A weekend full of festivities

By NICOLE NOECEL

Festival season is in full force this weekend, with four different celebrations throughout the Lansing area, including the Turner-Dodge Fairytale Festival, East Lansing Pride, the Four Meridian Festival and Summer Fest at Dimondale’s County Creek Reception Hall. There will also be plenty of live music, new theater productions, a car show, a film screening and more.

For live music on Friday evening we have rock musician Mark Grinnell at Harrison Roadhouse at 6pm; singer-songwriter and Fingerstyle guitarist Matthew Shannon at Mash Bar, Mike Shuptar and Michelle Frederick of rock band Jimmy Likes Pie at Lansing Shuffle, Tejano bands Los Garcia Bros. and La Corporacion at Grewal Hall at 224 and the Meridian Community Band at Lake Lansing Park South, all at 7; Dixon’s violin at the Howell Opera House at 7:30; singer-songwriter Henry Herig at the Peanut Barrel at age 8; various cover band Electric Flower Co. at the Green Door at 9am; and rock cover band Smokey Bear at the Mash Bar at 10am. Saturday night we have classic rock cover band Medusa at Lansing Brewing Co. at 7 o’clock; Ukrainian band Kommuna Luxat UrbanBeat and punk band The Menzingers with country-rock band Lucero and rock band The Dirty Nil at Grewal Hall on 224, both at 7:30; rapper King Iso at Green Dot Stables at age 8; and AC/DC tribute band ICY/DICEY with ’90s cover band Bad Mother Lover at the Groene Deur at 8:30 p.m. The weekend concludes on Sunday with Red Cedar Spirits’ weekly Sunday Jazz show at 6 p.m., folk musician Jack Straw and friends on the Avenue at 7 p.m., and Amy Winehouse tribute ensemble Lioness on UrbanBeat at 7:30 p.m.

An exhibition by Palestinian-American artist and Michigan State University alumna Samia Halaby opens Saturday at the Broad Art Museum. The museum is open from Friday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm to view all the artworks on display, including ‘Seeing in 360 Degrees: The Zaha Hadid Design Collection’, ‘DOOMSCROLLING’ and the 2024 Triennial of Art, Art History and Design.

Other art exhibits on view this weekend include “Foreign Bodies” and “The LGBTQ+ Artist in Michigan” at the Lansing Art Gallery, open Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; a mixed-media exhibit by local artist Juanita Baldwin at the Haslett Library’s Bookend Gallery, open Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 2 p.m.; Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing’s Passion of the Creative Mind art and photography gallery, open from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and “Figuring It All Out: An Artistic Study of the Human Figure” at the Art Williamston gallery, which is open Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

If you’re looking to do some crafting of your own, the MSU Surplus Store is hosting a drop-in textile upcycling event on Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where visitors can repurpose unwanted clothing and scrap fabric into clothing or non-clothing items.

Lansing Community College presents the first show of its Summer Stage Under the Stars series, Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” Friday through Sunday at 7 p.m. in the Outdoor Amphitheater. In addition, Williamston Theater will present preview performances of the season’s final show, “Predictor,” Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Children can visit the Eaton Rapids Area District Library at 10 a.m. Friday for a bubble magic show.

The two-day Celebration Meridian Festival kicks off Friday with a teen night from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Marketplace on the Green, featuring a performance by School of Rock East Lansing, laser tag, crafts, a video game trailer, gaga ball and Connect 4 tournaments, puzzle competitions and food trucks. The all-ages Saturday block party, which runs from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM at both the Marketplace on the Green and Central Park, features food vendors, beer gardens, carnival rides and games, bounce houses, live music, an animal parade and a fireworks show. In addition, the Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the Meridian Historical Village from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Visit the website for a full schedule of events.

RE Olds Transportation Museum will host its annual Car Capital Auto Show on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The show is open to all makes and years, and participants receive free admission to the museum for two people. There will also be food trucks, a DJ and door prizes.

Weavers of the Web will lead a tour of labyrinths around mid-Michigan beginning Saturday afternoon. Participants must meet at Keys to Manifestation and bring $15 to cover gas for carpooling, as well as a packed lunch and drinks.

Visit the Turner-Dodge House from noon to 6pm on Saturday for the Fairytale Festival, featuring fairytale characters, arts and crafts, vendors, children’s activities and live performances. Festivities on the lawn are free and admission to the house is $5 for children 5 and older.

East Lansing’s Pride Festival takes place Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Albert EL Fresco, featuring a drag show, live music, local vendors, art activities, giveaways and more.

Dimondale’s Country Creek Reception Hall will host its first Summer Party on Saturday from 2pm to 10pm, with live music, karaoke, door prizes and a silent auction. Hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches and drinks will be available for purchase from 3 to 7 p.m. The event aims to raise money to purchase self-care gift baskets for local cancer patients and survivors.

Finally, Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing will host a screening of “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” about a veteran golfer who tries to rebuild his career with the help of a mystical caddie, on Sunday at noon. Pizza will be provided.

Whatever you do, I hope you have a nice weekend.

(Have an event? Be sure to list it for free at lansingcitypulse.com/calendar. Think it’s worth at least a short story? Send a press release to [email protected] for consideration.)