Bees, butterflies and beyond

This weekend brings a broad range of activities to enjoy, from two insect-themed kids’ events and a birthday party for the REO Motor Car Co. to the opening of “Angels in America” at Riverwalk Theatre, a hall of fame induction ceremony and enough musical performances to make your head spin, plus much more.

For Friday evening’s live music, we have Celtic duo MR at East Lansing’s Ann Street Plaza and singer-songwriter Alexandria McMath at Harrison Roadhouse, both at 6; cover duo Shelby & Jake opening for rock ‘n’ roll cover group Black Barn Band at Lake Lansing Park South at 6:15; bluegrass group Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road at Elderly Instruments, jazz vocalist Tiffany Gridiron at Red Cedar Spirits, Elvis tribute/‘50s rock ‘n’ roll revue The Devil Elvis Show at Lansing Brewing Co., cover duo Something with James at Lansing Shuffle and singer-songwriter Seth Austin at Mash Bar, all at 7; R&B/jazz/funk band Mixed Flavors at the Irish Pub, Tom Petty tribute band The Insiders at Grewal Hall at 224 and rock musician Mark Grinnell at the Peanut Barrel, all at 8; and blues-rock band The Further Adventures of FatBoy and JiveTurkey at Mash Bar at 10. Saturday evening, we have British singer-songwriter Dave Masonat Grewal Hall at 224 and the Jeff Haas jazz quintet at UrbanBeat, both at 7; a ‘90s-themed A Night at the Soul Lounge at the Avenue and a local hip-hop and DJ showcase at Mac’s Bar, both at 8; and country/rock band Deer & Elk at Mash Bar at 9. Ending the weekend on Sunday is an opera concert at Grace United Methodist Church at 2:30 p.m.; a cappella group Three Men and a Tenor at University Lutheran Church and Red Cedar Spirits’ weekly Sunday Jazz show, both at 6 p.m.; singer-songwriter Stephen Schlaack opening for alt-rock band No Skull, which will perform a country set, at the Avenue at 7 p.m.; and Mac’s Bar’s weekly Harmony Sundays DJ show at 9 p.m. 

The Art Williamston gallery will hold an opening reception for its new exhibition, “Extinct: An Artistic Study of Animals Loved and Lost,” 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Refreshments will be provided, and exhibiting artists will be in attendance to chat about their work. 

Other art displays on view this weekend include an exhibition by mixed-media artist Lucy Synk at the Haslett Library’s Bookend Gallery, which is open noon to 4 p.m. Friday and noon to 2 p.m. Saturday; “Resonant Earth”and “Always Different, Always the Same” at the Lansing Art Gallery, which is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; outdoor painters’ group En Plein Air Mid-Michigan’s “Alluring Nature 2024” show at Framer’s Edge in Okemos, which is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday; and “Eye Witness,” “Seeing in 360 Degrees: The Zaha Hadid Design Collection” and “DOOMSCROLLING” at the Broad Art Museum, which is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

It's the first of two weekends to see the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches” at Riverwalk Theatre, with performances 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. To learn more about the show, check out Chelsea Lake Roberts’ preview.

Events for the kids include Grand Ledge Area District Library’s weekly Messy Play Fun Day 2 to 4 p.m. Friday; a screening of "Hook" (1991) 9 p.m. Friday at Holt’s Veterans Memorial Gardens; a celebration of monarch butterflies 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Potter Park Zoo, featuring education stations and activity tables dedicated to monarchs and other pollinators; a toy photography workshop 10 a.m. Saturday at Impression 5 Science Center; and Michigan State University’s annual Bee Palooza 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at its Horticulture Gardens, featuring interactive education stations on pollinators and stewardship.

It's a great weekend for sweet-toothed shoppers, with a rummage and bake sale for Soaring Unlimited Haiti 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Holt United Methodist Church, a book and bake sale 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Delta Township District Library and a craft and bake sale 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Gunnisonville United Methodist Church in Bath.

The Lansing Lugnuts will finish up their six-game series against the West Michigan Whitecaps 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1:05 p.m. Sunday at Jackson Field. To purchase tickets and view the promotional events at each game, visit the Lugnuts’ website.

Brian Hill, owner and head coach of the Complete Combatant, will lead an introductory course on pistol optics 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at the Capital Area Sportsmen’s League. He’ll also lead a two-day course on the “inner game of shooting” 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  

Have fun while supporting local institutions at three fundraiser events this weekend: the Lansing Art Gallery’s Not Dead, Yet! anniversary party 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, which will feature live painting sessions by local artists, caricatures, a Deadtime Stories merch table and a VIP area with exclusive activities; the Allen Neighborhood Center’s wine tasting dinner 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, featuring a tasting menu developed by chefs at the Maker Kitchen paired with a curated selection of wines; and the Harris Nature Center Foundation’s Turtle Toast 7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, featuring complimentary refreshments, live music by the Further Adventures of FatBoy & JiveTurkey and a chance to enjoy an evening in nature.

Mason’s chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association will host an Aviation Day 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Jewett Airport, offering chances to see the group’s collection of homebuilt, classic and restored military aircraft as well as an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from 7:30 to 11 and lunch from noon to 2.

Keys to Manifestation will host its monthly game night 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, and Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing will host its monthly euchre and game day noon to 2 p.m. Sunday. Both events welcome participants to bring their favorite games to share, as well as food and beverages.

The Michigan Country Music Hall of Fame will hold its 2024 induction ceremony and concert 7 p.m. Friday at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center.

Finally, Williamston’s historic St. Katherine’s Chapel, built in 1887, will be open for public tours 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. A historian will be in attendance to speak about the chapel, and free ice cream treats will be provided.

Whatever you choose to do, I wish you the best of weekends.

(Have an event? Be sure to list it free at lansingcitypulse.com/calendar. Think it’s worth at least a short story? Send a news release to nicole@lansingcitypulse.com for consideration.)