Community Calendar

KNC holds the distinct privilege of working alongside two of the only three people in Michigan who are permitted to band Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. These small but mighty birds can tell an incredible story that leads researchers to better understand the species so that they can be properly protected. Banding and documenting body condition data contributes to the Ruby-throated Hummingbird’s story. For three days this fall, you can observe this process as part of our annual bird banding research with the Kalamazoo Valley Bird Observatory banding team. A rare and incredible experience to see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds up close. We’d love to share this special project with you!

We have Bird Banding Up Close happening daily (except on Saturdays) all fall long!

All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Bird Banding Lab.

Friday, August 28, 2026

Friday, September 4, 2026

Friday, September 11, 2026

Weather permitting

Time: 8 -10 am

Meet: KNC’s Bird Banding Barn

Fee: Included in regular KNC admission; KNC Members free!

Audience: All ages

Learn the history and basic techniques of working with tin! Students will make simple items from tin using fundamental cutting, bending, and joining techniques. Other covered topics include patterns and pattern-making, tips for finding tools for home tinsmithing, and the historic wares and traditional role of the tinsmith.

Learn the ancient skill of basketry with common pine trees found in Michigan. Celebrate native flora and learn about identifying the differences between red, white, and Jack pine trees (with real life examples). Use pine needles to craft a small basket (perfectly sized for holding keys or jewelry), plus gain timeless knowledge to create endless designs. Participants will take home their unique crafted basket and tools needed to make more, along with tips for harvesting pine needles ethically. Come enjoy a new hobby, craft from the wild, and turn mulch into memories with this workshop.

Get ready to dive into nostalgia at the Michigan Retro Game Expo! This in-person event is the perfect spot to relive the golden days of gaming. Whether you're into classic consoles, arcade machines, or vintage game merch, there’s something here for every retro gaming fan. Meet fellow enthusiasts, discover rare finds, and play your favorite throwback games all day long. Don’t miss out on the fun and good vibes!

Summer Fungus Walk
Summer’s winding to a close, but the fungal world isn’t slowing down! We’ll learn about what’s fruiting this season and take a light stroll to see what mushrooms are popping up on the trails.

Saturday, August 29, 2026, 10-11 am

Meet: Visitor Center front desk

Fee: Included in regular KNC admission; KNC Members free!

Audience: All ages

Herbal Oil Workshop
Connect with nature’s harvest and bottle the very best that summer has to offer as we create our own infused herbal oils! Join Lea Sevigny of Joyful Wildcrafting for a guided look into the world of summer herbs. We’ll learn to identify local plants and talk about the ways we can preserve their benefits to use long after summer’s end.

Saturday, August 29, 2026, 10 am-12 pm

Meet: Visitor Center Classroom

Fee: KNC Members $16; Non-Members $20

Please Register >

Audience: Adults

Discover how to turn wild plants into effective herbal remedies in this hands-on workshop. We’ll explore the properties and uses of yarrow, elderberry, cherry bark, and mullein, along with additional herbs for supporting the body through several common ailments. You’ll learn basic plant identification, safe usage, and practical methods for preparing tinctures, salves, teas and more at home. Designed for beginners and experienced learners alike, this class builds confidence in ethical foraging and remedy-making. Participants receive a sample of one of the wild remedies covered in class to take home, plus printed instructions covering all recipes.

Join us for a conversation on how Roger Shimomura and other contemporary artists have responded to the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, using multiple artistic media to communicate messages of pain, protest, and perseverance. We will begin this Gallery Gathering by looking at Shimomura’s Nisei Triology in the For the People, By the People exhibition. Then we will move downstairs to the Joy Light Gallery to view the exhibition Resilience–A Sansei Sense of Legacy.

KNC holds the distinct privilege of working alongside two of the only three people in Michigan who are permitted to band Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. These small but mighty birds can tell an incredible story that leads researchers to better understand the species so that they can be properly protected. Banding and documenting body condition data contributes to the Ruby-throated Hummingbird’s story. For three days this fall, you can observe this process as part of our annual bird banding research with the Kalamazoo Valley Bird Observatory banding team. A rare and incredible experience to see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds up close. We’d love to share this special project with you!

We have Bird Banding Up Close happening daily (except on Saturdays) all fall long!

All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Bird Banding Lab.

Friday, August 28, 2026

Friday, September 4, 2026

Friday, September 11, 2026

Weather permitting

Time: 8 -10 am

Meet: KNC’s Bird Banding Barn

Fee: Included in regular KNC admission; KNC Members free!

Audience: All ages

"In September, our youngest art lovers can explore the work of local artists featured in the West Michigan Area Show. Through close looking and playful activities, young children can explore, move, and experience art together with their caregivers in a relaxed setting.

Wonder Walks is for children 2-4 years old (but all are welcome) and is free with the cost of admission. Caregivers must stay with their children at all times. Preregistration is encouraged"