JCPL celebrating transcontinental railroad

From the engine to the caboose, the library has trains covered.

Jay County Public Library is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad this month.

Railroad-related activities will including a “Riding the Rails through Jay County” presentation at 6:30 p.m. Friday from former CSX Transportation employee Keith Lehman. He will share stories about the history of railroads in Jay County.

On May 11, visitors to the library will be able to play the “Ticket to Ride” cross-country train adventure board game from 2 to 4 p.m. Then at 6 p.m. on May 14, folk singer Adam Miller will host a sing-along concert of “Folksongs of the Great American Railroad.” And a STEAM lab for children ages 8 and older featuring wooden Civil War-era trains is scheduled for 9:30 to 11 a.m. May 25.

Also this month, the library will host a breakout game for teens and adults at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Monday. The game has a “Taming the West” theme.

Advance registration is required by calling (260) 726-7890.

And at 6 p.m. May 13, Patty Johnson will lead a “Making Old Things New Again” seminar. She will share her ideas for reviving old furniture and other items.

Enroll quickly

Ivy Tech Community College will hold five express enrollment sessions at its Muncie campus, 4301 S. Cowan Road, this month.

Sessions are scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 2, 9, 23 and 30, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 21. Students can received help with applications, financial aid, registration and scheduling.

Registration is currently open for the summer and fall semesters.

Displaying in Muncie

Cornerstone Center for the Arts in Muncie will host an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. May 2 for the exhibit “Movement in Nature” by Kimberley True.

True’s art is rooted in her fascination with the movement of nature. She is a Muncie native.

The exhibit will be on display throughout May.

For more information, call (765) 281-9503.

Festival set

Arts Place will hold a children’s literature festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Park, 228 E. South St., St. Marys, Ohio.

The event, which is free, will include story times, crafts, activities and face painting. Attendees are invited to dress as their favorite character from a book.

To display

Blackford County Center for the Arts will host the exhibit “And I Thought Pole Dancing Was Hard” beginning Monday.

The exhibit will feature the work of photographer Mary-Ellen Bertram. It will be on display through June 13, and an opening reception is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. May 17.

For more information, contact Amy Day at (765) 348-4154 or [email protected].

Hosting tours

Limberlost State Historic Site will offer a guided tour of Rainbow Bend Park, the area known to naturalist Gene Stratton-Porter as Rainbow Bottom, from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The area is the setting for two of Stratton-Porter’s novels. Hikers will learn about plants and wildlife as well as the area’s significance to settlers and the Miami Indians.

Participants should meet at Limberlost State Historic Site, 202 E. 6th St., Geneva. The cost is $4 for members and $5 for non-members.

Event scheduled

Minnetrista will hold its Garden Fair from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the facility at 1200 N. Minnetrista Parkway, Muncie.

The event will include a variety of plants, landscaping tools and crafts. Horticulture experts will also be on hand in order to provide advice to gardeners.

For more information, visit minnetrista.net or call (765) 282-4848.