Community Calendar

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.

Gobo, Red, Mokey, Wembley, and Boober Fraggle discover the legend of the Celebration Stone—an ancient Fraggle treasure that has the power to bring everyone together for the greatest party of all time, but was shattered and lost generations ago. As the Fraggles set off on an exhilarating, adventurous journey exploring exciting new caves within Fraggle Rock and even beyond, they discover magic that they never knew existed, and learn to work together to unite the lost pieces of the magical artifact. Can the Fraggles succeed in their quest to bring the Celebration Stone back to Fraggle Rock so everyone can enjoy the most incredible party in Fraggle history? And along the way, will they find something even more memorable and heartfelt than they could have ever imagined?

Based on the Emmy-winning series on Apple TV, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock LIVE is packed with comedy, dancing, and music that are hallmarks of the iconic Jim Henson Company. This family friendly live stage adventure features colorful new walkaround versions of the Fraggles, new puppet versions of their industrious friends the Doozers, a visit from a giant Gorg, and exciting original puppet creature friends—all built by the renowned Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. With plenty of fan-favorite songs and exciting visual effects, this musical stage adventure welcomes audiences on a joyful, nostalgia-filled trip to Fraggle Rock. With lots of music, laughter and imagination, it’s an unforgettable live experience that will have Silly Creatures of all ages dancing in the aisles!

Praised for performances of remarkable depth and poise, Aristo Sham is one of the most exciting young pianists on today’s international stage. Winner of the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Sham has appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and other leading ensembles, collaborating with conductors including Simon Rattle and Marin Alsop. Critics have praised his performances as “noble” and “thorough, strong, and brilliant,” recognizing both his musical insight and commanding technique.

Sham first drew international attention as a young artist when he was featured in the 2009 Channel 4 documentary “The World’s Greatest Musical Prodigies”. Since then, he has performed for royalty and dignitaries, including King Charles and the Queen of Belgium. In 2024, he recorded and hosted the complete solo piano music of Brahms for RTHK Radio 4, Classical Radio in Hong Kong.

A graduate of Harvard University, New England Conservatory, and The Juilliard School, Sham brings exceptional artistry and maturity to every performance.

Program
L.v. BEETHOVEN
Sonata No. 13 in E-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1
S. RACHMANINOFF
Six Moments Musicaux, Op. 16
F. CHOPIN
4 Impromptus
L.v. Beethoven
Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2, (“Moonlight Sonata")

Native Tree Sale

Native shrubs and trees in 3-gallon pots.
Cash or card accepted
While supplies last
New Jersey Tea
Hazelnut
Common Witchhazel
Spicebush
Chokecherry
American Black Currant
Pussy Willow
Elderberry
Nannyberry
Allegheny Serviceberry
Paw Paw
Redbud

Date: Starting October 20

Time: 9am-5pm daily

Meet: Visitor Center at the Kalamazoo Nature Center

Described as "an intrepid improviser" by Michael Barone (host of American Public Media’s Pipedreams), internationally renowned organist David Briggs frequently performs improvisations to silent films such as Phantom of the Opera, Hunchback of Notre-Dame, and a variety of Charlie Chaplin films.

At our October 20 Festival event, David will improvise the score for the 1927 silent-film thriller The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

The six-piece ensemble collectively known as "Silent But Deadly" will be opening the show with live scores for four short horror films:

- The House of the Devil (1896)
- The X-Rays (1898)
- The Doll's Revenge (1907)
- The Witch (1906)

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Celebrate the unifying power of the world’s music at the 2026 Connecting Chords Music Festival, running from August 14 – November 29. Established in 2001, the Festival features an incredible variety and quality of musicians every year – if you know, *you know*!

Learn more about the Festival at ccmusicfest.com.

Volunteer Tree Planting Day
Planting the Food Forest
Tree planting at KNC is evolving. The beloved Sugarbush, where tree planting has previously occurred, is full of growing saplings. This provides us with the opportunity to plant trees in another area of KNC near DeLano Farm. As part of our Friends of the Forest initiative, staff, donors, and volunteers like you are working together to create a food forest! In addition to utilizing some of the fruit, nut, and other forageable material already within the habitat, this is where we will plant a diverse selection of trees, including edible species.

Tree Planting Day
Wednesday, October 21, 4 – 6 pm
We welcome you to plant trees with us in the Food Forest. Registration is preferred, as we have a set number of trees to plant. To register, please contact volunteer@naturecenter.org

Interested in planting trees as a group with your coworkers, peers, or students? Please contact volunteer@naturecenter.org to learn more about scheduling a tree planting session for a group of 15 – 30 volunteers.

Audience: Teens and adults

Meet: DeLano Farm 555 W E Avenue, Kalamazoo MI, 49009

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!

Garden Prep Masterclass
Do you want a garden that’s the envy of the neighborhood? For the first time ever, Delano Farm is thrilled to present the Garden Prep Masterclass, a three-part deep dive into setting your garden up for success. You’ll leave not just with knowledge, but also your own hand-made seed-starting station complete with heat mat, all the seeds you need for your first year, and a community of other beginning gardeners to help you!

Session one: Site selection, soil-testing, preparing your plot.

Session two: Creating a scale map, choosing plants and ordering seeds.

Session three: Building a simple seed starting set-up, creating a calendar for seed starting and transplanting.

Wednesdays, October 21, November 4, and November 18, 6:30-8:30pm

Meet: Visitor Center front desk

Fee: KNC Members $128; Non-Members $160 (for all 3 classes- sessions cannot be bought individually)

Please Register >

Audience: Adults

Autumn Colors Golf Cart Tour
Enjoy KNC at a whole new speed! Hop on the golf cart as we take a binocular tour of the shifting leaves of autumn. Binoculars will be provided.

Register for 10:00 11:00 AM

Register for 12:00 – 1:00 PM

Register for 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Meet: Visitor Center

Fee: KNC Members $12; Non-Members $15

Audience: Adults, Seniors

Join us for a Gallery Game Night, where we’ll explore the permanent collection through interactive, art-focused games and creative sketching activities. This event is appropriate for all ages.