May Events Round-Up

May Events Round-Up 

It is warming up this spring in East Lansing, and that means it is time for May events! This month holds many virtual and in-person opportunities in the Greater Lansing area for you to check out to celebrate the start of the new season.

Campus Events

Various dates in May: Abrams Planetarium: Black Holes: Discover the fascinating world of black holes and galaxy evolution in this engaging planetarium experience, where cutting-edge science meets stunning visuals. Learn how researchers combine observations, simulations, and innovative tools to explore black hole formation, presented in a way that’s both impressive and easy to understand. 

Various Dates in May: Home Baseball and Softball Games: Come cheer on the Michigan State Spartans Baseball and Softball teams at a home game this May! 

May 16 and 17: Annual Spring Arts & Crafts Show: Join UAB at the Annual Spring Arts and Crafts Show at the MSU Union Grounds (49 Abbot Rd). Enjoy one-of-a-kind, handmade products from hundreds of local artists and small businesses. 

May 27 Beal Footprints: Beal as a Living Landscape: Join a guided tour of W. J. Beal Botanical Garden and explore its evolving landscape from pre-settlement days to its future vision. Led by Alan Prather, this talk highlights 150 years of changing relationships with the land and the garden’s enduring mission to serve the community. 

Learning Opportunities 

May 7: TIAA More Psychology: Beyond the Numbers: Money decisions are often driven less by logic and more by emotions, habits, and personal experiences. This webinar explores how mindset shapes financial behavior and offers practical insights to help you build confidence, understand spending patterns, and align your choices with long-term goals.

May 7Taming the Email Beast: Take control of your inbox in this virtual workshop designed to help professionals manage overwhelming email with a proven system for organization, prioritization, and reducing clutter. Learn strategies that work across platforms like Outlook and Gmail to boost productivity, improve communication, and feel more in control of your daily workflow.

May 12The Power of Habit: Learn how habits are created and how to replace undesirable habits with productive ones. You will learn how to spot your habit loop, turn bad days into good data, and create habits that get the results you want.

May 13: Women Talk Money: 6 steps to help maximize your retirement savings: Saving for retirement can be especially important for women due to unique financial challenges and longer life expectancies. This session provides a clear six-step approach to help you understand your options, build confidence, and maximize your retirement savings.

May 19Trauma Informed Leadership: Join the Trauma Services Training Network to learn the definitions of trauma, the signs and symptoms of trauma, and the ways that trauma may manifest in the workplace. Review the principles of trauma informed practices, with an emphasis on approaches for leadership, including practical, trauma-informed strategies for supervisors managing difficult situations.

May 19: TIAA Finance for New Grads: Starting your career is exciting, but building a strong financial foundation early is key to long-term success. This session covers essential skills like understanding job benefits, managing spending, choosing between pre-tax and Roth contributions, and building an emergency fund. 

May 19 and 20 Spartan Excellence Learning Series: This two-day program equips employees with practical skills to improve processes, solve problems, and build a culture of continuous improvement aligned with the university’s mission and strategic goals. Through hands-on modules, learn Lean principles, structured problem-solving, and strategies to implement sustainable, collaborative changes that enhance efficiency and the overall Spartan experience.

(4 Day Program) May 20, May 27 June 3, and June 10Breaking Free From Stress: This course explores how thoughts and perceptions shape our experiences of stress, anxiety, and life challenges, both at work and at home. Participants learn practical principles for becoming less reactive, breaking unhelpful thought patterns, and building greater resilience, self-awareness, and steadiness through change.

May 21 Everything DiSC Behavior Styles at Work: This course introduces Everything DiSC as a simple tool for understanding different behavioral styles and improving communication and working relationships. Participants complete required pre-work before attending the virtual session.

May 27: How a 529 can fit into your education savings strategy: This webinar explains how 529 plans work, who they’re for, and how they can support your education savings goals at any stage. It also covers investment options, contribution strategies, updated qualified expenses, and how a 529 fits into your broader plan for saving and investing for your children’s future.

Family-Friendly Events

Recurring weekly on Sunday, Friday, SaturdayToddler Time at Launch Lansing: Visit Launch Lansing Trampoline Park during select times to enjoy children’s music, visits from Joey the kangaroo, and a special toddler section with your little ones.

May 2: Family Day: Imagine:  First Saturday means Family Day at the MSU Broad Art Museum! Make creative connections with exhibitions through free hands-on and interactive family fun throughout the museum. 

May 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31Abrams Planetarium Family Show: What are Stars? Discover what we’re made of and where it all began in this immersive show at the Abrams Planetarium. Journey through our cosmic origins, from the formation of hydrogen to the creation of carbon and life’s essential molecules, narrated by Andy Serkis.

May 24World Turtle Day at the Potter Park Zoo: Celebrate World Turtle Day at Potter Park Zoo with a fun, family-friendly event featuring educational stations, interactive activities, and hands-on learning about turtles. Included with standard admission, this special day highlights the importance of protecting turtles and their role in our ecosystems.

Greater Lansing Area Events

Various Dates in May – Lansing Lugnuts Home Game: Head to Jackson Field and “Go Nuts” cheering on the Lansing Lugnuts, where every game brings a fun and lively atmosphere. There’s always something exciting happening at the ballpark for fans of all ages.

May 16 and 17 East Lansing Art Festival: The East Lansing Art Festival celebrates over 60 years of bringing high-quality art to the streets of East Lansing. Its mission is to foster community while promoting appreciation for art, culture, and creativity throughout the greater Lansing region.

Recurring SaturdaysHolt Farmers Market: Visit the Delhi Township Fire Department for one of Michigan’s premiere indoor farmers markets. The Holt Farmers market serves as a space to support local farmers and food growers, local artisans, and provide locals the opportunity to purchase wholesome, locally produced foods. 

Saturdays in May Meridian Farmers’ Market: The summer schedule is here for the Meridian Farmers Market! Stop by every Saturday in May for farm-fresh ingredients, specialty foods ,handmade crafts and more.

Recurring WednesdaysThe Allen Farmer’s Market: Visit the Allen Farmers Market in Lansing for seasonal produce, artisan baked goods, gluten-free baked goods, pasture raised eggs, dry beans, fresh, delectable cheeses, hot and ready-to-eat foods, local meat and fish and fun activities. 

August Events Round-Up

If you and your family are looking for activities in August,  you’ve come to the right place! Check out upcoming events for you and your family to savor the summer season! Visit the links below to explore upcoming events and register if required. 

Campus Events

August 2Family Day: UNDO: First Saturday means Family Day at the MSU Broad Art Museum. This month, we are making art in reverse – playing with materials and the ways things can come together after being apart. 

August 6 – MSU Summer Carillon Concert Series: Bring a picnic, chair, or blanket to Beaumont Tower to experience musical talent in one of the most beautiful locations on MSU’s campus. Don’t miss the last show of the season!

August 10 Garden Edition: Deep-Rooted with Beal Botanical Garden: Join Applied Ethnobotanist and Education Director of the Beal Botanical Gardens, Maeve Bassett, to learn about the social, historical, and political narratives within plants in the garden and artwork in the MSU Broad Art Collection.

August 29First Michigan State Home Football Game: Visit Spartan Stadium to cheer on the Spartans for the first game of the year against the Western Michigan Broncos! 

Learning Opportunities

August 5 – Free Webinar – Unlock the Power of a Multigenerational Workforce: Professor Eileen Wilson from the Broad College of Business is leading a webinar where you will gain insights into the cultures of generations in the workplace and leave with five strategies to connect bridges and boost collaboration within your team. 

August 14 – TIAA Webinar – Your Guide to Living Well in Retirement: Reserve your spot now to learn more about retirement and the human factors that can help you add excitement to the next chapter of your life. 

August 21Maximizing the Spartan Experience:  In this interactive session, learn how you, as an MSU employee, can strengthen colleague relationships and strengthen customer service. This training is ground in real MSU scenarios, team examples, and self-reflection. 

August 21 and 22 – 2025 Fall Educator Seminars: Join MSU IT Educational Technology, MSU Libraries, the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI), the Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI), and MSU IT Training at the virtual 2025 Fall Educator Seminars. These free courses are offered  to help prepare educators for the upcoming school year.

August 21- Identify and Maximize Your Strengths: Part 2 Unlock the Full 34: In this series, you have the opportunity to learn identify personal talents through the CliftonStrengths Full 34 Report, evaluate how these talents impact work relationships and performance, and determine how to develop further natural talents through the given tools.

August 27Introduction to Process Mapping: Learn how to define key processes improvement technology, create a process map, and reduce barriers in process mapping.

August 28Bystander Intervention Training: This course is designed to provide participants with strategies to prevent and help in problematic behavior associated with workplace harassment or discrimination. 

August 28 – TIAA Webinar – Your Guide to Understanding Longevity:  During this webinar, learn about challenges and opportunities that come with increased longevity, how it affects retirement and financial planning, and how to maintain wealth and happiness. 

Family-Friendly Events 

August 4 and 11Sensory Friendly Hour at Bath Township Library: On the third and fourth Mondays of each month, visit the Bath Township Library for sensory-friendly hours. Staff will dim lights, provide sensory-friendly toys, fidgets, and noise-canceling headphones for those seeking a calming environment to explore books. 

August 21Disney Trivia: If you can quote Disney movies by heart, know every song by memory, or are a casual fan of Mickey Mouse, now is the perfect opportunity to test your Disney knowledge at High Caliber Karting Disney Trivia Night!  

August 24 Picnic with Princess: Elsa, Rapunzel, Ariel, Moana, and Belle invite you to join them for a fairytale celebration! Families can bring their own blankets and lunches and enjoy interactive performance, activities, and photo opportunities with the princesses.

Greater Lansing Area Events 

Select dates in August Lansing Lugnuts Home Games: “Go Nuts” and cheer on your local Lansing Lugnuts baseball team at Jackson Field this month! Check out their website for themes, promotions, tickets, and dates for August games.

July 30 – August 32025 JazzFest Michigan: Visit Old Town Lansing for JazzFest Michigan – a music festival that has been going on over 30 years! Between four venues and five days, the music possibilities are endless for you and your family to see live. 

August 1 and 15Glow Paddle Night Kayaking: Come and watch the Lansing Lugnuts post-game fireworks show from the river at Glow Paddle Night! Kayaks are available for rent, or you can bring your own! 

August 5, 12, 19 and 26Sunset and Chill:  Bring yourself and the family to Charlotte to enjoy free live music on the brand new music wagon stage, take a ride on the Whiskey Wagon and watch the sunset!  

August 23 A Night For Nature: Bring a comfy chair, a beverage of choice, and your friends for a night of music under the stars at the Harris Nature! All proceeds from the event will support Harris Nature Center’s educational programs and facilities.  

August 20Tomato Festival: Celebrate tomato season at the Lansing Tomato Festival! From cooking demos to entertainment and tasting, this is an experience you won’t want to miss.

Farmers Markets

Beginning August 3The East Lansing Farmers Market: Visit Valley Court Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday in August for some shopping and fresh air at the East Lansing Farmers Market (ELFM). Here you can purchase a variety of fresh goods, farm-grown here in Michigan, including vegetables, fruits, bread, cheese, honey, flowers, and so much more. No registration needed. 

Beginning August 6Downtown Dewitt Farmers Market: Come to the Downtown Dewitt Farmers Market for an evening of exploring small businesses, home-grown foods, treats, and more! Every Tuesday in August, join us from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for some shopping, food trucks and fun in Downtown Dewitt on a warm summer night. 

Beginning August 7South Lansing Farmers Market: The South Lansing Farmers Market is open Thursdays, and is located at the corner of Jolly and S. MLK in Lansing! Stop by for farm fresh fruits and veggies, fresh cut flowers, arts and crafts, natural body and household products, and a food court featuring Mexican, Chinese, Lebanese, and Southern Soul food – a little something for everyone! 

Beginning August 7Dimondale Farmers Market: The Dimondale Farmers Market will run every Thursday in August in the Village Square. The Market is celebrating their 18th season and hosts over 15 vendors providing locally produced products including fruits, vegetables, chicken, fish, jams, honey, flowers, and more!