The 4th annual Sounds of the Zoo festival launches September 22-28, featuring over 50 musical acts performing across eight venues throughout the city. All performances are completely free to the public.
Festival founder Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert describes the week-long celebration as more than just entertainment. "It's all about the music," she says, explaining how her father's words of encouragement became the festival's guiding philosophy. "Every time I say it, it's like having a gratitude kind of vibe and it keeps you grounded to keep moving, even when there's struggles."
The festival spans multiple locations, beginning Monday at the Clover Room with a Jericho Mini-Fair and open house. Tuesday moves to Bell's Backroom, followed by Old Dog Tavern on Wednesday. Thursday features dual venues - Crawlspace Comedy Theater hosting a jazz night and Green Door Distilling Company presenting hip-hop acts. The weekend culminates at Bronson Park with additional performances on the Kalamazoo Mall and Crawlspace Theater.
Hudson-Prenkert, a Western Michigan University dance graduate who performed professionally for 12 years, created the festival during the COVID-19 pandemic when live music venues faced unprecedented challenges. "Sounds of the Zoo was born out of COVID when there was nothing," she says. The festival aims to bolster Kalamazoo’s musical reputation while building connections between artists and community members.
Friday's highlights include a New Orleans-style second line parade starting at 4 p.m. between Water Street and Michigan Avenue, led by Great Lakes Brass. The parade will conclude at Bronson Park, where the band continues performing until 5:30 p.m. Friday evening also features the premiere of the Kalamazoo Gals documentary at 8:30 p.m., followed by Michigan native Luke Winslow King at 9 p.m.
Two long-time local groups, Whiskey Before Breakfast and Selkie, will hold a “Celtic Summit” at 12 pm Saturday, Sep 27 at the Crawlspace Theater.
The festival also includes workshops, collaborations with organizations like El Concilio and Connecting Chords, and features international artist Go Kurosawa from California performing Sunday at 2:30 p.m in Bronson Park.
Complete festival details, including venue information, artist profiles, and volunteer opportunities, are available at soundsofthezoo.com.
The interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.
