Central UP Events

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

Deadline June 12, 2025.  The Marquette Kiwanis Club proudly announces our 31st year of sponsoring the Marquette July 4th Parade with the City of Marquette-starting at 2 pm on Saturday July 4th at McClelland & W. Washington. Online Application to enter Parade, click the link and fill out the application form at https://bit.ly/KiwanisMQTParadeApplication. Theme: One Nation Indivisible – Celebrating 250 Years!    To encourage youth participation, 10 grants of $150 to defray float costs along with fee waivers will be given to youth sports, dance and theater groups. Contact Pam Simmons to apply (see below). Also, we offer an accessible

April 23 – June 10, 2026 Opening Reception: Thursday, April 23, 7-8:30pm HANCOCK, Mich. – Existing between different spaces while not fully belonging to one or the other is something many people experience. What does it mean to belong and how do we know when we do belong? Liminal Sanctuaries, a new exhibition by Michigan artist Bonnie Loukus, features oil paintings of solitary animals and forest floor ecosystems, in between reality and some incorporeal place where they exist without human interference. The exhibit opens with a reception at Finlandia Art Gallery on Thursday, April 23 at 7pm and will be

May 1st through July 31st, 2026. Peter White Public Library Youth Services desk   Jurassic Art Reception on August 4th, 2026  3:00pm-6:00pm   Calling all young artists! Youth of all ages are encouraged to submit art to the Peter White Public Library Youth Services desk beginning May 1st through July 31st, 2026. Artists may find inspiration in the Summer Reading: Unearth a Story theme, but are not confined to the given theme for their art pieces. We ask that your submissions do not exceed 12 inches in any direction, and that only one art piece is submitted per child. Submissions

The Marquette County Planning Division is hosting a series of Map the Future events across the county to gather community input, providing an opportunity to guide the Division’s update of the Marquette County 2040 Master Plan at four regional meetings. Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting in their region. At each event, attendees can expect to hear from county planners on local demographics and trends, learn about related planning processes underway, including Materials Management and Hazard Mitigation, and connect with fellow community members. Participants will also be invited to share their thoughts on key topics including Economy, Health and

Thursday, May 14, 2026,  6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.  Peter White Public Library Heritage Room. Adults, Seniors, Family Friendly. Join local poets, writers, and poetry enthusiasts for an evening of poetry. Starting at 6:30 p.m., participants gather to workshop their current work, followed by an Open Mic at 7:15 p.m. New and experienced poets are welcome for either or both events.  No admission charge.  For more information, contact Marty at 226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info, or visit pwpl.info.  

teeing off at 11:00 a.m. Greywalls Golf Course Join us for the 26th Annual LSCP Golf Outing!  Join us on Thursday, June 4, at Greywalls Golf Course for a scramble featuring foursomes teeing off at 11:00 a.m. Registration includes greens fees, shared golf cart, range balls, lunch, post-golf social hour with hors-d’oeuvres, drink tickets, various golf contests and lots of networking! Register Save time at check-in and grab your Golden Ticket with your online registration.   Your Golden Ticket gets you in on all the fun for one easy purchase:  Chance to win a $250 cash prize Mulligan Drive, Approach Shot,

Friday, May 15, 2026.  12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.  Peter White Public Library Community Room. Adults, Seniors. In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, PWPL screens this award-winning biopic about David Helfgott, a virtuoso pianist who spent years in mental institutions. Geoffrey Rush won the Best Actor Oscar for playing the title role in this inspiring movie. Rated PG-13.  No admission charge.  For more information, contact Marty at 226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info, or visit pwpl.info.  

Be a Part of U.P. History  What makes The Big Bay Relay different from any other relay? It is the Upper Peninsula’s most esteemed and historic race relay event. Join the Noquemanon Trail Network in celebrating the 48th annual Big Bay Relay kicking off at the Kaufman Sports Complex Saturday, May 16th 2026!  The relay welcomes runners of all levels and we cannot wait to see what creative team names our runners come up with for the 2026 race! Teams are composed of five runners for adults and up to seven for youth teams. The relay spans the twenty-six mile