Attend an Upcoming Event
Finland Arctic Magnificence: U-M Alumni Association (Full)
Staff Expert: Melissa F, Kaelin
From the sensational Northern Lights to a soothing sauna and revel in outdoor adventures and cool Finnish traditions, travel with the University of Michigan Alumni Association! Open to members of the University of Michigan Alumni Association.
February 24 – March 4, 2026 | $5,495 | Estonia & Finland
Itinerary:
Day 1: Depart U.S. for Helsinki, Finland
Day 2: Helsinki
Day 3: Helsinki
Day 4: Tallinn, Estonia | Helsinki, Finland
Day 5: Lapland | Saariselkä
Day 6: Saariselkä
Day 7: Inari | Saariselkä
Day 8: Saariselkä
Day 9: Lapland | Helsinki | Depart for U.S.
Book Your Trip: https://alumni.umich.edu/travel/finland-arctic-magnificence-2026/
For Young Alumni, the U-M Alumni Association also offers the “Iceland Esscape: Escape to the breathtaking Land of Fire and Ice, where adventure awaits at every turn.” | November 25-29, 2026 | Starting Price $1,789 | Book: https://alumni.umich.edu/travel/iceland-escape-2026/
Arctic Bliss: A Review of Finland & My Nordic Expeditions
MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2026
- Arctic Circle Travel Tips, from my third visit to the Arctic Circle in as many countries
- Most helpful apps, tools and websites for chasing Aurora in Finland
- Five little-known gems from the adventure
- Options, rates and tips for viewing the Aurora under glass ceilings in Finland
- A comparison of five countries for Aurora viewing potential and overall travel experience: Iceland, Norway, Canada, Alaska-USA and Finland
- Preview of upcoming festivals, events and contests you can take part in
- A Free Download, included with admission
Admission: $25, plus fees
Monday, March 9, 7-8:30pm
(Presentation approx. one hour, QA)
RSVP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1450894216566077/
Photo courtesy of Northern Lights Village, Finland
MI Aurora Experience: Wilderness ’26
7:45pm/Sunset, Friday, March 20, 2026
Dark Sky Viewing Area, Wilderness State Park, Mackinaw City, Michigan
Free and open to the public, no registration required
Details: https://michiganaurorachasers.com/events/experience/
4th Annual Michigan Aurora Chasers Workshop
Join us for an afternoon of exciting sessions on forecasting and photographing the Northern Lights with the Admin Team and/or Group Experts.
Registration is required to attend this event, but it is free. Tickets will sell out.
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Tentatively times: Noon – 6:30pm ET
Headlands International Dark Sky Park
Mackinaw City, Michigan
Admission: Free, with optional dinner ticket
Register: https://www.eventzilla.net/e/michigan-aurora-chasers-workshop-2026-2138677125
View the Full Weekend of Events: https://michiganaurorachasers.com/events/mi-aurora-workshop/
Click here to subscribe for updates about the annual workshop.
Fireside Chat: Project Launch & Book Signing with Melissa F. Kaelin
Sunday, March 22, 2026, 10:00am-Noon
Headlands International Dark Sky Park
Fireside Chat — Shape of the Sky Project Launch & Book Signing with Melissa F. Kaelin
Get updates and links after the event! RSVP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1396281275562502/
No Registration Required: Meet Us at Headlands
Grand Rapids Camera Club
7:15 pm, April 15, 2026
Grand Valley Artists
2026 Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival
Featuring Melissa F. Kaelin & Various Speakers
April 16-18, 2026
Keweenaw Mountain Lodge
Copper Harbor, Michigan
Details: https://keweenawmountainlodge.com/calendar/2026-upper-peninsula-dark-sky-festival/
International Dark Sky Park Presentation
8:00pm, Thursday, June 11, 2026
Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Mackinaw City, Michigan
Chasing Aurora Beyond Solar Maximum
Harrison Township Public Library
Tuesday, August 18th at 6:30 p.m.
Latest News & Updates
Get the latest news and updates! View stories in the press, watch videos, and get more details about current happenings.
Selected Past Events
August First Friday: Chasing the Northern Lights
Friday, August 1, 2025 | 6 p.m. at Longway Planetarium
When was the last time you saw the Northern Lights? This rare, natural phenomenon draws in onlookers around the world as they seek to see, experience and understand its colors and formations. Aurora has been documented in art and culture for centuries, but predicting this “space weather” is still an emerging science. We are living in an unrivaled time for Aurora Chasing, with the peak of an 11-year Solar Maximum predicted to hit in 2025. Join Melissa Kaelin, founder of the Michigan Aurora Chasers, as she provides a deeper understanding behind this phenomenon and reveals the best-kept secrets to chasing the aurora.
Chasing the Northern Lights
6pm, Friday, August 1, 2025
Flint, Michigan
Tickets: https://sloanlongway.org/events/first-fridays-2025-08-01/
Chasing the Aurora
Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 6:30-8:30pm, Canton Public Library, Michigan
Details: https://cantonpl.bibliocommons.com/events/68bf0e2bc798579c2e8e0190
Join Melissa F. Kaelin, founder of the Michigan Aurora Chasers and author of Below the 45th Parallel: The Beginner’s Guide to Chasing the Aurora in the Great Lakes Region, as she shares her passion for the Northern Lights.
Aurora Summit 25: Celebrating the Art, Culture, Science, and Photography of the Aurora Borealis
Dates: November 7-9, 2025 | Registration launches every year in June!
Location: Legendary Waters Resort, Red Cliff, Wisconsin
Full Admission: TBD, includes all meals
Register by October 2025: TheAuroraSummit.com
Programs for Creative Adventurers
Over time, the events you’ll find here will include a variety of activities, ranging from exploring the Northern Lights to creativity, inspiration and entertainment. Check back for opportunities to participate in these types of events:
- Book Signings & Planetarium Shows
- Conferences & Festivals
- Creative Writing
- Guided Tours & Socials
- Arts & Culture
- Northern Lights & the Night Sky
Check out the selected events below to learn more about the variety of topics.
Book Signings & Planetarium Shows
Planetarium Event & Book Signing
Celebrating the Art, Culture, History and Science of the Aurora
Awe-inspiring to observe, the Aurora have astounded skywatchers for centuries. A good historian can find countless references to the Aurora in art and media, cultural legends, historical accounts, and scientific research. Discover the Aurora in a new light as you hear about each of these topics with Melissa F. Kaelin, the founder of the Michigan Aurora Chasers.
Date: 6:00pm, Friday, August 2, 2024
Location: Longway Planetarium, Flint, Michigan
Admission: $8/Adults, Varies
Tickets: https://sloanlongway.org/first-friday/
Chasing the Aurora “Below the 45th Parallel”
Program & Book Signing Hosted by the Crystal Beech Cottages Association
Date: 7:00 PM, Saturday, August 12, 2023
Location: Event for Local Community Near Frankfort, Michigan
Website: https://crystalbeachcottagers.com/event-5299393
Conferences & Festivals
The Inaugural Aurora Summit: Celebrating the Art, Culture, Science and Photography of the Aurora
Date: Saturday, October 28, 2017
Location: Two Harbors, MN
Admission: Included with conference registration
Website: TheAuroraSummit.com
Details: This 3-day conference brings people together to share their passion for the Northern Lights and astrophotography. Co-created by Melissa F. Kaelin, Dixie J. Burbank, and Mike Shaw Photography, the workshop features a keynote speaker, a panel discussion, and dozens of educational sessions on topics related to the Aurora and the night sky. Registration is typically launched in June.
#AuroraSummit17
Inaugural Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival
A weekend celebration of our dark skies with various speakers
April 21-22, 2023
Chasing the Northern Lights in Michigan with Melissa Kaelin
2:00pm, Saturday, April 22, 2023
Keweenaw International Dark Sky Park
Admission: $125 per person
Register: SOLD OUT
Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival
Make the Dream A Reality! Chasing the Aurora in the Mid-Latitudes
Date: February 2-4, 2024
Location: Virtual
Admission: $399: More than 30 presenters & more than 40 classes!
Register: npsummit.live/melissa
Night Photo Summit
How We Got The Shots! Featuring 5 Photographers, 5 Stories
Date: 8:00pm ET, Friday, January 26, 2024
Location: Virtual
Admission: Free
Register: npsummit.live/freefriday
Astronomy at the Beach: Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs
Keynote Speaker Melissa F. Kaelin
Keynote: 7:45-8:45pm ET, Friday, September 20, 2024 | RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/1015106566748616/
Date: September 20-21, 2024
Location: Maybury State Park, Michigan
Admission: Free, with state parks pass
Details: https://www.glaac.org/
Creative Writing
Pay It Forward Day: Writing Seminar Honoring the Late Mike Resnick
Variety of speakers, with Melissa F. Kaelin presenting “Revise to Impress Your Readers: Getting Constructive Feedback & Finding Writers Groups”
11:45 a.m. – 6 p.m. Eastern, March 5, 2022
Virtual seminar via Zoom
Admission: Free
Register: https://shoemaker.space/pay-it-forward-day/
Summer Book Launch & Party: The Social Gap Experiment
Performances by artists of the Social Gap Experiment Anthology
Details: 2 p.m., Saturday, June 12 in Moore’s Park in Lansing, Michigan
Free and open to the public
RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/192947789242284/
Website: KaelinArt.com/social-gap-experiment
Social Gap Experiment Virtual Launch Party
Performances by Authors & Artists of the Social Gap Experiment Anthology
7:30 pm, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020
Watch the Facebook Video: https://www.facebook.com/melissa.f.kaelin/videos/10106791466718128
Website: KaelinArt.com/social-gap-experiment
East Lansing Art Festival
Fiction 440, Flash Fiction Reading with Various Authors
3:00 p.m., Saturday, May 18, 2019
East Lansing, Michigan
Website: East Lansing Art Festival Performers
Guided Tours & Socials
Our First MI Aurora Experience
MI Aurora Experience
Where: Tentatively Point Betsie Lighthouse
When: Thursday, April 24, 2024
7:30pm until at least 11:30pm
Please arrive before sunset so you can see where you’re going!
Details: Learn about the Experience by clicking here
Admission: Free, with suggested donation
RSVP on Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/473902625784745
Michigan Aurora Chasers Social
A Social Gathering for Members of the Michigan Aurora Chasers
Date: 7:30pm, Friday, December 30
Location: The Limberlost, Houghton Lake, Michigan
Admission: Free
RSVP on Facebook: https://fb.me/e/6lc1hMq5H
#MIAuroraSocial
The First Official Live Chase: Michigan Aurora Chasers
Meet us at one of two events on Friday to chase the Northern Lights, in a #LiveChase led by Melissa F. Kaelin and Nate Stovall.
When: 8 p.m. Eastern, Friday, April 1, 2022
Where: Glen Haven, Michigan OR Port Austin, Michigan
Admission: Free
Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1342756526219074/
International Tour: Iceland and the Northern Lights
Northern Lights Staff Expert for the University of Michigan
Dates: November 2-10, 2024
Location: Iceland
Admission: Booked Full; Open to members of U-M Alumni Association, Details: https://alumni.umich.edu/travel/iceland-and-the-northern-lights/
Northern Lights & Night Skies
Michigan Aurora Chasers Workshop
Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024
Location: Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Registration Required
Admission: Free, Dinner available for $20
Registration opens in January: https://events.eventzilla.net/e/michigan-aurora-chasers-workshop-2138611316
Art & Culture
“Art-A-Whirl”
Event: A large, public open studio tour, presented by
the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association
Date: Friday, May 16, 2014 — Sunday, May 18, 2014
Location: Studio 402B, Northrup King Building,
1500 Jackson St. NE Minneapolis, MN 55413
Open Hours:
5pm to 10pm, Friday
Noon to 8pm, Saturday
Noon to 5pm, Sunday
Admission: Free
Website: http://nemaa.org/art-a-whirl
Details: Presented by the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association, Art-A-Whirl is the largest open studio tour in the country. It’s an opportunity to tour private artist studios and galleries, connect with artists and purchase original work. This annual event takes place on the third weekend in May. It is free and open to the public.
“Thirty Years of Hope”
Event: “Thirty Years of Hope” benefiting the MN AIDS Project
A joint effort by Altered Esthetics and Hennepin County Library
Date: November 1 — December 31, 2013
Location: Cargill Gallery, Minneapolis Central Library
Open Hours: Weekdays 10-6 pm, except Thursday 10-8 pm & Sunday Noon-5pm
Admission: Free
Website: http://www.hclib.org/pub/info/libraries/cargillhall.cfm
Details: The exhibit will be on display during Minnesota AIDS Project events including their 30th anniversary celebration. The event will acknowledge the suffering and loss caused by HIV and AIDS and celebrate the progress the organization has made against this once deadly disease.
Summer Art Exhibit
Event: First exhibit ever!
Location: Apple Valley Dunn Bros.
Date: June 26 — August 20, 2013
Open Hours: Monday through Thursday 5:30am – 8pm
Friday 5:30am – 9pm
Saturday 6am – 9pm
Sunday 7am – 7 pm
Admission: Free
Details: I am pleased to announce my first-ever art exhibit! Stop by to get a deliciously strong coffee and view my artwork. Special thanks to Jacob Wicker and Lisa Anderson for inviting me to share my work!
melissa f. kaelin 