President-elect Donald Trump is set to take the oath of office Monday and the Kalamazoo area is set to mark the occasion in several ways.
Drinks and a Show
With a name like the Presidential Brewing Company, it's no surprise that this Portage restaurant will host an inauguration watch party. But owner Jake Lohse said all are welcome, no matter your stance on the incoming president.
He said he hopes attendees can put their beliefs aside and enjoy their presidentially-themed beers, like Sherbert Hoover.
“I found that beer is the great equalizer. It gives people a chance to set aside differences that can be as big as presidential opinions,” Lohse said.
He added that perhaps the event could play a small role in bridging the local political divide.
“I really hope that that's exactly what it does. That we would get people that sit on both sides of that table and can coexist and drink a beer together and realize that we actually have a lot more in common than we have dividing us.”
A non-partisan march and a celebration
The loosely affiliated protests known as the Women’s March first took place just one day after Trump’s first inauguration in 2017.
This year they’ll take place on Saturday, just two days before Trump's inauguration.
They’re now called People’s Marches, with satellite events taking place all over the United States, and a few internationally.
One of these marches will take place in Kalamazoo at Bronson Park.
But local organizers say it’s not a partisan event. Instead they say it will focus on protecting women’s rights and those of the LGBTQ+ community.
“I think that it's very important to focus on what we do have and what we can do rather than focusing on anger,” Event Coordinator Grace Barnett said.
On Monday, the Kalamazoo GOP will hold a celebratory watch party for members.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
