MEETINGS & EVENTS CALENDAR
Please note — You can change the way you view the calendar in the drop-down button on the top right above the calendar. By default, the calendar is now displayed in “agenda” mode. Other options include viewing by month, week or day.
Summer Craft Show – Emmet County Fairgrounds – 7/13/24 – 9am – 4pm – Join us on Saturday, July 13th, from 9 am to 4 pm to enjoy a summer craft show at the Emmet County Fairgrounds. The Fairgrounds will host both local and guest vendors featuring a variety of jewelry, home goods, food, and more. Entry is $2 or a non-perishable food item. Interested in becoming a vendor? Call the Fairgrounds at (231) 348-5479.
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In this talk at the Headlands Waterfront Event Center, Polar geologist Jamey Stutz will draw connections between the glacial landscape of Northern Michigan and the massive Antarctic Ice Sheet and show how the world’s largest chunk of ice not only regulates global sea level but sets the stage for Astronomers to look, listen and feel into deep space. This talk is family-friendly, with Antarctic rock samples and polar gear on display for all.
Cruise-In Car Show – Emmet County Fairgrounds – 7/21/24 – 10am – 1pm – Emmet County Parks and Recreation is hosting a car show at the Emmet County Fairgrounds on Sunday, July 21, from 10 AM to 1 PM. Gates open at 9 AM the day of the event for vehicle registration. There is no pre-registration. Admission to the event is free for the general public. Participants will be required to pay a $15 fee per vehicle entered. Trophies will be awarded with door prizes given out throughout the day. For more information, please call the Programming and Sales coordinator at (231) 348-5479 or email [email protected].
Introduction to Astrophotography – Headlands International Dark Sky Park – 7/24/24 – 8:30pm – 9:30pm – Learn the basics of Astrophotography with an introductory session lead by NASA/JPL Ambassadors, Rod Cortright and Mick Groszko.
Mysteries of the Southern Skies with Norbert Vance – Headlands International Dark Sky Park – 7/31/24 – 8pm – 9pm – Peoples of the southern hemisphere see the Southern Cross, the Sun’s nearest neighboring star, Alpha Centauri, the supposed destination of the 60’s fictional Robinson family in “Lost in Space” and grandeur that is the center of our Milky Way galaxy, but they can never see the Little Dipper nor North Star. The Big Dipper is alien to them. We will extend our view below the southern horizon visible from the Headlands to see what treasures we are missing, and also the amazing visions they cannot see from our northerly perch that we take for granted.
Headlands Light’s Out Challenge –Headlands International Dark Sky Park – 8/4/24 – 10pm – 11pm – Once again, Emmet County’s Headlands International Dark Sky Park challenges the communities around Northern Michigan to turn off their lights so that we can try to get the darkest sky ever recorded at the Headlands. This challenge will take place in the 10 to 11pm hour on the night of the new moon when the sky is normally the darkest all month. Please note that participation is voluntary, so help us get the word out! The ‘Light’s Out Challenge’ is designed to help raise awareness about the effects of artificial light at night on nocturnal habitat, human health, and the way we use our energy resources.
National Lighthouse Day Open House – McGulpin Point Lighthouse – 8/7/24 – 10am – 5pm – Join us for spectacular views of the Straits of Mackinac with a free, self-guided tour to the top of the lighthouse tower in celebration of National Lighthouse Day! Enjoy complimentary food and refreshments while supplies last.
Why Do We Have Meteor Showers? – Headlands International Dark Sky Park – 8/7/24 – 8:30pm – 9:30pm -Rod Cortright, NASA/JPL Ambassador, will discuss the origins of meteor showers and why they occur on a regular basis throughout the year. Entry is free!
How Cold is Outer Space? With Kevin Dehne – Headlands International Dark Sky Park – 8/14/24 – 8pm – 9pm – Join us at the Headlands Waterfront Event Center for a very active presentation using liquid nitrogen to demonstrate how cold outer space is. The presentation will include a basic description of how the Sun’s distance affects the temperatures of each planet and the impact this has on humans’ ability to study the planets with space probes will be examined.
James Webb Space Telescope Mission Update – Headlands International Dark Sky Park – 8/21/24 – 8:30pm – 9:30pm – James Webb Space Telescope has been fully operational for over a year now. Launched on Christmas Day, 2021, it is the first of the next generation of space telescopes. This presentation by NOMAC at the Waterfront Event Center will explore the technology of this new instrument and the significant discoveries it has made to date.
Stellar Evolution in Depth – Headlands International Dark Sky Park – 9/4/24 – 7pm – 8pm – Join us and NASA JPL Ambassador, Mick Grozsko, at the Headlands Waterfront Event Center for an in depth look at the process by which stars change over time.
Latest Discoveries for the Search of Life – Headlands International Dark Sky Park – 9/11/24 – 7pm – 8pm – Join us and NASA/JPL Ambassador, Mick Groszko, at the Headlands Waterfront Event Center for a presentation on our latest discoveries of life in our Solar System.
Join us and Robyn Porteen, Dark Sky International Delegate and Chapter Lead, at the Headlands Waterfront Event Center where we will touch upon how the sky was used in early navigation, how indigenous peoples from North America to Australia used stories and lore to teach generations, and lastly, how the night sky has played an important role in for Humanity through art, music, and literature.
Haunted Halloween Weekends – Camp Petosega – 10/5/24 & 10/12/24 – 5pm – 8:30pm Join us for one of our super fun Halloween Weekends on Saturday, October 5, or on Saturday, October 12! Park staff will be giving an award to the Best Decorated Campsite so campers are encouraged to spruce up their sites to get in the Halloween spirit! Trick-or-treating will take place from 5-7 p.m. with vehicle traffic restricted during that time through the campground. Emmet County Parks and Recreation staff will have free hot dogs, chips, and drinks near the campground office followed by a free Haunted Trail open 7:30-8:30 p.m. All activities are weather-permitting and the general public is welcome to come out and join in the fun!
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Haunted Halloween Weekends – Camp Petosega – 10/5/24 & 10/12/24 – 5pm – 8:30pm Join us for one of our super fun Halloween Weekends on Saturday, October 5, or on Saturday, October 12! Park staff will be giving an award to the Best Decorated Campsite so campers are encouraged to spruce up their sites to get in the Halloween spirit! Trick-or-treating will take place from 5-7 p.m. with vehicle traffic restricted during that time through the campground. Emmet County Parks and Recreation staff will have free hot dogs, chips, and drinks near the campground office followed by a free Haunted Trail open 7:30-8:30 p.m. All activities are weather-permitting and the general public is welcome to come out and join in the fun!
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Full Moon Night Hike with Marion
📅 Date & Time: October 17, 6pm-8pm
📍 Location: Headlands Waterfront Event Center
15675 Headlands Rd, Mackinaw City, MI 49701
Join Marion, a Lake Superior State University senior, on a supermoon-illuminated hike at the Headlands International Dark Sky Park. This free, guided educational hike is part of Marion’s Recreation Leadership Apprenticeship program and is presented in partnership with the park staff.
Details: No pre-registration is required. Meet at the Waterfront Event Center for a brief introduction and to apply red film to flashlights. The group will then set out for the hike. In case of bad weather, an indoor program on light pollution will be held.
Note: Expect moderate terrain and uneven ground. Please wear sturdy shoes, bring water, and carry a flashlight.
Contact:
[email protected] | (231) 427-1001
Autumn at McGulpin Point – McGulpin Point Lighthouse – 10/19/24 – 10am-5pm – See spectacular views of the Straits of Mackinac with a free, self-guided tour to the top of the lighthouse tower. Enjoy complimentary cider and donuts with us while you explore the lighthouse and gift shop. Cider and donuts available while supplies last.
Brother Dan’s Handmade Holiday Craft Show – Emmet County Fairgrounds – 11/23/24 – 9am-4pm – The Emmet County Fairgrounds will be hosting the annual Handmade Holiday Craft Show benefiting Brother Dan’s Food Pantry, from 9 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, November 23. The Community Building will host local vendors featuring handmade items for sale just in time for the holiday season. Brother Dan’s will be collecting admission and concession sales to benefit feeding local families. Admission is $2 or a non-perishable food items.
Visit with Santa! – Emmet County Fairgrounds – 12/7/24 – 12pm-3pm – Santa will be visiting the Emmet County Fairgrounds’ Community Building from 12PM – 3PM. Guests will be invited to take a photo with Santa, make crafts to take home, and enjoy delicious cups of hot cocoa as well as cookies. Entry is free.
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