Central UP Events

Northern Michigan University’s Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center will unveil two exhibits in its new gallery space in 223 Harden Hall: “The Conservationists: George Shiras III, Theodore Roosevelt and the Migratory Bird Act”; and a permanent display of artifacts, photographs and stories about NMU. The opening reception begins at noon Saturday, Jan. 31. “The Conservationists” focuses on the relationship between Shiras and Roosevelt and how the two helped shape conservation and environmental policy in the United States during the early 1900s. The exhibit will feature actual correspondence between the two figures from the collection of the Central Upper Peninsula and NMU

February 23, 2026-January 2, 2027 This exhibit showcases two hundred and fifty artifacts, photographs, and documents from our permanent collections. These objects connect local history to the national story while commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has often seemed remote from the rest of the country. However, the themes and movements of U.S. history can be seen here as well, especially since the War of 1812. When the country braced for the Civil War, U.P. iron miners raced to uncover iron for the Union army’s railroads and ammunitions. When labor movements exploded following

Restaurant Week March 8 – 14

 America Beckons by Aura Jylhä-Vuorio Finlandia Art Gallery  presents  ME SIIRTOLAISET | WE IMMIGRANTS  Selections from our art + archival collections March 12 – April 16, 2026 Opening Reception: Thursday, March 12, 7-8:30pm  HANCOCK, Mich. – Art, artifacts, and oral histories come together to tell stories of Finnish migration to the United States in the new exhibit “Me Siirtolaiset | We Immigrants,” which opens March 12 at Finlandia Art Gallery. The artwork in the exhibit is from the gallery’s permanent collection and includes the work of nine Finnish-American and Finnish artists – Ariadna Donner, Gerald Immonen, Aura Jylha-Vuorio, Gladys Koski Holmes, Desiree

I am excited to invite your participation in the 9th Annual Spread Goodness Day on Friday, March 13th, 2026.     Over the last eight years, this event has inspired millions of acts of goodness throughout Michigan & across the United States as individuals, schools, and organizations spread goodness in their communities.    For 2026, our mission is clear: Make the future so bright, we all need shades!    While every day is a good day to spread goodness, by celebrating together, our individual efforts, multiplied by hundreds, thousands, even millions, have the power to change the world. Think of it

The U.P. Hospice Foundation has been awarded a Community Pilot Grant to host an Upper Peninsula–wide Grief Support Conference designed to equip professionals with practical tools to better support grieving children and youth across the region. The U.P. Hospice Foundation serves as the fiduciary and project manager for the grant, with the conference developed through a collaborative partnership with U.P. Home Health & Hospice, Lake Superior Life Care & Hospice, and Dr. Yan Ciupak, co-founder of the Grief Support Specialist Program at Northern Michigan University. Grief Support Training: Bridging Theory and Practice in Supporting Children and Youth is a one-day,

Tuesdays & Fridays March (3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27), 2026.  10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.  Peter White Public Library Great Room.  Preschool age children. Stories, songs, finger-plays, crafts and other school-readiness activities for preschool age children and a loving adult. Siblings welcome. No admission charge. For more information and to check the status of the program, call 906-226-4323 or visit pwpl.info.  

The Barnes-Hecker Mine Disaster occurred on November 3, 1926. Fifty-one men lost their lives; forty-one of them are still buried at the site of the cave in. To commemorate the 100th anniversary, the Marquette Regional History Center will host Digitization Days, where community members can receive free digital scans of their documents and photographs pertaining to the mine, employees, family members, and friends. These scans will be added to the Longyear Research Library’s digital collections for future generations to learn from.   Digitization Days will be held at the Marquette Regional History Center on Saturday, March 7 from 10-3, at

Fridays, March (6, 13, 20, 27) 2026.  Noon – 1:00 p.m.  Peter White Public Library, Heritage Room.  In partnership with several area organizations, this hour-long event offers a safe space to pause, reflect, and build meaningful connections with others who are committed to cultivating kindness in our world. Each week, a different organization takes the lead, with experienced educators and leaders facilitating. This rotating format ensures diverse perspectives and practices while maintaining a shared commitment to the Charter for Compassion and the Circle of Trust principles. For more information and to check on the status of the program, call 906-226-4303

Friday, March 13, 2026.  12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.  Peter White Public Library Shiras Room. Adults, Seniors. In conjunction with NMU’s Common Reader Program, PWPL screens this documentary detailing the events surrounding June 28, 1969, that kicked off the modern gay civil rights movement. Rated R. No admission charge. For more information, contact Marty at 226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info, or visit pwpl.info.  

Friday, March 13, 2026.  12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Peter White Public Library Youth Services Room.  Kids of all ages are welcome to come and hang out at the library during this MAPS halfday! Come read, check out materials, play and drop-in for some special half-day activities! In case you missed Thursday or didn’t get enough LEGO time in – we are doubling down with a second LEGO all day! There will be LEGO building challenges in the Great Room and LEGO Stamping in the Makerspace. Children under the age of 8 must have an adult in the program with