Community Calendar

Join us for a 6-week course exploring the twelve principles of permaculture design. Each week the class will dive into two principles, blending thoughtful discussion with hands-on practice in a living garden installation at Tillers International. Skills will vary based on garden needs and weather, but will include multiple fall bed preparation methods, mapping and planning, tool maintenance, and more!

Even though the leaves are falling, right now is the perfect time to start planning for next year’s fresh growth! Our conservation team members are experts at native planting, and they’re here to share that expertise with you! Bring your most burning native garden questions and plant the seeds of garden knowledge for next season.

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

Meet: Cooper’s Glen Auditorium inside the Visitor Center

Date: Thursday, October 1 from 11:00AM-1:00PM

Fee: Free for KNC Members; $10 non-members

Registration recommended, drop-ins welcome

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

Photographer Sheila Pree Bright’s series Invisible Empire foregrounds the tension between the pastoral beauty of the American South and the historical exploitation of Black lives and labor that stains the landscape. In her series The Real Story of the Superheroes, Dulce Pinzón centers immigrant workers whose everyday heroism takes the form of quiet sacrifice and courage in the face of often extreme labor conditions. During this Gallery Gathering, we will discuss two artworks from these series featured in For the People, By the People.

"Let’s find the biggest works in the museum. Join us for a playful walk through the galleries designed for our youngest visitors. Together, we’ll explore big, bold paintings through close looking, storytelling, and interactive activities.

Wonder Walks are 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"

"Join the KIA for an evening celebrating family, culture, creativity, and community during Hispanic Heritage Month. Noche de Familia welcomes guests of all ages to gather through art experiences, cultural activities, storytelling, and opportunities to connect with neighbors and community organizations.
This year's event will place special emphasis on recognizing and honoring the contributions of farmworker individuals and families throughout Southwest Michigan. Through their labor, traditions, resilience, and community leadership, farmworkers have helped shape the region's history and continue to play a vital role in its future.
Visitors are invited to explore the galleries, participate in hands-on activities, engage with community partners, and celebrate the stories that connect generations and communities. By uplifting voices and experiences that are often overlooked."

Ernestine Ashworth spends her 17th birthday agonizing over her insignificance in the universe. Soon enough, it's her 18th birthday. Even sooner, her 41st. Her 70th. Her 101st. As the years race by, birthdays become milestones in a life shaped by family, loss, laughter, and the quiet moments we often overlook until they've become faded memories.
Noah Haidle's Birthday Candles is funny, tender, and quietly profound. It’s funny in the way real families are funny, aching in the same places. It reminds us that extraordinary lives aren't measured by fame or fortune, but by the people we love and the moments we share. By the end, you're not just watching Ernestine's story - you're thinking about your own.

Enjoy the Golden Age of Broadway with Songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein

The Kalamazoo Civic Senior Class Reader’s Theatre celebrates the golden age of Broadway with the delightful musical revue Some Enchanted Evening – The Songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein October 2-11, 2026, in the Parish Theatre.

Featuring the unforgettable melodies of legendary composers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, this joyful evening of music brings together beloved songs from timeless classics such as The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, South Pacific, Carousel, and The King and I.

Purchase Tickets: https://bit.ly/SomeEnchantedEveningTickets-Oct2-11
Flex Pass Subscriptions: https://bit.ly/KazooCivicFlexPass
Group Rates: Call (269) 343-1313 or visit: https://bit.ly/KzooCivicGroupTix

Performance Dates and Times:
• Friday, October 2, 2026, at 7:30 PM
• Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 2:00 PM*
• Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 2:00 PM
• Friday, October 9, 2026, at 7:30 PM
• Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 2:00 PM
• Sunday, October 11, 2026, at 2:00 PM
*October 3 at 2 PM (ASL Interpreted & Audio Description Services Available)

Music and Lyrics by RICHARD RODGERS & OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II
Concept by JEFFREY B. MOSS
For Jerry Kravat Entertainment Services, Inc.
SOME ENCHANTED EVENING – THE SONGS OF RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com

This half-day class will be an engaging guided walk through the land where students will learn to identify, sample, and harvest seasonal plants. They will then use their foraged materials to create a take-home herbal preparation or edible goodie made during the workshop.

Birds and Coffee
Autumn is here, and for our avian neighbors that means migration is underway! Join us for a celebration of fall flight and come along on a guided bird walk at 9:30. Coffee will be available to purchase throughout the morning, with local birders here to chat and share their knowledge!

Saturday, October 3, 2026, 9-11am

Meet: Main parking lot of the Visitor Center

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

Audience: Adults. Drop-ins welcome!

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 Trout Run Creek at KNC for macroinvertebrates (water bugs). Samples will then be brought indoors to be identified under microscopes as a group. The data collected contributes to a statewide database used for valuable research and water quality monitoring. No prior experience is required.

This program involves both an outdoor and indoor component: we kindly ask that you register only if you can commit to participating for the entire duration of the program.

Saturday, October 3, 2026, 9 am-1 pm

Meet: Coopers Glen Auditorium inside the KNC Visitor Center

Fee: Free program, $5 optional pizza lunch

Please Register >

Audience: Ages 8+, all participants 17 years old or younger must have a guardian accompany them and provide supervision at all times.

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.