Muskegon County Calendar of Events 03/20/17 – 03/27/17

Presented by the Muskegon County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Edward S. Curtis: Community Read Program
March 6 – May 16
A Community Read program will set the stage for “Edward S. Curtis: The North American Indian,” an exhibit coming to the Muskegon Museum of Art May 11 through September 10, 2017.  The exhibition celebrates the artistry and cultural legacy of early-1900s photographer Edward Curtis.  The entire collection of 723 portfolio photographs from The North American Indian will be on display.  This in-depth survey of Curtis’s iconic body of work will also examine the challenges and controversies that the work generated from the start.

The MMA is collaborating with area library branches to offer free copies and discussions of the book Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward S. Curtis by Pulitzer Prize winning writer Timothy Egan.  Egan’s book tells the riveting, cinematic story behind the most famous photographs in Native American history and Edward S. Curtis—the driven, brilliant man who made them. This is all in conjunction with Timothy Egan’s visit to the Frauenthal Center theatre in Muskegon on May 17 to discuss his book.

Book Give Away:
Area libraries will give away books, while supplies last, compliments of the Muskegon Museum of Art.  Books are available at Muskegon Area District Library branches including the Hackley Public Library, White Lake Community Library, Loutit District Library and Spring Lake District Library.  Books may also be purchased at the MMA.

Book Discussions:
Book discussions will take place April 5 through May 4 at the library branches, the Muskegon Museum of Art and at the Book Nook and Java Shop in Montague.

Schedule:
April 5, 6:00pm at Book Nook and Java Shop, Montague
April 11, 5:30 pm at White Lake Community Library
April 11, 7:00pm at Spring Lake District Library
April 13, 7:00pm at Loutit District Library
April 18, 10:30am at Muskegon Township Branch
April 18, 6:30pm at North Muskegon – Walker Branch of the Muskegon Area District Library
April 24, 5:30pm at Dalton Branch of the Muskegon Area District Library
April 27, 6:00pm at Muskegon Museum of Art
May 2, 10:00am at North Muskegon – Walker Branch of the Muskegon Area District Library
May 3, 6:30pm at Ravenna Branch of the Muskegon Area District Library
May 4, 2:00 pm at Hackley Public Library
May 4, 10:30 am at Norton Shores Branch of the Muskegon Area District Library

An Evening with Author Timothy Egan:
The Community Read program is organized ahead of an evening with the award winning author Timothy Egan on May 17 at the Frauenthal Theater.  A book signing will follow Egan’s program. Tickets are $10. For tickets, visit rauenthal.org/event/author-timothy-egan.

For more information about the Community Read program, call 231-720-2580.

Book of Kells
March 20 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Tuesday, March 20 at 6:00pm, come to Hackley Public Library as Mike Johnson, a professor from Muskegon Community College, discusses the Book of Kells.  His Master’s Thesis was on the pagan Celtic religious iconography in the illuminated details in the Book of Kells.  He will discuss the history of the manuscript, the decorative elements, and how cultures and spiritual beliefs fuse in art.  For more information, call (231) 722-7276.

USS Silversides Lecture Series
March 20 @ 6:00 pm
Don’t miss the USS Silversides Lecture Series, Mondays in March!  March 20, it’s the “When Books Went to War” exhibit opening presentation.

One country wants to destroy books. One country wants to share as many books as possible with its citizens. Did this fundamental difference in the desire for an educated population have any impact on WWII or the postwar success of the nations?  In their newest exhibit, you will learn just what a difference that made.  The exhibit will teach you about the German book burning campaign.  It will contrast that with the U.S. drive to collect and circulate books that could be sent to our American warriors to make life at war maybe just a little better.  Beyond that, the US recognized an opportunity to improve the education of its citizens and created the GI Bill.  They will also have on display a collection of books that were popular during that time. You’re invited to come see who were the literary heroes then and compare that to the role models portrayed in books in circulation today.

All lectures begin at 6:00pm.  The cost is $5.00 per person or FREE with your USS Silversides Submarine Museum membership.  For more information, visit www.silversidesmuseum.org.

Paint for a Purpose
March 21 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Enjoy a fun evening and Paint for a Purpose! The cost is $45 per person and includes all materials to create your masterpiece to take home that evening. All funds raised will benefit Every Woman’s Place. This event is limited to the first 80 participants. Call 231-755-3737 to sign up or for more information. Be sure to get there early for a great happy hour menu before you paint!

Asian Noodle Bowl with Chef Jamie
March 21 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
We will make noodles from scratch and show you how to use a Kitchenaid attachment to roll the dough and cut the noodles and how to do it by hand.  The sauce will be beef based and guaranteed delicious.  Bring your appetite and a container to go.  Class size limited to 15.  Cost $35. For more information or to register, call (231) 769-2202.

Incoming!
Tuesdays and Thursdays @ 7:00 pm – 7:35 pm
“Incoming!” is a NEW SHOW at the Carr-Fles Planetarium, where you can zoom past rocky asteroids and icy comets, all the way to Pluto, and discover how they have changed the course of life on Earth.  This free program runs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00pm through March 7.  Doors open by 6:45pm and no reservations are needed.  The planetarium is in room 135 of Muskegon Community College.  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.

Creative Conversations with Author Cynthia Kay
March 22 @ 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Wednesday, March 22 from 8:30am-10:30am, come to the Muskegon Innovation Hub and join Cynthia Kay, author of “Small Business For Big Thinkers,” for a relevant conversation providing insights, ideas and experience that can help you to grow your business.

A small business is not just a scaled-down version of a big one.  In fact, some of the strategies that work well for larger companies may actually be completely irrelevant for smaller firms.  Small Business for Big Thinkers offers unconventional but proven strategies to run a better small business.  It also provides a roadmap for owners looking to expand their small businesses by doing more business with Big Business.  Cynthia’s down-in-the-trenches stories, along with those from other small-business CEOs and Big Business experts, show you how to connect with highly sought-after customers and win them over!

Topics of conversation at this lecture include:

  • When to Love and When to Leave a Customer
  • Attract and Win Contracts from Much Larger Companies
  • Evaluate Big Business Opportunities (and know when not to compete)
  • Staying Ahead of the Pack
  • Prepare with Funds to Launch and Revenue to Stay Afloat.

The cost to attend is $25 and includes a free copy of Cynthia Kay’s book, while supplies last.  There will be a book signing following the lecture.  Also, when you purchase a ticket to the Creative Conversation, you’ll receive one business week of CoLaunch membership free of charge (one free week per person).  For additional information or to register, please visit www.eventbrite.com/e/creative-conversation-with-cynthia-kay-tickets-32415110468.

West Michigan Student Showcase
March 22 @ 7:00 pm – March 23 @ 7:00 pm
March 22 and 23 at 7:00pm, it’s the West Michigan Student Showcase at the beautiful Frauenthal Theater!   This is an annual celebration of excellence for high school youth of West Michigan who are selected by their respective schools in the areas of academics, athletics, literary arts, performing arts, and visual arts.  Since 1981, high school students from Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, and Ottawa counties have had an opportunity to be recognized.  For many of our student nominees, this will be the shining moment of their high school years.  For others, it’s the beginning of an amateur or professional career as actors, musicians, writers, athletes, and artists.  www.frauenthal.org

General Admission Tickets: $8 advanced, $9 at door, $5 students, $6 seniors, 2 night pack $14

Public Reception: Hidden Gems Exhibit
March 23 @ 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Students in Muskegon Community College’s Visual Art Entrepreneur Degree program are reviving seldom-seen artworks from the college’s permanent collection for an exhibition titled “MCC’s Hidden Gems: Early Works from the Permanent Art Collection,” which runs from March 13 through April 23 in the Overbrook Art Gallery.  “Hidden Gems” will focus on works from the collection made before 1990. The oldest of the works, a painting by Pete Caesar, came into the collection in 1965.  There are many very fine works that represent the efforts of regional artists and document significant local art history.

A public reception is planned for Thursday, March 23, from 3:30pm – 5:00pm in the gallery.  For more information, contact Keith Downie at (616) 566-1102 or email  keith.downie@muskegoncc.edu.

The Alley Door Club: The Crane Wives
March 24 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday, March 24, come the Alley Door Club for live music with The Crane Wives!  Grand Armory Brewing Company is the evening’s craft brew!  Doors open at 6:00pm for Happy Hour ($1 off all drinks) and the bands play from 7:00 – 10:00pm.  The Alley Door Club is located in The Ballroom at the Frauenthal Center (Hilt Building, 3rd floor).  Tickets may be purchased at the Box Office for $8 in advance or purchased at the door, a cash bar is available, valid I.D. required. Tables may be reserved for $55.00 for a 4-top (includes 4 admission tickets) / $80.00 for an 8-top (includes 8 admission tickets).  There is a limit of 2 4-tops and 2 8-tops reserved for each performance, sold on a first come basis.  For more information, call 231-727-8001.

Muskegon Lumberjacks Home Game
March 24 @ 7:15 pm – March 25 @ 7:15 pm
Friday, March 24 and Saturday, March 25 at 7:15pm, come to the L.C. Walker Arena as the Muskegon Lumberjacks take on the Fargo Force!  The Muskegon Lumberjacks are proud members of the United States Hockey League, the nations only Tier I junior hockey league and the leading producer of NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. The Lumberjacks’organization prides itself on developing not just premier hockey talent, but also exceptional young men outside the arena of sports. For more information, visit www.muskegonlumberjacks.com.

“1964” The Tribute
March 24 @ 7:30 pm
March 24 at 7:30pm, come to the Frauenthal Theater for “1964” The Tribute!   Formed in 1984, the faux Fab Four has performed more than 2,900 shows and released its own albums and videos.  Rolling Stone magazine has called 1964 “the best Beatles tribute ever!”  Reserved tickets are $25 and $25.  www.frauenthal.org

Muskegon Center for the Arts March Workshops
March 25 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Join talented jewelry artists on Saturday afternoons for the March Workshops at the Red Lotus Gallery!  You will want to register for these classes now as they will fill up quickly.

Basic Sewing Skills 1
March 25  2:00pm – 4:00pm
$12 per student, materials included.  MCA Members $10.
In this workshop, students will learn very basic sewing skills, such as how to mend ripped clothing and how to sew on a button that has fallen off.  Students are also encouraged to bring small projects that need attention.  Students must be registered three days before the date of the workshop.  Contact Sabryna at sabrynasnaturalcreations@hotmail.com to register.

4th Annual Pasta 4 Paws
March 25 @ 4:00 pm
Saturday, March 25 at 4:00, the Mona Lake Boating Club invites you to “Robert H. Fischer’s 4th Annual Pasta for Paws” fundraising event to benefit the Humane Society and Animal Rescue of Muskegon County!  In addition to a delicious spaghetti & meatball dinner, there will be a silent auction, 50/50 raffles, a cash bar and live music by the Swinging Stem Cells.  Dinner will be served from 5:00-8:00pm.  The auction closes at 8:00pm and the music starts at 9:00pm.  Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 5.  For questions or advance tickets, call 231-798-4011 or 231-773-8689.

Billy McLaughlin in Concert
March 25 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 25 at 7:30pm, come to the Howmet Playhouse for Billy McLaughlin in concert!  Billy McLaughlin is recognized internationally as a world-class guitarist, Emmy Award winning composer and inspirational keynote speaker who has appeared on Billboard’s Top-Ten Chart.  Previously signed to Virgin Records’ Narada label, McLaughlin has 14 CD releases, 3 National Campus Entertainer of the Year Awards*, 5 Minnesota Music Awards and his decades of national concert touring earned him the Hall of Fame Achievement Award.

But in 1999 McLaughlin vanished from sight as his career crumbled due to a little-known neuro-muscular disorder called Focal Dystonia. After suffering several years without a cure or even a diagnosis, this right-handed guitarist embarked on an unlikely attempt to regain his career by re-learning his instrument….left-handed!  His remarkable comeback is captured in the independent documentary film Changing Keys (seen on PBS stations in 2010) and a concert film called Coming Back Alive featuring McLaughlin with string orchestra and a reunion of his longtime rock band.  KPBS (San Diego) produced the 2013 Emmy Award winning live concert program called Starry Night – Billy McLaughlin with Orchestra Nova highlighting McLaughlin’s extraordinary talent as both guitarist and inspirational speaker.

Now serving as Ambassador for Awareness for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, McLaughlin is the winner of the 2010 Public Leadership in Neurology Award whose previous winners include Paul Allen, Julie Andrews, Leon Fleischer, and Michael J. Fox. McLaughlin has resumed an international schedule of concert appearances and keynote speaking.  He resides in his home state of Minnesota where he is proudly raising two boys.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door and are available at Whitehall City Hall, the Arts Council of White Lake or at the door the night of the show.  Guitar Fest participants receive one free ticket.

This event is part of Guitar Fest. For more information about Guitar Fest, visit the ACWL website at www.artswhitelake.org.

Gaelic Storm
March 25 @ 7:30 pm
Gaelic Storm will perform at the Frauenthal Center Saturday, March 25 at 7:30pm! Tickets are $41 for the limited VIP Meet & Greet. Other tickets are $26 and $21. All tickets are available at the Frauenthal Box Office by calling 231-727-8001 or Star Tickets at 1-800-585-3737.

After more than 3,000 live shows including Muskegon’s own Michigan Irish Music Festival, Gaelic Storm the chart topping, muliti national Celtic band is coming to the Frauenthal Center in downtown Muskegon. Gaelic Storm’s music mixes traditional Irish music with modern influences, creating a sound that’s as wide-ranging as the band’s own audience. From bluegrass and country music fans to Deadheads, rock & rollers and Celtic fanatics, Gaelic Storm has built one of the most diverse fan bases in modern music.

For more information call Kelly Walden at 231-332-4137.

Winter Film Festival at Harbor Cinema
March 26 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Muskegon Community College and the Fr. Phil Legacy Project are hosting a Winter Film Festival at Harbor Cinema!  Seven different films will be shown on Sunday afternoons with a pre-film discussion of each. Doors open at the theater at 3:00pm with a pre-film discussion at 3:15pm.  Show times will be at 3:30pm.  Tickets are $7 each or $42 for the entire series.  To purchase tickets, please call (231) 777-0380.

Sunday, March 26 will be American Graffiti, a 1973 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed and co-written by George Lucas starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ronny Howard, Paul Le Mat, Harrison Ford, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips, Bo Hopkins and Wolfman Jack. Suzanne Somers and Joe Spano have cameos.  Set in Modesto, California in 1962, the film is a study of the cruising and rock and roll cultures popular among the post–World War II baby boom generation.  The film is told in a series of vignettes, telling the story of a group of teenagers and their adventures over a single evening.  The genesis of American Graffiti was in Lucas’ own teenage years in early 1960s Modesto.  In 1995, the United States Library of Congress deemed the film “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.

USS Silversides Lecture Series
March 27 @ 6:00 pm
Don’t miss the USS Silversides Lecture Series, Mondays in March!  March 27, it’s Meg Jones, Milwaukee journalist and author of “World War II Milwaukee!”

All lectures begin at 6:00pm.  The cost is $5.00 per person or FREE with your USS Silversides Submarine Museum membership.  For more information, visit www.silversidesmuseum.org.