Submit calendar events to Jill McCaughan, feature writer, by email at jill.mccaughan@leaderpub.com or offthewater@leaderpub.com or visit the Leader

Publications office at 217 N. Fourth Street, Niles.

 

May 24

The 5th Annual Arts and Crafts Show at St. John United Church of Christ in New Buffalo promises something for everyone. Come early and enjoy a variety of quality art of all kinds and unique handcrafted items by over 70 artists from Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. There is no charge for admission. The main hall is ADA compliant, and additional spaces are outdoors and in the church annex. Snacks and lunch items will be available for purchase. For more info e-mail craftfair200@att.net, call (734) 277-3180, or visit www.stjohnartsandcraftsshow.weebly.com.

The New Rock School of Aesthetics will host a gallery grand opening from 2 to 4 p.m. Light refreshments will be offered. The gallery is located across from Driftwood in Sister Lakes.

 

May 24-25

Round Barn Winery in Baroda will host the eighth annual Annual DiVine Intervention event, featuring live music, drinks and food. Event-goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and sun umbrellas. Coolers and outside food/drinks are not permitted.

 

May 25

Chickaming Township Parks and Preserves will host a Geocache Dash from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Search area parks and preserves and log your discoveries to win prizes. There will be a wrap-up party at Chickaming Township Park. Light refreshment will be offered. Visit chickamingopenlands.org for more information.

 

May 30

Jay Leno will visit the Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo at 9 p.m. Tickets for the event can be purchased beginning on Saturday, April 12 at 10 a.m. Eastern exclusively through the Ticketmaster Web site, www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling at (800)745-3000.  Ticket prices start at $75 plus applicable fees.

 

May 30-31

The Elkhart County Parks will offer a Family Campout on Friday and Saturday, May 30-31. Cost for the campout is $15 per person or $50 per family. Participants must preregister by 4 p.m. on May 23. For more information or to preregister please call the Elkhart County Parks at 574-535-6458

 

May 31

The Everyday Angels Relay for Life team invite the public to join them for a girls’ night in from 5 to 8 p.m at the Community Church of Christ, located at 110 N. Cleveland Rd. in Galien. There is a $5 entry fee, which covers food and entry into a door prize drawing. Vendors include Thirty One, Origami Owl, Pampered Chef and more.

Brooklyn based husband and wife duo, Jillian Speece and Nathaniel Paul Hoff, are the architects behind the vibrant sound known as The Bergamot. They make their first appearance on the Box Factory for the Arts stage on May 31 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets, available online with PayPal at www.boxfactoryforthearts.org/calendar/#bergamot or at the door, are $10 general admission; $8 students and seniors; children 12 and under free.

 

May 31

Adults and teenagers can learn the basics of kayaking with Sarett Nature Center at North Lake Park in  Stevensville at 2 p.m. The fee is $15. Call (269) 927-4832 to register.

 

June 2

Award-winning Elvis tribute artist Doug Church will provide the entertainment for the annual dinner benefitting the Frantz L. Dantzler Friends For Life Fund. The dinner will be held at Parisi’s Italian Restaurant, 1412 South Bend Ave., South Bend. A social hour will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the dinner and program at 7 p.m. The cost is $45 per person. Come early to enjoy the social hour, raffle and silent auction.

Award-winning Elvis tribute artist Doug Church will provide the entertainment June 2 for the annual dinner benefitting the Frantz L. Dantzler Friends For Life Fund. The dinner will be held at Parisi’s Italian Restaurant, 1412 South Bend Ave., South Bend. A social hour will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the dinner and program at 7 p.m. The cost  is $45 per person. Come early to enjoy the social hour, raffle and silent auction.

 

June 6

The fifth annual Swinging for Sculpture Golf Outing and Party will begin with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. at Berrien Hills Golf Club. Golfers will have the opportunity to participate in lively games and contests including the most loudly dressed and most artistically dressed golfer. Afterwards, fresh and filling food from Ray’s on the Green will be served buffet-style. A silent auction will offer unique combinations of art, food, sports and services and live music by the ever-popular Slim Gypsy Baggage will round out the evening. Cost is $140 per person. Proceeds will benefit the purchase of a new sculpture by the Krasl Art Center.

The Potawatomi Zoological Society will be hosting a wine tasting event, The Grape Escape from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Potawatomi Zoo. Tickets are on sale now and cost $35 per person and include a tasting glass, wine samplings and food sampling from area restaurants. Tickets can be purchased online at potawatomizoo.org, over the phone by calling (574) 288-4639 Monday through Friday, or by visiting any open admission gate at the Potawatomi Zoo. Proceeds from The Grape Escape will benefit wildlife conservation, new naturalistic exhibits and education programs. For more information on Potawatomi Zoo please call 574-235-9800 or visit www.potawatomizoo.org.

Radio Harbor Country is having it’s second BikeNBrunch ride. Riders will depart from an artist’s private country home near Three Oaks  and ride 15, 30 or 45 mile loops through some of Harbor Country’s most beautiful bike trails.  Registration begins at 8:30 and  the ride begins at 9 a.m. Afterward, a gourmet brunch of  farm to table food from local restauranteurs and growers will be served at the farm  There will also be a tour of the artist’s studio and the WRHC radio station.

 

June 7

Songwriter and composer Bryan Edington will present a debut concert of his original work at the Box Factory for the Arts, 1101 Broad St., St. Joseph at 7:30 p.m. Joining him on stage will be guitarist Joe Gyamati and singer Matt Baumgartner. Tickets are available online with PayPal at /www.boxfactoryforthearts.org/calendar/#edington or at the door. Cost is $10 general admission; $8 students and seniors; children 12 and under free.

 

June 9-13

The Elkhart County Parks will offer a Junior Indiana Master Naturalist Day Camp from 9 a.m. to p.m. June 9-13. The Junior Indiana Master Naturalist program is a state-sponsored program designed to bring together natural resource specialists with young people ages 9-12.  The camp fee is $90, if registered by May 15, or $110, if registered after May 15. Registration deadline is May 30. More information such as a tentative schedule can be found on the Elkhart County Parks’ Facebook page or by calling our Administration office at (574) 535-6458.

 

June 12-15

Barn Swallow Theater hosts “An Evening with Original Playwrights” featuring local authors.  Directed by Bev Smith.

 

June 14

South Bend will offer another Parent’s Without Partners Dance from 7:30 p.m. to midnight at ZB Falcoln’s Hall, at the corner of Western and SHeridan in South Bend. Admission is $7. For more information, call (574) 256-9326.

 

June 14-15

The Twin City Players (TCP) will hold auditions for a Second Stage production. Auditions for the August production of My Big Gay Italian Wedding by Anthony Wilkinson will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 15. Participants will be asked to participate in readings from the script. A prepared monologue and a short a cappella musical number are recommended, but not required.

 

June 15

R&B recording artist Lyfe Jennings returns to the Morris Performing Arts Center, South Bend, Ind. at 7:30 p.m.  The show also includes comedians Luenell, Honest John, Pierre, and is hosted by Gino J. Tickets are $45 and $100 and are on sale at 2 p.m. April 26 by phone at 574-235-9190 or 800-537-6415, or online at morriscenter.org.

He isn’t a talking horse, but Clifford the amazing Morgan horse from Drummond Island, Michigan, can do just about everything else. See for yourself as Clifford will be center stage at Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve from 1 to 3 p.m.

 

June 20

The Brit Floyd Discovery world tour, “The world’s greatest Pink Floyd show,” will perform at the Morris Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25, $30, $35 and $40 and are on sale Friday, May 2, at the Morris Box Office, by phone at (574) 235-9190 or 800-537-6415, or online at www.MorrisCenter.org.

 

June 20-22

The 2014 Four Winds Invitational will be held at Blackthorn Golf Club in South Bend, Ind.. Proceeds from the invitational will be donated to Memorial Children’s Hospital. Visit www.fourwindsinvitational.com for more info.

 

June 21  

Fernwood’s Annual Garden Party. Enjoy music and dinner, live and silent auctions, and dancing. The silent auction will offer one-of-a-kind planted containers, and among the quality live auction items is a trip for two to Machu Picchu, Peru. Save the date and visit www.fernwoodbotanical.org. for further details.

 

The Michiana Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants will have their annual student conference at the Waterford Estates Lodge, 52890 SR 933 North, South Bend, Ind. from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $35 for students and $50 for Professionals. The fee includes: all conference materials, breakfast, lunch, and six educational sessions. Please remit payment by check made payable to IMA Michiana Chapter and mail to Brenda Engel, 1500 Echo Valley Drive, Niles, MI 49120. For more Information about the conference please contact: Brenda Engel, IMA Michiana Chapter Conference Coordinator (269) 845-6691 E-mail: bbengel1@comcast.net.

 

June 21- 22

The 47th Leeper Park Art Fair will be June 21-22 on the grounds of Luther Park, near the St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend. We will feature 120 artists from all over the coutnry. Food vendors will be available both days and light jazz will be presented throughout the fair. For more information, call (574) 272-8598 or visit www.leeperparkfair.org.

 

June 23-27

Curious Kids Museum will host a “Hooked on Fishing” week of summer camp from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $150 for members and $170 for non-members. Campers will learn the basics of fishing and enjoy the great outdoors while learning about fish habitats, marine biology and anatomy. This week will conclude with “fish telling stories” and a fish fry on Friday for the campers. The Museum will provide life jackets for campers. ALL campers will wear a life jacket at all times when near the water.

 

June 28-29

ARTigras: Fine art festival with over 120 artists.  A juried fair with prices ranging from $20 up. Downtown New Buffalo, MI. Free admission. www.newbuffalo.org

 

July 1-6

Independence Celebration, New Buffalo, Michigan. Week is filled with surfing demos, sand castles, outdoor movies, symphony orchestra concert and fireworks! All events are free admission. www.newbuffalo.org.

 

July 3

This year, the Four Flags Chamber of Commerce is planning an entire evening of family fun at the 29th Annual Fireworks Display and Open Stage Fun Fest at the Four Flags Area Apple Festival Fairgrounds, 1740 Lake Street, in Niles. New activities include live music, kiddie bounce houses, more vendors, craft projects for children and games. The fun begins at 6 p.m. Donations are encouraged to help continue the event in the future.

 

July 7-11

Curious Kids Museum will host a five-day day camp entitled “Reaching For The Stars” for children ages 7 to 12. Campers will explore universe as they plunge into astronomy. They will spend time identifying these same constellations and their functions that serve people, as well as learn how to use star maps to find constellations in the planetarium sky, and ultimately in the real night sky. Cost is $150 for members and $170 for nonmembers.

 

July 12

Jazz sensation Jessy J will headline the 12th Annual Smooth Jazz at Sunset concert in conjunction with the Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff. A limited number of reserved seats priced at $30 in advance, $35 day of show will be available beginning Friday, March 28, as well as general admission seating, $25 in advance, $30 day of show. General seating concert-goers are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs to enjoy the show. Tickets will be available at the Coast Studios at 580 E. Napier Ave. in Benton Harbor and online at www.smoothjazzatsunset.com.

 

July 14-18

Curious Kids Museum will host a five-day day camp entitled “Abracadabra.” Campers will spend hours learning how to create magic under the watchful eye of Master Magician, John Dudley. John has been performing magic and comedy for over 39 years. Each day throughout the week they will learn different tricks — culminating in a performance for family, friends and museum guests on Friday, July 18, at 11 a.m. In addition to the magic activities, daily beach play, lunch on the bluff and water play will be taking place during the week. Each camper will be taking home the book by John Dudley, “Magic Tricks To Fool Your Friends,” a magic wand, and tricks to share with others. Cost is $150 for members and $170 for non-members.

 

July 19

Organizers of the Outdoor French Market in Harbert, Mich. are seeking vendors for their event to be hend on July 19th at the Episcopal Church of the Mediator, 14280 Red Arrow Hwy. The group is accepting space reservations now.  Contact the market committee for details at mediatorfrenchmarket@gmail.com or call Jeannine Totzke on (269) 921-1127.

 

Athletes from across the Midwest will compete in the Sister Lakes Triathlon