Readers and bakers eat their words at Kalamazoo’s 19th Annual Edible Book Festival
See who took the cake at this year's Kalamazoo Book Arts' Edible Book Festival.
Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo’s name is so distinctive strangers around the world have been known to break into song at hearing the name. With such a recognizable moniker you’d think Kalamazoo wouldn’t need nicknames, but through the years changing names have reflected the city’s refusal to stand still. The Zoo, Celery City and the Mall City are a few. The innovative thinking that brought downtown K’zoo the nation’s first pedestrian mall in 1959 continues to work today. Innovators have developed thriving life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms. They build on the expertise of Kalamazoo’s universities. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Davenport College all are centers of research, development and technology. They surround a downtown vibrating with condos, apartments and homegrown, top-notch restaurants. The universities are woven into the city’s social fabric and contribute to a cultural scene that Kalamazooans love to boast about. The Kalamazoo Symphony, Kalamazoo Institute of Art and a vibrant local theater community are a few of the offerings. Locals also love their festivals that fill the air with music and the scents of ethnic foods wafting over the Arcadia Festival grounds and the Kalamazoo River. Outdoor activities from biking on the Kal-Haven trail to disc golf and standard golf on a nationally-acclaimed course in Milham Park are the start of the city’s leisure side. Sports fans have competitive college teams, minor league baseball and hockey to follow. And it all comes with a Promise. All high school graduates who live in Kalamazoo qualify for a scholarship that pays 100 percent of their tuition at any public university or community college.
Western Michigan University students say they have outgrown April Fools’ Day. Really.
Western Michigan University students rally to make April Fools’ Day a mandatory campus-wide celebration, arguing that required pranks could boost morale and connection. No joke?
As traffic patterns change in downtown Kalamazoo, expect a few bumps in the road
Extensive roadwork, utility upgrades, and major development projects in downtown Kalamazoo this summer will cause short-term travel disruptions but aim to create a safer, more accessible, and community-friendly transportation environment long term.
Housing pros answer the question: Are these places really affordable?
How do you define "affordable housing"? It turns out there is a precise definition.
Kalamazoo Women2Women builds connections, fuels growth for local businesswomen
Kalamazoo Women2Women, a growing local network founded in 2016, is fostering mentorship, collaboration, and business growth by connecting professional women across industries in a supportive, no-dues environment.
Voices of Youth Q&A: Understanding immigration concerns in Kalamazoo
Amid rising nationwide immigration enforcement and fear, a Kalamazoo youth interviews El Concilio CEO Adrian Vazquez to explore how local organizations support immigrant families facing detention, uncertainty, and community-wide impacts.
An artist’s love song: David Small gives ‘Prufrock’ new life
Acclaimed Southwest Michigan artist David Small reimagines "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" through a limited-edition collaboration with Kalamazoo Book Arts Center.
Groove for Good: Kalamazoo climate night blends beats and big ideas
Kalamazoo residents are invited to a lively night of music, community conversation, and climate action at “Groove for Good – Climate Action Night,” a fundraiser at Old Dog Tavern supporting local environmental efforts.
Kalamazoo Cookie Exchange to celebrate Women’s History Month and support Black women-owned businesses
Community members will gather March 28 at Urban Exposure Garden for the Kalamazoo Cookie Exchange, a Women’s History Month event celebrating baking, neighborhood connection and three Black women-owned local businesses.
Symphonic Beats celebrates women, proves Kalamazoo’s hip hop culture is thriving
Blending symphony, rap, poetry and dance, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra’s “Symphonic Beats” celebrated women in hip-hop culture while showcasing the strength of Kalamazoo’s local scene.
