Featured Events in Monroe in April, 2025 (April Updated)

ABOUT THE BOOK: Jennifer Chiaverini returns to the well-loved circle of Elm Creek Quilters to illuminate a nearly forgotten jubilant moment in women’s history during the trying years of the Great Depression. In chapters alternating between 2004 and 1933, THE WORLD’S FAIR QUILT: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel (William Morrow: On sale: April 1, 2025) stitches together a story of sisterhood and sibling rivalry, guilt and resentment, forgiveness and peace. In her eighth decade, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson is content to be back at Elm Creek Manor—the home she fled, in grief and despair, after her first husband and younger brother were killed in World War II, followed by an irreparable falling-out with her elder sister, Claudia. Her fifty years’ absence has made each day at her ancestral estate in rural Pennsylvania all the more precious, especially since she is surrounded by her new family—her husband, Andrew, and kindred quilters. Thanks to dedicated, gifted faculty and the business acumen of Sarah McClure, the Elm Creek Quilt Camp has blossomed into a perennially popular quilter’s retreat. Sylvia often marvels at how, in her golden years, she has forged cherished friendships, founded a thriving business, rediscovered the artist within herself, fallen in love with a long-lost childhood friend—and still feels as if the best is yet to come. All would be well—if not for new, unexpected financial worries. Restoring the woefully neglected estate she inherited after her spendthrift sister’s death was no easy feat, and now the roof needs replacing. Perhaps the launch of Elm Creek Orchards, a venture spearheaded by Sarah’s husband, will spare Sylvia from having to raise the price of sessions for campers—or worse, seeking a loan or a benefactor. A child of the Great Depression, Sylvia abhors the thought of both debt and bankruptcy. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jennifer Chiaverini is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including critically acclaimed historical fiction and the beloved Elm Creeks Quilt series, which she began in 1999 to capture everything she loves about quilting—the artistry, tradition, folklore, and, above all, wonderful community. Her works of nonfiction include seven collections of quilt patterns and original designs featured in Country Woman, Quiltmaker, Quilt, and other magazines. In 2020, Jennifer received an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Library Association for her novel Resistance Women. In 2023, the WLA awarded her the honor of Notable Wisconsin Author for her significant contributions to the state's literary heritage. Jennifer graduated from the University of Notre Dame and earned her MA from the University of Chicago. She, her husband, and their two sons call Madison, Wisconsin, home. Information Source: Mystery to Me | eventbrite

River Raisin Bikeways- Smart-guided Selfie Cycle Tour - Monroe, MichiganExcellent bikeways + Scenic waterfronts: Lake Erie | River Raisin + Fascinating National Battlefield Park + Midway tasty spot = Great tour! The tour route is a 17-mile floop* - 92% bikeway - mostly level route - tasty spot towards the end. It includes the historical sites of River Raisin National Battlefield Park, General George Custer Monument, and the natural scenery of River Raisin, Lake Erie, and William C. Sterling State Park. The tasty spot is pet-approved on Bring Fido for those touring with their furry friend. Details are included in the ticket purchase confirmation email. William C. Sterling State Park Campgrounds is on the bikeway route for those interested in bikepacking and bike-camping. It is a unique lakefront camping experience situated right on the shore of Lake Erie. Points of Interest : Lake Erie - has one of the world's largest freshwater fisheries worldwide even though it is only the fourth largest and shallowest of the five great lakes.River Raisin - got its name from the early French explorers who marveled at the abundance of grapes growing along its banks.Monroe, Michigan - Named after President James Monroe in 1817, it was formerly known as Frenchtown pre-War of 1812.River Raisin National Battlefield Park - preserves the site of the Battle of Frenchtown as the only national battlefield marking a site of the War of 1812 - and the only national park commemoration of a United States battle defeat.George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument - Monroe is Custer's birthplace and childhood home.River Raisin National Battlefield Park Visitor / Education Center - Rich in historical artifacts, uniformed battle reenactments, and information about the War of 1812, its battles, and the massacre of 1813 that led to The Indian Removal Act.Two bikeways: Monroe RiverwalkRiver Raisin Heritage Trail*a floop is a flattened loop WHY CHOOSE a Smart-guided Selfie Cycle Tour? You get all the benefits of a guided tour without the drawbacks of a tour guide, other tourists, time restrictions, and a rigid tour agenda. With this smart-guided tour, you can go when you want, at your speed, and hang out at a spot as long as you wish. You can even wander off the planned route and the smart guide will get you back on track when you are ready. HERE'S THE PLAN: You bring a bike and a smartphone. CycleNuts provides the smart-tour guide links! You will receive an expertly designed tour route via email. Click the emailed link and follow the Selfie Tour route using your smartphone as your smart-tour guide for the Voice and Map guided turn-by-turn instructions. SHORT INSTRUCTIONS: From your location, using your cell phone click on the starting spot link and follow the Google Maps directions. When you arrive, click the emailed tour navigation links to begin the tour. The navigation links will be either Google Maps, Ride With GPS (RWGPS), or both. For more complex tours, there may be several links to click with additional instructions. With Google Maps, the navigator will prompt you at each checkpoint to continue navigation. ARE YOU READY TO ROLL? GREAT... LET'S HIT THE TRAILS! GET YOUR TICKET TODAY! - the tour starting and ending times on the ticket are only a general guideline to give you an idea of how much time the tour may take at the minimum. Your time in the saddle, on the trail, and starting times are your call - it's your tour. One ticket equals fun for all! Bring as many people as you wish on your tour. Ticket purchase is for the CycleNuts Selfie Smart-guided route links only. Attractions, lodgings, food, bike rental, etc. are not included in the ticket purchase. CycleNuts Selfie Cycle ToursCycleNuts Selfie Tours tie together fun, interesting, scenic, historic, tasty, and refreshing points of interest along a bikeway-focused tour route where you ride at your pace and pleasure. You are the tour boss. You choose the date and time - the ticket is good for any day or time. The dates listed are only a ticket-processing necessity - the tours are good for any date. The times listed are only a guideline to give you an idea of how long the tour normally takes. With these Smart-guided Selfie Cycle Tours, you bring the bike and smartphone - CycleNuts provides the Smart-guide links. The Smart-guide gives voice and visual turn-by-turn instructions along an expertly designed tour route. Do the tour solo or bring along your crew. 1 ticket = fun for all! Easily stop anywhere along the way to visit attractions or refreshments and the Smart-guide will continue the route from wherever you are when you are ready to roll. Got questions? - Get answers! – http://CycleNuts.link FAQS Show, Rally, & Roll Tours - Smart-guided Adventure ButtonCycleNuts Show, Rally, and Roll Group Tours - Smart-guided Adventure You did the tour... or thought about it... or are doing it.. either, or, get this button to impress your peeps! Get yours - Click hereGet your CycleNuts Tours T on!You can buy it here.CycleNuts NEWS Tours T-shirts. Get yours here so you can send me some cool selfie pictures!Click to get - WOMENS T-SHIRT or MENS T-SHIRTCycleNuts Meetup Group RidesAre you interested in riding with a CycleNuts Meetup group?Join up here.Free tickets may be available for this tour in the Meetup group. Information Source: CycleNuts | eventbrite

Mystery To Me Books is hosting it's first ever panel discussion! We will be joined by four local authors, Laura Bird, Maggie Ginsberg, Sean Patrick Little and Cayce Osbourne. They range in genre, writing style, and publishing experience. Come ask them any questions you have about writing, reading or what its like to publish a book! Still come even if you aren't writing a book and aren't planning to but you just want to hear these authors talk about their work! Laura Bird- A Milwaukee native, Laura Anne Bird graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in English. She lives in Madison with her husband, three big kids, and little dog. When she's not reading, writing, or reviewing books, she loves to exercise, explore the outdoors, and serve as an ambassador for Wisconsin Book Festival and a board member for Madison Public Library Foundation. Marvelous Jackson, which launched in September, is a follow-up to Laura's middle grade debut, Crossing the Pressure Line. Join Laura on Instagram @laura_at_the_library, where she celebrates all things literary. Maggie Ginsberg- Maggie Ginsberg is the author of Still True, winner of the 2023 WLA Literary Award for Fiction. She's the former managing editor of Madison Magazine, where over the last nearly 20 years her nonfiction work earned honors from the City Regional Magazine Association, the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the Milwaukee Press Club. She now works full-time as a writer at UW–Madison. Sean Patrick Little- ​Sean Patrick Little is a writer, speaker, editor, educator, and general literary dude from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. He is the author of the best-selling Survivor Journals series and the critically praised Abe & Duff mystery series. He has also authored one book in the Shelby Ree mystery series, a space opera called Strange Angels​, and is always at work on the next project. Cayce Osborne- Cayce Osborne is a writer, graphic designer, and native Madisonian. She writes about women who find themselves in difficult situations and then have to figure their way out—which often makes them ornery and involves occasional swearing. Her debut novel, I Know What You Did, came out in 2023. You can learn more at cayceosborne.com. Information Source: Mystery to Me | eventbrite

Join us for a discussion with Peter Gibbons-Neff and his partner and shore support Jane, about his experience solo racing a 21-ft boat across the Atlantic in the Mini-Transat. Information Source: Chicago Yacht Club | eventbrite

Join us for the 16th Annual Off the Wall fundraiser at the Masur Museum of Art!! OTW is the area’s premier art auction featuring an excellent selection of art by artists in our community and from around the country. The party includes an expanded bar and delicious food, both of which pair nicely with live music! Please join us for one of the best parties in the Twin Cities! Proceeds from Off the Wall support exhibitions and educational programs at the Masur Museum of Art. As the largest visual arts museum in northeast Louisiana, the Masur Museum of Art is vital to providing quality visual art experiences to the community of Northeast Louisiana. This is accomplished through temporary exhibitions, educational programs for all ages, and the management of a permanent collection. Information Source: Masur Museum of Art | eventbrite

About the Book: Wisconsin Idols: 100 Heroes Who Changed the State, the World, and Me In a new essay collection, Wisconsin Idols: 100 Heroes Who Changed the State, the World, and Me, author Dean Robbins offers a unique perspective on the prominent figures—past and present—who have left an indelible mark on the Badger State and beyond. Drawing on his career as an award-winning journalist and arts critic, Robbins delves into the intriguing true tales of legends and trailblazers with special and sometimes surprising connections.to Wisconsin. Subjects range from state icons such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Chris Farley, Butch Vig, and Orson Welles to world-renowned visitors like the Beatles, Jackie Robinson, Abraham Lincoln, and Joni Mitchell. The book also introduces readers to lesser- known heroes, including pioneering drummer Viola Smith, photographer Pedro Guerrero, suffragist Ada James, and storyteller Mountain Wolf Woman. Filled with revelatory anecdotes, humorous details, and poignant storytelling, and enhanced by dozens of photographs, Wisconsin Idols brings these reverential stories of musicians, activists, artists, athletes, actors, and great thinkers to life for readers and irrefutably establishes Wisconsin as a crossroads for extraordinary people who changed the world. About the Author: Dean Robbins is a journalist, arts critic, and children’s author. He has contributed to USA Today, The New York Daily News, The Village Voice, Space.com, the Grammys magazine, Wisconsin Public Radio, and dozens of other media outlets, along with serving as editor of Isthmus newspaper and On Wisconsin magazine. His nonfiction children’s books—including The Faster Drummer: Clap Your Hands for Viola Smith! and Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing—have been praised in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal; chosen for best-of-the-year honors by the American Library Association, New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, and others; adapted for audiobooks and film; and featured in a Smithsonian exhibition. Dean has won both national and state awards for news writing, feature writing, arts writing, and children’s books. Information Source: Mystery to Me | eventbrite

About the Book: Wisconsin Idols: 100 Heroes Who Changed the State, the World, and Me In a new essay collection, Wisconsin Idols: 100 Heroes Who Changed the State, the World, and Me, author Dean Robbins offers a unique perspective on the prominent figures—past and present—who have left an indelible mark on the Badger State and beyond. Drawing on his career as an award-winning journalist and arts critic, Robbins delves into the intriguing true tales of legends and trailblazers with special and sometimes surprising connections.to Wisconsin. Subjects range from state icons such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Chris Farley, Butch Vig, and Orson Welles to world-renowned visitors like the Beatles, Jackie Robinson, Abraham Lincoln, and Joni Mitchell. The book also introduces readers to lesser- known heroes, including pioneering drummer Viola Smith, photographer Pedro Guerrero, suffragist Ada James, and storyteller Mountain Wolf Woman. Filled with revelatory anecdotes, humorous details, and poignant storytelling, and enhanced by dozens of photographs, Wisconsin Idols brings these reverential stories of musicians, activists, artists, athletes, actors, and great thinkers to life for readers and irrefutably establishes Wisconsin as a crossroads for extraordinary people who changed the world. About the Author: Dean Robbins is a journalist, arts critic, and children’s author. He has contributed to USA Today, The New York Daily News, The Village Voice, Space.com, the Grammys magazine, Wisconsin Public Radio, and dozens of other media outlets, along with serving as editor of Isthmus newspaper and On Wisconsin magazine. His nonfiction children’s books—including The Faster Drummer: Clap Your Hands for Viola Smith! and Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing—have been praised in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal; chosen for best-of-the-year honors by the American Library Association, New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, and others; adapted for audiobooks and film; and featured in a Smithsonian exhibition. Dean has won both national and state awards for news writing, feature writing, arts writing, and children’s books. Information Source: Mystery to Me | eventbrite

Rules:Weigh-In Starts At 9:00 AM Competition Starts At 10:00 AM Competition Ends Before 5:00 PM Each registered athlete will weigh in upon arrival. The Grip Games will begin with the farmer-carry, and the weight will increase “rising bar” style until there is only 1 athlete remaining. All athletes will complete their bonus game attempt as they are eliminated from the first game. There will be a roughly 10 minute intermission and then the same process will be used to for the second game which is the pinch-hold, and then the third game which is the dead-lift. Grip Games will conclude when there is only 1 athlete remaining in the 3rd game. Final scores will be calculated as a ratio of your weight, to the highest amount of weight reached in each of the games (Ex. If you weigh 200 lbs and you carry/hold/lift 150 lbs, your ratio is 0.75). SPECTATORS ARE ENCOURAGED! Weight Classes (Pounds):Sign up for the weight class you wish to compete in. Must come in under the cutoff weight on the day of competition or you will be moved to the correct weight class. Youth Division (Ages 7 through 12) Female Division (Less Than 165) Female Athena (Greater Than 165) Male Division (Less Than 220) Male Clydesdale (Greater Than 220) Non-Binary Division (No Weight Class) Age Limit:Grip Games, is for ages 7+ with parental consent. Prizes:At the end of each Game the following prizes will be awarded: Farmer Carry Trophy (Male With Overall Heaviest Farmer Carry)Pinch Hold Trophy (Female With Overall Heaviest Pinch Hold)Dead Lift Trophy (Non-Binary With Overall Heaviest Deadlift)At the end of All 3 Games the following prizes will be awarded: Female Division Prize Pot (Currently @ $0)Female Athena Prize Pot (Currently @ $0)Male Division Prize Pot (Currently @ $0)Male Clydesdale Prize Pot (Currently @ $0)Non-Binary Prize Pot (Currently @ $0)All Event Details Including Rules For Each Of The Games Are Posted Here; corefitnesspdx.com/gripgames Information Source: Core Events | eventbrite