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Events in February 2025
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
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February 4, 2025
Ann Arbor Group Runs: Fleet Feet
Observer Editor
Every Tues., Wed., & Sun. Runners of all abilities invited to join a run of 3–5 miles along varying routes from different Fleet Feet locations. Rain or shine. 7 a.m. (Tues.) & 8 a.m. (Sun.), Dozer Coffee, 112 Jackson Plz., and 7 p.m. (Wed.), Fleet Feet, 123 E. Liberty. Free. (734) 929–9022 (Sun. & Tues.) & (734) 769–5016 (Wed.). fleetfeet.com.
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“Is Business Education Serving Society? It’s Time to Rejuvenate the Intellectual and Moral Training of Future Business Leaders”: U-M Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Alfred Gourdji Distinguished Lecture Series
Observer Editor
Talk by U-M business professor Andrew J. Hoffman. First in a series of 4 monthly lectures. 10–11:30 a.m., Washtenaw Community College Towsley Auditorium (Morris Lawrence Bldg.), 4800 E. Huron River Dr. Preregistration required at olli-umich.org. $75 (members, $40) for the 5-lecture series. $12 per lecture for members. Membership, $35 a year. (734) 998–9351.
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"Meditation Drop-In": U-M Turner Senior Wellness Program
Observer Editor
U-M Turner Senior Wellness Program. (2401 Plymouth Rd.). Weekly activities. Free (except as noted). Preregistration required for some events. For Zoom links see calendar at tinyurl.com/a2-turner-cal. (734) 998–9353, michmed.org/tswp, tswp.info@umich.edu.
Meditation Drop-In (Tues. 10–11:30 a.m. via Zoom).
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American Mah-jongg: Pittsfield Township Community Center
Observer Editor
Senior Activities: Pittsfield Township Community Center. 701 W. Ellsworth. Senior-focused activities. Free. Preregistration, if required, at (734) 822–2120 or recreation.pittsfield-mi.gov.
American Mah-jongg (Mon. except Feb. 17, 1–3 p.m. & Tues. 10–11:45 a.m.), all levels welcome.
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“Individualizing Climate Risk: Credit Score Penalties in the Home Insurance Market”: U-M Stone Center for Inequality Dynamics
Observer Editor
University of Minnesota sociology professor Nick Graetz discusses his research findings that the effects of credit scores on home insurance prices are substantively large compared to the effects of zip codes. 10:30 a.m.–noon, CID Studio, ISR 2030. Free. (734) 763–2066.
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“Tummy Time”: AADL Westgate
Observer Editor
Every Tues. (10:30–11:30 a.m.): New and expecting parents encouraged to bring their babies and discuss new baby experiences.
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“Investigate Labs”: U-M Museum of Natural History
Observer Editor
Every Tues.–Sun. All age 6 & up invited into the museum’s Nature Lab and Micro Worlds Lab to use scientific tools and museum specimens to answer questions and solve problems. Dinosaur-themed activities are featured on Feb. 15 & 16 (see listing). 11 a.m.–3 p.m., U-M MNH, 1105 North University. Free. (734) 764–0478.
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Playgroups for Babies: AADL
Observer Editor
Every Mon.–Wed. & Fri. (different times): Fifteen minutes of stories, rhymes, and songs led by AADL staffers, followed by a short open playtime. For kids up to 24 months (with caregiver). No older siblings.
Malletts Creek (Mon. 10:30 a.m.)
Traverwood (Tues. 11 a.m.)
Westgate (Wed. 10:30 a.m.)
Downtown (Fri. 10:30 a.m.).
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Preschool Storytimes: AADL
Observer Editor
Every Mon.–Fri. (different times): Half-hour program of stories and songs for kids ages 2–5 (with caregiver).
Pittsfield (Mon. 10:30 a.m. & Thurs. 11 a.m.)
Downtown (Tues. 11 a.m.)
Malletts Creek (Tues. 11 a.m. & Wed. 10:30 a.m.)
Traverwood (Thurs. 11 a.m.)
Westgate (Fri. 1 p.m.).
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Noon Lecture Series: U-M Center for Chinese Studies
Observer Editor
Every Tues. Talks by visiting scholars. Sandwiches, cookies, & coffee served.
Feb. 4: Johns Hopkins University Chinese studies professor Andrew Mertha on “Studying China in the Absence of Access: Relearning a Lost Art.”
Feb. 11: Rice University Asian studies professor Chang Xu presents “A Pointless Arrow to the Border: Investigating Sa Arrow Poison in Eighteenth-Century China,” a talk on the Qing dynasty court’s failure to decipher and deploy a poison-tipped arrow used by the Miao ethnic minority.
Feb. 18: Harvard University Chinese studies professor Susan Greenhalgh on “Did Coca-Cola Outsmart China? The Scientific Secrets behind Coke’s Success in Shaping China’s Obesity Policies.”
Feb. 25: Stanford University sociology professor Xueguang Zhou on “Between Structural Stability and Personnel Fluidity: The Chinese Party-State in Light of Organizational Mobility.”
Noon–1 p.m., Weiser Hall, 10th fl., 500 Church. Free. 764–6308.
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Bridge: U-M Turner Senior Wellness Program
Observer Editor
U-M Turner Senior Wellness Program. (2401 Plymouth Rd.). Weekly activities. Free (except as noted). Preregistration required for some events. For Zoom links see calendar at tinyurl.com/a2-turner-cal. (734) 998–9353, michmed.org/tswp, tswp.info@umich.edu.
Bridge (Tues. & Fri. 1–4 p.m. in person), call if interested.
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Duplicate Bridge: Ann Arbor City Club
Observer Editor
Every Tues., Thurs., & Fri. All invited to play ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge (Tues. & Fri.) and a 499er game (Thurs.) for players with no more than 499 ACBL master points. 1–4 p.m. or so (arrive by 12:45 p.m.), City Club, 1830 Washtenaw Ave. $8 per person. If you plan to come without a partner, email ronmeade@comcast.net beforehand.
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Euchre: Pittsfield Township Community Center
Observer Editor
Senior Activities: Pittsfield Township Community Center. 701 W. Ellsworth. Senior-focused activities. Free. Preregistration, if required, at (734) 822–2120 or recreation.pittsfield-mi.gov.
Euchre (Tues. 1–3 p.m.).
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Men's Group: Pittsfield Township Community Center
Observer Editor
Senior Activities: Pittsfield Township Community Center. 701 W. Ellsworth. Senior-focused activities. Free. Preregistration, if required, at (734) 822–2120 or recreation.pittsfield-mi.gov.
Men’s Group (Thurs. 2–4 p.m.) discussion group, preregistration required.
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"Una Tertulia": U-M Turner Senior Wellness Program
Observer Editor
U-M Turner Senior Wellness Program. (2401 Plymouth Rd.). Weekly activities. Free (except as noted). Preregistration required for some events. For Zoom links see calendar at tinyurl.com/a2-turner-cal. (734) 998–9353, michmed.org/tswp, tswp.info@umich.edu.
Una Tertulia (Feb. 4 & 18, 3–5 p.m. in person) fluent Spanish conversation.
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“Diluted Wine, Disguised Belief: Catholic Ethnography of the Armenian Rite in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth”: U-M Center for Armenian Studies
Observer Editor
U-M Armenian studies postdoc Bogdan Pavlish discusses how 15th-century Catholic missionaries struggled to get newly converted Armenians to accept the use of diluted wine in the Eucharistic ritual. 4–5:30 p.m., 555 Weiser Hall, 500 Church St. Free. armenianstudies@umich.edu.
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CAS Lecture: Diluted Wine, Disguised Belief: Catholic Ethnography of the Armenian Rite in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth: Center for Armenian Studies
Community Listing
When in the mid-1660s two Catholic missionaries arrived in Poland-Lithuania to bring local Armenians into union with Rome, they faced an unexpected challenge. Armenian clergy and laypeople were ready to accept all but one of the Catholic conditions of unification, namely the use of diluted wine in the Eucharistic ritual. Perplexed but resolved to prove them wrong, the missionaries began to debate this arcane issue of Christian practice and theology using all available means, including political intrigues, historical arguments, and ethnographic observations. This talk focuses on a missionary expedition to Armenians of Kamianets-Podilskyi at the Polish-Ottoman border in 1666 which started with a heated dispute over the Eucharist and resulted in a detailed ethnographic account of local religious life. It revealed deep-seated differences between Catholics and Armenians which went back to late antiquity but assumed a particularly distinct shape in post-Reformation Eastern Europe. Rooted in the local context and history of long-lasting contacts between different Christian confessions, the encounter in Kamianets-Podilskyi reflected wider patterns of cross-cultural interactions in the early modern world.
Bogdan Pavlish is a historian of early modern Eastern Europe whose research focuses on the Armenians of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. He is currently the 2024-25 Manoogian Postdoctoral Fellow in Armenian History at the University of Michigan after having earned his PhD in history from Northwestern University in 2024. His dissertation, entitled ‘Nothing Exotic but Ourselves: Cross-Cultural Encounters in the Armenian Diaspora of Poland-Lithuania in the Seventeenth Century,’ examines the role of the Armenian communities of Lviv and other towns of present-day Ukraine in cultural, commercial, and diplomatic exchanges between Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Bogdan is currently working on his first book project, which explores themes of distance, difference, and translation at the intersection of the early Armenian diaspora, Catholic missionization, and multicultural societies of Eastern Europe in the seventeenth century. His research draws on primary sources in several languages from archives and libraries in Ukraine, Poland, the Vatican, and Armenia. His writings have appeared in the Journal of Early Modern History and Ab Imperio.
Register at https://umich.zoom.us/j/91400542424
Weiser Hall 555, 500 Church St ,Ann Arbor. Free. armenianstudies@umich.eduAdd this event to your calendar: Google Calendar | iCal
Ann Arbor Area Scrabble Club
Observer Editor
Every Tues. All invited to play the classic word game, using the 5th-edition Scrabble dictionary. Bring your own set, if you like. 5–9 p.m., Arbor Brewing Company Corner Brewery, 720 Norris St., Ypsilanti. Free. meetup.com/ann-arbor-scrabble-meetup. burrbarr7@hotmail.com.
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“Die Cutter Open Lab”: Ann Arbor District Library
Observer Editor
All invited to use an array of die-cutting & embossing equipment to make DIY greeting cards, a craft project, or just experiment and have fun. 5:30–7 p.m., AADL Downtown, Multipurpose Rm. (lower level). Free. (734) 327–4200.
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Heat Press Open Lab: Ann Arbor District Library
Observer Editor
A chance for adults to use the AADL heat press to transfer their own design onto a provided tote bag, or bring a T-shirt or other fabric material to print on. 5:30–7:30 p.m., AADL Downtown, Secret Lab. Free. (734) 327–4200.
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“Black History Month Dinner”: Blue Llama Jazz Club/Zingerman’s Deli
Observer Editor
Feb. 4 & 5. Four course dinner highlighting dishes of the Afro-Latin diaspora and American South, accompanied by live music by an ensemble of African American jazz musicians TBA. In between songs, Blue Llama Chef JJ Johnson and Zingerman's event coordinator Tessie Ives-Wilson discuss the menu and the history of Black American cuisine in the U.S. 6–9:30 p.m. Blue Llama, 314 S. Main. $175 (includes paired cocktails) in advance at bluellamaclub.com & (if available) at the door. (734) 372–3200.
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“Making Your First Documentary”: Ann Arbor District Library
Observer Editor
Talk by local documentary filmmaker Donald Harrison, director of Welcome to Commie High. 6–7:30 p.m., AADL Downtown, 4th fl. Free. (734) 327–4200.
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D&D Adventurers League: Sylvan Factory
Observer Editor
Every Tues. All age 12 & up invited to play the current official campaign of the popular Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing game, using 5th edition rules. 6–10 p.m., Sylvan Factory, 2459 W. Stadium. $10. Space limited, preregistration strongly recommended. sylvanfactory.com, (734) 929–5877.
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Drop-In Knitting: Spun
Observer Editor
Every Sun.–Thurs. (different times). All invited to work on their knitting, crochet, weaving, and embroidery projects. 1–3 p.m. (Sun.) & 6–8 p.m. (Mon.–Thurs.), Spun, 401 N. Fourth Ave. Free. (734) 780–7867.
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Group Runs: Ann Arbor Running Company (AARC)
Observer Editor
Every Sat., Mon., Tues., & Thurs. (different AARC locations). Runners of all abilities invited to join a beginner or advanced group run (Sat.), a 5K mapped route (Mon. & Thurs.), or an interval-based training run (Tues.). 7 a.m. (Sat.) & 6 p.m. (Tues.), AARC Downtown, 209 S. Ashley; 6 p.m. (Mon.), Corner Brewery, 720 Norris, Ypsilanti; & 6 p.m. (Thurs.), AARC Colonnade, 901 W. Eisenhower. Free. annarborrunningcompany.com.
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“Tour de Dirt”: Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society
Observer Editor
Every Tues. 20- to 35-mile ride along Chelsea-area dirt roads. 6:15 p.m., meet at Aberdeen Bike, 1101 Main, Chelsea. Free. For each week’s route, email scimitargs@gmail.com.
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“Food Literacy for All”: U-M Sustainable Food Systems Initiative
Observer Editor
Every Tues. (except Mar. 4), Jan. 14–Apr. 22. Public lecture series, a mix of in-person (with livestream) and Zoom sessions.
Feb. 4: “Seed Rematriation and Food Sovereignty” (via Zoom), with Indigenous Seedkeepers Network and Sierra Seeds founder Rowen White.
Feb. 11: “The Power of Local Food Systems: How Chefs, Farmers and Advocates are Rebuilding America’s Food Economy” (via Zoom), with At the Table, LLC founder and writer Katherine Miller.
Feb. 18: “Panel on Food Waste” (via Zoom), with Sanctuary Farms founder jøn kent, FoodPLUS Detroit executive director Reneé Wallace, Detroit chef Hajime Sato, and Rich Earth Institute (Brattleboro, VT) executive director Jamina Shupack.
Feb. 25: “Caring for Human and Planetary Health Through Agroecological Transitions” with University of British Columbia land and food systems professor Hannah Wittman.
6:30–8 p.m., 1202 U-M School of Education, 610 East University and via Zoom. Preregistration required at sites.lsa.umich.edu/sustainablefoodsystems/foodliteracyforall. Free.
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“Trivia with Terry!”: Argus Farm Stop
Observer Editor
Feb. 4 & 18. All invited to form teams to answer wacky trivia questions from this longtime Aut Bar trivia night emcee. 6:30–8 p.m., Argus, 1200 Packard. Free; food & drink for sale. (734) 997–5448.
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Magic: The Gathering: Sylvan Factory
Observer Editor
Every Mon.–Wed., Fri., & Sat. All invited to play various forms of the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering (MTG). Mon. (6:30 p.m.): Just Another Modern Monday. Powerful cards for experienced players, with prizes. $10. Tues. (6:30 p.m.): MTG Pauper. A fun and fast format for all skill levels. $5. Wed. (5 p.m.): Casual Commander. The most popular form of the game. Free. Wed. (6:30 p.m.): MTG Standard Showdown. Play with competitive tournament rules. $10. Fri. (6:30 p.m.): Friday Night Magic. Cost varies. Sat. (6 p.m.): Casual Commander Pods. For groups of 4 players. Free. Various times, Sylvan Factory, 2459 W. Stadium. Various costs. sylvanfactory.com, (734) 929–5877.
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“Alehouse Poets”: The Theater Shop
Observer Editor
Poetry open mic. All invited to read their own or another writer’s poem. Shorter poems are best, so everyone gets a chance. Sign up begins at 6:45. 7 p.m., the Ypsi Alehouse, 124 Pearl, ste. 100, Ypsilanti. Free. facebook.com/thetheatershop.
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“Sound & Silence”: Canterbury House
Observer Editor
Every Tues. Regular gathering exploring contemplative music and silence, sometimes led by a guest artist. 7 p.m., Canterbury House, 721 E. Huron St. Free, donations welcome. canterburyhouse.org/soundandsilence.
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“The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”: Michigan Theater
Observer Editor
Michigan Theater. Film screenings every Wed.–Sun. Tickets $10.50 unless otherwise noted (children under 12, students, seniors age 65 & older, & U.S. veterans, $8.50; MTF members, $8) in advance online (recommended) & at the door. (734) 668–8397. For updated schedule, see marquee-arts.org/calendar.
Feb. 4: “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” (Wes Anderson, 2004). Comedy-drama about an oceanographer who gathers an eccentric team to hunt down a mythical shark. Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett. 7 p.m.
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Ann Arbor Camera Club
Observer Editor
Feb. 4 & 18. Club members share their projected digital slides (Feb. 4) and prints (Feb. 18) on various topics, including this month’s assignment, “High Contrast Black and White.” Also, today, Tom Engel shares tips and techniques for street photography, and on Feb. 18, David Kellman presents a program on capturing special moments, primarily focusing on wedding photography. 7–9 p.m., Zion Lutheran Church, 1501 W. Liberty, rear entrance, 2nd fl. Masks optional unless Community Risk Level rises. Free. annarborcameraclub.org, a2camclub@gmail.com.
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Huron Valley Harmonizers Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society
Observer Editor
Every Tues. All male and female singers invited to join this rehearsal (only one this month, but usually weekly). 7–8:45 p.m., Interfaith Center, 704 Airport Blvd. Free to visitors (annual dues for those who join). bit.ly/hvharmonizers. info@hvharmonizers.org, (734) 796–7467.
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Tuesday English Country Dance: Ann Arbor Community of Traditional Music and Dance
Observer Editor
Every Tues. Historical and traditional English dancing to live music. All dances taught and prompted; no partner or experience needed. Wear comfortable clothes and bring flat, nonslip shoes and your own water bottle. First-timers asked to arrive at 6:45 p.m. 7–9:30 p.m., Concourse Hall, 4531 Concourse. Suggested donation: $8 (students, $4; kids age 13 & under with caregiver, free). aactmad.org/english-country, (734) 272–1866.
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Voices in Harmony
Observer Editor
Every Tues. Female singers invited to join a rehearsal of this local 40-member a cappella barbershop harmony chorus. 7–9:30 p.m., UAW Local 898, 8975 Textile, Ypsilanti. Free to visitors (dues for those who join). info@voicesinharmonychorus.org, (734) 765–3611.
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The Moth StorySLAM: U-M Michigan Public
Observer Editor
Feb. 4 & 18. Open mic storytelling competition sponsored by The Moth, the NYC-based nonprofit storytelling organization. Ten storytellers are selected at random from among those who sign up to tell a 3- to 5-minute story on the theme of “Armor.” Stories are judged by a 3-person team recruited from the audience. Monthly winners compete in a semiannual GrandSLAM. Seating limited; arrive early. 7:30–9 p.m. (doors open and sign-up begins at 6:30 p.m.), the Blind Pig, 208 S. First St. Tickets $15 general admission in advance only at themoth.org beginning 3 weeks before event. patricia@themoth.org.
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“Rhythms of Resilience”: U-M Concert Band
Observer Editor
Courtney Snyder and grad student conductors lead this music student ensemble in works by Black composers, including Carlos Simon’s Go Down Moses, Henry Dorn’s I, too, am America, Ben Horne’s Deep River, Nkeiru Okoye’s Voices Shouting Out, and Omar Thomas’s Of Our New Day Begun. Preceded at 7:15 p.m. by a brief talk. 8 p.m., Hill Auditorium. Free. (734) 615–3204.
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