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 are invited to pitch innovative business ideas in the new Cultivate 269 competition, where two winners will share $100,000 in seed funding and receive mentorship to help launch their ventures.
Milestone Senior Services provides free weekday lunches at 15 locations across Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties, serving nearly 600 older adults daily in a program designed to combat social isolation and nutritional risk through shared meals and community connection.
See some kicks for kicks at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, where the exhibition "Future Now" turns sneakers into art that blends design, culture, sustainability, and the irresistible urge to try them on.
Kalamazoo residents packed a public forum to learn their rights, discuss safety, and organize community response amid growing fears of ICE activity.
At Mic Check & Connect, Kalamazoo artists gather not just to perform, but to spark intentional conversations that turn creative expression into genuine community and collaboration.
Jamauri Bogan is partnering with Bronson Healthcare to build an 85-unit, mixed-use residential complex that helps address the critical shortage of housing in Kalamazoo County.
'The 2026 Music Media Reset’ means teens and others are ditching digital music and opting instead for LPs and CDs.
Thanks to Kalamazoo Forward Ventures, a wave of help is coming to address a potential 'Silver Tsunami' of mostly Baby Boomer-owned small business closures in Kalamazoo — the program aims to help preserve jobs, wealth, and legacy.
A new state-funded Michigan program is helping adults stay in their homes by offering free, personalized counseling on long-term care, and community-based support services.
Public transit services like Metro Connect help Kalamazoo residents with disabilities and mobility limitations maintain independence, access essential services, and stay connected to their community.
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