Looking for something to do? The Stay Local events calendar publishes a list of nonprofit and community events Tuesdays and Fridays. Please check with your club or organization to be certain of meetings, outings and classes, as they may be canceled due to bad weather or COVID-19. If any listing is inaccurate or to submit an event, contact Julie Norwood at 231-592-8358 or julie.norwood@pioneergroup.com. (Deadline is noon Sundays for Tuesday’s paper and noon Wednesday for Friday’s paper.)
Handpicked, Community Market and Health Fair: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, July 21, at the Big Rapids City Hall Parking Lot, North Michigan Avenue. Get blood pressure checks, recipe samplings, nutrition education, fresh fruits and vegetables and more. Co-sponsored by Corewell Health. Contact: Cathy Myers at cathy.myers@corewellhealth.org or 231-592-4204
Remus Heritage Days: July 21-23 in downtown Remus. Features hospitality tent, vendors, horseshoes, parade, food trucks, quilt show, softball tournaments, truck pulls (7 p.m. July 21), tractor pulls (10 a.m. July 22), cement pulls (11 am. July 23) kids games, car show (6 p.m. July 21), parade (11 a.m. July 22) and more. Visit remus.org for more information.
Michigan Country Music Hall of Fame Country and Gospel Music Benefits Show: 2-6 p.m. July 23 at the Mecosta VFW at 1050 W. Main St. in Mecosta.
Vacation Bible School: 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. July 24-28 at Chapel of the Lakes Lutheran Church, 9407 90th Ave., Mecosta. For kids in kindergarten through sixth grade. For more information or to preregister, call 231-972-7891 between the hours of 9 am and 2 pm weekdays. Registration form is also available online at chapelofthelakesmecosta.com
STAGE-M’s Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella: 7:30 p.m. July 27-19, 2:30 p.m. July 30, at the Big Rapids High School Auditorium, 21175 15 Mile Road, Big Rapids. Tickets: $18, $12 kids ages 12 and younger, available at stage-m.org.
Pig Roast Pool Party: 5-9 p.m. Friday, July 28, at Charles E. Fairman Community Pool, 106 Hutchinson St., Big Rapids. $10 per plate, includes free swim, raffles, games and more. Proceeds to benefit the community pool.
Breakfast on the Farm: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 29, at De Grins Oer Dairy, 2386 Adams Road, Blanchard. In addition to breakfast, attendees will see how farmers tend to the needs of their cows while keeping animal health and care at the forefront. Sponsored by Michigan State University Extension.
National Night Out: 5-8 p.m. Tuesday Aug. 1 downtown Big Rapids. Hang out with members of local law enforcement agencies and fire departments. Features games, prizes, free food, and touch a police vehicle and/or fire truck.
Vacation Bible School: 9 to noon July 31-Aug. 4 at Sylvester Community Church, 8320 Five Mile Road, Sylvester. For kids in preschool through sixth grade. For more information or to preregister, email office@sylvestercommunitychurch.com or call 231-972-0233.
Mecosta Mid Michigan Trapping and Predator Calling Free Seminar: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Mecosta County Rod and Gun Club, 10622 11 Mile Road (M-20), Mecosta. Registration is set for 8:30-9 a.m. lunch is included.
Family Fun Fair: 1-4 p.m. Saturday Aug. 5, at Crossroads Charter Academy, 215 N. State St., Big Rapids.
Mid-Michigan Civil War Muster Historical Reenactments: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug 5; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug 6, adjacent to Oddfellows Hall at 19307 Grass Lake Road, Big Rapids. Features living history camps, speed shooting contest, period military drills and skits, civil war history program, and sunday church service. Battle reenactmets at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Aug 5; and 2 p.m. Aug 6. Contact tenthmich@yahoo.com or tenthmichiganinfantry.com for more information.
ONGOING PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES
Tennis in the Parks: 6-7:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday evenings at Hemlock Park. Beginner and intermediate lessons for kids ages 4 through eighth grade. There will be three sessions: July 10-23, July 17-20 and July 24-27, and kids will be divided by age groups. Cost: $20 for one session, $50 for all three sessions. Call 231-592-4038 for more information or to register.
Summer Play and Learn: June 12-Aug. 25 at various locations. Open to families in Mecosta and Osceola counties.
10-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays at Big Rapids Community Library, 426 S. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids.
10-11:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Bromley Park, 395 W. Main St., Mecosta.
5-6:30 p.m. Wednesdays at Morley Community Center, 151 7th St., Morley.
10-11:30 a.m. Thursdays at Evart Splash Pad, 317 S. River St., Evart.
Big Rapids Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays (May 3-Oct. 27) and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays (May 23-Sept. 26) in the city hall parking lot, 226 N. Michigan Ave. Big Rapids.
Pocket Park Concert Series: Noon to 1 p.m. Fridays (June 2-Sept. 1) downtown Big Rapids
Hemlock Park Bandshell Summer Concerts: 7 p.m. Wednesdays (June 21-Aug. 16) at Hemlock Park Bandshell, Hemlock Street, along the Riverwalk behind Big Rapids Middle School. (Concert schedule for July 5 has been canceled.)
Music on the River Concert Series: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fridays, beginning June 30, at Bromley Park, 395 W. Main St., Mecosta
Morton Township Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays and Saturdays, June 3-Sept. 20, at Morton Township Business Park, 7217 9 Mile Road, Mecosta.
Lakeside Motor Sports Summer Concert Series: 7-9 p.m. July 8, 22; and Aug. 5, 19; at Reuther Music Pavilion in Canadian Lakes. Free and open to the public. For a schedule of bands, visit facebook.com/canadianlakesreuthermusicpavilion.
Mecosta County Historical Museum: New summer hours, 1-3 p.m. Saturdays at 129 S. Stewart Ave., Big Rapids. For more information or to schedule a private tour, call 520-334-0123, 231-796-4662, or 231-867-3311.
Mecosta County Genealogical Society: 5-7 p.m. Wednesdays and 10-2 p.m. second Saturday of each month, at 424 N. Fourth Ave., Big Rapids, next to Recycle. Open for the public to research genealogy or the history of Mecosta County and surrounding areas. Volunteers needed to help with sorting and indexing. Call Maureen Nelson at 231-250-5555 for more information.
Reed City Heritage Museum: Open from 1-4 p.m. Friday through Tuesday at 138 W. Slosson Ave., Reed City. Free Admission. Groups are welcome.
Mecosta County Sheriff Posse: 7 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the Mecosta County Jail basement training room, 225 S. Stewart Ave., Big Rapids. This volunteer group is always looking for more members. For more info call 231-250-9241.
Morley Community Center: 151 7th St., Morley. For more information, visit morleycenter.org/events or call 231-856-4496.
Cardio Drumming: 1-2 p.m. Sundays
Pickleball: 9 a.m. to noon Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays; 5-7 p.m. Thursdays.
Open Gym: 3:30-5 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays.
Garage Sales: Every other Friday and Saturday (Feb. 17-18, March 3-4, etc.).
Blood Drive: 1-7 p.m. second Monday of odd numbered months
Wheatland Jamboree: 2-5 p.m. the second Saturday of the month through November, at Wheatland Cabin, 7251 50th Ave, Remus. (Informal jam session for acoustic musicians. Free and open to the public)
Community Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays at Third Avenue United Methodist Church, 226 N. Third Ave., Big Rapids. The community lunch program has re-opened.This is a free meal service, although donations are appreciated. For more information call 231-796-4157 or 231-796-6779.
ARTWORKS CLASSES, EXHIBITS
106 N. Michigan Ave. in Big Rapids / 231-796-2420 / artworksinbigrapids.org
Artworks Summer Camp: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. For ages 7-13. Register online at artworksinbigrapids.org/summer-camps or in person at The Painted Turtle Gift Shop.
Dimensional Art: July 25-27; Cost is $115.
Hand Built Pottery, Session 2: Aug. 8-10; Cost is $140.
Learn to Quilt Class: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 29. Learn the basics of making a small quilted item (table runner, desk mat, or set of placemats). Cost: $25. You’ll need to work with the instructor ahead of time. Register at artworksinbigrapids.org/quilting
Artist Demos: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays, at Artworks (July 7, July 28, Aug. 11, Aug. 18 and Aug. 25) and Pocket Park (July 14).
Open Pottery: 5-8 p.m. Tuesdays. Cost: $10 per session, $60 for an eight-session punch card. (Additional firing fees apply. Clay may be purchased in bulk for $20 per 25 lbs.) Call 231-796-2420 to schedule your session.
Exhibit — Tom Reverman: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday in Artworks’ Alley Gallery. Reverman is a self-taught pyrography/colored pencil artist and graphic designer. Through his artwork, you can see his passion for wildlife, and his unique take on the natural world.
Exhibit — American Quilts: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, July 7-Sept. 10, in Artworks Batdorff Gallery.