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Events in January 2026
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
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January 9, 2026
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Lane 9 Women’s Running Group
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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
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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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Chime Concert: Kerrytown Market & Shops
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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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U-M Men’s & Women’s Swimming & Diving
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Meet vs. Indiana. The U-M also has a home meet this month against Denison (Jan. 31, noon). Noon, Canham Natatorium, 500 E. Hoover. Free. (734) 764–0247.
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“Midday Morsel Drop-In Tour”: U-M Kelsey Museum of Archaeology
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30-minute docent-led tour of ancient artifacts. 12:30 p.m., Kelsey Museum, 434 S. State (meet at the Maynard St. entrance). Free. (734) 764–9304.
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Duplicate Bridge: Ann Arbor City Club
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Every Tues., Thurs., & Fri., except Jan. 2. 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. $9 per person. If you plan to come without a partner, email [email protected].
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U-M Museum of Natural History Planetarium & Dome Theater
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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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Concerto Competition Finals: U-M Music School
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Jan. 8 & 9. Undergraduate (Thurs.) & graduate (Fri.) music students perform their competition solos. Winners will be featured as a soloist with one of the music student orchestras in a concert this spring. 4 p.m., Hill Auditorium. Free. (734) 764–0583.
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Board Game Night: Ann Arbor District Library
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Adults & kids age 8 & up invited to play board games from the AADL collection, including Splendor, Outfoxed, Clue, Sushi Go, Azul, Dixit, Carcassonne, Scrabble, and others. Attendees are also invited to bring their own games from home. 5–7 p.m., AADL Downtown. Free. (734) 327–4200.
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D&D Adventurers League: Sylvan Factory
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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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“Euchre Change a Life!”
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Every Fri., except Jan. 2. Five-game euchre tournament. Sign up with a partner, or get paired with one by the organizers. Prizes. Proceeds benefit Haitian children via Haitian Christian Outreach. 6:30–9 p.m., HOMES Campus, 112 Jackson Plz. $15 (HOMES community members, $10). [email protected].
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“The Rest of Our Lives”: Ann Arbor District Library/Literati Bookstore
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London-based writer Ben Markovits is joined by local writer Amanda Uhle to discuss his acclaimed new novel about a man who drops his youngest daughter off at college, then, rather than returning home to his wife, sets out driving west with a vague plan of visiting people from his past. Signing. 6:30 p.m., AADL Downtown. Free. (734) 327–4200.
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First Friday Shabbat: Jewish Cultural Society
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All invited for dinner from a local restaurant, preceded by a brief secular Shabbat observance with songs, candle lighting, and challah & wine rituals. Kids welcome. 6:30–8 p.m., JCC, 2935 Birch Hollow. $10 (families, $25) for nonmembers; members, free. Preregistration required at jewishculturalsociety.org.
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Magic: The Gathering: Sylvan Factory
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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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“Labyrinth”: Fathom Entertainment
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(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 8–11: “Labyrinth” (Jim Henson, 1986). Musical fantasy about a teenage girl who has 13 hours to navigate a maze to save her baby brother from the evil Goblin King. David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly. 6:45 p.m. (Ann Arbor 20) & 7 p.m. (Emagine).
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“Ann Arborville Horror Book Club”: Booksweet Bookshop
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All invited to discuss Nestlings, Nat Cassidy’s 2023 urban horror novel about a NYC couple who win a lottery for an affordable apartment in a prestigious but eerie building. 7–8 p.m., Booksweet, 1729 Plymouth Rd. Free. Preregistration requested at shopbooksweet.com.
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“Frozen”: The Encore Musical Theatre Company
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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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“The Last Dalai Lama?”: Jewel Heart Buddhist Center
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FREE. Jewel Heart, 1129 Oak Valley Dr. Concessions. jewelheart.org. (734) 994–3387.
Jan. 9: “The Last Dalai Lama?” (Mickey Lemle, 2016). Documentary about the 14th Dalai Lama, his influence in political and spiritual circles, his work with educators and scientists, and his feelings about whether there will be a 15th Dalai Lama. Followed by discussion. 7 p.m.
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U-M Ice Hockey
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Match vs NTDP U-18. The U-M team, currently the number one–ranked team nationally, plays this USA Hockey development team. There is also a sold-out double-header this month against Notre Dame (Jan. 9 & 10, both 7 p.m.). 7 p.m., Yost Ice Arena, 1016 S. State. Tickets from $20 in advance only at mgoblue.com. (734) 764–0247.
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Caitlin Peluffo: Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase
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Jan. 8–10. Gruff, sharp, and quick-witted Brooklyn comic, a regular on the NYC comedy club scene, whose “lovable loose cannon” persona lets her tackle a range of taboo subjects including women’s bodies, dating foibles, and STDs. Opening act TBA. 7:15 p.m. (Thurs.–Sat.) & 9:45 p.m. (Sat.), 212 S. Fourth Ave. $21 (Thurs., $16) at aacomedy.com and (if available) at the door. (734) 996–9080.
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“Dimanche”: Chaliwaté and Focus Companies (University Musical Society)
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Jan. 7–11. Two award-winning Belgian theater companies—one specializing in puppetry, the other in mime—use humor, video, puppets, and dance to explore, in parallel action, themes of the effects of climate change on a European family trying to eat their Sunday dinner and on wild animals in the Arctic Circle. “Gorgeously realized and sneakily terrifying, the play moves restively from the silly to the dreadful and back and forth again,” according to the New York Times. 7:30 p.m. (Wed.–Sat.) & 2 p.m. (Sat. & Sun.), Power Center. Tickets $44 in advance ($15–$20, students) at ums.org & by phone, and (if available) at the door. (734) 764–2538.
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“The Humans”: Ann Arbor Civic Theatre
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Jan. 9–11, 16–18. Cassie Mann directs local actors in Stephen Karam’s 2016 Tony-winning one-act play, described by the New York Times as “blisteringly funny, bruisingly sad and altogether wonderful,” about an uncomfortable family Thanksgiving dinner in a shabby basement apartment in New York City’s Chinatown. Recommended for mature audiences. 7:30 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.) & 2 p.m. (Sun.), Civic Theatre, 322 W. Ann. Tickets $20 (seniors, $17; students, $10) at a2ct.org and (if available) at the door. (734) 971-2228.
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Friday Night Improv: Hear.Say Brewing + Theater
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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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“Femme Feedback” Comedy Night: Bløm Mead + Cider
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A variety of female and trans comics try out new material, with a veteran comic presiding to offer feedback. 8–10 p.m. Bløm, 100 S. Fourth Ave. Free, but purchase of food and drink encouraged. (734) 548–9729, drinkblom.com/events.
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Riverside Swings: Riverside Arts Center
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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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“Hot Fuzz”: Michigan Theater
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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. 9: “Hot Fuzz” (Edgar Wright, 2007). Highly entertaining British buddy cop parody. 9:30 p.m.
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