Community Calendar

All are welcome to join this family-friendly event!

Come peruse a wide range of goods from established and emerging artists—both student and adult. We’ll also have face painting and a local food truck. Money raised from booth fees will support our campus atrium.

Contact us with any questions!

Midwest Literary Walk draws visitors from near and far. Originally conceived as an event to both celebrate literature and introduce the Chelsea community to visitors, this single-day event features nationally recognized authors held in public venues, with time to check out downtown between events. This year’s Walk offers attendees the chance to see one of Chelsea’s most iconic venues and experience a play reading at the Purple Rose Theatre, while engaging with the actors and playwrights. Our three visiting authors include Chris La Tray, Carmen Bugan, and Nathan Pyle. Lit Walk is intended to be a celebration of literature, reading, and the Chelsea community; removing barriers between everyday people and fantastic literature and the arts. All events are open to the public with no admittance charge.
Schedule of Events:
2026 Purple Rose Theatre Company New Works Comedy Fest!
10am | Purple Rose Theatre | 137 Park St. | Register at https://chelseadistrictlibrary.libnet.info/event/15299826

Chris La Tray Montana Poet Laureate
1pm | Main St. Church | 320 N. Main St.

Carmen Bugan George Orwell Prize Fellow
Saturday, Apr. 18 | 3pm | Chelsea First Congregational Church | 121 E. Middle St.

Nathan Pyle New York Times Bestselling Author & Cartoonist
4:30pm | Chelsea First United Methodist Church | 128 Park St.

Join us on May 1, 2026, as Fresh Start Clubhouse celebrates 26 years of changing lives through community, purpose, and possibility. This special Giving Day event honors the impact of engaging in meaningful activities, fostering social connections, and building on strengths to support recovery and well-being.

Fresh Start Clubhouse provides a collaborative and restorative environment where members develop problem-solving, vocational, and life skills through shared work and mutual support. Giving Day is an opportunity to celebrate these achievements, learn more about our mission, connect with the community, and support a model that empowers individuals through dignity, belonging, and meaningful participation.

Whether you’re a longtime supporter or new to Fresh Start, we invite you to celebrate, give back, and be part of a community that believes recovery happens best together.

Get ready for fun! On Saturday, June 27, Nichols Arboretum transforms into an open-air playground where kids and grown-ups can explore, create, and play at their own pace. Big Play Day is free and drop-in, arrive anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and let curiosity lead the way. With a blend of open-ended nature play and hands-on exploration, Big Play Day celebrates the pure joy of playing outdoors, meeting new friends, and discovering fresh ways to move, build, and imagine. Whether you’re weaving a bird’s nest, pounding a drum, or turning sticks into sculptures, every activity invites playful discovery.