Autumn brings a season of natural vibrancy, and just as Michigan’s trees have begun to explode with color, this month’s events calendar is bursting with fun and exciting things to do! From fungus forays to food drives and fundraisers, there’s something for everyone this month in Mt. Pleasant and the surrounding Isabella County region.
Mt. Pleasant Farmers’ Market
The
Mt. Pleasant Farmers’ Market will continue to run through October 31. The Thursday market runs from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Island Park while the Saturday market runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at City Hall. Offering fresh produce, organic plants, cooking demonstrations, and live music, the Mt. Pleasant Farmers' Market provides an opportunity to gather as a community while supporting area farmers.
Silent Book Club…Shhh We’re Reading
Thursday. Oct. 10 and Thursday, Oct. 24 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Connect with a group of dedicated reading buddies at Pleasant City Coffee for Silent Book Club. Participants can grab a beverage (full bar and coffee), find a comfy spot, and dive into that book they’ve been meaning to read for an entire hour. Since everyone reads their own books, there is no pressure to read a certain amount each month. To learn more,
visit their Facebook page.
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Courtesy Veterans Memorial Library
Friends of Veterans Memorial Library Book Sale
Wednesday, Oct. 12 through Saturday, Oct. 5
The 2024 Friends of Veterans Memorial Library Annual Book Sale will take place the first week of October. The first day of the sale will be open to teachers only, with all other days open to the public. The last day will be Bag Day, where participants can fill a bag of books for $2. For specific times and information,
visit the VML events page.
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Photo Credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. Pleasant
Fall Mushrooms with the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy
Saturday, Oct. 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Hall’s Lake Natural Area
Friday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bundy Hill Preserve
Join Sister Marie Kopin of the North American Mycological Association for a morning mushroom hunt at a Chippewa Watershed Conservancy preserve. The morning excursions of Oct. 12 and Oct. 8 will conclude their summer and fall fungus forays. Each event will culminate with an identification of each participant’s mushroom findings. These events are free and open to the public. For more information and directions to Hall’s Lake, visit
cwc-mi.org. For more information about the Bundy Hill Preserve event, visit
cwc-mi.org.
Feed the Need Food Drive 2024 (formerly Fill-a-Mayflower)
Wednesday, Oct. 16
Join the United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties help stock the shelves of local food pantries with My1043 & Buck 92 Radio's "Feed the Need" food drive (formerly Fill-a-Mayflower). This event is expanding into Gratiot County this year and will take place at Ric's Food Centers in both Mt. Pleasant and Ithaca. For more information, follow along on
Facebook.
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Photo courtesy Kristy Ribitch.Lori Irwin (left) and Kristy Ribich (right) at a previous Grapes & Grains fundraising event to support the Mt. Pleasant Public Schools Education Foundation.
Grapes & Grains Fundraising Event
Thursday, Oct. 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Buck’s Run Golf Club
Join the Mt. Pleasant Public Schools Education Foundation for an evening of unlimited wine and beer tasting, heavy hors d'oeuvres, live music, and door prizes. Funds raised at the Grapes & Grains event directly benefit K-12 classrooms, allowing teachers to create engaging, interactive projects that inspire and empower students. Visit the
event’s website to purchase tickets or to become a sponsor.
Deadwood Grove Haunted Forest at Mid Michigan College Campus in Harrison
Friday, Oct. 18; Saturday, Oct. 19; Friday, Oct. 25; Saturday, Oct. 26 from 7 to 10 p.m.
Hosted by Mid Michigan College students and volunteers, the Deadwood Grove Haunted Forest returns to Harrison this year. Sponsored by the Mid Michigan College Foundation, proceeds benefit service learning projects completed by Mid's Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the honors society for two-year college students. This event also allows attendees to experience the extensive public trail system on the Harrison campus. Contact Tammy Alvaro at (989) 386-6634 or
talvaro@midmich.edu or visit
midmich.edu for more information.
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Harvest Art Fest and Food Truck Alley at Shepherd Middle School
Saturday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 20 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This exciting event in Shepherd will showcase an array of talented artisans, delectable food options and more. Attendees are invited to stroll through the Arts and Wares Market, where there will be a treasure trove of handmade goods and wares created by skilled artisans from across the state. Event goers may also indulge in culinary delights at Food Truck Alley, where a diverse selection of food trucks will tantalize your taste buds. Plus, the Shepherd High School gymnasium will be transformed into an inflatable obstacle course complete with velcro walls, towering slides, and bounce houses galore where kids can burn off energy while adults enjoy the festivities. For a touch of personalized artistry, attendees may also visit skilled caricaturists and face painters at a live-art station. To discover more, visit the
event page.
Restore Our Community with Lights, Camera…Auction!
Saturday, Oct. 19 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Pohlcat Golf Course
Join Habitat for Humanity of Isabella County for a Hollywood-glam themed annual fundraiser. The event will feature heavy hors-d’oeuvres and a cash bar, as well as live entertainment from local artists and both live and silent auctions. One-of-a-kind pieces will be auctioned off, with all proceeds directly benefiting Habitat for Humanity’s local mission. Learn more
here.
Green Acres 9th Annual Craft and Vendor Show
Saturday, Oct. 19 at 10 a.m.
Enjoy some early Christmas shopping from several different crafters selling a variety of handcrafted items at
Green Acres Retirement Living. This event is free to the public. Visit their
Facebook event page for more information.
Pumpkins & Petals with FlowerBird Farm
Sunday, Oct. 20 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Pleasant City Coffee
Join FlowerBird Farm to celebrate Fall and make a pumpkin centerpiece–complete with dried flowers. FlowerBird will provide the pumpkins and dried flowers for participants to make a decorative item that will last them through Thanksgiving. Enjoy the company, a great beverage from Pleasant City Coffee, local dried flowers, and the lovely Fall weather. Register at
flowerbirdfarm.com.
Humane Animal Treatment Society’s Laugh Your HATS Off Event
Friday, Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Pohlcat Golf Course
Get ready for a tail waggin' good time at the 2nd annual Laugh Your HATS Off fundraising event. Enjoy a stand-up comedy show, tasty bites from local restaurants, and a cash bar. Help animals in the community and highlight support of the HATS mission with an event sponsorship. For more information, visit:
hatsweb.org.
FreakFest 2024
Saturday, Oct. 26 from 3 to 6 p.m. in downtown Mt. Pleasant
Get ready for a spooky celebration at FreakFest 2024! Brought to you by Art Reach of Mid Michigan, this event features vendors, creepy crafts, gory games, a pumpkin decorating contest, a costume contest, music, downtown business specials, and much more. Participants of all ages are invited to wear their spookiest costumes and meet at the Mt. Pleasant Town Center for an afternoon packed with chills, thrills, and unforgettable fun. For more information or to get involved, contact Emily McDonald at
emcdonald@artreachcenter.org or visit
the event’s Facebook page.
My1043 Boo Bash
Thursday, Oct. 31 from 4 to 6 p.m. in downtown Mt. Pleasant
Get ready for Boo Bash 2024 on Halloween Day! Dress up your little ghouls and goblins for free and safe trick-or-treating and collect goodies from locals who know how to treat everyone right. It’s not too scary—just the right amount of fun for the family. The tradition continues as this event partners with the downtown Mt. Pleasant Pumpkin Promenade. Booths for businesses are available for those who would like to be part of the excitement. For more information, visit
my1043.net.