Events of May 5, 6, and 7, 2023

Friday, May 5

EMS and Fire Job Fair.  Skilled emergency medical professionals are in high demand. Current professionals and interested future students are invited to an EMS & Fire Job Fair at Jackson College, May 5 from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in Bert Walker Hall.  Jackson College is committed to supporting the fire and EMS community, both local and nationally, through its course offerings. The College has state-of-the-art facilities and a strong health sciences staff to enhance student education and competencies.  The event is open to those with a current license, college students and high school seniors interested in entering the job field. It will be held in the Bert Walker Hall Community Rooms, 144-145.

Jackson College’s CON CON.  Jackson College’s Concatenation Convention is pleased to welcome graphic novelist, professor, author, curator, and all-around champion of Black culture John Jennings to Jackson for two days of free events May 5 & 6.  As Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California at Riverside (UCR), Jennings examines the visual culture of race in various media forms including film, illustrated fiction, and comics and graphic novels. He is also the director of Abrams ComicArts imprint Megascope, which publishes graphic novels focused on the experiences of people of color. He received a 2021 Hugo Award for his graphic novel adaptation of Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower.  Fans of Marvel comics will recognize Jennings’ latest work, Silver Surfer: Ghost Light, which he wrote with illustrator Valentine De Landro. They introduced a new Marvel superhero, 54 years in the making!

Friday, May 5

• • 7 p.m. – Talk on Afrofuturism, book signing at Dr. Martin Luther King Center, 1107 Adrian St., Jackson; free & open to public.
• Saturday, May 6
  • 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Free Comic Book Day Appearance at Nostalgia, Ink, 139 S. Mechanic St., Jackson; free and open to public.
  • 2-4 p.m. Talk, appearance and book signing at the Michigan Theatre, 124 N. Mechanic St., Jackson; free and open to public.

Don’t miss the creative mind behind the groundbreaking works!

Rep. Kathy Schmaltz Local Office Hours.  State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz invites residents to sit down and chat during her upcoming office hours in Jackson and Washtenaw counties.  Local office hours are an opportunity for community members to meet face-to-face with Schmaltz to share their thoughts, questions, or concerns. No appointments are necessary to attend.  Schmaltz will be available Friday, May 5, at the following times and locations:

• From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the McIntyre Room at Carnegie Library, 244 W. Michigan Ave. in Jackson.
• From 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Chelsea City Council chambers, located inside the Chelsea Police Department at 311 South Main St. in Chelsea.

Anyone unable to attend who would like to share thoughts or concerns with Schmaltz may contact her office at (517) 373-1798 or email KathySchmaltz@house.mi.gov.

Schmaltz represents the 46th District, which includes the city of Jackson, portions of Grass Lake, Leoni and Summit townships, and all of Blackman Township in Jackson County. It also includes Chelsea and Sylvan Township in Washtenaw County.

Live Music at Mancino’s.  Come on down to hear Mike Slim Crupi and Kevin Nichols at Mancino’s at 6:00 P.M. till 9:00 P.M. It will be a rocking good time for everyone!  Mancino’s, 3017 Wildwood Avenue, Jackson.

Tompkins Community Sale.  Tompkins Center Historical Society will host the Community Sale on May 5 & 6, 2023, from 10am – 3pm both days.  10138 Tompkins Rd, Rives Junction.  Space is $20.00 outside and $30.00 for indoor.  Please contact Robin at 517.937.5161 for vendor information.

Kids Planetarium Show.  12 PM.  When was the last time you looked at the Moon? Not Just noticed it, but really looked at it? To most of us the Moon seems like an afterthought, a thing we might notice in passing and then not give a second glance. But the Moon’s place in our lives is so much more than just its physical presence in the sky. It is a constant companion in our collective imagination.  Hurst Planetarium, Ella Sharp Museum.

May Planetarium Show:  The Hot and Energetic Universe.  4 PM.  High Energy Astrophysics explores hot gas in clusters of galaxies, which are the most massive objects in the universe. It also probes hot gas accretion around supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies. This documentary uses immersive visualizations and real images from modern astronomy to dive into the basic principles of electromagnetic radiation and the natural phenomena related to High Energy Astrophysics.  Hurst Planetarium, Ella Sharp Museum.

Michigan Center Eagles Comedy Extravaganza.  7-9 PM.  Michigan Center Eagles #3634, 302 5th St, Michigan Center.  Starring Andy Kern and Bob Jay.  Get your tickets at the bar.  Open to the Public.

Saturday, May 6

Spring Arbor Pancake Day.  6 am – 1 pm.  Spring Arbor Township Fire Department, 111 E Main St, Spring Arbor.  A great community tradition, all are welcome!

15th Annual Agriscience/FFA Plant Sale.  8 AM to 12 PM.  Jackson Area Career Center presents the 15th Annual Agriscience/FFA Plant Sale at the Career Center Agriscience Greenhouses.  A great selection of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, and even more hanging baskets for sale.  Proceeds go towards student scholarships, FFA memberships, class t-shirts, National Convention trip, and much more.  Cash, check, credit/debit cards.  Prices and more details here.  Jackson Area Career Center, 6800 Browns Lake Road,  Jackson.

Free Comic Book Day.  Saturday May 6^th is Free Comic Book Day at Nostalgia Ink.  Stop in between 11 and 1 and Meet John Jennings!. Fans of Marvel Comics will recognize Jennings’ latest work, Silver Surfer: Ghost Light, which he wrote with illustrator Valentine De Landro.  Ghost Light introduces a new Marvel superhero 54 years in the making!  Raffles, Prizes, Free comics, and John Jennings from 11am to 1pm all at Nostalgia Ink this Saturday, May 6^th .139 S. Mechanic St, Downtown Jackson. 

Author Talk with Dr. John Jennings.  2 PM to 4 PM.  Join Dr. John Jennings on May 6 at 2 PM at the Michigan Theatre in downtown Jackson as he dives into the themes of Afrofuturism. The free event is presented in partnership by Jackson District Library and Concatenation Convention.  About the Author: John Jennings is a professor, author, graphic novelist, curator, Harvard Fellow, New York Times Bestseller, 2018 Eisner Winner, and all-around champion of Black culture. Some notable works include The Blacker the Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art and Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation. He is also the author of the current Silver Surfer: Ghost Light comic series.

Prom Photo-Op.  3:30 PM to 6 PM.  Looking for a place to take photos before Jackson High School’s prom? Stop by the Carnegie Library to have your photo taken by a photographer in front of a backdrop or create your own photoshoot around the library and downtown Jackson.

2nd Annual Kentucky Derby Party.  5 – 9 PM.  Veritas Ballroom, 151 W Michigan Ave, Jackson.  Jackson’s premier Kentucky Derby event is back and bigger than ever!  Join The Aware Shelter in the Veritas Grand Ballroom on Saturday, May 6th from 5-9 p.m. for an evening of horse racing, mint juleps, whiskey, and wagering.  Try your luck at our game tables, dress to impress for our best hat and best tie competitions, come hungry for some southern fare, and watch the 149th Run for the Roses while supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence. DJ Dylan Bullinger will keep you entertained while you grab mint juleps at the cash bar. Trade in your gaming tokens at the end of the night for a selection of prizes.  Tickets can be purchased on our website for $85 per ticket or $150 for two, or $500 for a table for six (sponsorship perks included).

Music on Tap:  ATMOSPHERIC INDIE with FRANCES LUKE ACCORD.  WEATHERWAX HALL.  Doors open at 7pm, Concert begins at 8pm.  Seating is first come, first served.  In Advance: $20, Day of: $25.  When Nicholas Gunty and Brian Powers put their songs and voices together, there is a delicate magic that commands the room to attention. The duo is known as Frances Luke Accord, and they are what NPR’s Mountain Stage calls “the definition of lean-in music.” Their soft, contemplative vintage of indie-folk gestures toward a timelessness that honors the Simon & Garfunkel comparisons but pushes beyond into the world of Bon Iver, Jose Gonzalez, and progressive folk music.  Tickets and info here.

MLK Drive Corridor Clean Up Day.  8 AM to 4 PM. Efforts to revitalize the MLK Drive Corridor in Jackson are getting started with some sprucing up. On Saturday, May 6, the City of Jackson and the MLK Corridor Improvement Authority (MLKCIA) are gathering residents and local organizations for a Community Cleanup Day. Launching from the intersection of S. MLK Drive and E. High Street, volunteers will help remove old fencing, stairs and retaining walls from vacant properties, overgrown landscaping, and litter to make MLK Drive a more welcoming place. Organizers are looking for volunteers to help out for 2 hour shifts. Interested volunteers can sign up online. Refreshments will be provided.

Underground Railroad Bus Tour.  9:45am to 2pm. Spring fundraising tour that explores Jackson’s unique role in the Underground Railroad. Here are the basic details:  Participants will visit several local landmarks connected to this secret system, which transported freedom seekers from slave states in the South to three states in the North and Canada. The fundraiser sponsored by Chapter BV in Jackson (which also includes a complimentary lunch, gifts and a power point presentation}, is designed to benefit women’s education through scholarships, grants and loans.  Participants are asked to park their vehicles in the lot behind St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (across from the YMCA, 127 W. Wesley) at 9:45 a.m. on May 6. Buses will load from there and be ready to roll at 10 a.m. Around 12:30 p.m., participants will return to St. Paul’s for a complimentary lunch and power point presentation that gives more details on the clandestine network, including local historical figures involved. The event should end around 2 p.m. The $35 fee includes the bus tour, lunch, presentation afterwards and gift giveaways.

Jackson Coin Show.  9 AM – 2 PM.  American Legion Post #29, 3200 Lansing Ave, Jackson.  Got a coin enthusiast who’s always looking to add to their collection or broaden their knowledge? Visit our bi-annual coin show!  FREE Admission and FREE Parking.  FREE Coin Appraisals.  Hourly Door Prizes.  Buy – Sell – Trade.  Bring the whole family!

4th Annual Youth Outdoor Day.  9 AM to 2 PM.  Rod Mills Park, 3300 W Parnall Rd, Jackson.  Trail Life will provide a wide variety of outdoor activities as well as prizes and a T-shirt for the first 150 area youths.  Free!  Open to all kids K-12.

Sunday, May 7

TEA & TOTES Fundraiser.  11:00 AM Cascades Manor.  Presented by Jackson YMCA.  A Tea Party with an Auction.  Get your tickets today and enjoy some special time with someone in your life. Guests will enjoy a fun and creative table activity, delicious treats, prizes and a silent auction…just in time for Mother’s Day!  Tickets:  Y Member, $50, Community Member, $65, Reserved Table, $350 (8 seats), Table Sponsor, $500 (8 seats).  Dollars raised support the Y’s strong Communities Campaign, to benefit ought programming.  100% stays in the Jackson community.  Questions, stefanie@jacksonymca.org or call 517-474-1422.

3rd Annual Downtown Spring Fling.  11 AM – 4 PM.  3rd Annual Downtown Jackson Spring Fling.  Downtown Jackson Businesses & Retailers  3rd Annual Spring Fling!! Come downtown and fling yourself into spring! Vendor pods are located in 3 stations downtown. Food Trucks and fun!! Come and show your love and support for Downtown Jackson. Shop Small & Shop Local.

Spiritually Gospel Concert.  3 PM.  The Music Ministry of Jackson First United Methodist Church present a free concert, filled with fun, toe-tapping’ music.  Special guest:  The Jackson French Quarter Dixieland Band.  275 West Michigan Avenue, Downtown Jackson.