Events
Michigan Public Events bring the radio to a stage, pub, or local business near you. Each event is different, giving you the chance to interact with Michigan Public personalities, witness live storytelling, hear engaging interviews, and more.
Check out upcoming Michigan Public Events below, or click through the tabs to learn about special events series like Issues & Ale or various travel opportunities.
Want to know what's going on in your area? Click here for our Community Calendar.
Check out upcoming Michigan Public Events below, or click through the tabs to learn about special events series like Issues & Ale or various travel opportunities.
Want to know what's going on in your area? Click here for our Community Calendar.
Upcoming Featured Events
Michigan Public Featured Events
-
Lansing Brewing Company (LBC) - Lansing
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 – 7:00 p.m.
In person and online - Register Here
Join Michigan Public's Political Director Zoe Clark, Senior Capitol Correspondent Rick Pluta, and their FAQ Squad panelists as they give you the facts of the upcoming election cycle! -
The ultimate storytelling competition, The Moth GrandSLAM invites winners from our open-mic StorySLAMs back to the stage for the Ann Arbor storytelling championship! -
Ira Glass: Stories for a Saturday Night
June 20, 2026 - 7 p.m.
The Power Center for Performing Arts
Ira Glass, one of America’s most influential storytellers, returns to Ann Arbor for his fifth A2SF appearance for an evening filled with insight, creativity, and unforgettable moments. As the creator and host of This American Life, the award-winning public radio program heard by more than 5 million listeners each week, Glass has shaped how a generation thinks about narrative and the power of everyday stories.
In this special A2SF appearance, Glass blends live storytelling with audio clips, music, video, and audience Q&A to share how he builds a story from the ground up. He reflects on what inspires him, how challenges evolve into breakthroughs, and what he has learned from a life devoted to curiosity and craft.
Under his leadership, This American Life has earned nine Peabody Awards, the first Pulitzer Prize for audio journalism, and induction to the Library of Congress. His programs were also ranked among Time magazine’s 100 Best Podcasts of All Time.
Tickets can be purchased here.
A limited number of tickets to a pre-show VIP Meet & Greet reception with Mr. Glass are available to ticket buyers. Meet & Greet tickets are $30 and capacity is limited. The reception will take place in the Power Center lobby before the performance and will include refreshments. This add-on can be purchased here.
Moth StorySLAM
-
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…
SUS: Prepare a five-minute story about deception or sus(picion). Counterfeit handbags, messages from unknown phone numbers, or skeletons in the closet. Raising an eyebrow or calling someone out. Acting shady or being played a fool. Was your gut feeling right or wrong? A deal too good to be true. I smell a rat! -
The ultimate storytelling competition, The Moth GrandSLAM invites winners from our open-mic StorySLAMs back to the stage for the Ann Arbor storytelling championship!
-
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…
DISASTERPIECE: Prepare a five-minute story about a failure so epic, it became a work of art. A magnificent misfire. A glorious flop. Throwing spaghetti at the wall and failing upward. That last-minute improvisation that was mistaken for genius, so you just went with it. Whether it’s a community rallying after a natural disaster, a seeming setback that unexpectedly changed your life for the better, or an April Fools’ prank that sparked a reconciliation — paint us your disasterpieces!
Issues & Ale
Issues & Ale is an event series from Michigan Public designed to engage people in conversations about important issues facing Michigan in an informal atmosphere. The events are hosted by Michigan Public reporters and feature experts on the topic. All events are free, and the public is invited to join in the discussion. You can find information on upcoming and past Issues & Ale events on the pages below.
We hold Issues & Ale events at venues all across our listening area. You can share your suggestions for future topics or locations by e-mailing us at marketing@michiganpublic.org.
-
On October 24, join Michigan Public's Zoe Clark for our next Issues & Ale: It's Just Politics - Countdown to the Election. The event is at 7 PM at Bell's Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo, doors open at 6 PM. Get your political questions answered as the November election approaches. -
On September 24, join Michigan Public's Zoe Clark for our next Issues & Ale: It's Just Politics - Countdown to the Election. -
On July 31, join Michigan Public's Zoe Clark for our next Issues & Ale: It's Just Politics - Countdown to the Michigan Primary. -
Join Michigan Public’s Environment Report host Lester Graham along with documentary co-host Rebecca Williams at this live discussion as we look at what’s happening to water birds. Birds are considered sentinel species: and scientists say what’s happening to birds can have implications for human health. -
Join Michigan Radio’s It's Just Politics team of Zoe Clark and Rick Pluta and their expert panel for a “Politics Year in Review” at our next Issues and Ale event, Tuesday, December 5th at 7:00 p.m. at Lansing Brewing Company in Lansing.
Travel
You can join Michigan Public on-air hosts and reporters for fabulous vacation opportunities to exciting destinations. Through our partnership with select tour operators, you'll enjoy a unique trip, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Michigan Public.
When you travel with Michigan Public, you’ll enjoy a personalized experience accompanied by one of our on-air hosts and carefully selected local guides. You’ll join other travelers who are full of curiosity, are interested in life-long learning…and share a love of public radio. If that sounds like you, learn more about our vacation opportunities below.
-
Join the Michigan Public Traveler's Program as we journey through three Alpine countries. The hills are alive on this enchanting journey across Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria! -
Join Michigan Public as our Michigan Public Travelers program heads to Japan to experience the country by bullet train! -
Join the Michigan Public Travelers program as we head to Italy to experience the Highlights of Italy’s Amalfi Coast and Rome! -
Join Michigan Public’s Mercedes Mejia, host of “The Dish,” as the Michigan Public Travelers program embarks on a vibrant culinary tour of Mexico City, where ancient flavors meet modern innovation. -
Michigan Public's Steve Carmody recaps the station's Costa Rica trip.
Past Station Events
-
Divided government is back in Lansing. How are lawmakers at the state capital working bipartisanly to get things done? Join the It's Just Politics team for Issues & Ale. -
The Michigan Public Speaker Series welcomes NPR Morning Edition host Leila Fadel. She'll talk with Doug Tribou about her journalism career in an online event on Feb. 20. -
Michigan Public and Michigan Theater will present a live performance of The Moth Mainstage in Ann Arbor on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 8 p.m. The Moth Mainstage features a line-up of writers, performers, and other unique national and Michigan storytellers, each with a 10-minute story to tell live without notes. -
It’s been a year — in more ways than one. We’ve been through a Presidential election, elected two state Supreme Court justices, filled an open U.S. Senate seat, as well as changed the make-up of the state House of Representatives. At our next Issues & Ale, we’ll take a look back... and a look forward at what's to come in Lansing. Join Michigan Public's It's Just Politics team of Zoe Clark and Rick Pluta, and their expert political panel, as they discuss what’s on the horizon and take your questions! -
Michigan Public will welcome NPR’s popular news quiz show Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! to Detroit’s Fox Theatre for a live show on Thursday, November 14, 2024. Special VIP Meet & Greet packages are currently available through Michigan Public. Tickets now on sale. -
Detroit Story Fest brings journalists and locals together for a unique blend of music, art, and journalism. And, Michigan Public's Laura Weber Davis will do a deep dive into Dough Dynasty. -
In April 2025, Michigan Public's Mid-Michigan Reporter/Producer Steve Carmody will lead a trip to Costa Rica. Come experience the unique flora and fauna, and the "pura vida" with other public radio supporters and listeners! -
Detroit Story Fest brings journalists and locals together for a night of art, entertainment, and storytelling by and for the people of Detroit. Join Michigan Public's Laura Weber Davis and other Michigan journalists as they go behind the scenes of their reporting, inviting readers into a world they’ve only observed from the outside. -
Michigan Public’s book club, Michigan Public Reads, has announced its next featured book: Deus X by Lansing native Stephen Mack Jones. -
In February 2025, Michigan Public's Stateside Host April Baer will be leading a trip to Hawaii. She looks forward to experiencing the unique beauty, history and culture of Hawaii with our group of public radio listeners.
