Community Calendar

Ele’s Place Ann Arbor will host its annual Derby Day Soirée on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Revel Run in Chelsea. The signature fundraising event brings together community leaders, local businesses, and philanthropic supporters for a Kentucky Derby–inspired evening benefiting free grief support programs for children, teens, and families.

The Derby Day Soirée is Ele’s Place Ann Arbor’s largest annual fundraiser and a central driver of support for its mission to ensure families can access grief support services without cost. Proceeds from the event directly fund peer-based programs that serve families throughout Washtenaw County and surrounding communities.

The evening will feature a live viewing of the Kentucky Derby, Derby-inspired fashion and hats, food and an open bar, live and silent auctions, and sponsor recognition. The event combines social tradition, community visibility, and meaningful philanthropy in a celebratory setting.

Join us on May the Fourth for an unforgettable musical journey through the cosmos! Celebrate Star Wars Day with a spectacular candlelit and starlit performance that honors the iconic music of the Star Wars saga alongside other beloved space-themed compositions. Experience thrilling arrangements of John Williams’ legendary scores, as well as the majestic beauty of Holst’s The Planets, the adventurous themes of Star Trek, The Jetsons, Lost in Space, Interstellar, and more. Composer and pianist R. MacKenzie Lewis & Friends will take you on a stellar adventure, blending classical and contemporary pieces with unique interpretations that breathe new life into these timeless favorites. The warm glow of candlelight and stars will create an intimate atmosphere, enhancing the magic of this otherworldly experience. Whether you’re a Jedi, a Trekkie, or simply a fan of the wonders of the universe, this concert promises to ignite your imagination and transport you through space and time. Don your favorite sci-fi attire and prepare for lift-off!

Two-hundred and fifty years ago, America famously proclaimed that “all men are created equal.” That same year, Pennsylvanians led by Benjamin Franklin declared that “all men are born equally free and independent.” This year, Americans are once again discussing issues of creational equality and birth equality—this time in the context of a great debate over the meaning of birthright citizenship. How will the Supreme Court decide this issue? How should it decide? What would Lincoln have thought about the current debate? Yale Law School Professor Akhil Reed Amar will examine these and related questions through the lens of his recent book, Born Equal: Remaking America's Constitution, 1840–1920.

Join us for an evening with the Casa Piano Quartet showcasing the deep musical bond between Antonin Dvořák and Johannes Brahms. This recital features Dvořák’s Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 87, which beautifully incorporates Bohemian folk themes, followed by Brahms’s Piano Quartet in G Minor, Op. 25, known for its fiery Hungarian dance elements. Both quartets possess an almost symphonic quality, ending with lively fourth movements that celebrate their cultural roots. Experience the vibrant melodies and rhythmic joy that highlight the profound friendship between these two iconic composers.

Marian Tanau – violin
Mike Chen – viola
David LeDoux – cello
Kazimierz Brzozowski – piano

The Hound of the Baskervilles
By Tim Kelly
Based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Directed by David Andrews

Performance Dates
May 7 - 16, 8 shows at the Riverside Arts Center:
Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sunday 5/10 & Wednesday 5/13 matinees at 2pm

Synopsis
The greatest of all Sherlock Holmes adventures adapted to a more modern setting,
taking literature’s most spine-chilling mystery and turning it into a play of suspense,
humor and ultimate terror!

$15 Seniors/Students/Active-duty military, Thursdays are Pay As You Can

Where East Meets West brings together the expressive voice of the erhu and the richness of the piano in a vibrant cross-cultural concert by erhuist Xiao Dong Wei and pianist Yuki Mack. Blending the soulful traditions of Chinese music with the power and elegance of Western classical repertoire, this program explores how two musical worlds meet, converse, and transform one another.

Featuring works by Z. Wei, V. Monti, C. Gang, M. Messieri, F. Liszt, L. Tianhua, and L. Wenjin, the concert travels from beloved Chinese melodies and virtuosic erhu solos to iconic Western masterpieces reimagined through an Eastern lens—offering audiences a unique and compelling musical journey across cultures and centuries.

Xiao Dong Wei, erhu
Yuki Mack, piano

Program:

“Ripening of grapes” – Wei Zhou (b. 1961)

“Czerdas” – Vittorio Monti (1868-1922)

“Sunshine on Taxkorgan” – Gang Chen (b. 1935)

“Kojo no Tsuki Variations” – Massimiliano Messieri (b. 1994)
Variations on the Japanese song by Rentaro Taki for erhu and piano

“Hungarian Rhapsody No.2” – Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

“Birds in the Hollow Mountain” – Tianhua Liu (1895-1932)

“San Men Gorge Caprice” – Wenjin Liu (1937-2013)

The Hound of the Baskervilles
By Tim Kelly
Based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Directed by David Andrews

Performance Dates
May 7 - 16, 8 shows at the Riverside Arts Center:
Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sunday 5/10 & Wednesday 5/13 matinees at 2pm

Synopsis
The greatest of all Sherlock Holmes adventures adapted to a more modern setting,
taking literature’s most spine-chilling mystery and turning it into a play of suspense,
humor and ultimate terror!

$15 Seniors/Students/Active-duty military, Thursdays are Pay As You Can

The Ann Arbor Center for Mindfulness welcomes Drs. Sydney Spears and Tracey Ochester in this day long event exploring mindfulness and compassion during these difficult times. The Ann Arbor Center for Mindfulness is a local nonprofit organization committed to supporting and cultivating mindfulness in order to promote health and well-being in our community and beyond. We offer retreats, presentations, events, financial scholarships and mentorships for aspiring mindfulness teachers.

The Hound of the Baskervilles
By Tim Kelly
Based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Directed by David Andrews

Performance Dates
May 7 - 16, 8 shows at the Riverside Arts Center:
Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sunday 5/10 & Wednesday 5/13 matinees at 2pm

Synopsis
The greatest of all Sherlock Holmes adventures adapted to a more modern setting,
taking literature’s most spine-chilling mystery and turning it into a play of suspense,
humor and ultimate terror!

$15 Seniors/Students/Active-duty military, Thursdays are Pay As You Can

Join us for Ellen Rowe’s Annual Mother’s Day Concert for an afternoon of music celebrating the incredible contributions of women in jazz. This special concert will highlight the talent of five exceptional artists: Ellen Rowe (piano), Sunny Wilkinson (vocals), Ingrid Racine (trumpet), Marion Hayden (string bass), and Annie Hayes (drums). These musicians will engage in insightful conversations from the stage about groundbreaking female jazz artists who have shaped the genre, and will perform iconic tunes made famous by legendary musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald, Ingrid Jensen, Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Terry Pollard. Come celebrate the powerful voices and innovative spirits of women in jazz, all while honoring the special mothers and women in our lives.

Ellen Rowe, piano
Marion Hayden, bass
Annie Hayes, drums
Ingrid Racine, trumpet

This concert is generously supported by a collective of All About the Trio Series Sponsors: Ron & Mimi Bogdasarian, Susan & Oliver Cameron, Barbara J. Kelly, Elizabeth Kirksey in memory of Web Kirksey, and Patricia Hogberg in honor of David Hogberg