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Events in May 2026
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May 29, 2026
“The Little Mermaid Jr.”: Professional Youth Theatre of Michigan
Observer Editor
May 22–25 & 29–31. Megan Wright-Jones directs local young actors grades 2–12 in a 60-minute version of the 2007 stage musical based on the 1989 animated Disney film and the original fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a mermaid who dreams of the world above the sea and gives up her voice in exchange for love. Music and lyrics by Doug Wright, Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Glenn Slater. 6 & 8 p.m. (today), & various times (May 23–25 & 29–31), Riverside Arts Center, 76 N. Huron St., Ypsi. Tickets $20–$30 in advance only at pytmi.square.site/home.
“Joe’s Breakfast Club”: Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society
Observer Editor
Every Fri. Moderate-paced ride, 20 miles or more, to Dexter and beyond. Pack a lunch or stop in Dexter. 10 a.m. sharp, meet at Delhi Metro Park parking lot (left of the tollbooth), E. Delhi Rd. off Huron River Dr. Free. [email protected].
“Investigate Labs”: U-M Museum of Natural History
Observer Editor
Every Tues.–Sun. All age 6 & up invited into the museum’s labs to use scientific tools and museum specimens to answer questions and solve problems. The newest program examines how Michigan animals get along with each other—or don’t. 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 1105 North University. Free. (734) 764–0478, ummnh.org.
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.). Free. [email protected].
U-M Museum of Natural History Planetarium & Dome Theater
Observer Editor
Every Fri.–Sun. Three different audiovisual planetarium shows suitable for all ages. Sea Monsters (noon) follows an intrepid Dolichorhynchops osborni (an extinct species of marine reptile) as she travels through the most dangerous oceans in history; The Sky Tonight (1 & 3 p.m.) explores 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.) describes the iconic dinosaur’s scientific and cinematic history (includes scenes of dinosaur violence). Noon, 1, 2, & 3 p.m., 1105 North University. $8 at the gift shop. Limited capacity. (734) 764–0480, ummnh.org.
Duplicate Bridge: Ann Arbor City Club
Observer Editor
Every Fri., Tues., & Thurs. All invited to play ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge (Fri. & Tues.) and a 499er game (Thurs.) for players with no more than 499 ACBL master points. 1–4 p.m. (arrive by 12:45 p.m.), 1830 Washtenaw Ave. $9 per person. If you plan to come without a partner, email [email protected].
“AADL World Famous Trivia”: Ann Arbor District Library
“Introductory Woodcarving: Carve a Fishing Lure”: Ann Arbor District Library
Friday Night Music at Lake Forest Golf Club: Lake Forest Golf club
Community Listing
🎶 Friday Night Live Music at Lake Forest Golf Club 🎶
Join us Friday, May 29th at 5:30 PM for an evening of live music featuring local musicians on piano and bass, Louis Johnson and David Stearns. The night features a variety of music from Jazz, Motown, R&B, and Standards.
Come early and enjoy Happy Hour from 3–5 PM featuring food and drink specials before the music begins. Open to the public. Enjoy corn toss, and other lawn games. Practice Facility and Golf!
📍 Ellsworth Food & Spirits at Lake Forest Golf Club
🗓 Friday, May 29th
⏰ Happy Hour: 3–5 PM | Live Music Starts: 5:30 PM
🎵 Live Music by Louis Johnson and David Stearns
View the full menu online: https://ellsworthannarbor.com/menus/#specials
3110 W. Ellsworth Road, Ann Arbor. Free. [email protected]. www.lakeforestgc.com 734-994-8580.
3110 W. Ellsworth Road ,Ann Arbor. Free. [email protected] www.lakeforestgc.com 734-994-8580.“Friday Night Geology Hike: Glacial Spillways”: Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission
Observer Editor
WCPARC naturalist Shawn Severance leads a hike to explore the landforms and habitats of the Fleming Creek floodplain, a remnant of a much larger channel carved into end moraines as the Huron-Erie glacial lobe made its watery withdrawal. 6–8 p.m., Parker Mill County Park, log cabin, 4650 Geddes. Free. Preregistration required (capacity limited) at washtenaw.org/registerparks; #831009. [email protected].
“The Idiot's Garden”: Ann Arbor District Library
Blo(o)ms & Bubbles: Bløm Mead + Cider
Community Listing
Join us at Bløm Mead + Cider on May 29, 2026 at 6:00 PM (EDT) for a fun and relaxed botanical art workshop! Get creative with plants, sip on some adult beverage, and enjoy good vibes with fellow art lovers. No experience needed—just bring your enthusiasm and a love for nature-inspired art. Can't wait to see you there!
Included with ticket:
- 2 frames
- Pressed flowers (you are welcome to bring your own too)
- All materials to make your art
- 1 drink
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., 2459 W. Stadium. $10. Space limited, preregistration strongly recommended. (734) 929–5877, sylvanfactory.com.
“Fireside Fun”: Leslie Science & Nature Center
“Persevered: A Maternal Mental Health Memoir”: Literati Bookstore
Magic: The Gathering: Sylvan Factory
Observer Editor
Every Tues., Wed., Fri., & Sat. All invited to play both casual and tournament forms of the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering (MTG).
Tues. (6:30 p.m.): “Pauper.” A fun and fast format for all skill levels, three rounds. $5.
Wed. & Sat. (5 p.m.): “Commander.” A drop-in session of the most popular form of the game. Free.
Wed. (6:30 p.m.): “Standard.” Three rounds, with competitive tournament rules, prizes of store credit. $10.
Fri. (6:30 p.m.): “Friday Night Draft.” Cost and format vary.
Various times, 2459 W. Stadium. (734) 929–5877, sylvanfactory.com.
Music in the Park: Dexter Area Chamber of Commerce
Observer Editor
Every Fri., May 29–Aug. 28. Entertainment in downtown Dexter. Food trucks. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket and relax on the grass. Tonight: Kris Kurazawa Trio. In-demand Detroit guitarist Kurazawa leads this guitar-focused jazz trio. With keyboardist Jim Alfredon and drummer Jeff Shoup. 6:30–9 p.m., Monument Park gazebo, downtown Dexter (note that Main St. is closed due to construction, so attendees must park elsewhere). Free. (734) 325–4030, dexterchamber.org.
AFC Ann Arbor Men’s Team
Observer Editor
Match vs. Lansing City. The season opener for this local United Soccer League 2nd division semiprofessional team. The team also plays a home match this month vs. Union Macomb FC (May 29, 7 p.m.). 7 p.m., Pioneer High School Hollway Field, 601 W. Stadium at Main. Tickets $12 (kids 13 & under, free) in advance at afcannarbor.com or $15 at the gate. Group discounts & season tickets available. (734) 408–1627.
May Art & Culture Cafe: Cluster Museum
Community Listing
May’s Art & Culture Cafe features 4 of the artists from the current exhibition, I use technology to hate it properly. They’ll be joined in conversation by curator and Cluster co-founder Chien-An Yuan. This exhibition is inspired by the visionary, experimental artist & founder of the fluxus art movement, Nam June Paik. The artists will deep dive into the current state of experimental media, sound art, the history of artists working with technology and more.
Cluster Museum 307 N. Main St. ,Ann Arbor. Free.Derek Richards: Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase
Observer Editor
May 29 & 30. Detroit native now living in Florida who often performs in Las Vegas, known for his fast-paced observational comedy about everything from how to get out of a DUI to what safety in the NFL really means. Opening acts TBA. 7:15 (Fri. & Sat.) & 9:45 p.m. (Sat.), 212 S. Fourth Ave. $20 at aacomedy.com & (if available) at the door. (734) 996–9080.
“Much Ado About Nothing”: Brevity Shakespeare
Observer Editor
May 22–24 & 29–31. This local acting company performs a 90-minute abridged production of Shakespeare’s high-spirited, sharp-tongued comedy about 2 pairs of young lovers. One couple, both disdainful of love, are tricked into acknowledging each other, while the other couple’s love is nearly ruined by deception and suspicion. The play is best known for its charged sexual banter and for the penetrating wit and dark cast of its humor. 7:30 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.) & 2:30 p.m. (Sat. & Sun.), Ypsilanti Performance Space, 218 N. Adams, Ypsi. Tickets $15 (students & seniors, $10). Limited capacity; reservations recommended at brevityshakespeare.org.
“Murder on the Links”: Purple Rose Theatre Company
Observer Editor
Every Wed.–Sun., Apr. 2–May 31. David Bendena directs Steven Dietz’s 2023 farce, based on an Agatha Christie whodunit, in which eccentric Belgian detective Hercule Poirot’s newest client is discovered, dead, on a French golf course. A cast of 6 actors embody a plethora of suspects in this high-energy, comic adaptation. Adult language and subject matter. 7:30 p.m. (Thurs.), 3 p.m. (Thurs., Sat., & Wed.), 8 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.), & 2 p.m. (Sun.). PRT, 137 Park St., Chelsea. Tickets $31.50–$52.50 in advance at purplerosetheatre.org and (734) 433–7673, & (if available) at the door. Discounts available.
“The Last Wide Open”: Theatre Nova
Observer Editor
Every Fri.–Sun., May 22–June 14. Diane Hill directs the Michigan premiere of Audrey Cefaly’s “love song in three movements,” a multiverse musical about the romance between a weary waitress and an immigrant dishwasher/musician playing out in several different parallel universes. The time-bending plot asks: what if love is less about destiny and more about timing? 8 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.), 3 p.m. (Sat., except May 23), and 2 p.m. (Sun.). Theatre Nova, 410 W. Huron St. Tickets $30 (age 65 and older, $25; students with ID, $15 at the door) in advance at theatrenova.org/season11 & (if available) at the door. (734) 635–8450.
Dr. Pete Larson Group: Rancho Tranquilico
Observer Editor
Funky Afro-drone music by this ensemble of veteran local musicians led by Larson, who plays the nyatiti, an 8-stringed lyre from Kenya, which he encountered while working there as an epidemiologist studying snakes. The music is a heady, spiritual mix of African folk and psychedelic rock that blends the nyatiti’s cyclical melodies with free-form synth explorations. 8 p.m. (gate opens at 7:30 p.m.), Rancho Tranquilico barn, 11300 Island Lake Rd., Dexter. Parking is in neighboring Ruhlig’s Country Market driveway. $20 payable via Venmo: @Peter-Larson-39 or PayPal [email protected]. Preregistration required, space limited. (734) 223–2321, [email protected].
“Telescope Observing”: U-M Detroit Observatory
Observer Editor
Every Fri. All invited to drop in to use the Observatory’s 1857 Fitz telescope and other modern instruments. Exhibits are also open regardless of viewing conditions. Last visitors admitted 30 minutes prior to closing. 9–11 p.m., 1398 E. Ann at Observatory. Free, no registration required. (734) 763–2230, detroitobservatory.umich.edu.
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 Friday includes a Charleston lesson. 9–11 p.m., 76 N. Huron St., Ypsi. $5 (students, $4). riversidearts.org/riverside-swings.