This weekend: Register for group swim lessons, visit Gallup and Argo liveries, book a tee time and more!

Register today: Group swim lessons help you make a splash this summer! Ann Arbor Parks & Recreation is offering group swim lessons for swimmers as young as six months at Buhr, Fuller and Veterans Memorial park pools. Our friendly, experienced instructors help swimmers of all skill levels build water safety skills and swimming techniques in a fun, low-pressure environment. Each session includes seven 30-minute lessons with small class sizes for more personalized instruction. Registration is underway now for session one and July 1 for session two. Resident fee is $60, non-resident is $77. Swimmers must meet skill-level requirements; reach out for special placements before registering. Ready to dive in? Register here.

Paddling season is here! Gallup Park Canoe Livery is now open, and Argo Park Canoe Livery (plus the Argo Cascades) will open Saturday, May 3. Grab your friends and head out for a canoe, kayak, or stand-up paddleboarding adventure. Looking for a little extra excitement? Tubing is available at Argo, too! Rent them from us or bring your own. Choose a relaxing stillwater paddle or take on a river trip — there’s something for everyone. Before you go, check out location information, rental fees and what to bring on the website.

Save the date: Huron River Day, May 18
Make plans to join the 45th annual Huron River Day on Sunday, May 18, noon-4 p.m. at Gallup Park (3000 Fuller Road). This free, family-friendly event celebrates the Huron River and its natural beauty, with support from the DTE Foundation and the Bank of Ann Arbor.

Spend the afternoon outdoors with hands-on activities, nature exhibits, live animal demonstrations, food trucks, environmentally focused displays and take part in the fun Eco-Challenge. Plus Ann Arbor’s own Laith Al-Saadi will take the stage at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. performing his signature mix of blues, soul and classic rock.

Whether you're walking, biking, or driving, Gallup Park is easy to reach. Cyclists can take advantage of free bike valet parking provided by Common Cycle. Event details and tentative schedule  can be found on the event webpage.

Volunteers needed: Huron River Day
We're currently seeking volunteers — individuals and groups alike — to assist with a variety of tasks on the day of the event (Sunday, May 18). Opportunities include set-up/break down, guiding parking, staffing the event, helping at the bike corral and more. Click here to see the available tasks and shifts to help make this popular festival a success!

Join staff Saturday, May 3, 2-3 p.m. at the Diversity in the Outdoors speaker series with Ann Arbor District Library Manoomin's Journey: Wild Rice & the Anishinaabe People Crankie Box Show. Children will learn about manoomin from the perspective of the manoomin to understand our relationships with all living things while having fun searching for items in the beautiful illustrations and learning to say words in Ojibwe. What is a Crankie Box? A crankie theatre is a box built with two spools inside. The spools have handles that can be 'cranked' to bring movement to an illustrated scroll that helps tell a story. The Manoomin’s Journey Crankie Box Show was developed by three Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) friends who bring together their unique perspectives and creativity to share a special language and cultural learning experience. They are members of the ladies hand drum group, Asiginaak-Negamojig (the Blackbird Singers) who will lend their voices during the show. This event is made in partnership with Natural Area Preservation. Click here to learn more. * Additionally sign up for the Create a Cocoon event for students ages K-5 Tuesday, May 6, 2-3:30 p.m. at the Island Park Shelter A. Register here. * Calling all adults! No experience necessary to participate in the block printing class where you print on tree leaves. Thursday, May 8, 5-7 p.m. at the Gallup Park meeting room (3000 Fuller Road). Register here.

May brings flowers and regular season market hours On Saturday, May 3, Ann Arbor Farmers Market will be open 7 a.m.-3 p.m. at 315 Detroit Street. Our vendors will have asparagus, cut flowers, wild ramps, rhubarb, seedlings, annuals, perennials, houseplants, fresh greens, maple syrup, apples, apple cider, mushrooms, root vegetables, honey, eggs, pastured poultry, cheese, bread, pastries, chocolate, beverages, prepared food, jewelry, candles, body care products and more! We accept cash, and tokens for credit/debit card, mobile payment and SNAP/EBT are available at the construction trailer in the parking lot. The market office building is closed for a demolition/renovation project. Service animals only. Accessible restrooms are available. More information at our website. The Wednesday market season kick-off is May 7, 7 a.m.-3 p.m.! Surya Mehndi will be there doing a Henna body art pop-up. We’ll also be joined by community groups City of Ann Arbor Compost, City of Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability and Innovations and Ask Kevin. See you there! Construction reminder As you may know, the Ann Arbor Farmers Market office is slated to be torn down this month. Abatement work is underway. During this phase at the market, the parking lot will remain open and accessible. Please note the following construction schedule: * The southern portion of the parking lot will be open from now through Sunday, May 4 and close again Monday, May 5. Crews anticipate the demolition will take two weeks to complete. We kindly ask that all visitors stay outside of the marked demolition zones for your safety at both locations. Importantly, demolition activities will not impact market operations: * The Saturday farmers market and Sunday Artisan Market will continue as scheduled. * The Wednesday farmers market, which resumes May 7, will also operate without interruption. Thank you for your cooperation and continued support as we make way for the future of the farmers market.

Limited space available: Tee up summer fun at Huron Hills Golf Course Looking for a great way to keep kids active and outdoors this summer? Junior Golf Camp at Huron Hills Golf Course (HHGC) is the place to be! Designed for ages 8-15, this camp blends skill-building with fun, helping young golfers boost their confidence and enjoy every swing. With hands-on instruction and plenty of time on the course, campers will walk away with new skills, great memories, and a growing love for the game. Register now. Adult golf instruction New to the game or looking to brush up on the basics? Join our Level 1 beginner program at HHGC. This small-group course includes five one-hour lessons plus a two-hour on-course session — perfect for building a strong foundation. Classes meet twice a week for three weeks, and sessions run now through September. Fee, $175. Go online and sign up today!

Allmendinger Park improvement project begins Monday
The City of Ann Arbor is making improvements to Allmendinger Park as part of the Parks ADA Transition Plan. Following the 2023 playground renovation, a need was identified to renovate existing pathways and improve accessibility throughout the park. The project includes paving the existing entrance and turnaround, adding new barrier-free parking, renovating existing pathways and adding new path connections for better access, installing accessible site furnishings, and adding fencing between Hutchins Avenue and playground area.

During construction, there will be limited access to the park, and the entrance and turnaround will be closed so visitors are encouraged to park on nearby streets. The playground, ball fields, and restrooms are planned to remain open during construction, but the pathways connecting to them will be closed at times, so access on a paved surface may be limited. Please follow all posted signage and respect access restrictions. Construction activity may result in noise and dust. Additionally, vehicle access on Pauline Boulevard is limited due to a separate watermain project in the area.

Construction on the park improvements is scheduled to begin the week of May 5 and completion is expected in July.

Save the date: Sunday May 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Flower Day is a popular, annual event hosted at theAnn Arbor Farmers Market and held in partnership with the Sunday Artisan Market. Enjoy live music, kid’s activities and prepared food in addition to vendors from the Ann Arbor farmers and artisan markets! Join us in Kerrytown at 315 Detroit St.

Summer camp spots open at your favorite pool
Spots remain open for Buhr Park Pool's summer day camp program as well as the City of Ann Arbor swim team the Octopods. Both opportunities provide a fun atmosphere for kids and offer them the opportunity to enjoy the valuable life skill of swimming!

Register here for summer camp.
Register here for the Octopods swim team.

Ann Arbor Senior Center programs
Lunch & Learn: Frauds and scams
Wednesday, May 7, noon-1 p.m. Join Lockwood of Ann Arbor for a to learn about ways to protect yourself! Fraud can take many forms and can be defined as a deceptive practice that aims to benefit the perpetrator at the expense of another party. Fraudsters are getting smarter, using new tricks, and leveraging the power of technology, so we must be smarter and make sure we are well informed and prepared to best protect ourselves and our assets. Topics include: elder financial abuse; ransomware/tech support scams (with true story examples); grandchild/friend in need scams; online dating scams; and phishing (email and text scams). Light lunch provided. Preregistration required. Call 734.794.6250. Free of charge

Travels With George: Heart of India
Thursday, May 8, 1:30-4 p.m. Join us on a travelogue with host George Jabol! You’re invited to join George Jabol as he presents his slideshow travelogue on the Heart of India. This 2009 trip took him, and now takes us, to sites in northern India, including Delhi, Jaipur, the Ranthambore National Park where tigers roam, the breathtaking Taj Mahal in Agra, the exotic temples at Khajuraho, and the sacred city of Varanasi on the Ganges River. These and other locations, sometimes strange to western eyes, await your viewing on this unforgettable journey to the heart of India. Open to all ages 18+. Preregistration required. Call 734.794.6250. Free of charge.

From the Naked Eye to Space Telescopes: A History of Astronomical Discoveries
Friday, May 9, 1-3 p.m. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the winding path that our understanding of the universe has taken, tracing key milestones and groundbreaking moments. Through interactive, hands-on activities, you’ll explore the methods that enabled these discoveries and the role of the scientific method. There will be time for Q&A at the end. Click here to learn more about the University of Michigan LSA Astronomy Program. Preregistration required. Call 734.794.6250. Free of charge.

Drive-through: Celebrate National Buttermilk Biscuit Day

Wednesday, May 14, noon-1 p.m. Join Stacee Garcia with Atria Senior Living for this fun, and flavorful event! Enjoy snacks, receive a goody bag, socialize, and pick up information! Located at the Ann Arbor Senior Center, 1320 Baldwin Ave. Preregistration required. Contact 734.794.6250. Free for members; $5 nonmembers.

Pool season is almost here
Summer fun is back in Ann Arbor’s green spaces, where happy places include your favorite sparkling outdoor pools! Fuller Park Pool (1519 Fuller Road) opens Sunday, May 11, with Buhr Park Pool (2751 Packard Road) and Veterans Memorial Park Pool (2150 Jackson Avenue) following on Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 24. Find pool hours, programming and season punch pass information online.

Looking for even more ways to make a splash? Some openings remain for Buhr and Fuller Park pool summer day camps. Details can be found here.

Plus, spots are available for the 2025 Octopods Swim Team — a great opportunity for young swimmers to build skills and have fun! Learn more and register here.

Construction reminders:
If your upcoming plans include paddling on the Huron River in Ann Arbor or visiting certain city parks along the riverside, this message is for you!

Please remember, construction is underway for the BARTON DAM EMBANKMENT REMEDIATION PROJECT, and public access is restricted in designated areas. The construction site is adjacent to Barton Pond, Barton Nature Area, Bird Hills Nature Area and trails to and along the Huron River.

BOATERS:

• The dock and boat portage from Barton Pond (next to Barton Dam) to the river below the dam, is CLOSED for the duration of the project.

• Boaters upstream of the dam (e.g., coming from Skips or from one of the Metroparks) should plan on pulling their boats from the water at designated launch points upstream of Barton Pond.

• See the map and learn more.

ALL VISITORS:

• An unrelated construction project is also taking place in city parks along the river, the BARTON-BANDEMER PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL. Find the map, project details, specific access restrictions, and other project updates on the project webpage online.

--- When visiting any of these areas, by land or by water, please always:

• Heed the posted safety restrictions, barricades and signage on site.

• Use extra caution in areas that remain open and/or are shared by construction operations and construction traffic.

Thank you for your patience!

Kempf House: Open house schedule for guided tours (First Sundays in May, June, September, October and November, 1- 4 p.m.) Visit the 1853 Greek Revival home of German-American music teachers Reuben and Pauline Kempf. See Victorian period furnishings, including an 1877 Steinway piano, the first concert grand in Ann Arbor. Hear about the Kempfs' connections with both German-speaking and English-speaking residents. Kempf House, 312 S. Division. Admission is free and donations are appreciated. Questions? Call 734.994.4898. To learn more visit the website.

Take precautions: Tick season is upon us
The Washtenaw County Health Department is reminding residents to take steps to prevent tick and mosquito bites when enjoying the outdoors. Preventing tick bites is especially important: local cases of Lyme disease have increased dramatically in recent years, and many of these cases were exposed here in Washtenaw County.

If you find a tick on you, remove it by using tweezers to grip the body firmly and pull straight out of the skin. Do not twist the tick. After removing the tick, clean the bite area and your hands. Your risk for Lyme disease is very low if a tick has been attached for fewer than 24 hours. You do not need to keep the tick for testing. Dispose of it by flushing down the toilet.

MDHHS offers tick identification based on photos at no charge for Michigan residents. To submit a photo of a tick for identification, email the photo to MDHHS-Bugs@michigan.gov according to these instructions.

MDHHS does not offer tick testing because the results do not predict infection. Instead, if you are bitten by a tick, monitor for symptoms such as rash, fatigue, fever, headache, muscle pain, or joint swelling/pain occurring within 30 days of the latest tick bite and/or visiting an area with ticks. Some Lyme disease patients do not recall having a tick bite. Seek prompt medical attention if you develop any of these symptoms.