Community Calendar

Opening Reception: Friday, July 17th, 2026 5-8pm
Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11am-6pm

Friends: Furry & Fictional celebrates the many ways humans connect with animals—from the comfort of our pets to the wonder of wildlife. Long present in our stories, cultures, and daily lives, animals continue to inspire care, curiosity, and creative expression, reminding us of our shared place in the world.

Hear guest performers play the 60-bell Lurie Carillon Tower in our Monday evening outdoor concerts, which are family-, pet-, and picnic-friendly. The music happens rain or shine. When you arrive, take a program from the stand near the tower and have a seat outdoors wherever you like, or bring your own lawn chair or blanket (even your own picnic!). Concert staff wearing nametags will be available to answer questions or direct you to accessible restrooms and other facilities. For best acoustics, sit far enough away from the tower to have a direct line of sight to the bells.

PARKING: Metered visitor parking is available behind the Walgreen Drama Center. Additional street parking along Bonisteel Blvd. is available after business hours, and metered visitor parking is available by the E.V. Moore Building (lot NC10), the North Campus Recreation Building (lot NC44), and the Art & Architecture Building (lot NC43).

This annual exhibition transforms moments both grand and intimate into works of visual storytelling. Featuring the work of Emberlight’s acclaimed photography team and guest artists, these images form a vivid portrait not only of a region, but of the artists who continue to interpret it through their own unique lenses.

https://emberlight.org/event/emberlight-photographers-2026/

Free event

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park welcomes back acclaimed artist Dale Chihuly. Experience art like never before through CHIHULY at Meijer Gardens Presented by Macatawa Bank. This highly anticipated exhibition transforms both our beautiful outdoor gardens and inviting indoor Sculpture Galleries with the world-renowned artwork of Chihuly. Stroll through the gardens and discover monumental sculptures, vibrant Reeds, and stunning site-specific installations that harmoniously blend art with nature, creating breathtaking moments around every corner.

About Dale Chihuly: Chihuly is an American artist who transforms a space with experiments in color, light, transparency, and form. He is known for his exhibitions and large-scale architectural installations around the world and for revolutionizing the studio glass movement. Chihuly works with a variety of media including glass, paint, charcoal, neon, ice, and Polyvitro, and his work is included in more than 200 museum collections worldwide.

Give your child a space to explore their imagination, build confidence, and discover the joy of performance.

At Youth Theatre Camp, young artists are encouraged to play, create, and express themselves through a variety of engaging theatre activities. Each day is filled with movement, storytelling, music, and games designed to spark creativity while building important skills like teamwork, focus, and self-expression.

Whether your child is brand new to theatre or already loves being in the spotlight, this camp offers a welcoming and high-energy environment where every voice matters.

Sponsored by the Gogebic Community College Foundation, in memory of Alex Marciniak.

From June 27 through August 22, visitors are invited to wander the 1.2-mile Aurora Loop and discover large-scale installations nestled among towering pines, winding trails, and the rugged beauty of the Northwoods. Created by artists from across the region, this year’s exhibition reflects Emberlight’s 2026 theme, New Ways to Dream — exploring imagination, transformation, memory, identity, and the power of collective creativity.

Alongside this year’s juried installations, Emberlight proudly unveils two major community-centered projects through Art For All. A new collaborative installation invites audiences themselves to become part of the artistic process, while a second large-scale work — created in partnership with students from five regional schools — draws inspiration from Ojibwe doodems, reflecting themes of kinship, ancestry, and connection to the natural world through the voices and creativity of the next generation. Supported through funding from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, the project places young artists at the heart of the festival in a powerful new way.

https://emberlight.org/event/art-in-the-park-2026/

Free event

Opening Reception: Friday, July 17th, 2026 5-8pm
Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11am-6pm

Friends: Furry & Fictional celebrates the many ways humans connect with animals—from the comfort of our pets to the wonder of wildlife. Long present in our stories, cultures, and daily lives, animals continue to inspire care, curiosity, and creative expression, reminding us of our shared place in the world.

The Moth StorySLAM is an open-mic storytelling competition in which anyone can share a true, personal, 5-minute story on the night's theme. Sign up for a chance to tell a story or sit back and enjoy the show! Tonight’s theme is…

SCHOOLED. Prepare a five-minute story about the lessons that shaped you. Wisdom passed down by elders, gurus, and sages. Textbooks, hard knocks, lucky breaks, triumphs and mistakes. From fortune cookies to astrology. Confucius to Brené Brown. The realest reality checks from teachers, siblings, bosses and bullies.

This annual exhibition transforms moments both grand and intimate into works of visual storytelling. Featuring the work of Emberlight’s acclaimed photography team and guest artists, these images form a vivid portrait not only of a region, but of the artists who continue to interpret it through their own unique lenses.

https://emberlight.org/event/emberlight-photographers-2026/

Free event

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park welcomes back acclaimed artist Dale Chihuly. Experience art like never before through CHIHULY at Meijer Gardens Presented by Macatawa Bank. This highly anticipated exhibition transforms both our beautiful outdoor gardens and inviting indoor Sculpture Galleries with the world-renowned artwork of Chihuly. Stroll through the gardens and discover monumental sculptures, vibrant Reeds, and stunning site-specific installations that harmoniously blend art with nature, creating breathtaking moments around every corner.

About Dale Chihuly: Chihuly is an American artist who transforms a space with experiments in color, light, transparency, and form. He is known for his exhibitions and large-scale architectural installations around the world and for revolutionizing the studio glass movement. Chihuly works with a variety of media including glass, paint, charcoal, neon, ice, and Polyvitro, and his work is included in more than 200 museum collections worldwide.