FAMILY PLAYGROUP; Thursday, November 6 and 20, 2025, 10:30- 1:30am; Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
NMC INTERPRETATION AND ENV. ED; Thursday, November 6, 2025, 1:00-3:00pm; Register through NMC Extended education
You have been working toward getting your Naturalist Certificate and you are excited to share all of your new knowledge. But what is the best way to communicate all of the fantastic knowledge you have learned to various audiences? Learn the art of interpretation and environmental education. Learn interpretive techniques, research effective environmental education, and put together an action plan to turn your knowledge into impact! Register through NMC Extended Education here: Interpretation & Environmental Education - NMC Extended Education & Training.
WILD TURKEY TROT 5K; Saturday November 8, 2025, Race starts at 11:00am
Celebrate autumn with a wild turkey trot 5k on the trails at Grass River Natural Area. Run or walk the designated course on race day with other participants, or run your own 5k at your own convenience and submit your time later. To register for the race, simply purchase the Wild Turkey Trot T-shirt or Sweatshirt on Bonfire (Wild Turkey Trot 5k | Bonfire). The shirt will be mailed directly to you. All ages welcome. All proceeds go to support the educational programming at Grass River. If you want to register for the race, but do NOT want a t-shirt, you can just pay the registration fee here.
NATURE TRIVIA NIGHT: Friday, November 21, 2025; 6:00-8:00pm, $5 per person at Short's Elk Rapids
Join us for Nature Trivia Night at the Short's Pull Barn in Elk Rapids! Get your team of 2-6 players together and get ready to stretch your brain with 5 rounds of clever, family-friendly trivia. Don't worry if you're not a nature expert; questions will draw from other areas of knowledge - like movies and music - as well. $5 per player, which supports GRNA. Players will pay upon arriving at Short's.
