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Events in January 2026
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January 2, 2026
Lane 9 Women’s Running Group
Observer Editor
Every Fri. All men & women invited to join this women-focused running group on a 3-mile loop run. All paces (including walking) welcome. 6:45 a.m., meet outside Argus Farm Stop, 1600 Packard. Free, preregistration required by emailing [email protected]. lane9project.org.
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“Investigate Labs”: U-M Museum of Natural History
Observer Editor
Every Tues.–Sun., except Jan. 1. 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. 11 a.m.–3 p.m., U-M MNH, 1105 North University. Free. (734) 764–0478, ummnh.org.
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“Kidz Bop Live”: Fathom Entertainment
Observer Editor
(734) 973–8424 (Ann Arbor 20), (734) 316–5500 (Emagine). Tickets $12.50 (except as noted) in advance at fathomentertainment.com/events and at the door. Ann Arbor 20 (4100 Carpenter, Ypsi.) & Emagine (1335 E. Michigan Ave., Saline), various times.
Jan. 2–5: “Kidz Bop Live.” Concert film of a recent performance by this popular group of teen singers & dancers who do family-friendly covers of pop songs. 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. (Ann Arbor 20 only).
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Chime Concert: Kerrytown Market & Shops
Observer Editor
Every Fri., Sat., & Wed. All invited to play one of 200 songs, with melodies transcribed in numbers, on the 17-bell chime’s numbered keys. Ambitious players can add chords. Kids welcome. Noon–12:30 p.m. (Fri. & Wed.) & 10:30–11 a.m. (Sat.). Kerrytown Market. Free. [email protected].
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“Friendship Bracelets: Beyond the Basics”: Ann Arbor District Library
Observer Editor
A chance for adults and kids grade 5 & up to learn advanced friendship bracelet patterns, including the chevron, the spiral unicorn horn, and the Peruvian wave. 1–3 p.m., AADL Traverwood. Free. (734) 327–4200.
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“Kidz Bop Live”: Fathom Entertainment
Observer Editor
(734) 973–8424 (Ann Arbor 20), (734) 316–5500 (Emagine). Tickets $12.50 (except as noted) in advance at fathomentertainment.com/events and at the door. Ann Arbor 20 (4100 Carpenter, Ypsi.) & Emagine (1335 E. Michigan Ave., Saline), various times.
Jan. 2–5: “Kidz Bop Live.” Concert film of a recent performance by this popular group of teen singers & dancers who do family-friendly covers of pop songs. 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. (Ann Arbor 20 only).
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“Sticker Scenes”: Ann Arbor District Library
Observer Editor
A chance for adults and kids grade K & up to make scenes such as a home, shop, or playground using the library’s stickers. 1–2 p.m., AADL Downtown, lower level program rm. Free. (734) 327–4200.
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“Thank You Card Party”: Ann Arbor District Library
Observer Editor
All invited to write, draw, and decorate cards to send to family and friends. 1–2 p.m., AADL Pittsfield. Free. (734) 327–4200.
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U-M Museum of Natural History Planetarium & Dome Theater
Observer Editor
Every Fri.–Sun. Three different audiovisual planetarium shows suitable for all ages, including Expedition Reef (noon), which reveals the secrets of coral reefs, the Earth’s most vibrant and endangered marine ecosystems; The Sky Tonight (1 & 3 p.m.), an exploration of the current night sky, with tips on how to find the cardinal directions, constellations, and planets on your own; and T. Rex (2 p.m.), an exploration of the iconic dinosaur’s scientific and cinematic history that contains scenes of dinosaur violence. Noon, 1, 2, & 3 p.m., U-M MNH, 1105 North University. $8 at the gift shop. Limited capacity. (734) 764–0480, ummnh.org.
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“KPop Demon Hunters Party”: Ann Arbor District Library
Observer Editor
All invited for games and crafts to celebrate this massively popular animated movie. 6–7 p.m., AADL Downtown. Free. (734) 327–4200.
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“Self-Guided Lantern-Lit Trail”: Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission
Observer Editor
Self-guided hike along about a mile of lantern-lit trail through the woods, followed by a campfire and treats. Dog walkers welcome. 6–8:30 p.m. (check in by 7:30 p.m.), Independence Lake County Park Beach Center Pavilion, 3200 Jennings, Whitmore Lake. $15 per household (up to 4 people), plus $6 (nonresidents, $10) vehicle entry fee. Preregistration (one per household) required at washtenaw.org/registerparks (#IL431310). [email protected].
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D&D Adventurers League: Sylvan Factory
Observer Editor
Every Fri. All invited to play the current official campaign of the popular Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing game, using 5th-edition rules. Kids under 13 must have parent or guardian accompaniment. 6–10 p.m., Sylvan Factory, 2459 W. Stadium. $10. Space limited, preregistration strongly recommended at sylvanfactory.com/events. (734) 929–5877.
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Magic: The Gathering: Sylvan Factory
Observer Editor
Every Mon.–Wed., Fri., & Sat. All invited to play both casual and tournament forms of the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering (MTG).
Mon. (6:30 p.m.): “Just Another Modern Monday.” Three rounds using powerful cards, for experienced players, with prizes. $10.
Tues. (6:30 p.m.): “MTG Pauper.” A fun and fast format for all skill levels, three rounds. $5.
Wed. & Sat. (5 p.m.): “Casual Commander Night.” A drop-in session of the most popular form of the game. Free.
Wed. (6:30 p.m.): “MTG Standard Showdown.” Three rounds, with competitive tournament rules, prizes of store credit. $10.
Fri. (6:30 p.m.): “Friday Night Magic.” Cost and format vary.
Various times, Sylvan Factory, 2459 W. Stadium. Various costs. (734) 929–5877, sylvanfactory.com.
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“Adult Open Hours & Creature Encounters”: The Creature Conservancy
Observer Editor
Fri., Jan. 2 & 16 and every Sat. & Sun. During the Friday Adult Open Hours (age 18+ only), conservancy staffers show off some representatives of at-risk species, including an axolotl, a wood turtle, a clouded leopard, and a blue-throated macaw at 7:30 p.m. On Sat. and Sun., the first three animals are presented at 1 & 4 p.m., and an animal keeper talks about the blue-throated macaw at 2 & 3 p.m. All tickets include a chance to see the conservancy’s other animals. 7–9 p.m. (Fri.) & noon–5 p.m. (Sat. & Sun.), CC, 4950 Ann Arbor–Saline Rd. $15 (kids ages 2–12, $13; under age 2, free) cash or credit at the door only. (734) 929–9324, thecreatureconservancy.org.
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“Frozen”: The Encore Musical Theatre Company
Observer Editor
Dec. 4–Jan. 11 (different times). Daniel Cooney directs this local professional theater company in Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, and Jennifer Lee’s 2018 stage musical, itself based on the 2013 animated Disney movie, a loose adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen.” It tells the story of Queen Elsa of Arendelle, whose self-seclusion in an ice palace prompts her younger sister Anna to attempt to find her, aided by a cast of characters including Olaf the snowman and Kristoff the ice vendor. The musical features numbers like “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Let It Go.” 7 p.m., Encore, 7714 Ann Arbor St., Dexter. Tickets $44–$65 (17 and under $34) in advance at theencoretheatre.org & at the door. (734) 268–6200.
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U-M Men’s Basketball
Observer Editor
Game vs. USC. The U-M also plays home games this month vs. Wisconsin (Jan. 10, 1 or 2 p.m., sold out), Indiana (Jan. 20, 7 p.m.), Ohio State (Jan. 23, 8 p.m., sold out), & Nebraska (Jan. 27, 7 p.m.). 7 p.m., Crisler Center. Tickets from $33 in advance at mgoblue.com. (734) 764–0247.
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Rob Ward: Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase
Observer Editor
Jan. 2 & 3. Popular Cleveland comic, a former Showtime at the Apollo winner, whose smiling, warm delivery lets him get away with almost any subject matter, from his feelings about dating skinny women to how he explained sex the wrong way to his daughters. Opening act TBA. 7:15 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.) & 9:45 p.m. (Sat.), 212 S. Fourth Ave. $20 at aacomedy.com and (if available) at the door. (734) 996–9080.
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“DJ Whittington’s Kool Kat: A Hip-Hop Panto”: Theatre Nova
Observer Editor
Every Fri.–Sun., Dec. 5–Jan. 4. Mike Sandusky directs Carla Milarch and R. MacKenzie Lewis’s latest seasonal panto comedy, a hip-hop version of the English folktale of Dick Whittington. Loosely based on a lord mayor of London in the late Middle Ages, Whittington rises from poverty to wealth by selling his cat to a rat-infested town. British panto is a genre that blends familiar children’s stories with a bit of vaudeville to create a raucous family entertainment. Theatre Nova’s panto, a popular annual tradition, usually sells out. 7:30 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.), 3 p.m. (Sat.), & 2 p.m. (Sun.), Theatre Nova, 410 W. Huron St. Tickets $32 ($25, seniors; $15, students; $12, age 16 and under) in advance at theatrenova.org & at the door. (734) 635–8450.
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Friday Night Improv: Hear.Say Brewing + Theater
Observer Editor
Every Fri. Performance by Eleven Non-Blondes, a house team of experienced improvisers. 7:30–9 p.m., HSBT, 2350 W. Liberty. $15 in advance at heardotsay.com/events, $18 (if available) at the door. [email protected].
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“Annual Ann Arbor 50 First Jokes”: The Ark
Observer Editor
Fifty comics from around Michigan, both veterans and newcomers, take turns telling the first joke they’ve written in 2026. Similar events, which began at the Bell House in Brooklyn more than a decade ago, now also take place in New Orleans and L.A. 8 p.m., The Ark, 316 S. Main. Tickets $24 in advance at theark.org, $20 (if available) at the door. (734) 761–1451.
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Riverside Swings: Riverside Arts Center
Observer Editor
Every Fri. Swing dancing to recorded music. No partner or experience required. Wear comfortable low-grip/tread shoes. Preceded at 7 and 8 p.m. by hour-long lessons. Followed by a “late night blues-&-fusion” dance. The 1st Friday of each month is free, and the 3rd Fridays include a Charleston lesson. 9–11 p.m., RAC, 76 N. Huron St., Ypsi. $5 (students, $4). riversidearts.org/riverside-swings.
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“Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion”: Michigan Theater
Observer Editor
Film screenings every day. Tickets $10.50 unless otherwise noted (children under 12, students, seniors age 65 and older, & U.S. veterans, $8.50; Marquee Arts members, $8) in advance online (recommended) & at the door. For updated schedule, see marquee-arts.org/calendar.
Jan. 2: “Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion” (David Mirkin, 1997). Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow star in this comedy as two low achievers who invent fake careers to attend their 10-year high school reunion. 9:30 p.m.
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