Wimee Live! with Kevin Kammeraad
2025-07-16 14:00 - 15:30 (America/Detroit) | Ishpeming Carnegie Library, 317 N Main St, Ishpeming, Michigan, 49849
Join master puppeteer Kevin, along with Wimee and Friends, as they take you on a whimsical, musical, and collaborative experience where innovative thinking and creative writing playfully unfold with ease. Based on their PBS TV show, Wimee’s Words!
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Grant.

Kevin Kammeraad & Friends
2025-07-17 15:00 - 16:00 | Munising School Public Library, 810 M-28, Munising, Michigan, 49862

Cuisine & Conversations Fundraiser
2025-07-18 16:00 - 18:00 | BasBlue, 110 East Ferry Street, Detroit, MI, 48202
Join Michigan Humanities for an evening of cuisine & conversation as story-makers Curtis Chin and Angela Chi talk about all things food, culture, family, and Detroit. Enjoy cuisine designed and curated by Chef Angela Chi as she tells the story of her family and culture through unique dishes.
All proceeds from the evening will support Michigan Humanities in their ongoing work to bring people together through stories, histories, cultures, and conversations.
Tickets are $100/person and include light fare. A cash bar will be available. Please register by Monday, July 14. Purchase your tickets here.
Schedule of Events
4 p.m.
Enjoy Detroit chef Angela Chi’s gourmet bites as you relax in the cafe or on the patio at BasBlue.
5 p.m.
Be part of the conversation with author and filmmaker Curtis Chin and chef Angela Chi in BasBlue’s library. Chin and Chi will talk about the many ways that family, food traditions, and Detroit have flavored their lives and creativity. Bring your questions and join us for an engaging couch conversation!

Wimee's Words Live at the Pickford Community Library
2025-07-18 18:00 - 19:00 | The PIckford Community Library, 137 E Main St, Pickford, Michigan, 49774
Come and see Wimee’s Words Live! As seen on PBS! Master puppeteer Kevin Kammeraad will be here with Wimee!
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Grant.

Musician Ben Traverse at St. Ignace Public Library - Sea Shanty Sing Along
2025-07-22 13:00 - 14:00 | St. Ignace Public Library, 110 W Spruce St, St. Ignace, Michigan, 49781
Bluegrass, old time, celtic, and sea shanty lovers rejoice! Michigan folksinger and Earthwork Music artist Ben Traverse is coming to the library for a sea shanty singalong. This is an opportunity to connect with a centuries-old tradition of communal singing.
✨Free All-Ages Show✨
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Grant.

Music in the Park featuring the Jerry Ross Band
2025-07-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Macomb Corners Park, 19449 25 Mile Rd, Macomb, Michigan, 48042
Music in the Park welcomes Macomb Township residents and surrounding community members to enjoy a free night of music featuring metro Detroit’s most popular bands. In addition to the concert, our Kidzone play-area will be in full swing with inflatables, organized games, toys and other equipment. The concert takes place on the main lawn at Macomb Corners Park. Concessions are available on site to purchase. Coolers and picnic baskets are allowed if patrons choose to bring their own.

Comic Art Fantasy with Jerry DeCaire
2025-07-25 16:00 - 18:00 | Hazel Park District Library, 123 E 9 Mile Rd, Hazel Park, 48030, United States
Marvel and DC comix artist Jerry DeCaire returns to Hazel Park for a program on drawing fantasy and mythological creatures, followed by a hands on drawing workshop.
This event is partially funded by and Arts and Humanities Grant.

Marina Fest
2025-07-26 14:00 - 22:00 | Escanaba Marina, 17 Water Plant Rd, Escanaba, Michigan, 49829
Join us at Escanaba’s beautiful harbor in Ludington Park for Marina Fest 2025, a full day of free live music featuring four fantastic bands. Bring a lawn chair, soak in the lake breeze, and enjoy great music in one of Escanaba’s most scenic locations. Marina Fest is the perfect summer celebration.

2 p.m.ToHuBoHuEclectic Music w/ tuba, blues guitar
4 p.m.Union SuitsFolk and Bluegrass Music
6 p.m.Polar BluesUpper Peninusla Blues Music
8 p.m.Karlee MetzgerEscanaba Singer Songwriter from Nashville

This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Grant.

Ben Traverse
2025-07-28 13:00 - 14:00 | Richmond Township Library, 304 Snyder St, Palmer, Michigan, 49871
Bluegrass, old time, celtic, and sea shanty lovers rejoice! Michigan folksinger and Earthwork Music artist Ben Traverse is coming to the library for a sea shanty singalong. This is an opportunity to connect with a centuries-old tradition of communal singing.
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Grant.

Beverly the Music Lady and Marc the Balloon Meister
2025-08-07 10:30 - 11:30 | Leelanau Township Office, 119 E Naganaba St, Northport, Michigan, 49670
This event is part of the Leelanau Township Library’s Summer Reading Program. During this event, Beverly Meyer will provide an interactive performance for children and adults to enjoy together. Following the live music and comedy show by Beverly, Marc, the Balloon Meister, will twist balloons creations for all in attendance. This is an all-ages show, everyone is welcome. This event is open to anyone and are always free of charge.
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Grant.

Painting Class with The Painted Toad Art Studio
2025-08-19 18:00 - 20:00 | Chesterfield Township Library, 50560 Patricia Avenue, Chesterfield, MI, 48051, United States
Join Rose Gottler from The Painted Toad to learn how to paint your very own masterpiece! The first week of registration is limited to Chesterfield Library cardholders. Registration will open to others after the first week if space remains. Booking opens 8/1/25 at 9:30am.
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

Great Michigan Read partner event featuring Curtis Chin: Battle Creek
2026-04-09 13:00 - 14:00 | Binda Performing Arts Center, 450 North Ave, Battle Creek, MI, United States
Kellogg Community College will host award-winning author Curtis Chin as part of a free Great Michigan Read author visit on campus on April 9.
Chin’s memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, chronicles his experiences growing up as a gay Chinese American kid in 1980s Detroit, coming out in his working-class immigrant community and being a first-generation college student at the University of Michigan.
The KCC event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 9, at the Binda Performing Arts Center, on campus at 450 North Ave. in Battle Creek.
Chin’s book is this year’s selection for the Great Michigan Read, the signature program of Michigan Humanities that brings communities across the state together to read a single Michigan-centered book.
KCC Director of Library Services Jenn Washburn said KCC is Chin’s first stop on his Great Michigan Read tour across the state this spring. Several copies of the book are available for checkout at KCC’s Morris Library, as well as from area public libraries.
Community members who’d like to check out the book and who reside in the College’s service area in Barry, Branch or Calhoun County can register for a free community borrower’s card at the library’s checkout desk. For more information, contact the library at 269-965-4122.
This program is made possible in part by a grant from Michigan Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Learn more at michiganhumanities.org/great-michigan-read.

Great Michigan Read partner event featuring Curtis Chin: Grand Rapids
2026-04-11 15:00 - 16:00 | Kent District Library – Kentwood Branch, 4950 Breton Rd SE, Kentwood, Michigan, 49508
Hear from Curtis Chin, award-winning author and social justice documentary filmmaker, as he discusses Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, his memoir that is drawing all of Michigan together as the 2025-26 Great Michigan Read. This event will be moderated by Meena Ariagno, Host of Eavesdrop With Meena®️ Podcast, WMAAA Conversation Partner. A book signing with the author will take place after the event.
This event is made possible in part by a grant from Michigan Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is also brought to the library in partnership with the West Michigan Asian American Association. For more information on the Great Michigan Read, visit michiganhumanities.org.

Great Michigan Read Spring Author Tour: Lansing
2026-04-12 13:00 - 15:00 | Riverwalk Theatre, 228 Museum Dr, Lansing, MI, 48933, United States
Join co-hosts, the Capital City Film Festival, Capital Area District Libraries, and Michigan State University Libraries in Lansing on April 12 for a free event featuring a conversation with Curtis Chin, author of the current Great Michigan Read, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Following a conversation with Curtis, books will be available for sale and signing. Registration is recommended, please register here.
The 2025–26 Great Michigan Read is presented by Michigan Humanities. Additional support is provided by national, statewide, and local partners, including the Library of Michigan and MSU Federal Credit Union.

Great Michigan Read Spring Author Tour: Muskegon
2026-04-13 18:30 - 20:00 | The Corner, 280 West Muskegon Avenue, Muskegon, MI, 49440, United States
Join co-hosts Muskegon Area District Library and Muskegon Community College in Muskegon on April 13 for a free event featuring a conversation with Curtis Chin, author of the current Great Michigan Read, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Following a conversation with Curtis, books will be available for sale and signing. Registration is required, please register here.
The 2025–26 Great Michigan Read is presented by Michigan Humanities. Additional support is provided by national, statewide, and local partners, including the Library of Michigan and MSU Federal Credit Union.

Great Michigan Read partner event featuring Curtis Chin: Alma
2026-04-14 13:00 - 15:00 | Ballyhoo Books, 111 W Superior St, Alma, MI, 48801, United States
Join Ballyhoo Books on April 14 as they host Curtis Chin, author of the 2025-26 Great Michigan Read title Everything I Learned, I Learned In a Chinese Restaurant.

Great Michigan Read partner event featuring Curtis Chin: University Center
2026-04-15 12:00 - 13:30 | Delta College Main Campus, Lecture Theater, 1961 Delta Rd, University Center, MI, 48710, United States
Curtis Chin, award-winning author, producer and activist, will visit Delta College, Wednesday, April 15 at noon on the main campus for a reading and discussion of his memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant.
The Delta College Humanities Learning Center (HLC) and President’s Speaker Series committee partnered to bring this Great Michigan Read to our community. This event is free and open to the public.

Great Michigan Read Spring Author Tour: Flint
2026-04-15 18:00 - 19:00 | Gloria Coles Flint Public Library, C.S. Mott Foundation Community Room, 1026 E Kearsley St, Flint, MI, 48503, United States
Join co-host Gloria Coles Flint Public Library on April 15 for a free event featuring a conversation with Curtis Chin, author of the current Great Michigan Read, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Following a conversation with Curtis, books will be available for sale and signing.
The 2025–26 Great Michigan Read is presented by Michigan Humanities. Additional support is provided by national, statewide, and local partners, including the Library of Michigan and MSU Federal Credit Union.

Great Michigan Read Spring Author Tour: Port Huron
2026-04-16 18:00 - 19:00 | Don Dodge Auditorium, 200 Grand River Ave, Port Huron, MI, 48060, United States
Join co-hosts, St. Clair County Library System, Blue Water Allies, and St. Clair County Community College on April 16 for a free event featuring a conversation with Curtis Chin, author of the current Great Michigan Read, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Following a conversation with Curtis, books will be available for sale and signing. Registration is required, please register here.
The 2025–26 Great Michigan Read is presented by Michigan Humanities. Additional support is provided by national, statewide, and local partners, including the Library of Michigan and MSU Federal Credit Union.

Great Michigan Read partner event featuring Curtis Chin: Morenci
2026-04-18 13:00 - 14:00 | Stair District Library, 228 W Main St, Morenci, MI, 49256, United States
Join the Stair District Library for an author visit with the 2025–26 Great Michigan Read author, Curtis Chin, on April 18th at 1 p.m.

Great Michigan Read partner event featuring Curtis Chin: Ann Arbor
2026-04-18 19:00 - 20:30 | Cluster Museum, 307 N Main St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Chin will be joined in conversation by University of Michigan Professors Nadine Hubbs and William A. Calvo-Quirós exploring themes of immigration, identity, community and the experience of growing up queer in 1980’s American and outside its borders. Together, they will reflect on how a place of upbringing becomes the setting for an unlikely origin story: In Chin’s case a Chinese restaurant becomes the setting for how a closeted Chinese boy raised on republican politics transforms into a searingly honest Gay writer and activist for social and political activism in both the LGBTQ+ and AAPI communities. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please register here.
The event is moderator by CLUSTER co-founder Chien-An Yuan.
This event is made possible in part by a grant from Michigan Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Great Michigan Read Spring Author Tour: Charlevoix
2026-05-11 18:00 - 19:30 | Charlevoix Public Library, 220 Clinton St, Charlevoix, Michigan, 49720
Join the Charlevoix Public Library on May 11 at 6 p.m. for a free event featuring a conversation with Curtis Chin, author of the current Great Michigan Read, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Following a conversation with Curtis, books will be available for sale and signing.
The 2025–26 Great Michigan Read is presented by Michigan Humanities. Additional support is provided by national, statewide, and local partners, including the Library of Michigan and MSU Federal Credit Union.

Great Michigan Read Spring Author Tour: Sault Ste. Marie
2026-05-12 18:00 - 19:00 | Bayliss Public Library, 541 Library Drive, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, 49783
Join the Bayliss Public Library on May 12 at 6 p.m. for a free event featuring a conversation with Curtis Chin, author of the current Great Michigan Read, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Following a conversation with Curtis, books will be available for sale and signing.
The 2025–26 Great Michigan Read is presented by Michigan Humanities. Additional support is provided by national, statewide, and local partners, including the Library of Michigan and MSU Federal Credit Union.

Great Michigan Read Spring Author Tour: Marquette
2026-05-13 17:30 - 20:00 | Peter White Public Library, 217 N Front St, Marquette, Michigan, 49855
Join the Peter White Public Library on May 13 at 5:30 p.m. for Let’s Dish: Sharing Culture, Stories & Connection, a free event featuring a conversation with Curtis Chin, author of the current Great Michigan Read, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with an opening reception featuring light cuisine from the Rice Paddy. Books will be available for sale from Snowbound Books.
This is a ticketed event, and all tickets have been claimed. Peter White Public Library will be livestreaming the event on its YouTube channel; individuals who were not able to obtain a ticket can watch the full event there. For more information, contact Marty at 226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info, or visit pwpl.info.
This event is part of Michigan Humanities’ By the People program series called Let’s Dish: Sharing Culture, Stories & Connection. By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
The 2025–26 Great Michigan Read is presented by Michigan Humanities. Additional support is provided by national, statewide, and local partners, including the Library of Michigan and MSU Federal Credit Union.

Great Michigan Read Partner Event: St. Ignace
2026-05-14 18:00 - 19:00 | St. Ignace Public Library, 110 W Spruce St, St. Ignace, Michigan, 49781
Join the St. Ignace Public Library on May 14 at 6 p.m. for a free partner event featuring a conversation with Curtis Chin, author of the current Great Michigan Read, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant.
This event is made possible in part by a Great Michigan Read Action Grant from Michigan Humanities.

Great Michigan Read Spring Author Tour: West Branch
2026-05-15 19:00 - 20:30 | China Inn Restaurant, 601 W Houghton Ave, West Branch, Michigan, 48661
Join co-hosts Ogemaw District Library and West Branch District Library on May 15 at 7 p.m., at the China Inn Restaurant for a free event featuring a conversation with Curtis Chin, author of the current Great Michigan Read, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Following a conversation with Curtis, books will be available for sale and signing. Registration is required. Please register here.
This event is part of Michigan Humanities’ By the People program series called Let’s Dish: Sharing Culture, Stories & Connection. By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
The 2025–26 Great Michigan Read is presented by Michigan Humanities. Additional support is provided by national, statewide, and local partners, including the Library of Michigan and MSU Federal Credit Union.

Historical Perspectives on Queer Detroit: Narratives of the Motor City
2026-06-05 13:30 - 14:30 | Ann Arbor District Library: Downtown Branch, 343 S 5th Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104
Join the LGBTQ+ History Association for a Pride Month event featuring three writers whose work explores Detroit’s queer histories. Curtis Chin will read from his memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Mix Mann will present their research on the life of the Detroit-based Black lesbian activist Ruth Ellis, and Tim Retzloff will read from Come Out! In Detroit, a non-fiction comic book he co-created to tell the story of Michigan’s first pride celebration held in 1972.
This event includes a signing with books for sale.
This partner event is made possible in part by a Great Michigan Read Action Grant.

Museum on Main Street "Americans" Exhibit: Traverse City
2026-06-19 - 2026-09-06 | The Dennos Museum Center, 1410 College Dr, Traverse City, MI, 49686
The Dennos Museum Center will host the new Museum on Main Street exhibit, Americans, from June 19–September 6, 2026. An opening reception for the exhibit will be hosted at the Dennos on July 2 at 7 p.m.
Americans explores how deeply intertwined Native Americans are in the culture of the United States. The exhibition highlights the ways in which Native Americans have been part of the nation’s identity since before the country began and offers a new way of understanding a few familiar events:

Thanksgiving was a modern invention.
Pocahontas was a key figure in the country’s founding.
The Trail of Tears was a vast national project that reshaped the entire country.
Little Bighorn was the moment when, after killing 200 American soldiers, Native Americans became the country’s unofficial mascots.

Americans will bring diverse humanities programming to local communities across Michigan, inviting visitors to explore this complicated history and to share local stories about Native American history, culture, and identity.
Please check The Dennos Museum Center’s website for museum hours and more information.

Detroit Chinatown Block Party ft. Curtis Chin
2026-07-25 12:00 - 20:00 | Corner of Cass Ave & Peterboro St, 3143 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI, 48201
Join Great Michigan Read partners Detroit Chinatown Vision Committee on Saturday, July 25, for their second annual Detroit Chinatown Block Party. This free and family-friendly event will feature a dynamic lineup of DJs, cultural performances, and interactive activities designed to educate and engage attendees about the legacy and future of Detroit’s Chinatown.

Haven’t had a chance to see Curtis Chin yet? Come to the Block Party for his reading and conversation, and to learn more about Detroit Chinatown history. For more information, please visit the Detroit Chinatown Vision Committee’s website.

Curtis Chin’s conversation at this event is made possible in part by a Great Michigan Read Action Grant.

Conversation and Book Signing with Curtis Chin
2026-07-28 19:00 - 20:30 | Caroline Kennedy Library of Dearborn Heights, 24590 George St, Dearborn Heights, MI, 48127
Join Great Michigan Read author, Curtis Chin, on July 28 at 7 p.m. for a conversation and book signing at the Caroline Kennedy Library in Dearborn Heights.
Additional details will be available on Dearborn Heights’ website and Facebook page in late June and early July.
This partner event is made possible in part by a Great Michigan Read Action Grant.
