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

 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

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.  

Frank Wardynski, MSU Extension Educator, will be conducting a Cow Calf Meeting in Baraga at the Baraga Lakeside Inn on Tuesday, March 24 at 6:00 pm EST MSU Extension’s winter cow-calf meetings provide a forum for producers to stay informed on management, markets, and emerging issues that can impact profitability and long-term operational success. Merck Animal Health will be sponsoring the meetings, providing pizza and soft drinks. Topics will include the beef market outlook, protecting cattle prices with the Livestock Risk Protection program, the Effects of Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance, and genetic selection for carcass characteristics. Reservations are required.  Please

Tuesdays, March (3, 10, 17, 24, 31) 2026.  6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.  Peter White Public Library Heritage Room.  Mediate Marquette and PWPL have collaborated to offer a weekly, in-person mindfulness meditation program. The sessions begin at 6:00 pm followed by a period of fellowship. Dr. Debra Smith, a Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher and psychologist, will deliver brief talks exploring various aspects of meditation and its impact on our lives. These talks will take place on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, while longer meditation sessions are scheduled for the remaining Tuesdays. All individuals, regardless of skill level or spiritual affiliation,

Wednesday, March 25, 2026.  9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.  WLUC TV 6 Studios. Adults, Teens, Seniors. Join Upper Michigan Today’s John Redfield, along with PWPL staff, for an on-air, in person book discussion. This month’s book: Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson by: Tourmaline. No admission charge. For more information, contact Marty at 226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info, or visit pwpl.info.  

Wednesdays, March (4, 11, 18, 25), 2026.  10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.  Peter White Public Library Great Room.  Songs, rhymes, stories and finger-plays for newborns to 17 months with a loving adult. Older siblings are welcome. No admission charge. For more information and to check the status of the program, call 906-226-4323 or visit pwpl.info.