Community Calendar

Thinking of taking a class at the KIA? Want to make, take, and experience a range of creative projects all in the same night? Join us on Friday, March 6, from 6 to 9pm for Hands On, a fun, fast-paced art making evening!

Bring friends and create a ceramic cup or raku fired vessel, hand print a tea towel, weld metal garden art piece, produce a postcard, and more. More than 15 different projects will be available to enjoy. Admission to the event and some projects are free while others require nominal tickets to cover the costs of materials. Tickets for projects can be purchased at the door (1 ticket = $1). Projects range from $2-$30.

Registration is not required, but it does help us in planning for our exciting projects.

Projects include:

Raku and wheel throwing

Indigo dyeing

Miniature canvas paintings

Timed still life drawings

Printmaking demos

Postcards in the darkroom

Jewelry creation

Drop-in sound bath sessions

Welded sculptures

..and more!

Please join us the first Saturday of each month at 9 AM (barring special events or bad weather which will be announced on our Facebook page), for "Beginning Birding Walks," led by experienced birders from the Audubon Society of Kalamazoo. This event is free and open to the public. Meet at the second parking lot at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery in Mattawan, just off SR 43. All skill levels are welcome.

We will enjoy nature while typically identifying 20-40 species of birds, plus butterflies, frogs, etc. Over 200 bird species have been sighted at Wolf Lake, which offers a variety of habitats and easy walking trails. Annual highlights include colorful songbirds like orioles, warblers, tanagers, hawks and eagles, kingfishers, Great Blue and Green Herons, and over 20 species of waterfowl. Eastern Bluebirds can be found year-round! Children accompanying adults are welcome. The focus is on birding fundamentals, and extra binoculars are always available. The walk typically takes about 2 hours (but feel free to arrive late or leave early).

Jigsaw Puzzle Night
Thursday, March 19, 6-9 pm

Do you fancy yourself a jigsaw genius? Gather a team of puzzle picassos for our first Jigsaw Puzzle Night! Teams will have 2 hours to complete a 550 piece puzzle from our collection, with the fastest team winning a prize. Just here to take your time? No worries! All teams will take home their puzzle, and you can always take it slow with provided snacks and drinks.

While we have many puzzles, if you have your eye on something special, all puzzles will be first come first served!

Limit 5 members per group.

Audience: All ages
Meet: Cooper’s Glen Auditorium

Fee: Members $40, Non-members $50 per group

Yoga with Apral Milar-Corcoran March 21, 10-11:30 amAudience: Adults & TeensMeet: Cooper’s Glen Auditorium Yoga is a great way to re-center yourself, connect with your surroundings, and strengthen your body. Join us and instructor Apral Milar-Corcoran for a course that’s great for beginners, returning practitioners, or anyone looking for a relaxing experience. Please bring your own yoga mat. Fee: KNC Members $12, Non-Members $15

Pine Needle Weaving Workshop
Saturday, March 28, 10 am – 1 pm
Audience: Adults
Meet: Classroom

Dip your toes into an age old skillset and learn how to weave traditional forms out of pine needles. Join Lea Sevigny of Joyful Wildcrafting for an in-depth and hands-on learning experience. Participants will learn the fundamentals of pine needle basket weaving, and walk away with a woven coaster of their own design!

Fee: Members $28, Non-Members $35 Please register.

Nature Journaling
Saturdays, April 4 & May 2, 10-11:30 am

Audience: Teens & Adults

Immerse yourself in the art of slowing down, looking closely, and connecting more deeply with the natural world. These nature journaling workshops are designed for anyone—who wants to cultivate a mindful, creative practice that blends observation, writing, and sketching.

These workshops invite you to step outdoors (or view nature from a window) and tune in to textures, colors, patterns, and stories unfolding around you. Along the way, you’ll explore topics such as seasonal change, nature-based mindfulness, basic field sketching techniques, and how to use your journal as a tool for wonder and awareness.

Please bring your own sketch or notebook. A limited amount of supplies will be available for those who may have misplaced their journal.

Fee: Members Free, Non-Member $10 Please register.

Please join us the first Saturday of each month at 9 AM (barring special events or bad weather which will be announced on our Facebook page), for "Beginning Birding Walks," led by experienced birders from the Audubon Society of Kalamazoo. This event is free and open to the public. Meet at the second parking lot at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery in Mattawan, just off SR 43. All skill levels are welcome.

We will enjoy nature while typically identifying 20-40 species of birds, plus butterflies, frogs, etc. Over 200 bird species have been sighted at Wolf Lake, which offers a variety of habitats and easy walking trails. Annual highlights include colorful songbirds like orioles, warblers, tanagers, hawks and eagles, kingfishers, Great Blue and Green Herons, and over 20 species of waterfowl. Eastern Bluebirds can be found year-round! Children accompanying adults are welcome. The focus is on birding fundamentals, and extra binoculars are always available. The walk typically takes about 2 hours (but feel free to arrive late or leave early).

Silver Maples: Saving Woods Lake

Invisible Salt and Urban Dead Seas

April 8, 11 am – 1 pm

Audience: Geared for Adults 50+, but all are welcome

Road salt deicers are widely used in the U.S. and around the world to make roads safer for winter driving. However, the application of road salt may have significant impacts on natural systems.

Local scientist Dr. Carla Koretsky will share her work completed at two lakes in Kalamazoo (Woods Lake and Asylum Lake), demonstrating the significant impact that road salt can have on the biogeochemistry and physical functioning of urban lakes.

Bring your lunch! We will eat together after the program. This program is geared for adults 50 and up, but all ages are welcome.

Part of the Silver Maples Series: NatureCenter/SilverMaples

Fee: Member $12, Non-Member $15 Please register.

After setting a schedule with special guest leaders, the date has been changed! New date is Saturday, April 11, from 8 am – 8 pm.

Guest leaders include: Yoga instructor Apral Milan-Corcoran, collage artist Jennifer Gatz, artist Erica Bradshaw, local painter Conrad Kaufman

Join us for Rewilding the Imagination – A Creative Retreat, an immersive day designed to spark inspiration and reconnect you with your creative spirit. This retreat blends art, nature, and mindfulness in a supportive community setting. Participants will enjoy a full day of activities, including a photo scavenger hunt and hikes, hands-on art sessions, creative writing prompts, and yoga for creativity. With opportunities to work independently or collaborate in guided workshops, you’ll leave feeling refreshed, inspired, and empowered to explore your artistic potential. A delicious brunch and dinner are included, along with time for reflection and connection during our opening and closing circles.

This event will be held on the beautiful Carver house property, tucked away for a perfect relaxing and inspiring experience.

Fee: $180/Member, $200/Non-Member. Registration required. Audience: Adults Meet: Carver House, KNC’s Stryker Nature Preserve 2343 Angling Rd, Kalamazoo MI 49008

Please join us the first Saturday of each month at 9 AM (barring special events or bad weather which will be announced on our Facebook page), for "Beginning Birding Walks," led by experienced birders from the Audubon Society of Kalamazoo. This event is free and open to the public. Meet at the second parking lot at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery in Mattawan, just off SR 43. All skill levels are welcome.

We will enjoy nature while typically identifying 20-40 species of birds, plus butterflies, frogs, etc. Over 200 bird species have been sighted at Wolf Lake, which offers a variety of habitats and easy walking trails. Annual highlights include colorful songbirds like orioles, warblers, tanagers, hawks and eagles, kingfishers, Great Blue and Green Herons, and over 20 species of waterfowl. Eastern Bluebirds can be found year-round! Children accompanying adults are welcome. The focus is on birding fundamentals, and extra binoculars are always available. The walk typically takes about 2 hours (but feel free to arrive late or leave early).