Community Calendar

Join Merry Lea this fall for an “enchanted” night hike! Trail guides will lead groups by lantern-light to meet real “live” animals on our trails. These friendly creatures will tell you about their diets, habits and favorite places. Our costumed staff and volunteers will answer questions about life as a native Indiana animal. Hikes are one hour long and head out about every 25 minutes.

While you wait for a guide, enjoy music and snacks. End the evening sipping hot cocoa around a campfire! This family-friendly evening is a great alternative to Halloween events that are too scary for young children.

Cost: $5/ person (cash preferred). *Ages 2 & under are free.

Includes snacks and hot cocoa, extra refreshments available for additional fee.

Location: Farmstead | 2152 S 425 W, Albion, IN 46701

Time: October 16 & 17, 7 - 8:30 p.m.

The Beckwith Theatre Company Presents Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott.

A sinister con man, Roat, and two ex-convicts trace a heroin-filed doll to the apartment of Sam Hendrix and his blind wife, Susy. Through deception, they convince Susy that Sam is implicated in a murder, and the doll proves his innocence. She refuses to reveal it and discovers the charade with a neighbor’s help.

The Beckwith Theatre Company Presents Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott.

A sinister con man, Roat, and two ex-convicts trace a heroin-filed doll to the apartment of Sam Hendrix and his blind wife, Susy. Through deception, they convince Susy that Sam is implicated in a murder, and the doll proves his innocence. She refuses to reveal it and discovers the charade with a neighbor’s help.

Los Angeles–based composer and pianist Michael Ragonese leads his trio in a program centered on original compositions from his latest recording, Chasing Calm, alongside selections from his earlier original works. Ragonese's music is distinguished by its lyrical melodies, thoughtful compositions, and collaborative improvisation, drawing inspiration from contemporary jazz, classical music, and his Italian heritage. Featuring bassist Logan Kane and drummer Anthony Fung, the trio balances carefully crafted compositions with spontaneous ensemble interaction, creating performances in which melody, interplay, and improvisation unfold through a shared musical dialogue. Michael Ragonese is one of the most in- demand voices of his generation, performing, touring, and recording with artists such as Barbra Streisand, Walter Smith III, Ben Wendel, Mark Turner, Dayna Stephens, Charnett Moffett, and Bennie Maupin.

Michael Ragonese - piano
Logan Kane - bass
Anthony Fung - drums

The Beckwith Theatre Company Presents Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott.

A sinister con man, Roat, and two ex-convicts trace a heroin-filed doll to the apartment of Sam Hendrix and his blind wife, Susy. Through deception, they convince Susy that Sam is implicated in a murder, and the doll proves his innocence. She refuses to reveal it and discovers the charade with a neighbor’s help.

Described as "an intrepid improviser" by Michael Barone (host of American Public Media’s Pipedreams), internationally renowned organist David Briggs frequently performs improvisations to silent films such as Phantom of the Opera, Hunchback of Notre-Dame, and a variety of Charlie Chaplin films.

At our October 20 Festival event, David will improvise the score for the 1927 silent-film thriller The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

The six-piece ensemble collectively known as "Silent But Deadly" will be opening the show with live scores for four short horror films:

- The House of the Devil (1896)
- The X-Rays (1898)
- The Doll's Revenge (1907)
- The Witch (1906)

----

Celebrate the unifying power of the world’s music at the 2026 Connecting Chords Music Festival, running from August 14 – November 29. Established in 2001, the Festival features an incredible variety and quality of musicians every year – if you know, *you know*!

Learn more about the Festival at ccmusicfest.com.

It’s open to the public. Based on Jazz Standards - Straight-Ahead Jazz. Listen. Play. Discuss. It's a Learning Environment. Bring your Instrument, your Ears, your Friends. Popcorn, coffees, soft drinks, and food available at Culture Café.

Are you curious about classical Christian education? Come to the Trinity Academy Open House to tour our campus, attend demo classes, and connect with faculty, students and current families. We are a classical Christian school serving grades 6 to 12.

Haunted Walk Through the Woods is returning for its 7th year at the Elkhart Environmental Center this Halloween season! This year, the event will be held over three days:
- Thursday, October 22nd | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Kids’ Night)
- Friday, October 23rd | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Saturday, October 24th | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Our 2026 event will feature:
- A kid-friendly decorated trail (open every night)
- A scary, wooded trail with trail actors (open Friday & Saturday nights)
- LIVE music by That Homegrown Halloween Show
- Local food vendors
- Local artisan vendors
- A kids’ costume parade

Kids’ Night is Thursday, October 22nd! We will have our kid-friendly trail decorated for our younger audience (our scary trail will only be open Friday and Saturday) and there will be a costume parade at 6:30 PM that kids of all ages are invited to participate in.

Advance registration is recommended, but not required. Let us know you’ll be joining us this spooky season by signing up at https://www.eventeny.com/events/hauntedwalk2026-31822/

This year’s event is FREE, but donations are always appreciated.

Be sure to bring a flashlight to help you navigate our trails in the dark!

We will be adding more details about this year’s Haunted Walk as they become available – be sure to check out our Facebook Event page or visit https://cityofelkhartin.gov/haunted-walk/ for more information leading up to the event.
____________________________________________________________
Interested in volunteering for Haunted Walk this year? Check out our available volunteer shifts by visiting https://elkhart.galaxydigital.com/need/index?need_id=1292188&need_init_id=11612

Broadway’s New Standard: Isabella Isherwood & Jeremy Kahn reimagine overlooked songs from the musical theater canon. Chicago-based jazz vocalist Isabella Isherwood brings her warm, expressive voice and deeply rooted approach to jazz, complemented by Kahn’s extensive experience as one of Chicago’s most active jazz pianists. Together with bass and drums, they bring a jazz perspective to songs from the musical theater repertoire. Isherwood’s debut album, The Sweetest Sounds, was released in April 2026.

Isabella Isherwood - vocals
Jeremy Kahn - piano
Joe Policastro - bass
Jake Rosenkalt - drums