Calendar of Events
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Youth Show: Washtenaw County 4-H.
July 26-31. Six days of animal competitions and auctions, plus crafts, exhibits, and contests. Highlights include a rooster crowing contest (8 a.m., July 28), a goat milk-out (8 a.m. & 8 p.m., July 29), a llama leaping contest (2 p.m., July 29), an animal decorator contest (1:30 p.m., July 31), daily equestrian events, and more.
Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds, 5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd. Free. 429-3145.
Social Bridge: Ann Arbor Senior Center.
Every Tues. & Wed. All seniors age 50 & over invited to play bridge. No partner required. Also, Tues. at 10 a.m., Scrabble.
Ann Arbor Senior Center, 1320 Baldwin. Free. 769-5911.
Preschool Storytimes: Ann Arbor District Library.
Every Tues. & Wed. Stories and songs for kids age 2 & up (accompanied by an adult). Note: These storytimes are also offered at the Traverwood (Tues., 11-11:30 a.m. & Wed., 6-6:30 p.m.), Malletts Creek (Wed., 10-10:30 a.m.), and Pittsfield (Thurs., 7-7:30 p.m., & Fri., 10-10:30 a.m.) branches.
AADL youth department story room, 343 S. Fifth Ave. Free. 327-8301 (main library), 327-4200 (branches).
Jewish Older Adults: Jewish Community Center.
Every Tues. Activities begin at 11 a.m. with "Energy Exercise" ($4), a 60-minute exercise program led by Maria Farquhar, followed at 1 p.m. by mah-jongg, cards, board games, and quilting and other craft projects. Also, at 1:30 p.m., Yiddish Tish, a Yiddish conversation group. Homemade buffet luncheon ($3) available at noon. All invited.
JCC, 2935 Birch Hollow Dr. (off Stone School Rd. south of Packard). Free (except as noted). 971-0990.
U-M Exhibit Museum Planetarium.
Daily (except July 4). Four different audiovisual planetarium shows. The Sky Tonight (1:30 & 3:30 p.m. daily) is an exploration of the current night sky. The Zula Patrol (12:30 p.m. weekdays) is an animated exploration of weather, both terrestrial and interplanetary. MarsQuest (2:30 p.m. weekdays and 12:30 p.m. Sat.), narrated by Star Trek star Patrick Stewart, is about the history of the Red Planet and the reasons for our interest in it. Followed by a brief update on current issues about Mars. Origins of Life (2:30 p.m. Sat. only) is an audiovisual show about the prebiotic chemistry of the Universe after the Big Bang, the formation of the stars and solar systems, the first life on Earth, the great extinctions, and the search for extraterrestrial life.
U-M Exhibit Museum, 1109 Geddes at North University. $4.75. 764-0478.
Juggler-Comedian Ben Spitzer: Ann Arbor District Library.
A program of juggling and comedy, with lots of audience participation, for kids in grades K-5. The program is repeated tonight at 7 p.m. in the downtown library multipurpose room.
AADL Pittsfield Branch, 2359 Oak Valley Dr. between Scio Church Rd. and Ann Arbor-Saline Rd. Free. 327-8301.
Warhammer/Warmachine Open Play: Get Your Game On.
Every Tues., Thurs., & Sat. All invited to play these 2 tactical miniatures board games.
Get Your Game On, 709 Packard. Free. 786-3746.
Magic: The Gathering Tournament: Get Your Game On.
Every Sun. & Tues.-Fri. and July 11, 12, 16, 29, & 20 (different programs). All invited to compete in tournaments of this popular collectible card game using a Elder Dragon Highlander deck. Bring your own cards.
Get Your Game On, 709 Packard. Free. 786-3746.
"Big Sky Ride": Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society.
Every Tues. Moderate-paced ride, 20-35 miles, along flat, relatively quiet picturesque roads south of Ann Arbor. Other Tues. ride: "Huron River Ride" (6 p.m., meet at Forsythe Middle School, 1655 Newport, 662-0205, 761-6253), a slow/moderate-paced ride, 18-40 miles, to Dexter and back.
meet at York Baptist Church, 1220 Stony Creek Rd. at Platt. Free. 971-5763. 424-2802.
"Knit Happens": Ann Arbor Stitch 'n' Bitch.
Every Tues. All knitters invited to bring their current projects to work on and to swap knitting tips.
location TBA. Free. 945-3035.
Sweet Adelines County Connection.
Every Tues. All women invited to join the weekly rehearsals of this local 40-member barbershop harmony chorus.
UAW Local 898 Hall, 8975 Textile Rd. (west of Rawsonville Rd. off I-94), Ypsilanti. Free to visitors ($20 monthly dues for those who join). 480-8843.
"Bad Things Happen": Liberty Borders.
See review. Local writer Harry Dolan reads from his new murder mystery set in Ann Arbor about the editor of a mystery magazine who's accused of murder when one of his coworkers is found dead. Best-selling thriller novelist James Patterson calls it a "rollercoaster ride that is always threatening to hurl the reader out into roaring empty space." Signing.
Borders, 612 E. Liberty. Free. 668-7652.
"All about Bacon": Zingerman's Roadhouse.
Zingerman's cofounder Ari Weinzweig, author of the recently published Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon, and Edwards & Sons (Surry, Virginia) owner Sam Edwards, whose family has been producing traditionally smoked and cured meats since 1925, host a dinner showcasing gourmet bacon. A benefit for the Southern Foodways Alliance.
Zingerman's Roadhouse, 2501 Jackson. $75. Beverages available a la carte. Space limited; reservations required. 663-FOOD.
English Country Dancing: Ann Arbor Community of Traditional Music and Dance.
Every Tues. Historical and traditional English dancing. Today: callers Shirley Harden and Greg Meisner with music by Stokely, Betsy Foote, and Anne Ogren. All dances taught. No partner or experience needed. Bring flat, nonslip shoes (running shoes OK). First-timers are asked to arrive at 7 p.m.
Chapel Hill Condominium clubhouse, 3350 Green Rd. (park on Burbank Dr.) $7 (students, $4; children age 13 & under, free). 665-7704.
Ann Arbor Area Writers Group.
Every Tues. All local writers invited to bring samples of their writing to read and discuss. Observers welcome.
Arborland Borders, 3527 Washtenaw. Free. 665-8194.
Huron Valley Harmonizers Chapter of SPEBSQSA.
Every Tues. All male singers invited to join the weekly rehearsals of this local barbershop harmony chorus.
Stony Creek United Methodist Church, 8635 Stony Creek Rd., Ypsilanti. Free to visitors ($130 annual dues for those who join). Newcomers should call in advance: Greg Humbel at 445-1925.
Annual Summer Lecture Series: Zen Buddhist Temple.
July 14, 21, & 28. A series of 3 lectures by different members of the local Zen Buddhist Temple. Today: Jack Dilley and Daniel Goldstein discuss "Buddhism and Therapy."
Zen Buddhist Temple, 1214 Packard at Wells. Donation. 761-6520.
"Carmina Burana": Blue Lake International Youth Symphony Orchestra and Choir.
Mark Webb conducts Carl Orff's adaptation of secular and religious songs by 13th-century scholars who one music critic says were "better known for their rioting, gambling, and intemperance than for their scholarship." Preceded by Blue Lake faculty recitals at 5:45 & 6:30 p.m. in the Michigan Union.
Hill Auditorium. Free. (800) 221-3796.
German Speakers' Round Table.
Every Tues. All German speakers invited for conversation.
Grizzly Peak Brewing Company, 120 W. Washington. Free admission. 453-2394.
"Triple Double Trivia": The Arena.
Every Tues. All invited to try a wide-ranging trivia quiz for such prizes as T-shirts, hats, and gift certificates. Bonus points awarded for "stupid human tricks" like drinking beer upside down, dancing to Michael Jackson songs, or inserting an entire fist into your mouth.
The Arena, 203 E. Washington. Free. 222-9999.
