The National Park Service at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) is pleased to announce a special book signing with author, Karen Trolenberg, and illustrator, Christopher Smith for their book “Flight of Megizzewas”. The event will take place on Friday, July 22, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, MI.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will be celebrating the 100th birthday of the National Park Service (NPS) with the first ever Astronomy Day. The event will take place on Saturday, July 23, 2016, from 1:00-11:00 p.m., and will include family activities, special presentations from area astronomers, and solar and night sky viewing with telescopes.
Candidates from numerous countries will become new citizens during a ceremony at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Thursday, July 21, 2016. This year, 100 ceremonies will be held in parks nationwide to commemorate the National Park Service’s Centennial and invite a new generation of Americans to national parks. The National Park Service and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have an official partnership that encourages both agencies to co-host naturalization ceremonies in these special places set aside for public enjoyment and historical commemoration.
On Wednesday, July 20, from 10 a.m. to noon, Leonard Thoreson, descendant of Port Oneida’s Thoreson Farm, will speak about his family’s life on the farm. This ROOTStories program of Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear will also include a guided tour of the Thoreson farm, including some of the building interiors which are usually not open for public access. Attendees should meet at the Olsen Farmstead, located at 3164 W. Harbor Hwy (M-22) in Maple City (just three miles north of Glen Arbor). A $5 donation per person will be collected. Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear is also offering horse and wagon tours of Port Oneida on Thursdays at 4:30 and 5:45 p.m. with reservations. PHSB is a non-profit partner of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore preserving and interpreting the historic structures and landscapes. For more information on PHSB and its educational programs visit www.phsb.org.
The Manitou Music Festival is pleased to welcome Nessa on Sunday, July 17. Nessa, an exciting new Celtic fusion ensemble, led by flutist/vocalist Kelly McDermott, presents a dynamic array of freshly arranged ancient Celtic ballads and folk songs from the U.K. This upbeat band combines classical, jazz, and Irish influences with accents of world music, along with clever, soulful arrangements of classic themes. Nessa is a fun, funky group with depth and color.
On July 19, Glen Arbor will welcome “Gem Hunter” Gary Bowersox who will speak at a special Tea Talk in the garden of Becky Thatcher Designs.
Ohio artist Joseph Lombardo continues his study of Glen Arbor with a series of new paintings, July 15-21 at Center Gallery, 6023 S. Lake St., Glen Arbor. The show opens with a public reception July 15 at 6 p.m.
Schedule for the 2016 Anchor Day Festival in Empire, Michigan.
Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear has several preservation projects and workshops open to volunteers this summer. Volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes, bring basic tools, a bag lunch, water, and dress for the weather. To RSVP please call 231-334-6103 or 334-PARK.
Invasion by exotic plants is an increasing problem worldwide that causes severe environmental and economic impacts. Sand dune ecosystems throughout the Great Lakes are currently experiencing invasion by multiple plant species, including baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata) and blue lyme grass (Leymus arenarius). The dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore have not escaped these scourges, but researchers are actively documenting their impacts and the effectiveness of management efforts.