Summer is flying by as we enter July’s third week, after a 4th that saw boatloads of visitors celebrate the holiday here. This week at your Community Center, we invite you to take a break from the temps outside and join us for some enlightening and crowd-pleasing programs. More of the fine print and ticket info is on the Community Calendar at the top of this page, and read on for the main events.

On Monday the 14th from 4:00 – 5:30 PM in our auditorium is the first of two consecutive presentations: a Community Forum on Wave Energy, focusing on the potential development of wave-generated energy on Beaver Island. This event is open to short-term and long-term residents of Beaver Island ages 18 and older. Learn about the basics of wave energy technology; hear about potential test sites for wave energy on Beaver Island; share your feedback during a 30-minute guided discussion (optional); and participate in a 20-minute questionnaire (optional). This study is a collaboration between the University of Michigan, East Carolina University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and VTechWorks, a renewable energy research organization. A second presentation takes place on Tuesday, July 15 from 5:00 – 6:30 PM.

Then on the 16th is a special treat from a legendary music venue in Ann Arbor: North Country Opera: Recorded Live at the Ark. Its a filmed recording of the iconic folk musical that has delighted thousands of Michiganders for over 40 years, the north country’s own version of a timeless love story: a young man falls in love with the beauty of the northern woods and rivers – and a woman he meets there. Join us for the screening of North Country Opera, led by Kristi Davis, and followed by a Q&A from Dave Boutette and Chris McMullen–two original cast members and frequent island performers. And, in North Country Opera tradition, any attendee wearing plaid will be entered in a drawing to win another iconic symbol of northern Michigan – a Stormy Kromer hat. The most recent staging of the play – a sold-out performance at The Ark in Ann Arbor in 2022 – was recorded, capturing every musical note, comedic line, and bar-stool wise crack in high fidelity. Since then, North Country Opera: Live at The Ark has been screened in theaters in Ann Arbor, multiple locations in northern Michigan, and now Beaver Island! Get your tickets at the Tickets page above, and…

We’ll see you at the Community Center !