Observer Editor
Events for November 6, 2026
“Joe’s Breakfast Club”: Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society
Every Fri. Moderate-paced ride, 20 miles or more, to Dexter and beyond. Pack a lunch or stop in Dexter. See aabts.org for weather cancellations or delays. 10 a.m. sharp, meet at Delhi Metro Park parking lot (left of the tollbooth), E. Delhi off Huron River Dr. Free. [email protected].
Ann Arbor Stamp Show: Ann Arbor Stamp Club
Nov. 6 & 7. This venerable annual stamp show, Michigan’s largest, features 23 dealers and 2 auction firms from 13 states selling US and foreign stamps, covers, postcards, and collector supplies. Also, displays of stamps and postal history, a youth area with free stamps and supplies for beginning stamp collectors, a global postcard exchange, and more. The UN Postal Administration and the US Postal Service, an event cosponsor, sell recent issues. Food available. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (Fri.) & 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (Sat.), WCC Morris Lawrence Bldg., 4800 E. Huron River Dr. Free admission. Sign-in and name tags required. (734) 761–5859, [email protected], annarborstampclub.org.
“21st Annual Wine, Walk, & Shop”: Chelsea Merchants
Nov. 6 & 7. Vendor market, with art by Chelsea painters until 4 p.m. at the depot. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., downtown Chelsea. Free admission. chelseamich.com/wws.
“Investigate Labs”: U-M Museum of Natural History
Every Tues.–Sun., except Nov. 26. 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 membranes can help solve water shortages. 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 1105 North University. Free. (734) 764–0478, ummnh.org.
Chime Concert: Kerrytown Market & Shops
Every Wed., Fri., & Sat. 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. (Wed. & Fri.) & 10:30–11 a.m. (Sat.). Free. [email protected].
Takeshi Nagayasu: First Baptist Church Ad Libitum Concert Series
This visiting pianist performs a selection of works by Joseph Haydn and Alexander Scriabin. Noon–1 p.m., 517 E. Washington (handicap access on Washington entrance). Free. (734) 663–9376, fbca2.org.
U-M Museum of Natural History Planetarium & Dome Theater
Every Fri.–Sun. Three different audiovisual planetarium shows suitable for all ages. Did an Asteroid Really Kill the Dinosaurs? (noon) looks at cosmic collisions across the solar system including the 6-mile-wide asteroid that hit the earth 66 million years ago; 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. $9 at the gift shop. Limited capacity. (734) 764–0480, ummnh.org.
Duplicate Bridge: Ann Arbor City Club
Every Tues., Thurs., & Fri., except Nov. 26. All invited to play ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge (Tues. & Fri.) and a game (Thurs.) for players with no more than 750 ACBL master points. 1–4 p.m. (arrive by 12:45 p.m.), 1830 Washtenaw Ave. $9–$11 per person. If you plan to come without a partner, email [email protected].
“Superhero Family Trivia Night”: Ann Arbor Parks & Recreation
All age 5 & up invited to answer trivia questions that range in difficulty to include the whole family. 5–6:30 p.m., Ann Arbor Senior Center, 1320 Baldwin. Free. Preregistration required by emailing [email protected] with name and number of people. (734) 794–6250, [email protected], secure.rec1.com/mi/city-of-ann-arbor.
“Hand-Sewn Acorn Decoration”: Ann Arbor District Library
Craft activity for adults & teens. 5:30–7:30 p.m., AADL Traverwood. Free. (734) 327–4200.
“How To: Programmable LEDs”: Ann Arbor District Library
Adults & teens invited to learn how to use a WLED light controller to set up holiday decorations and other programmable lighting. 6–7:30 p.m., AADL Downtown, Secret Lab. Free. (734) 327–4200.
“The Road Home”: Ann Arbor District Library
Occasional screenings in the Downtown Branch lower level program rm., and other locations as noted. Free. (734) 327–4200.
Nov. 6: “The Road Home” (Kameron Donald, 2026). Documentary exploring the critical issues of mental health, housing insecurity, and homelessness in Washtenaw County. It examines both the underlying challenges and potential solutions through a unified community effort. Followed by a discussion. 6 p.m.
Angelica Esquivel and Nadia Mota: Literati Bookstore
These 2 poets read from & discuss their work. Esquivel’s debut Crying My Best delves into the complex, often hidden histories of the poet’s Midwestern Mexican American family. Mota’s La Chiflada examines grief filtered through the lens of girlhood. 6:30 p.m., 124 E. Washington. Free. (734) 585–5567.
“Self-Guided Lantern-Lit Trail”: Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission
Nov. 6, 13, & 20 (various locations). Self-guided hike along about a mile of lantern-lit trail through the woods, followed by a campfire and treats. 6–8:30 p.m. (check in by 7:30 p.m.), County Farm Park, 2230 Platt (Nov. 6); Independence Lake County Park Beach Center Pavilion, 3200 Jennings, Whitmore Lake (Nov. 13); Rolling Hills County Park, 7660 Stony Creek Rd., Ypsi (Nov. 20). Admission is $20 worth of nonperishable food donations for Food Gatherers, plus $6 (nonresidents, $10) vehicle entry fee for Independence Lake. Preregistration (one per household) requested at washtenaw.org/registerparks (#56000). [email protected].
First Friday Shabbat: Jewish Cultural Society
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.
“Owl Night Hike”: Hudson Mills Metropark
Naturalist Abby Lauer discusses native owls and then leads a 1-mile hike through the park for all age 8 & up to look for these mysterious birds. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. 6:30–8 p.m., Hudson Mills Activity Center, 8801 North Territorial, Dexter. $5/person. Preregistration required by 4 p.m. Nov. 5 at tinyurl.com/hudson-m-nov26. Metroparks pass or $10 vehicle entrance fee required. (734) 426–8211, [email protected].
Bekka Madeleine: Crazy Wisdom Bookstore First Fridays Live Music
Performance by this young local singer-songwriter who writes pop-inflected Americana songs with haunting, melancholy lyrics. Her new EP, Don’t You Got Better Things to Do?, was made with her sister Hannah. 6:30–8:30 p.m., 114 S. Main. Free. crazywisdombookstore.com.
“Euchre Change a Life!”
Five-game euchre tournament. Sign up with a partner or get paired with one by the organizers. Prizes. Food & beverages available for purchase. Proceeds benefit Haitian children via Haitian Christian Outreach. 6:30–9 p.m., HOMES Campus, 112 Jackson Plz. $15 (HOMES members, $10). [email protected], tinyurl.com/a2euchrechange.
Magic: The Gathering: Sylvan Factory
Every Wed., Fri., & Sat. All invited to play both casual and tournament forms of the collectible card game MTG. Wed. & Sat. (5 p.m.): “Commander.” A drop-in session of the most popular form of the game. Free. Fri. (6:30 p.m.): “Booster Draft.” Players take turns opening booster packs to create a 40-card deck. $25. Various times & prices, 2459 W. Stadium. (734) 929–5877, sylvanfactory.com.
“13: The Musical”: U-M Basement Arts
Nov. 6 & 7. This U-M student theater troupe performs Dan Elish and Robert Horn’s 2008 coming-of-age Broadway musical about a young Jewish boy who moves to a sleepy Indiana town from NYC following his parents’ divorce. Desperate to fit in as he navigates the social hierarchies of his new middle school, he sets out to win friends by turning his Bar Mitzvah into the coolest party ever. 7 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.) & 11 p.m. (Fri.), U-M Walgreen Drama Center, Newman Studio, 1226 Murfin. Free. instagram.com/basement_arts.
“Creature Encounters & Adult Open Hours”: The Creature Conservancy
Every Sat. & Sun. and Nov. 6 & 20. On Sat. & Sun., staffers show some native Michigan animals, including a cougar, black rat snake, and opossum at 1 & 4 p.m.; and a wild turkey at 2 & 3 p.m. During the Friday Adult Open Hours (age 18+ only), conservancy staffers show all four animals at 7:30 p.m. All tickets include a chance to see the conservancy’s other animals. Noon–5 p.m. (Sat. & Sun.) & 7–9 p.m. (Fri.), 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.
U-M Indian American Students Association Cultural Show
U-M students present an evening of old and new Indian culture, featuring Western and Eastern fashion shows, music, and a variety of student-choreographed performances that showcase various Indian dance styles performed in traditional regalia. One of the largest student-run productions in the country, with over 250 participants. 7 p.m., Michigan Theater. Tickets (price TBA) available in advance at mutotix.umich.edu and at the door. [email protected].
Jason Jamerson: Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase
Nov. 5–7. Rising, versatile Detroit native with an amusing, wide-ranging act covering diverse topics, from attending a birthday party thrown by overly religious relatives to his annoyance at weed smokers. Opening act TBA. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m. (Thurs.–Sat.) & 9:45 p.m. (Sat.), 212 S. Fourth Ave. $20 (Thurs., $15) at aacomedy.com & (if available) at the door. (734) 996–9080.
“The Great American Songbook: George Gershwin”: Kerrytown Concert House
Nov. 6 & 8. U-M musical theater professor Tyler Driskill, a singer-pianist, and U-M musical theater professor emeritus Brent Wagner present lecture-demos on why the Great American Songbook is so great. Tonight: They demonstrate the genius of Gershwin’s masterful compositions, including his work with his lyricist brother Ira, from “I Got Rhythm,” to “They Can’t Take That Away from Me,” and one of the most lasting standards in the American songbook, “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess. Includes performances by U-M musical theater students. 7:30–9 p.m. (Fri.) & 4–6 p.m. (Sun.), 415 N. Fourth Ave. Tickets $25–$35 (students, $15–$25) in advance at kerrytownconcerthouse.com & (if available) at the door. (734) 769–2999.
Duo CPE: Academy of Early Music
Cleveland-based duo of fortepianist Mikhail Grazhdanov and soprano Andréa Walker showcases the polarity between polite and untethered expression cultivated in the German salon circa 1800 through poetic declamation and a performance of cantatas by CPE Bach and Johann Friedrich Reichardt, dramatic keyboard music by CPE Bach, and lieder by Louise Reichardt, Mozart, and Haydn. Preceded at 6:45 p.m. by a talk. 7:30 p.m., St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 306 N. Division. $35 (seniors, $30; students, $10) in advance at academyofearlymusic.org & (if available) at the door. $5 increase after Oct. 30. (734) 228–4338.
“Peter and the Starcatcher”: Huron Players
Nov. 6–8. JD Beniston directs Huron High School students in Rick Elice’s 2009 Tony Award–winning play. Adapted from Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson’s 2004 novel which gives a backstory to Peter Pan, the narrative follows the nautical adventures of pirates, crocodiles, and three orphan boys. 7:30 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.) & 2 p.m. (Sat. & Sun.), Huron High School, Meyers Auditorium, 2727 Fuller. Tickets $15 (students & staff, $10) in advance at huronplayers.ludus.com & at the door (cash, check, or Venmo). huronplayers.weebly.com.
“Family Pains”: PTD Productions
Nov. 5–8 & 11–14. Marie Jones directs local actors in the premiere of Michigan playwright Erin Osgood’s new family comedy-drama about a young woman who surprises her conservative family by bringing her new Black wife to Thanksgiving dinner. 7:30 p.m. (Thurs.–Sat.) & 2 p.m. (Sun. & Wed.), Riverside Arts Center, 76 N. Huron St., Ypsi. Tickets $20 (students & seniors, $15; Thurs., pay what you can), in advance at ptdproductions.com, by phone, & at the door. (734) 483–7345.
Matthew Bengtson and Joseph Gascho: U-M Music School Faculty Recital
These U-M early music professors perform a program of keyboard works by Scarlatti, Marcello, Vivaldi, and others on a recently acquired copy of a 1722 fortepiano by Bartolomeo Cristofori, widely regarded as the inventor of the piano. Also tomorrow at 2 p.m., renowned keyboard builders Thomas and Barbara Wolf present a guest lecture on how they built the instrument, followed at 4 p.m. by a student keyboard recital. 8 p.m., U-M Moore Bldg., McIntosh Theatre, 1100 Baits. Free. (734) 764–0583.
Brad Phillips: Rancho Tranquilico
Rescheduled from Oct. 10. House concert by this nationally renowned Saline-bred multi-instrumental string virtuoso and multi-genre singer-songwriter whose one-man show includes traditional music, popular covers, and originals, all performed on guitar, fiddle, or mandolin. BYOB. No tobacco products or pets. 8 p.m. (doors, 7:30 p.m.), 11300 Island Lake Rd., Dexter. Park along the driveway. $25 payable via Venmo: @bradphillipsmusicllc. Preregistration required; space limited. (734) 223–2321, [email protected].
“The Skin of Our Teeth”: U-M Rude Mechanicals
Nov. 6–8. This U-M student theater troupe performs Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize–winning 1942 satirical allegory, which he called “a history of mankind in comic strip.” The Antrobus family barely survives the Ice Age only to be plunged into Noah’s Flood and washed up onto a postapocalyptic wasteland. The tragedies are put on hold when the actors break character and poke fun at the notion of a play, and the family’s ditzy maid adds a flirty comic touch, but the sinister, slow evolution of the family’s bratty boy into a mindless, militaristic possible murderer adds considerable darkness to this work that Wilder said “mostly comes alive under conditions of crisis.” 8 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.) & 2 p.m. (Sun.), Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 911 North University. Tickets $15 (students & seniors, $10) in advance at muto.umich.edu & at the door. (734) 763–1107, [email protected].
Telescope Observing: U-M Detroit Observatory
Nov. 6, 13, 14, & 20. 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. 8–10 p.m., 1398 E. Ann at Observatory. Free, no registration required. (734) 763–2230, detroitobservatory.umich.edu.
“What Could Possibly Go Wrong?”: Theatre Nova
Every Fri.–Sun., Nov. 6–15. Diane Hill directs local actors in this ensemble musical comedy, subtitled “A Cabaret of Love, Lies, and Bad Decisions,” a celebration of the funniest, most disastrous productions in Broadway history. Music by Brian Rose. 8 p.m. (Fri.), 7 p.m. (Sat.), 3 p.m. (Sat., except Nov. 7), & 2 p.m. (Sun.). Theatre Nova, 410 W. Huron St. Tickets $35–$100 in advance at theatrenova.org & (if available) at the door. (734) 635–8450.
Angell Hall Observatory Open House: U-M Student Astronomical Society
Nov. 6 & 20. All invited to peer through the observatory and rooftop telescopes (weather permitting) and view planetarium shows. Also, short astronomy presentations by club members. 8–10 p.m., Angell Hall Planetarium, rm. 3118. Free. (734) 764–3440.
“Witch”: U-M Residential College Players
Nov. 6 & 7. RC students perform Jen Silverman’s 2018 dark comedy, a feminist retelling of the 1621 Jacobean tragicomedy The Witch of Edmonton, about the real-life trial and execution of Elizabeth Sawyer, an impoverished English woman who is not actually a practitioner of witchcraft, but rather a brilliant, defiant cynic who refuses to sell her soul cheaply. 8 p.m., East Quad Keene Theater, 701 East University. Free; donations accepted. (734) 647–4354.
U-M Men’s Glee Club Fall Concert
Matthew Abernathy leads this student a cappella ensemble in a program of songs TBA. 8 p.m., Hill Auditorium. Tickets $8–$25 in advance at tickets.smtd.umich.edu & at the door. (734) 615–3204.
“Femme Feedback” Comedy Night: Bløm Mead + Cider
A variety of women and trans comics try out new material with a veteran comic presiding to offer feedback. 8–10 p.m., 100 S. Fourth Ave. Free, but purchase of food & drink encouraged. (734) 548–9729, drinkblom.com/events.
“La Rondine (The Swallow)”: U-M Voice & Opera Department
November 5–8. U-M opera students, accompanied by the University Symphony Orchestra, perform Puccini’s bittersweet love story about a French courtesan and an idealistic young man who offers an alternative to her life of excess. Sung in Italian, English supertitles. 7:30 p.m. (Thurs.), 8 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.), and 2 p.m. (Sun.), Power Center. Tickets $29–$35 (students, $16) in advance at smtd.umich.edu & at the door. (734) 615–3204. tickets.smtd.umich.edu/6978/6979
“Bastard”: Purple Rose Theatre Company
Every Wed.–Sun., Sept. 24–Dec. 20, except Nov. 26. Rhiannon Ragland directs retired Detroit newscaster and playwright Devin Scillian’s family comedy-drama about a conflict between brothers—an aging country rocker and a buttoned-down finance guy—after their mother’s death. Adult language and subject matter. 7:30 p.m. (Thurs.), 8 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.), 2 p.m. (Sun.), & 3 p.m. (Sat. & Wed.). 137 Park St., Chelsea. Tickets $31.50–$52.50 in advance at purplerosetheatre.org, (734) 433–7673, & (if available) at the door. Discounts available.
Riverside Swings: Riverside Arts Center
Every Fri. Swing dancing to recorded music. No partner or experience required. Wear comfortable low-grip/tread shoes. Preceded at 7 & 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.