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.
A quirky Kalamazoo chamber ensemble, Silent But Deadly, brings new life — and eerie original scores — to silent horror films in a spooky, immersive Halloween-season concert blending classical music, DIY sound effects, and vintage creepiness.
During the last three years, Kalamazoo Gospel Mission has seen a 68 percent increase in the number of single men seeking overnight shelter and a 51 percent increase in single women. Now they must cap entry to maintain safe conditions for those seeking shelter and staff.
Northside residents are hopeful the new $300M Kalamazoo Event Center will bring jobs, training, and business opportunities to their community.
Kalamazoo’s Metro Transit is seeking a five-year millage increase to sustain bus services and expand its growing on-demand Metro Link program.
A New York–level jazz firestorm lit up a Kalamazoo church, proving world-class swing doesn’t need a Manhattan zip code.
In a world divided, this Michigan-based celebration proves that music, maple, and a bit of mischief can still bring neighbors together.
“We're celebrating diversity and inclusion, bringing awareness to mental health and sustainability and creating change through music.”
Community gardens provide more than just food for urban residents. These organizations serve as educational centers, community spaces, and environmentally-friendly food production for urban Michigan residents.
At Kalamazoo’s Democracy Fest, community members were urged to move beyond protest and pick up a paddle — taking local action to defend democracy together.
During a powerful evening of poetry, music, and storytelling, OutFront Kalamazoo launched the Gender-Affirming Care Fund, a community-driven initiative to expand access to life-saving healthcare for trans and nonbinary residents of Kalamazoo County.
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