1. Today is set aside to honor the life of the late Martin Luther King Jr.
The Civil Rights leader is known for many things, but one is his iconic August 28, 1963 speech during the March on Washington, the biggest civil rights demonstration in American history.
Several events will be held around Michigan. Some of those include a March at Aquinas, Calvin and Grand Valley State University. There will also be a civil rights lecture in Holland.
A complete list of events can be found here.
2. The Band Wayland is a group of nationally known rockers from West Michigan, and this week they’re giving back to their hometown.
They’ll be holding a special fundraiser at the Wayland Union High School Auditorium on Wednesday night.
100 percent of the proceeds will go towards Wayland Union Schools band, orchestra, and choir programs.
The band’s lead guitarist says as alum, he want to do anything he can to give back to the school’s music program.
The high school is preparing for this to be a sold out show. If you’re interested in attending, you can purchase tickets at the door starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday night.
3. The 7th annual Kalamazoo Beer Week is in full swing.
Beer Week 2017 will feature around 270 events at different breweries, restaurants, local shops, and bars throughout downtown Kalamazoo.
Kalamazoo Beer Week was created for people to discover the culture of craft beer.
The event offers a variety of tastings, pairings, and interactive events.
It runs until January 21 and prices for the events vary by location. For more details go to kalamazoobeerweek.com.
4. After 146 years in operation, the curtain is going down for the Greatest Show on Earth.
The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus will have its final performance on May 21 in New York.
The company’s CEO called it a difficult decision. Ticket sales were not enough to match the cost of running the show, and after the circus stopped using elephants, sales slowed even more.
The circus was founded in Wisconsin in 1884, by five of the seven Ringling brothers. The family ran the show until 1967 when it was sold to Feld Entertainment.
The animal rights group PETA issued a response to the pending closure, asking other animal circuses to close as well.
5. Thousands packed Cobo for the first weekend of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
A big draw is the self-driving vehicles and concept cars, and a bat mobile made totally out of Legos.
The show runs through next Saturday. For more information, head to naias.com.
