Community Calendar

The 3nd annual Michigan Bright Water Storytelling Festival will be at Howell Opera House, 123 W Grand River Ave, Howell, Michigan 48843 on Saturday, November 1, 2025, from 9:30 am to 9:00 pm Eastern time. Adults and teens interested in any aspect of storytelling are welcome. Information, schedule, and tickets can be found on our website https://mibrightwaterstorytelling.com/festival/

Throughout the day, we will host three engaging storytelling workshops featuring Dorothy Cleveland and Barb Schutzgruber, Steve Daut, and Roshanda Womack as well as two Open Mics. Roshanda Womack and Sufian Zhemukhov will cap off the festival’s theme, “Serendipity”, with stories from 7:30-9:00 pm.

African Women Film Festival 2025
Voices of Resilience: The Power of Storytelling in African Cinema

A three-day celebration of the creativity, resilience, and global impact of African women in cinema—exploring how women filmmakers are redefining narratives and bringing new energy to the film industry.

The event features award-winning filmmakers from across the continent alongside University of Michigan faculty experts for film screenings, Q&A sessions, and panel discussions. Conversations will address topics such as representation, gender, and the changing landscape of African media—creating space for dialogue among filmmakers, scholars, students, and the broader community.

The festival will also welcome Mahen Bonetti, founder and executive director of African Film Festival, Inc., as the keynote speaker. Renowned internationally for her vision and decades of advocacy, Bonetti continues to champion African cinema and amplify its voices on the global stage.

The African Women Film Festival (AWFF) is organized by the African Studies Center at the University of Michigan and made possible with support from the Office of the Vice Provost for Engaged Learning, Global Michigan; the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies; the International Institute; and other campus partners. AWFF seeks to amplify the voices of African women in film, celebrating their artistry, innovation, and resilience while creating spaces for dialogue, mentorship, and cross-continental collaboration.

African Women Film Festival 2025
Voices of Resilience: The Power of Storytelling in African Cinema

A three-day celebration of the creativity, resilience, and global impact of African women in cinema—exploring how women filmmakers are redefining narratives and bringing new energy to the film industry.

The event features award-winning filmmakers from across the continent alongside University of Michigan faculty experts for film screenings, Q&A sessions, and panel discussions. Conversations will address topics such as representation, gender, and the changing landscape of African media—creating space for dialogue among filmmakers, scholars, students, and the broader community.

The festival will also welcome Mahen Bonetti, founder and executive director of African Film Festival, Inc., as the keynote speaker. Renowned internationally for her vision and decades of advocacy, Bonetti continues to champion African cinema and amplify its voices on the global stage.

The African Women Film Festival (AWFF) is organized by the African Studies Center at the University of Michigan and made possible with support from the Office of the Vice Provost for Engaged Learning, Global Michigan; the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies; the International Institute; and other campus partners. AWFF seeks to amplify the voices of African women in film, celebrating their artistry, innovation, and resilience while creating spaces for dialogue, mentorship, and cross-continental collaboration.

African Women Film Festival 2025
Voices of Resilience: The Power of Storytelling in African Cinema

A three-day celebration of the creativity, resilience, and global impact of African women in cinema—exploring how women filmmakers are redefining narratives and bringing new energy to the film industry.

The event features award-winning filmmakers from across the continent alongside University of Michigan faculty experts for film screenings, Q&A sessions, and panel discussions. Conversations will address topics such as representation, gender, and the changing landscape of African media—creating space for dialogue among filmmakers, scholars, students, and the broader community.

The festival will also welcome Mahen Bonetti, founder and executive director of African Film Festival, Inc., as the keynote speaker. Renowned internationally for her vision and decades of advocacy, Bonetti continues to champion African cinema and amplify its voices on the global stage.

The African Women Film Festival (AWFF) is organized by the African Studies Center at the University of Michigan and made possible with support from the Office of the Vice Provost for Engaged Learning, Global Michigan; the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies; the International Institute; and other campus partners. AWFF seeks to amplify the voices of African women in film, celebrating their artistry, innovation, and resilience while creating spaces for dialogue, mentorship, and cross-continental collaboration.

Discover the magic of Dr. Seuss’ classic holiday tale as it comes to life on stage. Featuring the hit songs “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas,” The Grinch discovers there’s more to Christmas than he bargained for in this heart-warming holiday classic.

Max the Dog narrates as the mean and scheming Grinch, whose heart is “two sizes too small,” decides to steal Christmas away from the Whos, an endlessly cheerful bunch bursting with holiday spirit. Celebrate the holidays with the show The New York Times calls “100 times better than any bedtime story!”

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will perform at Miller Auditorium on Friday, November 7 at 7:30pm and on Saturday, November 8 at 11:00am and 3:30pm. For more information, please visit millerauditorium.com or call the Miller Auditorium Box Office at (269) 387-2300.

Discover the magic of Dr. Seuss’ classic holiday tale as it comes to life on stage. Featuring the hit songs “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas,” The Grinch discovers there’s more to Christmas than he bargained for in this heart-warming holiday classic.

Max the Dog narrates as the mean and scheming Grinch, whose heart is “two sizes too small,” decides to steal Christmas away from the Whos, an endlessly cheerful bunch bursting with holiday spirit. Celebrate the holidays with the show The New York Times calls “100 times better than any bedtime story!”

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will perform at Miller Auditorium on Friday, November 7 at 7:30pm and on Saturday, November 8 at 11:00am and 3:30pm. For more information, please visit millerauditorium.com or call the Miller Auditorium Box Office at (269) 387-2300.

Katt Williams brings his Heaven on Earth Tour to Van Andel Arena on Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 8:00PM.
With a career spanning over 20 years, Katt Williams has earned a worldwide reputation as one of today's top entertainers, having developed a career seeded with thousands of sold-out arenas, an expansive list of starring roles on the small screen and memorable performances in major box office hits. Since performing his first stand-up show as a teenager, Williams took the comedy world by storm. He quickly developed a unique style of stand-up that combines articulate and sharp dialogue rooted in conversations reflecting the American political landscape. By 1999, he had cultivated a loyal fan base and was performing on some of the most notable comedy stages across the nation.

In 2002, Williams made his onscreen debut as a guest star on "NYPD Blue" and subsequently landed his first feature film role as Money Mike in "Friday After Next." His extensive filmography includes notable roles in "Father Figures," "Norbit," "Scary Movie V," "Epic Movie," "Bastards," "The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2," "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," "The Boondocks," "Wild 'n Out," and a guest role in the critically acclaimed series "Atlanta," which earned him a Primetime Emmy® Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. Celebrated for his brilliance and ingenuity on stage, Williams is also known for his critically acclaimed stand-up specials, including “The Pimp Chronicles,” “It’s Pimpin’ Pimpin’,” “Katt Williams: Pimpadelic,” “American Hustle,” “Priceless: Afterlife,” “Kattpacalypse,” “Katt Williams: Great America” and “Katt Williams: World War III.” His latest special, “Katt Williams: Woke Foke,” debuted live as part of Netflix Is A Joke Fest, becoming the most-watched Netflix comedy special of 2024, with over 13.1 million views to date.

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 11 at 10:00AM. *Please note the box office will not be open for this on sale.

Ticket prices are subject to change. For current ticket prices visit Ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices may vary, as market pricing applies to all tickets. Prices may fluctuate based on supply and demand. Tickets may be purchased at the box office or on-line at Ticketmaster.com.

Before it became Selfridge Field, one of America’s oldest military air installations, it was Henry B. Joy’s bold vision for aviation. As president of the Packard Motor Car Company, Joy purchased over 600 acres along Lake St. Clair in 1915, creating Joy Aviation Field to test Liberty aircraft engines. By 1917, the U.S. government had leased the site, transforming it into Selfridge Field—an installation that continues to serve today.

Join us for a fascinating one-hour presentation, led by Steve Mrozek, that uncovers this unique connection between Packard, aviation history, and the legacy of Selfridge.

Tickets:

Free for Packard Proving Grounds members

$5 for not-yet members

Registration:
Reserve your spot today at PackardProvingGrounds.org/Nov9-HSS-PPG
Questions? Call or text (586) 739-4800

Narsiso Martinez is a visual artist whose drawings, paintings, and mixed-media installations center the lives and labor of farmworkers in the United States. Martinez worked in the agricultural fields of Washington state — a formative experience that would later shape the core of his artistic practice. After completing his education in Los Angeles, culminating in an MFA in Drawing and Painting from California State University Long Beach, Martinez developed a body of work that reflects the dignity, hardship, and invisibility of the workers who harvest America’s food.

Martinez is best known for his powerful portraits rendered on discarded produce boxes collected from grocery stores, which he transforms into evocative, layered compositions. His work draws from the visual language of 1930s Social Realism, updated through a contemporary lens and materials that speak to both economic precarity and cultural resilience. By incorporating found objects and working at the intersection of figuration, installation, and sculpture, Martinez calls attention to the dissonance between agricultural abundance and the exploitation of those who make it possible. His art challenges viewers to consider the systems behind the food they consume, and the people whose labor sustains them — many of whom remain undocumented and unprotected.

In this talk, Martinez will share the personal history that informs his practice, from his journey as a farmworker to his development as an artist. He will discuss the evolution of his use of unconventional materials, the political and emotional layers embedded in his subject matter, and the importance of bearing witness through art. Whether painting directly onto cardboard or building immersive installations, Martinez’s work offers a poignant meditation on labor, identity, and the complicated narratives embedded in the American agricultural landscape.

Presented in partnership with the Institute for the Humanities.

This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan.

Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.

The Tri-Cities Historical Museum is exploring historic health fads and just how people thought about medicine and wellness in the past. It’s equal parts theatrics, history, discussion, and demonstration for the next installment of our Storytellers series:  The Medicine Show. What do the bumps on your heads say about your personality? Is there such a thing as a cure-all tonic? How can aligning the ions in my body improve my life? Education Curator Ellen Paulin will be your time-traveling companion through health history on Thursday, November 13 at 6pm.