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Events in January 2026
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January 8, 2026
Community Listing,
"A Typical American Meal: The Life and Legacy of Janice Bluestein Longone": First Presbyterian Church
Community Listing
Join us for a fascinating virtual talk about Ann Arbor’s own Janice Bluestein Longone (1933–2022), celebrated cookbook collector, bookseller, culinary historian, and philanthropist. Discover the experiences that shaped her lifelong passion for food history and led to the creation of the Janice Bluestein Longone Culinary Archive at the University of Michigan.
Email [email protected] for the Zoom link
Speaker: Dr. Sarah Conrad Gothie, PhD in American Culture and Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Michigan. Dr. Gothie teaches academic and creative writing at Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia, PA.
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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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“The U-M Refugee Gardens Initiative”: Ann Arbor Farm & Garden
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U-M global activities student Phimmasone Kym Owens discusses the program she founded to ease the transition of refugees to the U.S. As a refugee herself in the 1980s, Owens couldn’t find the foods she was familiar with from her native Laos. 1–2 p.m., Ann Arbor City Club, 1830 Washtenaw. Livestream available. $5 (members, free). Preregistration required by midnight Jan. 1 at annarborfarmandgarden.org.
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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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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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Riso Lab: Ann Arbor District Library
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All invited to use analog tools to create a 2-color design for a 2026 calendar, and print it with the lab’s Risograph duplicator, a kind of digital screen printer similar to a photocopier. 5–7 p.m., AADL Downtown, Secret Lab. Free. (734) 327–4200.
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U-M Center for Europe and Eurasia Lecture Series
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Jan. 8 & 26 (different times). Talks by U-M & visiting scholars.
Jan. 8: U-M history grad student Danielle Leavitt on “Ukraine’s War in Seven Lives: Writing a People-Centered History of the Present.”
Jan. 26: American University in Kosovo information professor Driart Elshani on “AI for National and International Security: Opportunities Without Losing Control.”
5 p.m. (Jan. 8) & 4 p.m. (Jan. 26), 555 Weiser Hall, 500 Church. Free. (734) 764–0351.
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“Repairsday Thursday”: All Hands Active
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Every Thurs., except Jan. 1. All invited to drop in with broken electronics, furniture, toys, or any other item they’d like to try to repair or repurpose with the help and guidance of AHA members. Repairs not guaranteed. 6–8 p.m., AHA, basement of 255 E. Liberty, ste. 225. Livestream available at meetup.com/allhandsactive/events. Free; donations welcome. [email protected].
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Bad Decisions Track Club
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Every Thurs. Runners of all abilities invited to join this eclectic group of runners ranging from people training for their first 5K to ultramarathoners. Sessions are typically interval-based track workouts, followed by socializing at a nearby brewery. 6 p.m. Ferry Field, State at Hoover. May meet elsewhere if the weather is bad. Free. See walline.wixsite.com/bdtc to sign up for email updates on each week’s workout.
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Group Runs: Ann Arbor Running Company (AARC)
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Every Thurs., Sat., Mon., & Tues. (different AARC locations). Runners of all abilities invited to join a 5K mapped route (Thurs. & Mon.), either a beginner or advanced group run (Sat.), or an interval-based training run (Tues.). 6 p.m. (Thurs.), AARC Colonnade, 901 W. Eisenhower; 7 a.m. (Sat.) & 6 p.m. (Tues.), AARC Downtown, 209 S. Ashley; and 6 p.m. (Mon.), Corner Brewery, 720 Norris, Ypsi. Free. annarborrunningcompany.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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“Duoplicity Improv Jam”: Hear.Say Brewing + Theater
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All improvisers with some experience are invited to be randomly paired up to perform a 6-minute scene. Spectators welcome. 7–8 p.m., HSBT, 2350 W. Liberty. $7.50 in advance at heardotsay.com/events and at the door. [email protected].
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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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“Hundreds of Beavers”: State Theatre
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Film screenings every Wed.–Sun. 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. (734) 668–8397. For updated schedule, see marquee-arts.org/calendar.
Jan. 8: “Hundreds of Beavers” (Mike Cheslik, 2024). Broadly comic, mostly silent black-and-white slapstick extravaganza about a drunken applejack salesman who battles hundreds of sinister beavers, played by men in beaver suits. 7 p.m.
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“Meteorites”: Huron Hills Lapidary & Mineral Society
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Club member Jeff Stevens presents, and shows off examples from his collection. Refreshments. 7 p.m., West Side United Methodist Church social hall, 900 S. Seventh St. Free. (734) 665–5574.
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“Nerd Nite”: Ann Arbor District Library
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Adults age 21 & up invited to this popular monthly event featuring three speakers TBA (at annarbor.nerdnite.com) who give fun yet informative 20-minute talks about things that interest them, anything from the lives of viruses to the story of how Margaret Wise Brown helped free kids books from the dungeon of fairy tales. 7–9 p.m., LIVE, 102 S. First St. Free. (734) 327–4200.
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“Singing for Comfort”: Interfaith Center for Spiritual Growth
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All invited to join a sing-along of soothing songs that are easy to learn. No experience necessary. 7–8:30 p.m., 704 Airport Blvd., ste. 1. Free. (734) 327–0270.
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Ann Arbor Trout Unlimited
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Members of the Huron River Watershed Council present on the watershed. This fisheries conservation organization’s monthly meeting is preceded at 5:30 p.m. by a social hour. 7 p.m., Jolly Pumpkin, 2319 Bishop Cir. E., Dexter. Free; food and drink available for purchase. annarbortu.org.
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Detroit Irish Music Association Seisiún
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Every Thurs., starting Jan. 8. All invited to join members of this local chapter of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann for an informal evening playing traditional Irish music on various instruments. Lessons offered. 7–9 p.m., Grace Church, main bldg., 3150 Glazier Way. Free. [email protected], detroitirishmusic.org.
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Live Trivia: Bløm Mead + Cider
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Every Thurs., except Jan. 1. Bløm staffers lead 2 rounds of trivia. Teams or single players welcome. Prizes. 7 & 8 p.m., Bløm, 100 S. Fourth Ave. Free, but purchase of food & drink encouraged. (734) 548–9729, drinkblom.com/events.
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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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Pub Quiz: Conor O’Neill’s Irish Pub
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Every Thurs., except Jan. 1. Popular weekly trivia fest. Come with a team of up to 6 people. Prizes. 7:30 p.m. or so, Conor O’Neill’s, 318 S. Main. $5 team fee that goes to the winning team. (734) 665–2968.
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“Midnight Run”: 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. 8: “Midnight Run” (Martin Brest, 1988). Action-comedy thriller with pitch-perfect performances by Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin playing an odd couple bail bondsman and mob accountant on the run. 8 p.m.
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Live Trivia: Bløm Mead + Cider
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Every Thurs., except Jan. 1. Bløm staffers lead 2 rounds of trivia. Teams or single players welcome. Prizes. 7 & 8 p.m., Bløm, 100 S. Fourth Ave. Free, but purchase of food & drink encouraged. (734) 548–9729, drinkblom.com/events.
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