Looking for something to do? The Stay Local events calendar lists non-profit and community events on Tuesdays and Fridays. Please check with your club or organization regarding meetings, outings, and classes as they may be canceled due to inclement weather or COVID-19. If the listing is inaccurate or if you would like to submit an event, please contact Julie Norwood at 231-592-8358 or julie.norwood@pioneergroup.com. (The deadline is noon on Sunday for Tuesday’s newspapers and noon on Wednesday for Friday’s newspapers.)
Chili cook-off: Friday, Oct. 20, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the parking lot of Big Rapids City Hall, 226 N. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids. Admission to the chili pepper tasting is free. Everyone is welcome.Voting ends around 7 p.m.
“A Night at the Theater” by Canadian Lakes Players: October 19, 20, and 21 at 7 p.m. and October 22 at 2 p.m. at Canadian Lakes Castle, corner of Pere Marquette and Dubois Streets in Canadian Lakes. Tickets: $10 for adults, $7 for students, available at the door or by calling Betty Gawanda at 231-972-5702.
Peacock Real Estate Trunk-or-Treat: Saturday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Peacock Real Estate, 18030 3 Mile Road, Morley. A pumpkin carving contest will also be held during Trunk or Treat.
Big Rapids Fall Festival in Downtown: Saturday, Oct. 21 from noon to 2 p.m. on South Michigan Avenue in downtown Big Rapids. It will feature inflatables, food trucks, games, a dance floor, balloon artists, and contests for the best costumes and decorated trunks.
Mecosta Fall Festival at Pine Tree Park: Saturday, Oct. 21, from noon to 5 p.m. at Pine Tree Park, corner of Hayes and Chestnut Road in Mecosta. Fun for adults and kids alike, including 50/50 drawing, kids games, bounce house, cake walk, crafts, food trucks, Trunk Him or His Treat, costume contest and more.
Fortface Fall Fest: Saturday, Oct. 21, from 3 to 7 p.m., at Fortface Baptist Bible Camp, 5005 210th Ave., Morley. Includes games, hay rides, pumpkin carving, fall photography, mazes, barrel rides, carnival games, bounce houses and inflatables, campfire with live music, pie eating contest, face painting, food trucks and laser tag .
Glow Show Invitational: Saturday, Oct. 21 at 6:45 p.m. at Reed City High School, 225 W. Church Ave., Reed City. Local high school marching bands put on a show with bright costumes and instruments, illuminated by multicolored lights. Tickets: $10, free for ages 2 and under, available at reedcitybands.org and at the gate.
Oxford Farm Corn Maze: Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays through Oct. 22 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Oxford Farms, 1799 S. 155th Ave. Hersey. Cost: $5 for corn maze, $10 for wagon ride. The Haunted Corn Maze will be held on Saturday, October 21st from 7pm to 10pm. The cost is $10.
Betten Baker Boo Bash: Saturday, Oct. 28, from noon to 2 p.m., Betten Baker, 14120 Northland Drive. It will feature trunks and treats, a bounce house, games, face painting, a coloring contest and more.Fee: Free
Holistic Harvest Festival: Saturday, Oct. 28, from noon to 8 p.m., at Celebration Acres, 555 6th St., Morley. The Holistic Fair is from noon to 5 p.m., and parking is $5. Free Trunk or Treat is available from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The scarecrow-making contest will be held from 5 to 6 p.m., and registration is $10. A costume contest will also be held.
CL Pizza Company Autumn Festival: Saturday, Oct. 28, from noon to 4 p.m. at Canadian Lakes Pizza Company, 8401 100th Ave., Stanwood. Featuring free activities for kids, face painting, bounce houses and pumpkin painting.
Market of Destiny Trick or Treat: Noon until 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Fate’s Market, 2566 9 Mile Road, Remus. Free cider will be provided along with candy and treats.
Ewald Haunted Forest: Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Riverside Park East, 6152 6 Mile Road, Evart. Admission is $5 per person.
Reed City Spooktacular: Saturday, Oct. 28, at noon, downtown Reed City. It features games and activities such as a costume parade, bed races, cornhole tournament, warming stations, and s’mores and textured touch boxes for kids.
Four Green Fields Farm Corn Maze: Saturday from noon to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. at Four Green Fields Farm, 15693 Wilson Road, Rodney. Cost: $3 admission, $2 wagon ride. Children under 5 years old are free. The corn maze will be open until October 29th. The Haunted Maze will be held Fridays and Saturdays from October 7th to 28th, from 8pm to 10:30pm. Cost is $4.
Big Rapids Park and REC.
For more information, contact Josh Pyles at 231-592-4038.
Women’s volleyball: Sundays through Sept. 17 at Big Rapids Middle School, 500 N. Warren Ave., Big Rapids.
Water aerobics: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sept. 11 through Dec. 15 at the University Recreation Center pool. Cost is $4 per class or $40 for 12 classes of punch. There will be no classes on October 16th and November 24th.
latin dance fusion: Mondays from 6 to 7 p.m., starting Sept. 18, at Big Rapids Middle School, 500 N. Warren Ave., Big Rapids. The cost is $5. There will be no classes on October 23rd.
Groove for the young at heart: Held at the Big Rapids Middle School Cafeteria, 500 N. Warren Ave., Big Rapids, starting September 21st and Thursdays from 4:00 to 4:45 p.m. The cost is $5.
groove: It will be held Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m., starting Sept. 21, in the Big Rapids Middle School cafeteria, 500 N. Warren Ave., Big Rapids. The cost is $5.
Pickleball: Pickleball courts behind Big Rapids Middle School (500 N. Warren Ave., Big Rapids ) will be held. The cost is a $1 donation to help with supply costs.
Senior fit time: Tuesdays 4-5 p.m. and Thursdays 3-4 p.m., September 12-December 14 at the Style Station, 1619 Catherine St., Big Rapids. Cost is $2 per participant. .
Delaying the disease Parkinson’s fitness: Thursdays, September 14th through December, 1:00pm to 1:45pm at Style Station, 1619 Catherine Street, Big Rapids. The cost is $2 per participant.
walking program: Monday through Thursday, Oct. 31 through March 31, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Big Rapids Middle School, 500 N. Warren Ave., Big Rapids. There is no cost. There are no walking programs on Fridays or school holidays.
Ongoing programs and activities
Big Rapids Farmers Market: Fridays (May 3 – October 27) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the City Hall parking lot, 226 N.michigan Ave. Big Rapids.
Big Rapids Area Kiwanis Club: 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month at United Church Fellowship Hall, 120 S. State, Big Rapids. For more information, visit facebook.com/bigrapidsmikiwanis.
Mecosta County Historical Museum: Saturday, 1-3 p.m., 129 S. Stewart Ave., Big Rapids. For more information or to schedule a private tour, call 520-334-0123, 231-796-4662, or 231-867-3311.
Mecosta County Genealogical Society: 2nd Saturday of every month 10am to 2pmor by appointment at 424 N. Fourth Ave., Big Rapids, next to Recycle. It is open to the public to research genealogy and history in Mecosta County and the surrounding area. Volunteers were needed to help sort and index. For more information or to make a reservation, please call Maureen Nelson at 231-250-5555.
Reed City Cultural Heritage Museum: We are open Friday through Tuesday from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at 138 W. Slosson Ave. in Reed City. Free admission. Groups are also welcome.
Mecosta County Sheriff: Second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m., Mecosta County Jail Basement Training Room, 225 S. Stewart Ave. big rapids. This volunteer group is always looking for new members. For more information, call 231-250-9241.
Morley Community Center: 151 7th St., Morley. For more information, visit morleycenter.org/events or call 231-856-4496.
- Aerobic drumming: Sunday 1-2 p.m.
- Pickleball: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. Thursday 5-7 p.m.
- Open Gym: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30pm to 5:00pm.
- Garage sale: Every other Friday and Saturday (February 17th and 18th, March 3rd and 4th, etc.)
- Blood Drive: Second Monday of odd-numbered months, 1:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Wheatland Jamboree: Every second Saturday through November from 2:00pm to 5:00pm at Wheatland Cabin, 7251 50th Ave., Remus. (Informal jam session for acoustic musicians. Free and open to the public)
Community lunch: Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Third Street United Methodist Church, 226 N. Third Ave., Big Rapids. The community lunch program has resumed. This is a free meal service, but donations are appreciated. For more information, call 231-796-4157 or 231-796-6779.
Swiss Steak Dinner: The last Friday of each month from April through October from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Baritone Senior Center, 71 Northern Ave., Baritone. Open to the public; everyone is welcome. Meals include Swiss steak, potatoes, gravy, vegetables, bread rolls, drinks, and pie. Price: $10. Proceeds support the senior center.
Artwork classes, exhibitions
106 N. Michigan Ave., Big Rapids / 231-796-2420 /artworksinbigrapids.org
Beyond brushes: Nov. 11 from 10 a.m. to noon. In this monthly workshop, you’ll experiment with creative techniques such as collage, spraying, sputtering, salting, pouring, sponging, and scraping. Ideas and tools are presented and participants can imitate or exceed them. By myself. Price: $40. Register at artworksinbirapids.org/painting.
After school art: Wednesdays from 3:45pm to 5:15pm. Target age is 7 to 13 years old. Cost: Free. Class capacity is 12 people. Drop-ins will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. She recommends calling 231-796-2420 to register by the Monday before each weekly class.
Handmade pottery: Mondays from September 11th to October 23rd from 6:00pm to 8:00pm (no classes on October 9th). Learn how to make jewelry, functional pottery, and sculptures using traditional handcraft methods. Price: $165. Register your artwork at sinbirapids.org/pottery.
Open pottery: Tuesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. Price: $10 per session, $60 for punch cards for 8 sessions. (Additional firing fees apply; clay is available in bulk for $20 per 25 pounds.) To schedule a session, call 231-796-2420.
Open studio basket weaving: Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. Price: $10 per session. This is not a class, but an open weave night to socialize and work on individual projects. Pre-registration is not required.
Exhibit — Hispanic Heritage: Held from September 15th to November 4th, Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm at Artworks Batdorff Gallery.
Exhibition — Artist in Residence Vincent Johnson: Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Artworks Alley Gallery.