Community Calendar

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).

This two-day workshop gives you the opportunity to build 2 brooms from start to finish. We start both brooms the same by wrapping a core onto a handle. After that we will finish one with woven stems and the other by plaiting with basket reed or with cut corn stems. Then we will stitch them to finish.

The perfect place to dive into broom making! This class begins with the basics—whisk brooms and cobwebbers—and builds up from there. Students will get hands-on experience with several types of brooms, including hearth brooms, turkey wings, kitchen brooms, and more. Each project introduces new techniques, so students will grow their skills (and their broom collections!) with every step.

Welcome to our hands-on workshop where you’ll learn the basics of using edge tools in woodworking! This event is perfect for beginners looking to improve their woodworking skills. Tool setup, safe handling, and basics of sharpening will all be covered. These skillsets are an essential addition to any woodworker’s toolbox. Bring a tool that you’d like to sharpen!

The perfect place to dive into broom making! This class begins with the basics—whisk brooms and cobwebbers—and builds up from there. Students will get hands-on experience with several types of brooms, including hearth brooms, turkey wings, kitchen brooms, and more. Each project introduces new techniques, so students will grow their skills (and their broom collections!) with every step.

Open to ages 18+.

What would happen to your family heirlooms if the weather damaged your home? National Heritage Emergency Responder Jared Yax will guide you in how to assess risks to your prized possessions and how to protect them. Through a hands-on risk assessment using the Parchment Community Library as an example, you’ll gain experience in how to plan to protect your prized possessions and cultural objects. You’ll also find out what types of restoration services are available if a disaster should happen. Registration is requested. Register online, in person, or by calling the library.

Jared Yax is a cultural heritage emergency response consultant based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is a graduate of Grand Valley State University where he studied History, Archaeology and the German language. Jared has over 20+ years of curatorial experience as a museum professional, and 14 years of experience as a firefighter/medical first responder achieving the rank of lieutenant. He has had the opportunity during his museum career to work with historic objects such as from the Titanic, the tomb of King Thutmose III, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Whydah pirate ship, and whale skeletons of New Zealand. During his emergency responder career, Jared has received certifications in ICS 100, 200, 300, 400, NIMS/IS 700 & 800, Fire Instructor I, Fire Officer I & II, Incident Safety Officer, Hazmat Operations, and the Blue Card Incident Commander Program. Jared is a graduate of the Smithsonian Heritage Emergency And Response Training and has become a course advisor and contract instructor with the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative for the program. As an all hazards responder, Jared has consulted for cultural institutions undergoing emergencies across the United States in Alaska, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas and Virginia.

With winter coming, many of us are getting ready to shutter up our lawns for the season, but now’s the time to get our homes ready to support our wintering bird species!

Heather from Wild Birds Unlimited will lead an in-depth discussion on how to make our homes more bird-friendly in the cold months and give tips on how we can enjoy watching our native birds all year round.

This program is geared for adults 50 and up, but all ages are welcome.

Date: November 19 from 11:00AM-1:00PM

Meet: Cooper’s Glen Auditorium inside the Visitor Center

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

Registration recommended, drop-ins welcome

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

Learn to extend the life of your clothes and other belongings with the creative practice of visible mending. Using intentional design choices, you can repair and reinforce areas with holes, rips or worn fabrics. Visible mending is not only a sustainable solution to maintain what already exists, but is also full of joy, creativity, and relaxation! Explore basic techniques for creating repairs that are meant to be seen and loved for years to come.

Bring a damaged piece of your own, or practice your techniques on provided fabric.

Saturday, November 21, 2026, 10 am-12 pm

Meet: Visitor Center Classroom

Fee: KNC Members $15; Non-Members $20

Please Register >

Audience: Adults and teens

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).

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).