Community Calendar

Free, peer-led mental health support: NAMI Connection Group. Held Wednesdays, 5pm Online (see website for zoom link) and at Child & Family Services, 3785 Veterans Dr.

Join us for the an evening of thoughtful conversation and community connection. Housing expert Ryan Kilpatrick of Flywheel Momentum will share insights on today's most pressing issues, as we explore the future of housing in Benzie County. Don't miss this opportunity to ask questions, exchange ideas, and add your voice to this important discussion.

A cozy spread of snacks and hot drinks will be provided. A kid's activity corner will also be provided for families who want to attend with children.

Free, no RSVP necessary.

For more information email us at info@housingtrustofbenzie.org.

If you need help setting up your new phone or tablet, troubleshooting problems with your current devices, or navigating the internet, drop by the library for 30 minutes of free help from staff member Jeff Morton.

Sponsored by Alden District Library, 8751 Helena Rd, Alden, 231-331-4318.

Join us for BOOKENDs, Suttons Bay Bingham District Library’s book discussion group.

The group meets at 2pm on the second Thursday of each month (except July, August & December) in the library’s lower level Community Meeting Room.

Books for the upcoming month will be available at the library’s front desk, or use the Libby app to borrow the title from the library’s digital collection.

February’s selection is The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters.

Enjoy the company of fellow book lovers while discussing “The Little Wartime Library” by Kate Thompson.

Free Event.

Sponsored by Alden District Library and held at Helena Township Community Center, 8751 Helena Rd, Alden, 231-331-4318.

“The History of Crystal Highlands.”
Presented by: Anne Rogers
Thursday, February 12, 2026, 4 pm
Where: Mills Community House & ZOOM

High on a glacial moraine above Crystal Lake’s north shore is Crystal Highlands, a community that celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025. In the early part of the 20th century, after the logging era, orchards and farms were established in the cut-over lands. In the early 1970s, Jim Kelly and Jack French acquired 550 acres of farmland with a vision to create a resort community while preserving the area's ecology. This is the story of that community.

Presenter: Anne Rogers

Anne is a volunteer in the Benzie Area Historical Society Archives. Born in Southern Indiana, she spent her childhood summers on the north shore of Crystal Lake, with happy memories of weekly visits to the library right here in the Mills Community House. She has been roaming the trails in Crystal Highlands since its inception and still lives there today. After rewarding careers at The Dow Chemical Company in Midland and Cargill in Minneapolis, Anne is happily retired and volunteers at the Benzie Area Historical Society Archive and the Piping Plover team in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

This presentation is part of the Benzie Area Historical Society’s Benzonia Academy Lecture Series, held on the second Thursday of each month. Admission is by donation, and the recommended donation is $5.

To learn more about the February 12th lecture, visit the Benzie Area Historical Society’s website, benziemuseum.org, Instagram, or Facebook page; call the Museum at (231) 882-5539; or email info@benziemuseum.org.

Join The Kingsley Folk School at Kingsley Branch Library for a relaxed, no-prep storytelling community circle. Inspired by NPR’s The Moth, the Everyone Has a Story series invites you to simply show up and share—no scripts, no pressure. Just real moments from your life, told in the moment.

Together, we’ll listen, laugh, reflect, and connect with neighbors through the power of spontaneous storytelling.

Participants are welcome to speak for up to 5 minutes, or simply come to enjoy the stories and the sense of community.

This gathering happens on the second Thursday of every month from 5:30–7:00 p.m. at the Kingsley Branch Library.

Event is free and open to all, with no registration required.

For more information or to request reasonable accommodations, please call the Library at 231-263-5484 or follow us on Facebook.

"I wanna be in the room where it happens. I've got to be in the room where it happens." - Aaron Burr, Hamilton

"America, you great unfinished symphony, you sent for me. You let me make a difference. A place where even orphan immigrants can leave their fingerprints and rise up.”— Alexander Hamilton, Hamilton

Be in the room where it happens at our Hamilton Sing-along! Join fellow fans to watch and sing along with the hit Broadway musical about the “ten-dollar founding father.” All voices welcome—costumes encouraged!

This event is part of our 2026 Civics Celebration - tadl.org/democracy

This annual favorite will feature hundreds of works by talented students in grades K-12 from regional schools. A wide variety of media will be on display, including photography, digital art, ceramics, painting, drawing, sculpture, and mixed media. The work will be juried by area artist and educator, Glenn Wolff. Awards for first place through honorable mention will be awarded in several categories.

A reception, sponsored by A & W of Frankfort, will be held on Friday, February 13th from 5:00 - 7:00 PM.

A self-guided tour with lighthouse staff and volunteers on hand to share stories of pirates, murder, shipwrecks and lots of other fun stories. End your tour with a tower climb for an evening or night view. Only 40 tickets are available per night. If we need to cancel because of weather, we will reschedule your tour. No refunds.

Grand Traverse Lighthouse is located at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, inside the Leelanau State Park. All proceeds benefit the ongoing winter maintenance projects at the Lighthouse.

Tickets are available at My North Tickets:Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum – Night at the Light: Tour & Tower Climb

Last tour at 6:30 pm. Cost is $10 per person. Tours begin at 5, 5:30, 6 & 6:30.

For more information please contact Grand Traverse Lighthouse at 231-386-7195 or info@grandtraverselighthouse.com.