(Ages 6 and under with an adult)

Thursday, April 2 from 10 – 11 am 

Every season is outdoor season! Bring your little ones to explore nature through free play, activities, books, and more. This program is designed for children and their accompanying caregivers. Please plan to attend and be engaged with your child for this program.

Free (please register below)

Sunday, April 12

Brunch seatings at 11:15 am & 1:00 pm
Program at 12:15 pm & 1:00 pm

Join us in celebrating nature! Delight in seasonal menu selections and enjoy a talk by Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy about their work and a new project right here in Barry County. Explore the Institute and enjoy the current exhibit by Chelsea Bivens.

You do not need to attend brunch to enjoy the free program.

Member Adults: $24; Children ages 6 – 12: $14 (plus tax)
Non-Member Adults: $30; Children ages 6 – 12: $18 (plus tax)
Children 5 and under are free

Monday, April 13 at 9:00 am

Join Pierce Cedar Creek Institute and your guides, Anne and Doug Klein, for a social birding morning. Enjoy a beverage and chat with new and experienced birders. Then, hit the trails to look for some of Barry County’s very best birds!

Important Information:
– Please be prepared to hike up to one mile on uneven trails
– We will have a limited number of binoculars available to borrow
– The program will occur rain or shine
– In the event of inclement weather, we will offer a shorter information session
on birding topics
– Please meet in the Education Building

Ages 15+, under 18 with an adult

10 am – Noon

Tuesday, April 21 – Land Marks: A Novel – by MaryAnn Lesert

Join us on the third Tuesday of the month for our nature book club! With a solid mix of fiction and nonfiction biographies, this book club is for readers who share a keen interest in the natural world. There is no commitment other than to enjoy reading and sharing books about nature.

Feel free to join us even if you have not read the book (and be inspired to read it). Participants are required to obtain the books themselves. Many local libraries and bookstores carry these titles.

This club will be led by institute staff and volunteers.

Free (please register online) 

May 1 through August 31, 2026
Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm,

Artist Reception: Saturday, May 30, 9 am – Noon
See the Native Plant Sale event to register for the artist reception

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is pleased to present an exhibition of watercolor works by Michigan artist Chris Cooper Thompson. Guests are invited to meet the artist at a reception on Saturday, May 30, from 9 am to noon at the Institute’s Visitor Center. Beautifully framed, signed giclée prints and a very limited number of her original paintings will be available for purchase. 

Chris grew up on Pine Lake in Michigan, where her love of drawing began at an early age. Although her professional career took her to Colorado for four decades, where she worked at Coors Brewing Company and raised her family, Michigan’s landscapes and quiet rural beauty always remained close to her heart. Upon retiring and returning home, she rediscovered the natural inspiration she had missed: trees, water, country roads, and the abundant life surrounding Michigan lakes.

That return home also rekindled her passion for art. After many years working in oil paints, Chris discovered watercolor about twelve years ago and quickly fell in love with the medium. Drawing from her background in both oil and watercolor painting, her work blends traditional watercolor techniques with approaches shaped by years of experience in oil.

Her subjects are wide-ranging and often inspired by local photographers, with a special fondness for Michigan’s native birds. Viewers will also find lighthouses, flowers, fish, Florida wildlife, and even playful, whimsical baby dragons—painted simply for the joy of creative exploration.

In addition to her studio practice, Chris has been teaching watercolor for the past three years. She believes strongly that anyone can create beautiful art with encouragement, guidance, and practice. One of her greatest joys is helping beginners discover confidence and pride in their creative abilities.

Watercolor has become a meaningful and joyful focus of Chris’s retirement, and the Institute is delighted to share her work and her passion with our community.

25% of sales will be donated to the Institute to further our mission:
To inspire appreciation and stewardship of our environment.

Monday, May 4 at 8:00 am

Join Pierce Cedar Creek Institute and your guides, Anne and Doug Klein, for a social birding morning. Enjoy a beverage and chat with new and experienced birders. Then, hit the trails to look for some of Barry County’s very best birds!

Important Information:
– Please be prepared to hike up to one mile on uneven trails
– We will have a limited number of binoculars available to borrow
– The program will occur rain or shine
– In the event of inclement weather, we will offer a shorter information session
on birding topics
– Please meet in the Education Building

Tuesday, May 5
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Join us on a tour of the trails from the comfort of an all-terrain vehicle to learn about spring wildflowers.

Tour is open to ages 15 and up, under 18 must have an adult present.

Members $7 | Non-Members $10