August Events Round-up

Are you looking to find events for you and your family this month? There are activities (in-person and virtual) on campus and in the Greater Lansing community that are perfect for summer. Many events require registration, so be sure to click the links to learn more.

Campus Events

Starts August 325th Annual Muelder Summer Carillon Concert Series (free): Enjoy the bells of Beaumont Tower, for free, every Wednesday.

August 6Family Day: Grow (free): Enjoy Family Day at the MSU Broad Art Museum. There will be hands-on, interactive activities throughout the museum.

August 14Architecture Tour (free): Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the MSU Broad Art Museum by learning more about the building’s unique architecture.

Starts August 18Tuesdays with Morrie: Come see the play based on the best-selling memoir of all time, Tuesdays with Morrie at the Wharton Center.

August 18Vince Gill featuring Wendy Moten: Enjoy music from recording artist Vince Gill and singer from The Voice, Wendy Moten at the Wharton Center. 

August 27Public Making Hours (free): Join fellow community members in working on creative projects.

Lansing Events

Starts August 2 –  Michigan Princess Lunchtime Cruise: Enjoy lunch and music from Dixieland Jazz Band on a cruise down the river on August 2 and 18. 

August 3Concert in the Park (free): Enjoy music from Global Village at parks all over LansingAugust 18 Zoo Night: Come see the Potter Park Zoo after hours with drinks and food. For guests 21 and over. 

August 20Art Feast (free to enter): Enjoy this arts and craft festival in the heart of Old Town Lansing. 

Health and Wellness

Starts August 3 Explorations in Eating (free): Learn what “normal eating” looks like with registered dietician, Abby Richey, on Teams August 3, 17 and 31. 

Starts August 3 Fresh Air Fitness: Pilates in the Garden (free): Enjoy the outdoors and pilates in the W.J. Beal Botanical Garden on August 3, 10 and 17. 

August 21Wellness Weekend Series: Movement Workshop (free): Move, converse and interact in a low pressure environment meant for all people.

Family-Friendly Activities

August 1 Sensory Friendly Hours: Visit the Impression5 Science Center for their sensory friendly hours.

August 2National Night Out: Touch-a-Truck (free): Bring the whole family to explore fire trucks, ambulances, police vehicles and more.

Starts August 5Chasing the Ghost Particle: From the South Pole to the Edge of the Universe: Learn about Earth’s most remote locations at the Abrams Planetarium every weekend.

Starts August 5Summer Concert Series (free): Enjoy live performances on Friday nights in the Ann Street Plaza.  

Starts August 5SkyTellers: Seasons and Moon: Hear from Native American Master Storytellers at the Abrams Planetarium every Sunday.

August 649th Annual Art Fair (free): Enjoy a fine arts and craft show in historic downtown Grand Ledge.

August 8  – MSU Bug House Monday Night Open House (free): View insects from all over the world at the MSU Bug House.

July Events Round-up

Are you looking to find events for you and your family this summer? There are activities (in-person and virtual) on campus and in the Greater Lansing community that are perfect for the summer. Many events require registration, so be sure to click the links to learn more.

Events on Campus

Starts July 625th Annual Muelder Summer Carillon Concert Series: Enjoy the bells of Beaumont Tower, for free, every Wednesday.

July 10Architecture Tour: Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the MSU Broad Art Museum by learning more about the building’s unique architecture.

July 14Beal Botanical Garden Tour: Toxic Plants That ‘Fly Under the Radar’: Learn from garden curator, Peter Carrington about what plants may be more dangerous than you think.

July 17Soft and Sharp Jazz: 2022 Music and the Garden Series: Bring the whole family for art and science activities, followed by a concert featuring the MSU College of Music chamber music and jazz. 

July 30Public Making Hours: Join fellow community members in working on creative projects.

Lansing Events

July 8Comedy Murder Mystery Cruise aboard the Michigan Princess: Let the detective in you come to life with a buffet and a trip down the river. 

July 8Live Music with Darin Larner Band: Enjoy a wide range of music from Lansing’s own Darin Langer Band. 

July 9REO Town Marketplace Celebrates Mardi Gras: Enjoy all the festivities of Mardi Gras  right in Lansing. 

July 14 –  Michigan Princess Lunchtime Cruise: Enjoy lunch and music from Dixieland Jazz Band on a cruise down the river. 

July 21Zoo Night: Come see the Potter Park Zoo after hours with drinks and food. For 21+ guests only.

Health and Wellness

July 12Good Form Walking/Good Form Running Clinic: Learn injury avoidance practices and improve efficiency of movement while running or walking. 

July 23Wellness Weekends Series: Meditation Tour: Utilize meditation and mindfulness techniques to deepen your experience of art. 

Family-Friendly Activities

Starts July 1Bad Astronomy: Myths and Misconceptions: Come debunk astronomy myths at the Abrams Planetarium every weekend. 

Starts July 1 A Teenager’s Guide to the Galaxy: Learn about different science topics at the Abrams Planetarium every Sunday. 

Starts July 8Summer Concert Series: Enjoy free live performances on Friday nights in the Ann Street Plaza. 

July 10Brunch on the Lawn: Bring a blanket and enjoy brunch from Whipped and Tin Cup Cafe & Creamery Trailer. 

Starts July 11Eaton County Fair: Enjoy live entertainment, rides, contests and more until July 16. 

July 11MSU Bug House Monday Night Open House: View insects from all over the world at the MSU Bug House. 

Starts July 12Play in the Park: Bring the family for an interactive children’s entertainment series July 12 and July 26. 

July 17Abrams Planetarium Sensory Friendly Shows: Enjoy sensory friendly shows where everyone is welcome. 

July 30Michigan’s Bacon Festival: Celebrate bacon with food, games and live music for all ages.  

July 30Sensory Friendly Hours: Visit the Impression5 Science Center for their sensory friendly hours. 

Learning Opportunities

July 6Building, Accessing, and Using Contemporary Anishinabe Collections of Michigan State University Museum: Join this ZOOM presentation and learn about the traditional arts of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. 

July 12 & 13The Office of Employee Relations (OER) and the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) Presentation: Join this interactive presentation regarding employees with disabilities and the process for requesting workplace disability accommodations. This program will build awareness of disability as part of diversity, inclusive language, and disability accommodation resources.

July 13The Power of Habit: Learn how to replace bad habits with good ones in this course. 

Starts July 14Science Gallery – Youth Symposium “Hot and Bothered”: Learn about climate issues until July 19.

July 282022 MSU Autism Conference: Come listen to panel discussions at The Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Department of Pediatrics and Human Development annual event. 

Spring Event Roundup

There isn’t a better time than Spring to explore, improve, and enjoy everything MSU has to offer as the weather warms up and the sun peeks through the clouds.

Looking for a reason to get outside? MSU Horticulture and Gardens is taking advantage of the April showers and May flowers. You should too!

  • Check out the 2022 garden displays in the Beal Gardens on the East Lansing campus, and learn from MSU Horticulture expert and garden manager Daedre McGrath about what was planted and why by reading this article.
  • Dive into even more about the flora in the Beal Gardens with an MSU Libraries event in May called Wild Foods and the Salad Bar of Spring. Bring your family and friends to a stroll through the dos and don’ts of growing your own vegetables.
  • If you love what you saw in the gardens, mark your calendar for the annual Horticulture Gardens Plant Sale on May 14 at the Plant and Soil Sciences Building. You can even become a Garden Member to shop the sale early and receive 10% off. 

After a day of Spring cleaning, grab a well deserved break at one of the many offerings this season at Wharton Center:

  • MSU’s Music Department is celebrating 150 years of bands with a grand performance on April 30. Purchase tickets and view the seating map here.
  • The Wharton is hosting two Broadway caliber touring shows in the next few months so make sure to pick up your tickets for Dear Evan Hanson and Ain’t Too Proud before they sell out.

No matter the season, prioritizing your health and wellness is always important, and MSU has the tools to help faculty and staff year round:

  • For the first time in two years, Rest with Music at the Abrams Planetarium is back. Discover the healing properties of music once a month in person or on Health4U’s Facebook Live. 
  • MSU’s IM facilities are great places to start preparing for a summer hike, swim or bike ride and offer discounted rates for staff. Visit their website for rates, capacity trackers, and up to date hours, which change after the conclusion of the Spring Semester. 

As always, if you are looking to improve some of your soft work skills or discover a new passion for work, professional development is for you.

Go out and explore this spring, but don’t forget your allergy pills!

Winter Events Round-up: Virtual and Socially Distanced Campus Activities

Are you looking for socially distanced or virtual activities to attend in the coming weeks? From virtual performances to hiking trails, the following campus events will help keep you and your family entertained during the winter weeks ahead:

  1. The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum has four new exhibitions that are free and open to the public with social distancing and enhanced safety measures in place, including daily limited spots available. Please reserve your free tickets here.
  2. Hike the trails at the Kellogg Biological Station Bird Sanctuary! Enjoy the beautiful scenery as you make your way through the trails, which are opened during all four seasons. Additionally, check out their calendar of virtual events, including their upcoming Birds and Coffee Chat, Winter Twig Identification Zoom Workshop, and Nature Drawing: Blending Art and Science.
  3. The Wharton Center has a variety of virtual performances and education and engagement activities for both adults and kids.
  4. The MSU Library has tons of virtual events available for registration. These upcoming events look particularly interesting: Special Collections: Tunnel Books, Embroidery Maker Meetup, Super Science: The Legacy of Science in Superhero Comics, Special Collections: Fortune Telling, and Introduction to Gardening.
  5. The MSU Community Music School is offering online programs available for both adults and kids. Click on the program link to find all kinds of classes from private lessons to individual and group music therapy.
  6. The WorkLife Office has an extensive calendar of virtual events, including an IPF Home Improvement Series.
  7. You can still learn about and experience insects and other arthropods at the MSU Bug House with their two-part video tour.
  8. The MSU Health4U website has a variety of courses you can register for, including a virtual 5K run/walk training program, culinary cooking and concepts – curbside pickup, rest with music, and many more.
  9. SPARTANfit is offering a virtual, free five-week couch to 5k training program starting March 29 (register by March 24). You’ll get weekly workouts, tips and support to help you stay on track and accomplish your goals. The program ends just in time for the Spartan Arbor Day 5K on May 1.

We hope you all will remain safe and healthy and continue to practice social distancing until we are able to see each other on campus again. In the meantime, wear a mask, wash your hands often, and enjoy these campus activities.