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).

In May, Art Detectives will be on the case, searching for how artists show people in their artwork. We’ll read a book about different artistic styles, hunt for faces and figures in the permanent collection, and finish by creating our own portrait masterpiece to take home. Arty will be on vacation in June, July, and August. Please join us again in September when Arty has returned.

Please note that this event will not be livestreamed or posted on YouTube.
Art Detectives is a free program for children 4-8 years old (but all ages are welcome). Join us as we read a story, look at art, and make a project to take home. Caregivers must stay with their children at all times. This is a free program; preregistration is encouraged. Adults, remember to register your children!

Salamander Walk
Saturday, May 9, 2-3 pm

Audience: All Ages
Meet: Visitor Center Lobby

Have you ever wondered what our slimy friends get up to in the leaf litter? Come learn about the salamanders and newts of Michigan, and take a look at some of the habitats these enigmatic critters call home.

Fee: Included in regular KNC admission; KNC Members free! Drop in program.

Family Wildflower Walk & Workshop
Sunday, May 10, 10 am – 1 pm

Spend time bonding with your loved ones, and celebrate the spring blossoming around us. We’ll take a walk through our Emma Pritcher Prairie to observe the blossoming wildflowers of spring, and take time after to create our own pressed-flower candle holders.

Fee: Adult Member $12, Adult Non-Member $15; Children free. Please register.

"Wild Kratts Live 2.0 is a theatrical stage show based on the hit animated television series Wild Kratts. Martin and Chris Kratt, stars of the Emmy-nominated Wild Kratts, step out live on stage to engage the audience in a classic Wild Kratts story! Martin and Chris are sure to keep you entertained as they activate some fan favorite Creature Power Suits and go “Off to the Creature Rescue!” With the help of the Wild Kratts team—and their audience members—the Kratt Brothers confront a comic villain and help bring the creatures of the animal world to safety once again! Experience, live-on-stage, the astounding creature fundamentals, and the infectious excitement and inspiring quest of the Kratt Brothers that make the hit television series Wild Kratts so popular with kids and their families.

Since 2014, Wild Kratts Live 2.0 has performed over 225 shows for hundreds of thousands of fans in over 135 cities across North America. It was created for the stage by the imaginative minds of Martin and Chris Kratt from Zoboomafoo, Kratt’s Creatures, and Be the Creature."

Kalamazoo River Guardians
Are you looking for an opportunity to better understand your local watershed? Become a Kalamazoo River Guardian! Working with a team of experts, participants will help sample parts of the Kalamazoo River watershed and its local tributaries for macroinvertebrates (water bugs). Samples will be brought back to the lab to be identified under microscopes as a group. The data collected contributes to a statewide database used for valuable research and monitoring of water quality. No prior experience is required.

Fee: Free event, $5 optional pizza lunch
Audience: All Ages (children must have an adult in attendance)
Meet: Merrill Park, 5845 Comstock Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49048

This event is recommended for those older than 8. If you have a younger person who you would like to bring, please connect with us and we can discuss ways in which they can participate safely and while having a fun experience. A chaperone is required to accompany participants younger than 14. Participants must have transportation to the sampling site and Heronwood Field Station (lab and lunch location).

Wetland Wonders
Saturday, May 30, Noon-3 pm
Audience: All Ages
Meet: Cooper’s Glen Auditorium

Swamps, bogs, marshes, fens… we love these marvels of our local ecology, but how well do you know your neighborhood wetlands? Learn about the wetlands here at KNC and take part in some exciting citizen science to sample and identify some of our wetland inhabitants.

Fee: Included in regular KNC admission

"Spend an unforgettable night with Steve Burns, the original host of Blue's Clues, in an intimate, moderated conversation that’s equal parts heartfelt, humorous, and nostalgic.

Beloved by a generation for his gentle curiosity and genuine warmth, Steve steps back into the spotlight to reflect on the unexpected cultural impact of Blue’s Clues, the moment he said goodbye, and the journey that followed—from children’s television icon to musician, actor, and viral internet sensation. With candid stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and thoughtful reflections on growing up (for him and for us), this evening offers fans a rare opportunity to reconnect with a familiar friend.

Whether you grew up watching him search for clues or discovered him through his moving messages years later, this special event invites you to celebrate connection, curiosity, and the enduring power of kindness.

Bring your questions—and maybe your handy dandy notebook—for a night you won’t forget.

Guiding the evening is Stefani Bishop, celebrated Kalamazoo radio personality, bringing her signature warmth and insight to the stage."

Stop in to the KIA during Arts Fair for a hands on art activity! We will provide the supplies to create your own Gelli Plate printed sneaker. Experiment with colorways inspired by objects featured in Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks!

Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Bata Shoe Museum, and curated by Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director and Senior Curator of the Bata Shoe Museum.

Please note that this event will not be livestreamed or posted on YouTube.

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).