From 30,000 to 40,000 people are expected to turn out in Kalamazoo this weekend to take in the largest downtown event of the year.
The event that began years ago as Super Saturday has morphed into the kick off of the summer season for retailers, restaurateurs and entertainment venues across downtown.
The fun begins Thursday with the Greek Fest at Arcadia Creek Festival Place. Musical headliners are the Spin Doctors Friday and Night Ranger Saturday.
Next up is the expanded Art Hop featuring art work in nearly 60 different locations across the downtown. Art on the Mall, traditionally a Saturday event, will open Friday night to cater to the Art Hop crowd. From 5 to 10 p.m. there will be a sneak preview of the KIA Art Fair in Bronson Park.
Silliness steps off Saturday morning with the Do-Dah parade, a Kalamazoo tradition in which participants spoof just about anything as they march through downtown.
Throughout the day people will be flocking to the 59th annual Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Fair where they'll find 200 artist booths, a kids art yard, live music, a beer garden and food court on South Street.
Friends of the Library Book Sale, at the Kalamazoo Public Library, will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is a Ladies Library Ice Cream Social and a Historical Walk that starts in front of Gazelle Sports, 241 S. Kalamazoo Mall.
The weekend concludes with the Concerts in the Park series at Bronson Park beginning at 4 p.m. with Kalamazoo Singers, one of the area's premier choral organizations.
Downtown
Kalamazoo Incorporated is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing Downtown Kalamazoo as an accessible, diverse, green, progressive and vibrant urban center.
Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Vicky Kettner, DKI
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