Great Lakes Aurora Dark Sky Jamboree

Event Schedule

September 11–14, 2025

Location: Houghton, MI | Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts | Keweenaw Region

Presented by: Visit Keweenaw in partnership with Michigan Aurora Chasers

NOTE: The Great Lakes Aurora Dark Sky Jamboree (GLAD JAM) is a four-day celebration of the Northern Lights and night sky in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. Each day features a mix of free, public programming alongside a curated selection of paid, registration-only experiences.

The Rozsa Center Speaker Session (Saturday afternoon) is the core paid event, but other ticketed experiences include Friday’s Welcome Reception and Sunday morning’s Farewell Breakfast Gathering. The schedule below indicates if experiences require paid registration or not.

All other events—including star parties, guided hikes, and exhibits—are free and open to the public. Discounted college student pricing is available for ticketed events - please present your student ID when you arrive at registration.

(Schedule May Be Subject To Change)

Thursday, September 11

• Meteorite Exhibit @ A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum | 9-5 p.m. (1404 Sharon Ave, Houghton, MI 49931)
  • ​Touch a real piece of meteorite at the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum in Houghton. The staff is hosting a special meteorite exhibit for the GLAD JAM.
  • Entry Fee:
    • $9 Adult
    • $8 Senior (65+)
    • $5 Young Adult (18-22)
    • $4 Junior (ages 9-17)
    • Free for children up to age 8
• Keweenaw Dark Sky Park Experience (Free & Open to the Public)
  • Go north to the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, basecamp to the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park. It's the only DarkSky International-certified place in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. (14252 US-41, Copper Harbor, MI 49918)
  • 45 minutes north of Houghton
  • Park is open to the public 7 p.m.-7 a.m.
  • Use Leave No Trace Principles
    • Pack out what you pack in
    • Red lights are preferred for night vision preservation
    • Be quiet for Cabin Guests
    • Watch your step!
    • Look for the red light trails for viewing areas close to the parking lot
    • Drive carefully!

Friday, September 12

• Trail Care at Paavola Wetlands with Great Lakes Responsibility and Keweenaw Land Trust | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM (Check Email/Facebook For Sign Up Links, or just show up!)
  • Start your morning with fresh air, friendly faces, and a chance to give back to one of the Keweenaw’s hidden gems. Just across the bridge from Houghton, the Paavola Wetlands Nature Area in Hancock is a stunning mix of trails, forest, and wetlands — and one of the area’s best spots for stargazing and bird watching. Great Lakes Great Responsibility’s Meag Schwartz is teaming up with Keweenaw Land Trust and Visit Keweenaw for an epic morning serving our trails!
  • During this hands-on session, we’ll work alongside local volunteers and attendees from the Great Lakes Aurora Dark Sky Jamboree to tackle invasive buckthorn, do some trail clearing, and help keep  these trails through the wetlands open and accessible. It’s a great way to connect with other GLAD JAM attendees, meet locals, and leave a positive mark on the Keweenaw while helping a local non-profit, The Keweenaw Land Trust.
  • Where to meet: Paavola Wetlands Nature Area, Paavola Road, Hancock, MI. From US-41 in Hancock, turn onto Paavola Road (near Quincy Mine).  Make an immediate left onto Mesnard Location Road, follow to the end and continue onto No. 9 Road (cut off from US 41 summer of 2020)  Continue on No. 9 Road for 0.9 miles  The main Paavola Wetlands parking is a half-circle drive on your Left with trailhead and outhouse.  We will work on the west trail head as well.
  • What to wear/bring: Bug spray, sunscreen, water bottle, closed-toed shoes, gloves, comfy clothes you can break a sweat in – and a smile! Water and cups will be provided as well as locally baked goods.

• Welcome to the Cosmos Reception | Rozsa Center for Performing Arts (Paid Registrants Only) (1400 Townsend Dr, Houghton, MI 49931)
  • 6:00 p.m. – Registration opens in Lobby for GLAD JAM Attendees
  • 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. – Opening remarks from Visit Keweenaw Executive Director Brad Barnett and Author, Photographer and Founder of Michigan Aurora Chasers Melissa Kaelin
    • (Catered dinner provided to GLAD JAM registrants)
• Visit Keweenaw Prince's Point RED LIGHT HIKE & LIGHT PAINTING | 9 p.m.-10 p.m. (Paid Registrants Only)
  • ​Hike to Prince's Point from MTU's Rozsa Center
    • Wear closed-toe shoes
    • Bring a red flashlight, or make your own!
      • This hike involves two staircases and walking across uneven ground in dim light conditions
  • Light Painting with Kevin Clark
    • Kevin will be using light painting to show how to capture light. We will use various lights and tools to show how to light subjects in artistic fun ways. It can be as simple as using a colored flashlight or extensive as multiple light sources and light modifiers and long exposure captures.
• Tom Oliver Dark Sky Experience 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
  • Location: Keweenaw Peninsula (various dark sky sites)
  • A sign up sheet will be available when you check in at the Rozsa​
    • ​If you'd like to register early - email jesse@visitkeweenaw.com or text (989) 551-3191
  • Join night sky photographer Tom Oliver (teoliver.com) for a guided after-dark outing across multiple hand-picked stargazing locations in the Keweenaw. This experience blends night sky viewing and photography, with stops that showcase the Milky Way, potential aurora activity, and the striking comparison between dark skies and those impacted by artificial light. Participants will be provided with an itinerary to allow use of their own vehicles (carpooling encouraged) and to come and go as needed throughout the night.
  • Suggested equipment: layered clothing, sturdy footwear, red-light flashlight or headlamp, and optional camera with tripod.
  • Note: In the case of poor weather/sky conditions this activity may be postponed or cancelled.

Saturday, September 13

• Twilight Yoga on Houghton Pier with Meag Schwartz | 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. (Free & Open to the Public - Just show up!)

  • Start your day with a sunrise salute on the Houghton Pier. Stretch your body and relax your mind to feel the calm, reinvigorating energy of the Keweenaw.
  • Location: Houghton Waterfront Pier next to MTU Lakeshore Building, Downtown Houghton
• Camera Chat with Tom Oliver + Nate Bett | 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.  (Free & Open to the Public, just show up!)
  • Reel it in early Saturday with Tom Oliver + Nate Bett over a hot cup of coffee. Find informal photography tips and talk gear at the Carnegie Museum in Houghton.
  • Location: Carnegie Museum, 105 Huron St, Houghton, MI 49931
• Jamboree Speaker Sessions (Paid Registrants Only)
  • An afternoon of engaging talks by leading voices in the night sky community.
  • Location: Rozsa Center for Performing Arts (1400 Townsend Dr, Houghton, MI 49931) 
    • Melissa Kaelin (Keynote) – Bringing the Visions of Our Dreams to Life | 11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
      • From the vibrant colors of the aurora to meteor showers and galactic spirals, Melissa Kaelin shares how dark skies ignite imagination. Learn how to witness rare celestial events, understand the science behind them, and embrace the adventure of aurora chasing.
    • Patrick Grubba – [Program Details TBA] | 12:30 – 1:20 p.m.
    • Break + Mingling in the Lobby | 1:20 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
      • Connect with fellow attendees, visit exhibitor tables, or grab a refreshment.
    • John Mueller – Light pollution, light trespassing, and the solutions in today's world. | 1:45 – 2:50 p.m.​
    • Photography Panel: Capturing the Night Sky | 3:00 – 3:50 p.m.
      • Join acclaimed night sky photographers Nate Bett, Chris Guibert, and Tom Oliver as they share techniques, stories, and tips for photographing aurora and starry skies in the Keweenaw and beyond.
• Dinner on Your Own | 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • Explore local restaurants or grab takeout before evening activities.
  • Dinner Boat Tour with Jason Swain - (SOLD OUT) (6-8 PM)
• Observatory Tours (8-10 p.m.) – Guided Experiences Under the Dome (Limited Capacity) | Sign-up sheet will be available when you check in at the Rozsa! (Paid Registrants Only) (Shuttles run from Rozsa until Midnight) 
  • ​If you want to register early, email jesse@visitkeweenaw.com or text/call (989) 551-3191
    • Explore real-life research tools and night-sky observation technology at two of MTU’s top facilities:
      • AMJOCH Observatory
        • Located four miles from the Michigan Tech campus at an excellent, dark-sky site, the AMJOCH observatory was built by Emeritus Professor David Chimino in the 1970s, and was named for his parents, Amelia and John Chimino. It was later donated to Michigan Technological University in 1995. The observatory is currently operated jointly between the Department of Electrical Engineering Department and the Physics department. Current projects are through the Optics and Photonics Society (OPS) Student Chapter. OPS is a student-led chapter on campus that is part of a larger international optics and photonics group, and also uses the observatory to grow its own knowledge base of the night sky and community outreach events. The observatory houses a 16" Schmidt-Cassegrain LS-200 telescope mounted on a Paramount ME equatorial mount, complete with the Digital cameras and UBVRI filter. Both Electrical Engineering and Physics departments use the observatory for faculty and undergraduate and graduate student-led research.
        • This observatory helps perform vital research into our night sky and celestial happenings. Tour the facility and join astronomers to look through an observation telescope in a tower and other telescopes on the property. This tour features multiple flights of stairs and goes across uneven ground through low-light areas. Be aware that folks with mobility restrictions may not be able to participate in the full tour or move through the building.

• Skywatch on the Shore at Breakers | 8:00 p.m. – Midnight (Free & Open to the Public) (Breaker's Beach a.k.a. Stanton Township Park - on Houghton Canal Rd, Houghton, MI 49931)
  • A community-wide stargazing celebration to cap off Saturday night. Expect bonfires, red lights, glow sticks, and plenty of cosmic conversation under the stars. 
    • Location: Breakers Beach
    • 10.8 Miles North of Houghton
    • Carpooling encouraged
    • Registrant Transport: TBD - Check Back For Updates

​Sunday, September 14

• Coffee Social @ Rozsa Lobby | 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. (Paid Registrants Only)
• Final Jamboree Speaker Session (Paid Registrants Only)
  • Dr. Jared Wolfe - Navigating Bird Migration Through Artificial Light and Electromagnetic Interference​ | 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
    • ​In his talk, Dr. Jared Wolfe will explore recent insights into how human activities, particularly artificial lighting and electromagnetic interference, significantly impact migratory songbirds. Intense LED lighting disrupts bird migration by pulling them away from optimal stopover habitats, increasing their risk of collisions with buildings, and altering established migratory routes. Additionally, electromagnetic interference from urban infrastructure such as power lines and electronic devices further complicates navigation by disturbing birds' geomagnetic sensing abilities. Dr. Wolfe will discuss practical conservation strategies, including the use of bird-friendly amber or red spectrum lighting, Lights Out campaigns, and acoustic deterrent technologies to protect these important avian pathways.
• Closing Remarks | 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. (Paid Registrants Only)
  • Melissa Kaelin, Brad Barnett