The Acorn presents The Polar Express

Sunday, Dec. 01 | 2:00pm ET (1:00pm CT)

Bring the family to this fun holiday film event at The Acorn! Kiddos can come in pajamas!

The Academy Award-winning team of Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Cast Away) reunite for The Polar Express, an inspiring adventure based on the beloved children's book by Chris Van Allsburg. When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

Please email our Box Office (boxoffice@acornlive.org) if you are not going to use your tickets so that we can make your seat available to someone else.

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JazzReach Presents: Stolen Moments: The First 100 Years of Jazz featuring Metta Quintet

Saturday, Nov. 09 | 12:00pm ET (11:00am CT)

Stolen Moments: The First 100 Years of Jazz is a thoroughly captivating and informative multi-media program that introduces audiences to jazz music's rich history and to the names, faces and music of some of its many masters.

On a broader level, Stolen Moments also highlights the interplay between the jazz movement and the evolution of American culture throughout the 20th Century, emphasizing the ways in which jazz has acted as a unifying force, bridging cultural, ethnic and economic differences; stimulated cultural fusions and new stylistic idioms; exemplified democratic ideals; and influenced other genres of music, both in the U.S. and abroad.

About JazzReach:

JazzReach is a nationally recognized New York City-based 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion, performance, creation and teaching of jazz music. Through the presentation of innovative, widely acclaimed live multi-media educational programs for young audiences, captivating main-stage concerts for general audiences and informative clinics and master-classes for student musicians and ensembles, JazzReach is steadfastly dedicated to fostering a greater appreciation, awareness and understanding of this rich, vital, ever-evolving American art form.

Since premiering their debut educational program in 1997, JazzReach has successfully positioned itself as one of our nation's leading arts organizations dedicated to jazz. Their dynamic, innovative programs have triumphantly served over 650,000 young people nationwide in partnership with many of America's most prominent performing arts presenters and have received unanimous praise from students, teachers, parents, the media and arts professionals alike.

All JazzReach events are free to attend through generous support from our sponsors: Live Music Society, Berrien Community Foundation, and Tom and Mary Ives.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

JazzReach Presents: Sittin' In & Groovin' Out - Metta Quintet featuring River Valley High School Band

Friday, Nov. 08 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Band students at River Valley High School will participate in an intensive three-day residency. Students will interact, rehearse, learn from and perform live in concert with JazzReach's Metta Quintet. The culminating performance will take place at The Acorn on Friday, November 8th. The concert is free to attend and open to all.

This concert serves as our next recording partnership activity with 88.1 WVPE Public Radio which will air in a future "The Sauce Live from The Acorn" broadcast on WVPE! We'll be capturing LIVE footage at the show - come get in on the action!

Sittin’ In and Groovin’ Out promotes creativity and teamwork, builds confidence, cultivates a deeper appreciation of jazz music, improves students' overall musicianship and improvisational skills and inspires students to want to continue to improve and excel in both music and life. Band students at River Valley High School will participate in this intensive three-day residency culminating in a performance with JazzReach’s Metta Quintet on Friday, November 8th at 7pm.

About JazzReach:

JazzReach is a nationally recognized New York City-based 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion, performance, creation and teaching of jazz music. Through the presentation of innovative, widely acclaimed live multi-media educational programs for young audiences, captivating main-stage concerts for general audiences and informative clinics and master-classes for student musicians and ensembles, JazzReach is steadfastly dedicated to fostering a greater appreciation, awareness and understanding of this rich, vital, ever-evolving American art form.

Since premiering their debut educational program in 1997, JazzReach has successfully positioned itself as one of our nation's leading arts organizations dedicated to jazz. Their dynamic, innovative programs have triumphantly served over 650,000 young people nationwide in partnership with many of America's most prominent performing arts presenters and have received unanimous praise from students, teachers, parents, the media and arts professionals alike.

All JazzReach events are free to attend through generous support from our sponsors: Live Music Society, Berrien Community Foundation, and Tom and Mary Ives.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

JazzReach Presents: An Evening with Metta Quintet

Wednesday, Nov. 06 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

For the second year, The Acorn is proud to partner with JazzReach to present free community and educational programming this November. Join us for a free community concert with JazzReach’s Metta Quintet to kick off the 4-day residency!

About JazzReach:

JazzReach is a nationally recognized New York City-based 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion, performance, creation and teaching of jazz music. Through the presentation of innovative, widely acclaimed live multi-media educational programs for young audiences, captivating main-stage concerts for general audiences and informative clinics and master-classes for student musicians and ensembles, JazzReach is steadfastly dedicated to fostering a greater appreciation, awareness and understanding of this rich, vital, ever-evolving American art form.

Since premiering their debut educational program in 1997, JazzReach has successfully positioned itself as one of our nation's leading arts organizations dedicated to jazz. Their dynamic, innovative programs have triumphantly served over 650,000 young people nationwide in partnership with many of America's most prominent performing arts presenters and have received unanimous praise from students, teachers, parents, the media and arts professionals alike.

All JazzReach events are free to attend through generous support from our sponsors: Live Music Society, Berrien Community Foundation, and Tom and Mary Ives.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Holiday Open Mic feat. Daniel Cole Dailey

Friday, Dec. 13 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Our annual Acorn Holiday Open Mic Night will get you in the spirit of the season with some of your favorite Open Mic Night performers from throughout the past year.

Where else in Harbor Country can you go for an evening filled with amazing talent? Come experience Harbor Country’s most exciting array of acts, packed into one night on the fabulous Acorn stage with a state of the art, professional sound system.

No Admission Fee, Donations Encouraged

Performer Inquiries: Email openmic@acornlive.org

This activity is supported in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and sponsored by The Frederick S. Upton Foundation.

About the Artist

Daniel Cole Dailey was born into a family that cherished Southern values and country music. Raised in Chicago, Dailey often found himself drawn to the unique cultural traditions that his parents had brought with them from the South. He felt a deep appreciation for the genre and proudly identified himself as a "northern-born, but southern-raised" musician.

Over the years, Dailey has honed his skills as a performer and songwriter, gaining a reputation for his emotive vocals and authentic songwriting style. His personal experiences and his love for country music have inspired him to create a sound that is both heartfelt and innovative, drawing from the rich history of the genre while also exploring new musical directions.

As a versatile musician, Dailey is equally at home performing solo or as part of the Bluegrass band, The Watershed Ramblers. His commitment to excellence and his passion for country music shine through in every performance, captivating audiences and winning him fans across the country.

Today, Dailey is more committed than ever to the country music scene, devoting himself to creating and performing music that reflects the true essence of the genre. His dedication to preserving the authenticity of country music is evident in every note he plays, and he continues to inspire and uplift audiences with his dynamic performances and unwavering passion for the music he loves.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

The Acorn is proud to partner with Neighbor by Neighbor in hosting a food and hygiene drive at the theater. Throughout December, whenever you come out to The Acorn to attend an event, please consider contributing! Please find more information here.

Open Mic Night featuring Hannah Baird

Friday, Nov. 22 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Where else in Harbor Country can you go for an evening filled with amazing talent? Come experience Harbor Country’s most exciting array of acts, packed into one night on the fabulous Acorn stage with a state of the art, professional sound system.

No Admission Fee, Donations Encouraged

Performer Inquiries: Email openmic@acornlive.org

This activity is supported in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and sponsored by The Frederick S. Upton Foundation.

About the Artist

Hannah Baird is a songwriter from St. Joseph, Michigan. She’s been writing in some capacity (poetry, stories, songs, etc.) for the past 10-15 years, but really started pouring into music in college. Hannah credits music as being mainly her way of processing life and the journey of growing and healing and discovering and becoming. Hannah was recently a Top Six finalist in the 2024 Acorn Singer-Songwriter Competition.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Youth Open Mic Night

Sunday, Oct. 20 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

We're putting the spotlight on young performers with our October Open Mic Night Youth edition! Ages 8 to 18 recommended. Performer Inquiries: Email openmic@acornlive.org

Where else in Harbor Country can you go for an evening filled with amazing talent? Come experience Harbor Country’s most exciting array of acts, packed into one night on the fabulous Acorn stage with a state of the art, professional sound system.

No Admission Fee, Donations Encouraged

Performer Inquiries: Email openmic@acornlive.org

This activity is supported in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and sponsored by The Frederick S. Upton Foundation.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Art at The Acorn – Artist Reception for Julie Schwarz – A Symphony of Polaroids

Tuesday, Oct. 29 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

The Acorn Center for the Performing Arts transforms into a visual art space with our initiative Art at The Acorn. We are proud to welcome our new artist, Julie Schwarz and her exhibit A Symphony of Polaroids.

After being formally trained at Rocky Mountain School of Photography in Missoula, Montana, Julie returned to her home in Harbor Country. Though she was thrilled with the education she had received at RMSP, she found herself disappointed to feel as though the photographs she took looked like ones she had already seen before. Finding inspiration in an old Polaroid camera, Julie developed a style that was all her own.

Artist Reception is free and open to the public.

• Light bites | Cash bar
• Artist Talk and Q&A moderated by Janet Davies

Registration for the free Artist Reception is encouraged. Please click the “Get Tickets” button at the bottom of this page to register.

Artist Statement:

Although formally trained at Rocky Mountain School of Photography in Missoula, Montana, my favorite form of artistic expression, using my beloved Polaroid cameras, has been self-taught.

My photographs are taken using a vintage Polaroid camera and the new Polaroid film. I usually use B&W film and either leave it alone or do one or more of the following: 1) take multiple pictures of an object, trim off the borders and puzzle them together to create a one-of-a-kind collage, 2) emulsion lift, or 3) trim the borders off a single picture. Each one is an original and not reproduced.

No computer manipulation, photoshop or filters are used. The photographs are then finished using my husband’s hand-crafted barn wood frames.

My images are usually described as simple, unique, intimate, and nostalgic. As I prefer to be free to explore all photographic opportunities, I do not limit myself to one subject matter or form of expression.

About the Artist

After years in a career of caring for others, Julie decided it was time to care for herself. So several years ago she took a major leap of faith and embarked on an adventure that would change her life. Julie decided to study photography at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography in Missoula, Montana. Upon arriving back home to Harbor Country, she was thrilled with the education she had received at RMSP, but disappointed to find herself feeling that her photographs looked like ones she had already seen before. Julie then found an old Polaroid camera at a garage sale and came up with a style of photography that was all her own. Since then Julie and her husband have traveled the Midwest and beyond selling her artwork at juried art festivals where Julie has won numerous awards. Julie’s work can be found in corporate and private collections nationwide and in Europe.

Club Acorn Presents Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute

Saturday, Dec. 14 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Some sections limited seating with dance floor!

Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute is the ultimate tribute to the music of ABBA – sure to capture the hearts of fans and audiences of all ages! This live show is full of musical precision, fabulous flair and fashion, and promises a mesmerizing ABBA experience for every Chiquitita, Super Trouper, Fernando, and Dancing Queen around!

Fronted by a dynamic Agnetha and Frida duo, the music of the greatest pop band in history comes to life in a joyful celebration of these timeless tunes. Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute is the Midwest’s long-standing resident ABBA tribute, with a repertoire of over 40 all-time favorite hits. From Waterloo to Mamma Mia, S.O.S. to Knowing Me, Knowing You, Honey, Honey to Voulez-Vous, audiences won’t be able to help singing and dancing along with their high-energy homage to everything ABBA!

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

The Acorn is proud to partner with Neighbor by Neighbor in hosting a food and hygiene drive at the theater. Throughout December, whenever you come out to The Acorn to attend an event, please consider contributing! Please find more information here.

Harbor Country Singers Holiday Concert

Sunday, Dec. 08 | 4:00pm ET (3:00pm CT)

The Harbor Country Singers community choir will perform its annual holiday concert to celebrate the season! The concert will be a blend of secular and sacred music and will contain Christmas and Hanukkah songs. In addition to the singers, it will feature area musicians, including a brass quintet. Harbor Country Singers is a program of the School of American Music.

This is event is free to attend; all are welcome! (Registration is not required.)

The Acorn is proud to partner with Neighbor by Neighbor in hosting a food and hygiene drive at the theater. Throughout December, whenever you come out to The Acorn to attend an event, please consider contributing! Please find more information here.