America: The Art of Bryan Collier.” This exhibition features 15 large scale original artworks created by Bryan Collier for his picture book, I, Too, Am America, which illustrates the seminal poem, I, Too by Langston Hughes. Collier graduated from the Pratt Institute and was a former Program Director at the Harlem Horizon Institute. His accolades include the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, Caldecott Medal, and Jane Addam’s Children’s Book Award. He was also a nominee for an NAACP image award for Outstanding Children’s Literary Work. Underwritten by the Folkert Family Foundation. For more information, visit muskegonartmuseum.org.