Central UP Events

 The League of Women Voters of Marquette County will hold its next general membership meeting on Wednesday, April 2nd at 6:45 p.m. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in Studio 1 on the Lower Level of the Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St., Marquette. The meeting will feature a presentation about immigration by the NMU student group, the Latinx Student Union. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major policy issues, and influences public policy through education and

    MSU Extension and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) will offer Pesticide Applicator Training and Exams in the Upper Peninsula at Bay College in Escanaba on April 3rd, 2025 8:00am – 4:00pm ET. The program includes a core manual review (RUP credits), lunch and MDARD exams (Full training & exam participation required).  Core exams (private and commercial) will be offered by MDARD, while Commercial Category exams will be available onsite through Bay College Testing Services.  MDARD pesticide applicator recertification credits are available to those attending the Core Manual review.

  As part of Northern Michigan University’s 125th Anniversary Celebration, a special public event is planned to recognize the 30th anniversary of “Haywire,” the Forest Roberts Theatre musical about an 1880s logging camp that was one of five productions selected from more than 900 national submissions to perform at the Kennedy Center’s American College Theatre Festival. The program is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 4, in 1100 Jamrich Hall. It will highlight the creators, including playwright and theater professor emeritus Shelley Russell and music professor emeritus Robert Engelhart, who wrote the original score. Some of the alumni who performed in the

Great Lakes Poetry Festival: Wild Words in the Wild U.P.  Saturday, April 5, 2025, 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.  Peter White Public Library Shiras Room.  Adults, Seniors, Teens.  In partnership with the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition, PWPL presents a poetry reading on the environment from some of the U.P.’s wildest poets, including Kathleen M. Heideman, Beverly Matherne, Gala Mahlerbe, Lisa Fosmo, Lynn Domina, Christine Saari, and Marty Achatz.   No admission charge.  For more information, contact Marty at 226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info, or visit pwpl.info.

The Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter (UPAWS) is proud to announce the upcoming 2025 Cause for Paws Gala, celebrating our 50th Anniversary on Saturday, April 5th at the Marquette Holiday Inn. This milestone event will be a night to remember, filled with music, auctions, raffle prizes, hors d’oeuvres, an awards ceremony, and more in honor of our beloved animals and the rich history of our shelter organization. “For the past 50 years, our organization has been committed to providing homeless animals with a safe haven and finding them loving forever homes,” said Nic Conroy, Fundraising Coordinator at UPAWS. “We are

4/3/2025 Northern Michigan University’s Music Department will present three upcoming performances featuring its percussion ensemble, a senior trombone recital, and the Open Mind experimental music ensemble. The NMU Percussion Ensemble, directed by Professor James A. Strain, will perform its winter semester concert at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 5, in Reynolds Recital Hall. The program will showcase a variety of percussion instruments and styles. Senior music student Erik Meilstrup, a trombone player, will perform a senior recital at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6, in Reynolds Recital Hall. This performance marks the culmination of his studies at NMU. Under the direction of

Marquette City Manager Karen Kovacs will hold her next community office hours on Wednesday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Shiras Room, on the top level of Peter White Public Library (Front Street side). The meeting is intended to provide an informal opportunity to discuss issues within the community, and to give citizens the opportunity for direct dialogue with City staff about interests and concerns

Senior Support Series: 100 Years of the Longyear Research Library Wednesday, April 9, 1:30pm  It’s National Library Week! Meet the librarians and hear about unusual collections and surprising research discoveries over the last century. Get a window into the research process used to create our May 2025 cemetery tour, featuring WWII veterans. You will learn how to use a research library through a fun interactive game of bingo. SSS programs ignite curiosity, social interaction, health, and community involvement. In coordination with Mapping Medicare, we continue this program quarterly on Wednesday afternoons. Win door prizes and enjoy complimentary Dead River Coffee Roasters

Great Lakes Poetry Festival:  Northwords and Music:  Wordplay Show  Wednesday, April 9, 2025.  6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Peter White Public Library Community Room.  Adults, Seniors, Family.  Join 2022 Marquette Writer of the Year B. G. Bradley and his friends for an evening of music, stories, poetry, and skits sure to make you laugh, cry, clap, and sing for those crossroads in our lives.  The show features two-time U. P. Poet Laureate Marty Achatz; celebrated musicians Linda Smith and Seamus Collins (Big Lake Acoustic), actress Jacque Love, and guests Jim Edwards and musician John Mallow.  This event will also be livestreamed.  For

Silver Creek Church and Silver Creek Thrift are partnering with Feeding America West Michigan to host a Mobile Food Pantry. Taking place on Thursday, April 10. Food distribution will begin at 10:00am and continue while supplies last or until 11:30am. Food will be available for approximately 550 families. Due to changes with Feeding America West Michigan, proxy pickup will be limited. This will be a drive-thru event with directions given by parking lot attendants. Guests are asked to remain in their cars and have adequate space prepared in their trunk or back seat in advance to allow the distribution team