Community Calendar

Naturalist Exploration Hour
KNC’s team of naturalists are coming to you with a new series of guided hikes, talks, and explorations! Each month one of our naturalists will be leading an experience on one of their passions and sharing that with you. As our naturalists debut their programs, we’ll be announcing them on social media.

Expect fresh faces, new ideas, and an exciting new kind of weekend exploration at KNC!

Saturdays, September 12, October 10, and November 14, 10-11am

Meet: Visitor Center front desk

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

Audience: All ages

Join us for an intimate and soulful writing experience with one of our most beloved local writers and poets, Kalamazoo’s own Kira Collins.

Reimagine your connection to the Earth. Re-root your soul in the land & remember your own belonging. We’ll spend time together grounding and feeling the world around us through the written word.

Bring a notebook, writing utensil of choice, water bottle, and something to sit with on the ground.

Think you’re not a poet? You just might surprise yourself!

Saturday, September 12, 2026, 10-11:30am

Meet: Glen Vista Gallery inside the Visitor Center

Fee: KNC Members $28; Non-Members $35

Please Register >

Audience: Adults

Tacos, tequila, and tunes, what more do you need?!

Get ready for an unforgettable afternoon at the Tacos & Tequila Crawl in Downtown Kalamazoo. Grab your friends and hit the town as you crawl between local hotspots, enjoying five delicious specialty tacos, sipping on signature tequila drinks, and soaking up all the fiesta vibes along the way. Your ticket is your all-access pass to flavor and fun. Featuring a taco at each stop, exclusive swag, and entry to an epic after party in Bates Alley with a live DJ to keep the celebration going.

This isn’t just a food crawl. It’s part taco tour, part bar crawl, and a FUNdraiser for MRC Industries.

Gather your crew, snag your tickets, and get ready for a fiesta you won’t forget!

Silver Maples: Nature Journaling
Looking for an excuse to slow down and connect with nature alongside your community? Get a taste of nature journaling- the art of looking closely and connecting more deeply with the natural world.

Journals will be provided, just bring yourself and your open mind.

Thursday, September 17, 2026, 11 am-12 pm

Meet: Glen Vista Gallery inside the Visitor Center

Fee: KNC Members free; Non-Members $10

Please Register >

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

Fall Foraging
Join KNC staff to learn some foraging basics of fall. Grab your basket and enjoy finding the edible treasures around us on a guided hike. Dress for the weather as this program will be entirely outdoors.

Registration is recommended as these popular programs often reach capacity; drop-ins welcome if space is available.

Please click on each date to register:

Thursday, September 17, 2026, 5-6:30 pm >

Saturday September 19, 2026, 10-11:30 am >

Meet: Visitor Center Main Parking Lot Sundial
Fee: KNC Members $16/Non-Members $20
Audience: All Ages

Foundry Hall presents the 9th annual South Haven Jazz Festival on September 18th and 19th in beautiful downtown South Haven. The free, two-day festival showcases a variety of regional musicians from small ensembles to the Lake Effect Jazz Big Band performing traditional and original music.
Friday night's highlight will be Brazilian jazz night with the Rufus Ferguson Quartet featuring Kenny Watson. On Saturday, saxophonist Lafayette Gunter, Jr. kicks off the evening with John Stites award winning pianist, Lisas Sung, Dale Bales and drummer Yuriana Sobrino Garcia.
Later Saturday evening, Creative Capital State of the Art Prize recipient, Brandon Meeks, shares his Unsung Giants program of Midwest jazz legacy stories. Closing out the night the Lake Effect Jazz Big Band will celebrate Miles Davis's 100th birthday.
The festival also showcases vocalist Yolonda Lavender's soul-based jazz and the WMU jazz vocal duo, Daunt & King.
For more information about the artists check out our website:
foundryhall.org/south-haven-jazz-festival/

Help us reach our goal of zero suicides!

We're fighting for a better future. For those affected by suicide. For open conversations about mental health. For prevention. We can't do that without you. Walk with us to prevent suicide.

Join us for the 13th annual Gryphon Place Suicide Prevention Walk on Saturday, September 19, 2026. The 5K cause-walk will raise awareness for suicide prevention, allow people to connect with each other, and provide critical funds for Gryphon Place. 100% of the community-raised dollars stay here in the community, supporting the local programs and services we offer.

Schedule:
8:30 AM Registration Opens + Resource Fair Begins
9:30 AM Panel Discussion Beings
10:00 AM Opening Remarks + Walk Begins
12:00 PM Walk + Resource Fair Ends

Stories Grow Here: Join the Launch of Our New Community Book Swap

Every great story has the power to connect people and now we’re creating a space where those connections can grow.

Whether you read a book every week or only pick one up now and then, you’re warmly invited to the launch of our new Community Book Swap! Bring a book you’ve already enjoyed and are ready to pass along, and swap books with a fellow reader. It’s a wonderful opportunity to give a favorite story a new home while finding fresh titles recommended by fellow readers.

There are no assigned books, no reading requirements, and no pressure, just genuine conversations, thoughtful recommendations, and the chance to meet people who love books as much as you do.

Saturday, September 19, 2026, 2-3:30 pm

Meet: Glen Vista Gallery inside the Visitor Center and on the Vista Deck

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

Audience: Adults

Come explore KNC on a guided hike through some of our favorite areas. Each month will feature a different trail, taking you through our greatest hits and best kept secrets. Dress appropriately for the weather and bring your best trail shoes! Hot tea will be provided- help us reduce waste by bringing your own travel mug.

Saturday, September 19, 2026, 2-3pm- Discover the Fern Valley Trail

Saturday, October 17, 2026, 2-3pm- Discover the Beech Maple Trail

Saturday, November 28, 2026, 2-3pm- Discover the Cooper’s Outlook Trail

Meet: Visitor Center

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

Audience: All ages

Foundry Hall presents the 9th annual South Haven Jazz Festival on September 18th and 19th in beautiful downtown South Haven. The free, two-day festival showcases a variety of regional musicians from small ensembles to the Lake Effect Jazz Big Band performing traditional and original music.
Friday night's highlight will be Brazilian jazz night with the Rufus Ferguson Quartet featuring Kenny Watson. On Saturday, saxophonist Lafayette Gunter, Jr. kicks off the evening with John Stites award winning pianist, Lisas Sung, Dale Bales and drummer Yuriana Sobrino Garcia.
Later Saturday evening, Creative Capital State of the Art Prize recipient, Brandon Meeks, shares his Unsung Giants program of Midwest jazz legacy stories. Closing out the night the Lake Effect Jazz Big Band will celebrate Miles Davis's 100th birthday.
The festival also showcases vocalist Yolonda Lavender's soul-based jazz and the WMU jazz vocal duo, Daunt & King.
For more information about the artists check out our website:
foundryhall.org/south-haven-jazz-festival/