Community Calendar

CARING CONNECTION WELCOMES
EPSTEIN SURVIVOR | EDUCATOR JESS MICHAELS -
AND HER PROGRAM VOICES EMPOWERED

Thursday, October 1, 2026 – 7:00 PM (Doors Open 6:30)

Caring Connection will present a special evening with
Epstein Survivor and Educator Jess Michaels Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 7:00 PM.
In her presentation, Ms. Michaels will share her experiences, how she survived, then thrived and offers help to individuals and communities on,
“… what to do when someone says, Me Too.”

The event will benefit The Empowerment Center of Caring Connection in providing support to victims of domestic and sexual assault in Berrien Springs.

Tickets are $85 and can be purchased here:https://www.caringconnectionmi.org/events

Join Goshen Theater for First Fridays!

Oct. 2, 2026

5-8PM

Anne Heaton Trio will be in concert at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Elkhart Friday, October 2 at 7 p.m.

Award-winning singer-songwriter and educator Anne Heaton has captured audience imaginations with her songs that are, by turns, “tender, barbed and spiritual” (Washington Post). She’s been featured by the New York Times Music Podcast, NPR, the Sundance Film Festival and Lilith Fair (2010). Anne has shared the stage with artists like Jewel, Sarah McLachlan, and jazz drummer Max Roach. Anne teaches songwriting at Berklee College of Music and GRAMMY Camp. She recently earned her Master’s in Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she researched the outcomes of songwriting as a social emotional learning tool for teenagers. In March 2025, Anne presented a TEDx talk on how songwriting helps teens (and people of all ages) cultivate empathy, connection, and authenticity. This October, Anne joins forces with dynamic percussionist and music therapist Carolyn Koebel (Bobby McFerrin, Dacia Bridges) and violinist Cori Somers (Aretha Franklin, Yo-Yo Ma, Red Sea Pedestrians) to form a lively and powerful trio. Anne, Carolyn, and Cori love performing together! They also believe that creative expression (whether through performing or teaching) supports people in navigating their challenges and nurturing joy and resilience.

Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased online using the link on the UUFE website or at the door.

Join ADEC as we celebrate FIVE DECADES of impact and create lasting memories alongside our neighbors with disabilities. In 1972, ADEC launched its first Ride A Bike event to support people with disabilities. Since then, it has grown into an ongoing source of support for the individuals we serve.

This year, we encourage our community to continue their participation, alongside our neighbors with disabilities, to raise funds for vital services while focusing on health and well-being.

Ride-A-Bike is more than a cycling event; it’s a celebration of empowerment. Our family-friendly bike loop will take you through multiple “Pedal Portals”, bringing excitement with every turn. For more advanced riders, the longer Pumpkinvine Trail extends from the main loop. Participants of all abilities ride side by side to raise essential funds for ADEC’s programs and services.

For those who want to simply enjoy the festival-like atmosphere, we will have inflatable activities, games, food trucks, giveaways, a transformation station and selfie stop, Art by ADEC, live music from Froggy 102.7, and more!

Get involved by volunteering, fundraising, and registering for the event!

Celebrating a Century of Studebaker History!

Join us for the 100th anniversary of the Studebaker Clubhouse and Proving Grounds! Explore the Clubhouse with staff-guided tours. Walk through the iconic STUDEBAKER tree sign. Enjoy 1920s-era music and kids' games, and so much more! Visit sjcparks.org for more information.

"In partnership with International Motors, patrons can also visit the original Studebaker shop space, tour the testing grounds, and see vintage Studebaker and International vehicles on display!

Food trucks and vendors will be onsite offering food, drinks, and other items for purchase.

IU South Bend brings back Winnie-The-Pooh for our 60th year of the children's theatre program. Join us in the 100-acre wood for the performance (50 minutes), themed activities following the performance, and character meet and greet!

Beckwith Theatre Presents
Cemetery Walking Tour
Riverside Cemetery
Dowagiac, Michigan

Walking tour begins at the Fred E. Lee Mausoleum

Saturday, October 3rd, 2026 at 2pm (**Rain Date October 4th)

Tickets are $16.90/each (includes ticketing fee)

Tour takes about an 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

IU South Bend heads back to the 100-Acre wood for the 60th anniversary season of the children's theatre program. One day only open to the public. Themed activities and character meet and greet following the performance!

Join the Connecting Chords Music Festival for a presentation of selected works from Duke Ellington's acclaimed Sacred Concerts. Participating artists include the Western Michigan University Jazz Orchestra, alto/mezzo soloist Tiffany Gridiron, and other area performers.

Duke Ellington's Sacred Concerts are a trilogy of extended musical compositions by the American jazz composer and bandleader. These performances were created between 1965 and 1973 as expressions of Ellington's faith through the fusion of jazz improvisation, big band orchestration, gospel vocals, choral elements and spiritual themes.

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This engagement is supported by a John Stites Jazz Event Award from the John Stites Jazz Artist Organization, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) honoring the memory of John Stites and his passion for jazz music.

This event is co-sponsored by the Stucki Family Foundation (in loving memory of Heidi E. Stucki) and the Kalamazoo Community Foundation Arcturus Fund (on behalf of Betty Upjohn Mason).

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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.