Poetry, pandas and plays

Theater and visual art enjoyers are in luck, with new exhibitions and productions to keep them busy this weekend. There’s also a blues festival, a native plant sale, a Chinese tea ceremony, roller derby matches, a poetry reading and much more.

For Friday evening’s live music, we have Justin Deason at Harrison Roadhouse at 6, Mark Collins at The Peanut Barrel at 8, The Louderthans at The Green Door at 8:30 and DJ sets by Moon Disco and Ganja Girl at The Avenue at 9. Saturday evening, we have the White Oranges at EagleMonk Pub and Brewery at 6, Geech at The Green Door at 8:30 and Farewell Come April, Dear Heretic, The Antibuddies and Rot Knot at The Avenue at 9. Ending the weekend on Sunday is Red Cedar Spirits’ weekly Sunday Jazz Show at 6 p.m.

For even more live music, visit Old Town 5 to 11 p.m. Friday or 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday for Michigan BluesFest,featuring performances by a range of Michigan blues musicians and groups, plus activities for children 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. There will also be afterglow performances and jam sessions beginning 11:30 p.m. each night at UrbanBeat.

For theater buffs, two new shows are opening this weekend: “Admissions,” a play that explores the ideals and contradictions of liberal white America through the eyes of the head of admissions at a New England prep school, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Riverwalk Theatre, and preview performances of “On the Market,” a romantic comedy about a widow who pursues the modern dating scene, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Williamston Theatre. In addition, Peppermint Creek Theatre Co.’s production of “The Minutes” wraps up 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Sycamore Creek Church on Pennsylvania Avenue, and Michigan State University’s annual New Musical Laboratory, formerly known as ı̆máGen, is debuting “Rocky Mountain High,” a musical about a football-focused high school that turns its football field into a marijuana cultivation center to keep a conservative televangelist from taking over, 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Wharton Center’s Pasant Theatre.

Casa de Rosado Galeria & Cultural Center on Mount Hope Avenue is opening two new exhibitions this weekend in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month: impressionistic Michoacan landscape paintings by Mexican artist Jaime Vanegas Castro and a collection of calaveras, whimsical art figures of skeletons joyously living life, made by Michigan-based Hispanic and Latinx artists. The gallery will celebrate the opening of both exhibitions 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Other exhibitions on view this weekend include “Wholly Integrated” at the Lansing Art Gallery, which is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and “Shouldn’t You Be Working? 100 Years of Working from Home,” “As we dwell in the fold,” “Resistance Training: Arts, Sports, and Civil Rights,” “Seeing in 360 Degrees: The Zaha Hadid Design Collection” and “Beal Botanical Garden: Celebrating 150 Years of People, Plants, and Place” at the Michigan State University Broad Art Museum, which is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

To view even more art, check out the Cracked Pot Studio Tour, running 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Attendees can travel to 10 different studios in Laingsburg, East Lansing, Haslett, Williamston and Mason for a host of pottery displays and demonstrations, plus chances to meet a variety of Michigan potters. For a list of locations and information about each of the artists presenting, visit the website.

If you’d like to make some art of your own, the Lansing Art Gallery is kicking off its three-session Cosmic Smashbook collage and mixed-media workshop series 10 a.m. Saturday, and at the Broad Art Museum,guests can use Sharpies to tie-dye pencil cases 10 a.m. to noon Sunday.

For the kids, the Eaton Rapids Area District Library is hosting a “Bluey” Bash 11 a.m. Saturday, where attendees can make crafts and play games inspired by the popular children’s TV show.

If you’re looking to brighten up your home, Village Crafters is having a craft sale 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Ingham County Fairgrounds Community Building in Mason, and the Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter is having a native plant sale noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Fenner Nature Center. If you visit the craft sale, make sure to bring pet supply donations for Ingham County Animal Control to earn free raffle tickets.

Visit the Ingham County Courthouse lawn 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday for Mason’s 50^th annual Down Home Days Courthouse Show, featuring a variety of food trucks and vendors.

Think you have what it takes to outspell the competition? The eight-round East Lansing Scrabble Tournamentruns 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at East Lansing’s Hannah Community Center, with prizes for the top three players in each division. Participants must be a member of the North American Scrabble Players Association and must register by Friday.

The Reading People is hosting a free book giveaway 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at its location on Saginaw Street. Attendees can take as many books as they’d like and may bring books to donate as well.

Volunteers are invited to help the Friends of the Lansing Regional Trails trim overgrown brush and pick up trash along the Lansing River Trail 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. The group will meet at the Maguire Park parking lot, and complimentary coffee will be provided.

Lansing Roller Derby is hosting its sixth bout of the season 3 p.m. Saturday at Court One Training Center in East Lansing. Its A Team will play Kalamazoo, and its B Team will play the Downriver Roller Dolls’ B Team. After the action, head to the Mayfair Bar in Haslett for an afterparty.

Visit the Schmidt Community Center noon to 2 p.m. Sunday for a New American Civic Engagement Fair, where attendees can learn about the steps to becoming a U.S. Citizen and meet English as a second language and citizenship test prep providers in the area.

Chow down on a German dinner and dance to live music by the Chuck Krafft Band Saturday evening at the Lansing Liederkranz German Club on Pennsylvania Avenue. Dinner runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m., and the music runs until 10 p.m. 

Harris Nature Center is hosting a Turtle Toast event 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, featuring light refreshments and live music by the Further Adventures of FatBoy and JiveTurkey. Bring friends, a comfy chair and a beverage of choice and enjoy a relaxing evening in the woods. All proceeds benefit the Harris Nature Center Foundation.

Peoples Yoga is holding a free yoga class 4:30 p.m. Saturday in collaboration with PeaceQuest. Extra yoga mats will be available if you need one.

PeaceQuest is also hosting a Chinese Tea Ceremony and Meditation 10:30 a.m. Sunday in room 133F of MSU’s Erickson Hall. Attendees will learn how to use various teas and methods of meditation to build harmony and inner peace.

If you’re in the mood to play some games, Keys to Manifestation is holding its monthly Game Night 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, and Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing is holding its monthly Euchre and Games event noon to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Former Lansing Poet Laureate Dennis Hinrichsen will perform 4 p.m. Sunday at University United Methodist Church, followed by an open mic where guests can share an ecological poem they’ve written.

Finally, celebrate International Red Panda Day 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Potter Park Zoo with family activities such as children’s crafts and a scavenger hunt, plus animal enrichments and chances to ask volunteers all the panda-themed questions you may have. Regular admission rates apply.

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.)