June / July 2016
Destination: Summer! Great family adventures near and far
Plus: Hacks for easier travel Dealing with mean siblings Go wild making masks Family-friendly events, recipes and more! Published by
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M a r i e L eitoer Ed
fyiswmichigan.com •
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ren briggs
Who are these lovely people? See below.
Ren wants to help us all feel a little more tropical this month with her Make This! luau recipe on page 8. When not doing the hula, Ren is an Allegan mom, graduate of Grand Rapids Community College’s Secchia School of Culinary Arts and a former baker for Alpen Rose, Via Maria and deBoer Bakery.
June / July 2016
Destination: Summer! Great family adventures near and far
Plus: Hacks for easier travel Dealing with mean siblings Go wild making masks Family-friendly events, recipes and more!
brian lam
Published by
A Michigan native, Brian says he has learned not to let a single moment of our state’s short, but sweet, summers go unappreciated and shares some of his must-do summer activities this month. He hopes that this summer, when he isn’t working at his company, Lam Creative Solutions, he will get to partake in some of his own suggestions.
Publisher
encore publications, inc.
Editor
marie lee
Graphic Designer alexis stubelt
Contributors
anne lape
Melissa Lam
ren briggs, brian lam, melissa lam, anne lape, jef otte, brian powers, emily townsend
Melissa has spent her professional career working in early childhood education, with a focus on arts, crafts and creativity. In this month’s FYI, she shares a great project using something we’ll have around this summer: paper plates. Melissa lives in Kalamazoo with her husband and 6-year-old daughter.
This summer, Anne is taking a trip to a magical place called Vacation Lane where she says she will take boat rides, eat ice cream, partake in communal dinners and a talent show, and engage in a whole lot of porch sitting. And with all the room left over in her suitcase thanks to the handy travel hacks she shares with us on page 10, we expect her to bring us all back souvenirs.
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FYI is published 6 times a year by Encore Publications, Inc. Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to Encore Publications, 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo MI, 49007. Phone: 269 383-4433. General email correspondence to publisher@encorekalamazoo.com FYI is distributed free of charge at locations throughout Southwest Michigan; home delivery subscription rate is $18 per year. Advertising rates and specifications at fyiswmichigan.com or by request. FYI does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors; articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect FYI’s opinions or those of the FYI staff.
Jef ot te
To learn more about us visit fyiswmichigan.com
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Our Family Man columnist is quite talented: Jef’s writing has appeared in all sorts of unlikely places, such as SPIN Magazine, the Village Voice and even your home refrigerator. Seriously, go look. Jef is currently raising three kids with his wife, who is very nice and has never tried to kill a single Dalmatian.
About the cover:
Dan Kastner helps his 6-year-old son Jack with his bike-riding skills. Dan, the owner of 1977 Mopeds in Kalamazoo, knows learning to ride a bike is just a step away from becoming a vintage moped enthusiast. Photo by Brian Powers
June/July 2016
In Every Issue 3
From the Editor
4
Our Contributors
6
8
Fun for Free
Family-friendly fun at no charge!
Make This!
Go on a backyard luau
10 Everyday Hacks
Great tips for easier travels
12 Is This Normal?
How do you deal with a mean sibling? You ask, experts answer
14
Creation Station
FEATURE
16
PARENT TO PARENT
Destination: Summer! So much to do in so little time! FYI’s family fun experts share our favorite close, near and far adventures for your family to go on this summer
Ac tivities
Go wild with paper plate masks
22 Family Man
It’s not the kids: What people who dislike children are really afraid of
30 Last Laugh
Your Michigan summer “must-dos”
24 Family Events
The area’s most comprehensive calendar of family events
fyiswmichigan.com •
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Fun For Free FYI
Meet the Milk Makers
Learn how milk goes from a cow to a cup at the Dairy Open House at W.K. Kellogg Biological Station’s Pasture Dairy Center June 14. This event lets your family get upclose with the producers, including farmers and their cows, of this ubiquitous drink. Take a wagon tour of the pastures, learn about agriculture and robotic milking technologies, and enjoy MSU Dairy Store ice cream. Wagon tours depart hourly at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. When: 4–8 pm June 14 Place: Pasture Dairy Center, W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, 10641 N. 40th St., Hickory Corners. (The Pasture Dairy Center entrance is on N. 39th St., one block west of the intersection of N. 40th St. and East B Ave.) Ages: All ages More Info: 671.2402, pasturedairy.kbs. msu.edu
Skateboard with Six Starz
If your kids skateboard, they are going to want to roll on over to the Six Starz Skate Jam hosted by City of Kalamazoo Parks & Recreation and sponsored by local skateboard manufacturer Six Starz Skateboarding and Surfing Co. Not only can skaters hang together, compete in a skill competition, and listen to a DJ spin their favorite music, but professional skateboarders Ruben Najera and Mike Francis will be on hand to give out some pointers, deliver a show and judge the trick competition. The event is open to all skill levels. When: 11 am–3 pm June 4 Place: U pjohn Park, 1000 Walter St., Kalamazoo Ages: 8 and older More Info: 337.8295, kzooparks.org
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June / July 2016
Party in the Park with Maranda
WOTV4’s Maranda brings an afternoon of free family fun to Upjohn Park in July. This is the first time in several years that Maranda, who has hosted her famous Park Parties for 22 years, has brought her party to Kalamazoo. In addition to inflatables, rides, games, music and general fun, the Grand Rapids breakdancing troupe, Aerial Tactic, will perform. And if your kids are hungry, Kalamazoo Public Schools will be on hand to provide fresh, grilled hotdogs free to anyone 18 and under. When: Noon–2 pm July 7 Place: Upjohn Park, Lake & Walter Streets, Kalamazoo Ages: All ages More Info: wotv4women.com/category/maranda/ park-parties/
Discover Nature by Bike
Portage’s Bicentennial Trail meanders though a variety of natural landscapes from marshes to meadows and the Nature Discovery Bike Ride will teach your family about the plants and habitats of those landscapes. A naturalist from the Kalamazoo Nature Center will lead the ride with stops along the way to point out and discuss the flora and fauna. When: 10 am–noon June 25 Place: B icentennial Trail, 910 E. Milham Ave., Portage Ages: All ages More Info: 329.4522
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Make this! FYI
Family Dinner A Little Summer Luau
by
Ren Briggs
Not all of us can jet off to a vacation on the Big
Island (or even a little island), but this meal captures a little of the tropical taste of a luau. Throw in some plastic leis and a grass skirt, and you can almost feel those tropical breezes blowing.
Ingredients Chicken Skewers –6 chicken breast tenderloins (more or less 4 depending on the size of your family, plan on 1–2 tenderloins per person) 1 red bell pepper 1 yellow bell pepper 1 orange bell pepper 16-oz. package fresh, whole Portabello 1 mushrooms 1 Vidalia onion 1 fresh, cored pineapple 12-16 oz. bottle of your favorite 1 marinade 1 package wooden skewers Olive oil Salt and pepper
Orange Citrus Rice Uncooked rice 1 orange citrus teabag
How To Skewers 1. Cut peppers, onion and pineapple into 1” pieces and place into large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. 2. Cut chicken into 1” chunks (each tenderloin makes about 4 pieces) and set aside in separate bowl. 3. Add enough marinade to cover the chicken and let marinate at least 30 minutes.
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4. Wash mushrooms. 5. While chicken is marinating, cook rice using the recipe and instructions for Orange Citrus Rice. 6. Thread pieces of chicken, peppers, onions, mushrooms and pineapple on the skewers. 7. Cook on heated grill until chicken is done.
Rice
• Cut the chicken, veggies and pineapple as close to the same size as possible to allow for even cooking times.
1. Prepare to cook rice, according to directions for needed servings. 2. Before adding rice to water, bring water to boil and add tea bag. 3. Let brew for 10 minutes. 4. Remove tea bag and add rice. 5. Cook rice according to directions on package.
Hints • I nvolve your kids by letting them thread their own skewers using their favorite items or making patterns.
• Marinate chicken overnight in the refrigerator for maximum flavor. • Teriyaki marinade pairs well with the chicken and pineapple; Italian dressing is also a good marinade for this recipe. • For something different, try grilling the pineapple separately. Cutting it lengthwise makes it easier to grill. Serve grilled pineapple on a bed of spinach with a mix of diced tri-color bell peppers and drizzled with Raspberry Vinaigrette.
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fyiswmichigan.com •
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Everyday Hacks FYI
Travel Hacks by
Anne Lape
W
hen I was a kid, my father’s parents traveled from Benton Harbor to Cadillac every few months. My paternal grandmother was a woman with a great sense of occasion and was prepared for every single one of them. This was never more obvious than when we helped them unpack their car for their two-day visits: two fullsized hard suitcases, two traincases, a garment bag, several coats for each of them, a cloth book bag of reading material, bags of food and surprises, and — my favorite thing — one paper grocery bag full of my grandmother’s shoes. All this for a 36-hour visit because one never knew what the occasion or weather would require. Unfortunately, I absorbed my grandmother’s “be prepared for all things” travel mindset, and it made me, and my own family, crazy. So I have found ways to tame my inner vacation worrywart.
What to pack? For yourself: Discover the wonder of the Capsule Wardrobe — a wardrobe that consists of a set number of pieces that all coordinate well together (a quick Internet search will prove enlightening). For traveling, create a mini-capsule wardrobe by picking clothing pieces that can be layered all in the same color palette (I go with black, white and red year-round). From your capsule, pick two pairs of pants, a skirt, three tops, a layering piece (think jacket or blazer), and two pairs of shoes — this gives you multiple options for a week’s worth of outfits, no matter the occasion or weather. For younger kids: Say hello to our old friend, the gallon-size zip-top plastic bag. One outfit (underwear, socks, shirts, shorts) gets packed in a single bag, with enough bags to cover each day of your trip plus one extra. Bigger items, like jeans and sweatshirts go in the suitcase and get handed out daily. There’s also a bag for swimsuits and •
10 • June / July 2016
goggles. Make sure to press out the extra air in the bags before sealing to reduce the space they take up. At the end of each day of the trip the dirty clothes go back into the bag from whence they came and that bag goes in a separate part of the suitcase with other dirty clothes.
That’s entertainment Use this simple rule when determining how much to bring along to entertain your kids on a car or plane trip: If it doesn’t fit in a backpack they can carry on their back, it stays home. Your children have to be able to carry and keep track of their own entertainment items. To make sure they — or you — haven’t over-packed, have your kids take a trial walk around the house wearing their backpack of stuff. If they’re tipping over after a few minutes, something should come out. If they lose something they bring, will it be the end of the world? This may not be the time to bring ALL of the most treasured stuffed friends; stick to one per kid. Novelty is good and this is a great time to dig out toys or coloring books your kids haven’t seen in a while to add to the backpack. Everything old can be new again. And never underestimate the power of a new box of crayons or markers.
Choose multipurpose items like toy cars, packs of playing cards, blank pads of paper: the more flexible the item, the longer it will hold their interest. Brush up your skills on card games from your childhood and teach them to the next generation.
Go heavy We live in Michigan, so no matter where we travel to, we never know what glorious weather we’ll find upon our return (can you say “late spring blizzard”?). Whether driving or flying, wear your heaviest shoes and coats. This saves space in your suitcases and coats can double as pillows or blankets in the car or on the plane. Coat pockets can come in handy for carrying extras that you need to have close at hand.
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1. Your clothes will arrive at your destination with fewer wrinkles — and you’ll be able to fit more into your suitcase — if you fold each piece in half and roll it tightly before placing it in the suitcase. For blazers, turn them inside out first, then roll. 2. If you travel with a curling iron or flat iron, store it in an oven mitt in your suitcase; this will keep your clothes safe if you have to pack the iron before it has cooled. 3. Have items pull double duty. A pill organizer can hold medications as well as small jewelry items. A case for sunglasses is the perfect size for a phone charger. 4. Tuck some dryer sheets in your suitcase among your clothes. Clothes will smell fresher and you can run the drier sheets over clothes to reduce static electricity. These hacks won’t solve all your travel woes; there will still be delays, missed turns, and cases of sunburns, but those are the things that turn into stories in years to come.
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fyiswmichigan.com •
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Is this normal? FYI
You Ask, Experts Answer
Q:
My 8-year-old son has the hardest time making and keeping friends. I’ve noticed when we have play dates, he talks a lot about himself to the other kids and he only wants to engage in activities he likes. What can I do to help him learn to “play nice” with other kids? — Kalamazoo Mom
A:
It sounds like you have a confident young man who knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to share how great he is. It may be beneficial to guide him in identifying important qualities he would like in a friend. Helping him identify these qualities can lead to a discussion about how to demonstrate these characteristics himself to become that ideal friend. Building his social awareness may help him in the moment think about his actions before getting wrapped up in his usual social habits. Prior to play dates, have him think about the friend he is going to play with and what their interests may be. If he is not sure, assign him a fun project to research his friend and his or her interests. Then have him put his findings into choosing things to play that incorporate his friend’s likes. Role playing with conversations that are mutual can be a helpful tool to being more open to hearing what others have to say. You can demonstrate how positive social interactions occur by modeling these with people in your family or your own friends. Helping him practice with you as a parent and reminding him of his newly learned social skills before play dates will allow him to have an increased ability to share the spotlight and play nice. There may also be natural positive feedback for him when more friends want to play and they have a better time together.
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If you continue to be concerned about your son’s interactions with others, it may be beneficial to work with a mental health professional to enhance positive social skills.
Q:
My 10-year-old son, N., is so mean to his younger brother D., who is 8. He is always putting D. down, saying he’s not smart and nitpicks everything his younger brother does. D. idolizes N. so everything his older brother says hurts D. greatly. I have talked to N. about bullying and being mean, and he’ll be okay for a couple of days, but then reverts back to the mean behavior. I’ve even resorted to punishment — taking away N.’s electronics, but that seems to make him even more covert about his mean behavior toward his brother. How do I find a constructive way to put an end to this? — Richland Dad
A:
It sounds like you have a situation that is more than typical sibling rivalry. And as you said, it can be difficult to address the situation without creating additional resentment. Being an older sibling can be difficult, as can sharing attention. It can be helpful to turn being a big brother into a positive role. Providing opportunities for him to take on a teaching or mentoring role and helping him take pride in being the older brother may redirect the current interactions. This could also be an opportunity for your younger son to practice some conflict resolution skills. Helping the younger brother learn the skills to tell his brother how he is making him feel and helping them talk through it together can teach valuable life skills. It might also be beneficial for you to consider when the older sibling started making statements about his younger brother being “stupid” to see if the timing of that coincides with any difficulty N. may be having in an area that is making him feel as though he is not smart enough. Lastly, try to find opportunities that are fun in which your sons have to work together to succeed to help foster their relationship. If their relationship becomes more conflictual or escalates to physical aggression, it may be time to seek a professional consultation through family therapy. Questions answered by Nichole Holliday, MA, LLPC, LLMFT, Private Practice at Child & Family Psychological Services Portage, and Alyssa Noonan, LLMSW, Private Practice at Child & Family Psychological Services Kalamazoo
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fyiswmichigan.com •
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Creation station FYI
Paper Plate Animal Masks by
Melissa Lam
S
ome arts and crafts projects are meant to be hung and admired, some to be played with and some to be worn. This month’s project — Paper Plate Animal Masks — is all three! This project is great for toddlers to teens and the masks can be as simple or as intricate as they feel like making them. When they are done, your kids and their friends are ready to play, or even put on a theatrical show! What creatures will you create?
Here’s how you do it: Materials needed •L arge paper plates (the more rigid the better) • Scissors • Glue • Tempera paint • Paint brush •E lastic band (we used elastic hair bands) • Pencil • Ruler •E mbellishments — have fun with this!
ments,
ellish nd emb a e lu g , t me pain imal masks. With so an f o o zo create a
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14 • June / July 2016
you can
Thread the loose end of the band through the other hole and tie off on the back.
Directions 1. Make a template, using the instructions below. Proper measurements are important when determining the correct spacing for the eyeholes. 2. Make a small mark 1.5 cm to the edge of each eye — this will mark where you will make a hole for the elastic band. 3. Using the edge of a pair a scissors, punch a hole on those marks. 4. Plan your animal design. Lightly sketch on the mask where any stripes, whiskers or markings will be. 5. P aint your mask and then allow it to dry. 6. Thread one end of the elastic band through one hole and tie it off to the band on the backside of the mask.
7. Use glue to add embellishments such as ears, whiskers and other decorations. Make ears with the cut pieces of paper plate. Add cotton balls for a nose. Use pipe cleaners or string for whiskers or feathers for bird masks. Other ideas are glitter, silk flowers, stickers and beads. Use your imagination! Hints • The sturdier the paper plate, the better. The ones we used were Chinet fabric plates. • Adjust your child’s involvement by age. Toddlers may need to stick to the painting and wearing of their mask. Young children can do some cutting with child safety scissors, but may need a grownup to cut the eyes out for them. Older kids can likely do most of it on their own. • For some embellishments, glue sticks work better than liquid glue.
fyiswmichigan.com •
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: N O I T A N I D E ST M M E R ! SU
s: our kid y h it w trips e or k to hik t taking r u a o p b l a a r is , or o a loc Summe r parks e rt trip t t o a h w s r a ums o ere er it’s o muse Wheth tival, th t s s e f ip r r t o nger ation bike, lo cial loc e o. p s a to es to g s c n la ip r p t n y da illio amily fu f m e a h t e , r t a at lis ions own th uggest s d t a w e o r r r g na ome s To help I have s Y F t venture a d a e r r e a f h and experts e, near mer. for clos his sum t d n fi to Binder Park Zoo
LEGEND
Close: Less than an hour away Near: 1 to 2 hours away Day Trip: 2 hours or more away * Distance from Bronson Park, downtown Kalamazoo
DESTINATION: Animal Attractions Close
Near
Hours: 9 am–5 pm Mon–Fri, 9 am–6 pm Sat, 11 am–6 pm Sun
Hours: 10 am–6 pm Mon, Wed–Sat; 10 am–8 pm Tues, 12 pm–6 pm Sun
Binder Park Zoo, 7400 Division Dr, Battle Creek, *27 miles One of the largest zoos in Michigan with 433 acres of 32 exotic and 19 domestic animals, Binder Park Zoo has a variety of fauna and flora, a Wild Africa exhibit, a train, a tram, a carousel, a Wildlife Discovery Theatre and a children’s zoo where kids can feed goats, llamas, sheep and other domestic animals.
Cost: $11.50 ages 2–10, $13.50 ages 11+, $12.50 ages 65+ Contact: 269.979.1351, binderparkzoo.org
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Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park, 8313 Pratt Lake SE, Alto, *66 miles Located on 80 acres of land, Boulder Ridge boasts a collection of 1,500 exotic animals and reptiles representing 180 species including kangaroos, ostrich, lemurs and an 11-foot alligator. There’s also a petting zoo where visitors might get the rare chance to pet a baby zebra, wildebeest or water buffalo.
Cost: $12 ages 12+, $9 ages 3–11 & 62+, free for ages 2 and under Contact: 616.868.6711, boulderridgewap.com
Day Trip
Sea Life Michigan Aquarium, 4316 Baldwin Road, Auburn Hills, *160 miles With more than 5,000 sea creatures including sharks, turtles and octopi, this aquarium offers talks and animal feedings to observe, an underwater ocean tunnel and a touch pool to allow you to feel a crab, sea star, sea urchin and more. Hours: 10 am–8 pm Mon–Sat, 10 am–5 pm Sun
Cost: $18 ages 13+, $13 ages 3–12, free for children 2 and under Contact: 866.622.0605, visitsealife.com/michigan
Destination: Bike Near Kalamazoo River
Valley Trail
Close
Kalamazoo River Valley Trail, Kalamazoo, *1 mile
Newly constructed bike lanes through downtown Kalamazoo have connected the KRVT’s 22 miles of paved paths. Trails are perfect for a short ride after dinner or a daylong family pedal to Lake Michigan by way of the KRVT to the Kal-Haven trail.
Fort Custer Recreation Area, 5163 Fort Custer Dr, Augusta, *15 miles
With more than 25 miles of mountain biking trails, Fort Custer has paths for all skill levels that run through second-generation forests and along the Kalamazoo River. Park includes campsites, a swimming lake and hiking trails. Hours: 8 am–10 pm
Cost: $11 annual Michigan recreation passport Contact: 269.731.4200
Day Trip
Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, S. Dune Hwy, Empire, *190 miles Sleeping Bear Dunes Heritage trail is a 27-mile path through quaint towns, farms and forests along the Lower Peninsula’s northwest coastline. Look forward to pit stops at Glen Haven Historic Village and the famous Sleeping Bear Dune Climb. Hours: Dawn–dusk Cost: Free
Contact: 231.941.4300
Hours: 7 am–sunset Cost: Free
Contact: 269.383.8724, kalcounty. com/PARKS/krvt/index.html
Destination: Camp Close
Markin Glen County Park, 5300 N Westnedge Ave, Kalamazoo, *3.5 miles Explorers of all ages will enjoy Markin Glen’s 160 acres of paved trails through mature beech forests and native wildflower meadows. Aside from 38 modern campsites, a wellmaintained playground overlooking a swimming lake and shady picnic nooks, hikers can experience a scenic view of downtown from one of the highest points in Kalamazoo. Hours: 7 am–sunset, beach hours 7 am–8:30 pm
Cost: $5 daily vehicle pass, $2 pedestrian/bicyclist daily pass, $25 annual vehicle pass (good for all five Kalamazoo County parks)
Near
Warren Dunes State Park, 12032 Red Arrow Hwy, Sawyer, *74 miles Warren Dunes has three miles of shoreline, six miles of hiking trails and a dune formation that rises 260 feet above Lake Michigan. Rustic, semimodern, modern and group campsites available. Hours: Open year-round
Cost: $11 annual Michigan recreation passport Contact: 269.426.4013
Weekend trip
Beaver Island Campground, Donegal Bay Road, Beaver Island, *227 miles Beaver Island is surely one of the more unique and rustic destinations in Michigan. Hop a ferry, stop by the bakery, set up the family tent at one of two campgrounds, kayak through inland rivers, learn about the island’s gripping history and play on Lake Michigan white sand beaches all afternoon. Hours: April 1–Nov. 30
Cost: $5–$10 per night per campsite Contact: 231.448.2505, beaverisland.org/camping
Contact: 269.383.8778
fyiswmichigan.com •
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Destination: Children’s Museums Close
Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, 11 Sheldon Ave NE, Grand Rapids, *51 miles Hands-on, interactive museum for children ages 2-10, including bubbles, vet clinic, kidstruction zone and a real beehive. Hours: 9:30 am–5 pm Tues, Wed & Fri; 9:30 am–8 pm Thurs; noon–5 pm Sun; closed Mon
Cost: $8.50 ages 1-64, $7.50 ages 65+, $6.50 military family and school faculty, free for members & children under 1 Contact: 616.235.4726, grcm.org
fo
r Per
berge
Kindle
tival
s Fes
Art rming
Close
Kindleberger Summer Festival of the Performing Arts, Kindleberger Park, Park & Maple Streets, Parchment, *3.2 miles Five days of family fun including two stage performances, Brigadoon and Pirates of the Amazon, a car show, arts and crafts, 5K & Kids Fun runs, parade, children’s area and food vendors. Hours: July 6–10, hours vary by day and activity, check website for schedule Cost: Free
Contact: kindleberger.org/ festival.php •
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Near
Curious Kids’ Museum, 415 Lake Blvd, St. Joseph, *51 miles Curious Kids’ Discovery Zone, 333 Broad St, St. Joseph, *51 miles Just steps from one another, Curious Kids’ Museum and Curious Kids Discovery Zone offer interactive fun. The museum has more than 100 interactive exhibits for ages 1-10, including a vet clinic, a Great Lakes ship and bubbles. The Discovery Zone is geared to kids ages 3-14 and has water exhibits, a climbing wall and tower, and an outdoor science gallery.
Science
Centra
l Muse
um
Day Trip
Science Central Museum, 1950 N Clinton St, Fort Wayne, IN, *120 miles This science-focused museum in the renovated former City Light and Power Plant built in 1929, offers more than 130 hands-on exhibits including a NOAA Science on a Sphere, a highHours: Curious Kids’ Museum: 10am– rail bike and tidal pool. Kids ages 2–7 have a special area with a giant piano 5 pm Mon–Sat, 10 am–4 pm Sun Curious Kids’ Discovery Zone: 10 am– keyboard, water play activities, bubble windows, and play area. 5 pm Mon–Sat, noon–5 pm Sun Both facilities are closed Memorial Hours: Until June 30: 10 am–4 pm Wed–Fri, 10 am–5pm Sat, noon–5 pm Day, July 4 and Labor Day Sun, closed Mon & Tues Cost: $6 admission to each facility, Summer hours begin July 1: $10 joint admission to both, free for 10am–5pm Mon–Sat, noon-5pm Sun members and children under 1 year Cost: $8, free for members and Contact: Curious Kids’ Museum, children under 2 269.983.2543; Curious Kids’ Discovery Zone, 269.982-8500; curiouskidsmuseum.org
Contact: 260.424.2400, sciencecentral.org
Destination: Festivals Near
Three Rivers Water Festival, Railroad Street, Three Rivers, *27 miles A real small-town festival offering three days of family-friendly fun including a pig roast, parade, pet show, carnival rides, food, live bands and fireworks. Hours: June 16-18; events begin at 9 am June 16 & 17 and at 7 am June 18, check website for schedule Cost: Admission and many activities are free; cost varies for others Contact: trchamber.com
Day Trip
Delta Rocks! Family Festival, Sharp Park, 1401 Elmwood Road, Lansing, *74 miles A free family festival with more than 30 activities including clowns, live animals, children’s make-it take-it craft booths, inflatables, games, face painting, super sling shot, trackless train rides and petting zoo. Park your car at Lansing Mall and take advantage of the free shuttle that runs to the festival. Hours: Noon–6 pm June 25 Cost: Free
Contact: 517.323.8555, deltami.gov/ index.php/parks-recreation/deltaevents/delta-rocks
Destination: Hike Close
Lillian Anderson Arboretum, W Main Street, Kalamazoo, *6 miles Kalamazoo College’s biology research grounds are the perfect place to escape into nature without driving far. Tucked behind Kalamazoo Public Library’s Oshtemo branch, the arboretum has miles of trails through meadows and forest, over footbridges and past lakes and marshes. Look for a new educational pavilion this summer. Hours: Dawn–dusk Cost: Free
Contact: 269.337.7357, arboretum@kzoo.edu
Van Buren State
Park
Near
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, 701 W Cloverdale Road, Hastings, *27 miles Your family will fall in love with this remote piece of wilderness in Kalamazoo’s backyard. The institute’s researchers have put together a packed summer schedule of educational nature hikes amongst grand oak stands and converted meadows. Hours: Trails open dawn-dusk; Visitors’ Center 9 am–5 pm Mon-Fri, guided nature hikes listed online Cost: Free trails, event pricing varies Contact: 269.721.4190, cedarcreekinstitute.org
Day Trip
Van Buren State Park, 23960 Ruggles Road, South Haven, *39 miles Located three miles south of South Haven, Van Buren State Park offers woodland trails and awe-inspiring vistas of Lake Michigan. It’s the perfect place for parents to lounge with a book by the Big Lake while kids dune-jump down sugar bowls and sandy blowouts. Hours: 8 am–10 pm
Cost: $11 annual Michigan recreation passport Contact: 269.637.2788
Big City.
Bigger Heart. You'll love family getaways in Fort Wayne, Indiana! Explore Indiana’s second-largest city this summer, and discover a heart-warming family escape!
Find getaway ideas, overnight packages, and deals at:
VisitFortWayne.com • 1-800-767-7752 VFW_KalamazooSummer16_7.25x4.875.indd 1
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Destination: History Near
Close
Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 W Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, *15 miles Journey back to yesteryear and see one of the largest collections of historic automobiles in North America. Kids can explore an old-fashioned gas station, vintage dealership and eat lunch at a 1950s-style diner.
Coopersville & Marne Railway Train, 311 E Danforth St, Coopersville, *68 miles Passengers can travel through time on a 7-mile route in 1920sera train cars while learning about the history of trains in western Michigan. Check the schedule for popular-theme rides like “The Great Train Robbery”. Charter rides are available by appointment. Hours: 9:30 am–1:30 pm Wed, 9:30 am–last train Sat, theme trains 11:30 am–3:30 pm Sun Cost: Ticket prices vary
Contact: 616.997.7000, coopersvilleandmarne.org
Day Trip
Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, *131 miles This not-so-secret family venue is a classic for a reason. With 83 authentic historic structures including the lab where Thomas Edison gave the world light, workshop where the Wright Brothers gave us wings and the building where Abraham Lincoln practiced law, this expansive museum brings 300 years of American history to life. Hours: 9:30 am–5pm
Cost: $23.50 adult, $17.50 child, free for 4 and under, $6 parking Contact: 313.982.6001
Hours: 9 am-5 pm Mon–Fri
Cost: $5 day pass, $15 week pass Contact: 269.671.5089
Destination: Music Celery Flats
Close
Celery Flats Music Festival, 7328 Garden Lane, Portage, *6 miles Enjoy an afternoon of bluegrass and Americana music in the Celery Flats Historical Area. Hours: Noon–6 pm July 10 Cost: Free
Contact: 269.329.4452
Near
Grand Rapids Symphony’s Picnic Pops, 6800 Cannonsburg Road NE, Belmont, *66 miles Pack a picnic dinner and sit outside on a blanket and enjoy orchestral covers of artists such as Queen, The Beach Boys, Boys II Men and David Bowie.
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Day Trip
Hours: 7:30 pm July 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 & 29, Aug 2 & 4
Music in the Park, Dewey Canon Park, Three Oaks, *74 miles A quaint gazebo at the center of downtown Three Oaks has been hosting performers from around the world since 1899. This summer’s lineup includes world music from Dominica, The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival and Columbia College’s soul collective.
Contact: 616.454.9451
Contact: harborarts.com/music_in_ the_park.html
Cost: Lawn seating $18 adult, $5 child, call GRS for table and chair seating prices
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Hours: 6:30 pm Sat, June 11- Sept 3 Cost: Free
Destination: Splash! Close
River Oaks County Park Splash Pad, 9202 E Michigan Ave, Galesburg, *7.6 miles With in-ground and above-ground water spray play, this zero-entry water park is great for kids ages 2–12. The 330 acres surrounding the splash pad area include Morrow Lake, a playground, picnic shelters and hiking trails. Hours: 10 am–8 pm Memorial Day– Labor Day
Cost: Included in park admission ($5 per vehicle) Contact: 269.383.8778, kalcounty. com/parks/riveroaks/index.html
Near
River Oaks
Flash Flood Water Park, 35 Hamblin Ave, Battle Creek, *26 miles This water park combines inside and outside fun, including two 200-foot outdoor waterslides, two 200-foot indoor water slides, zero depth entry pools, a water playground and Water Wars. Inside you’ll find inflatables and other attractions. Hours: 10 am–7 pm most days Memorial Day–Labor Day, check website as hours vary
Cost: $9; $12 Superblast admission (both water parks and inside attractions), free for children under 2 Contact: 269.966.3667, bcparks. org/182/Flash-Flood-Water-Park
County Park Splash Pad
Day Trip
Stearns Park Beach, Stearns Outer Drive, Ludington, *147 miles Located within walking distance to downtown, this beach on Lake Michigan offers not only sand and swimming, but volleyball courts, a playground, the North Breakwater Light, shaded grassy picnic area with grills, concession stands and a skateboard park. Hours: Sunrise to sunset Cost: Free
Contact: 231.845.6237, visitludington.com/stories/beach_it
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Family Man FYI
The Life Cycle or Why People Dislike Kids by
Jef Otte
Despite that the life cycle of
every living thing involves some form of developmental immaturity, some people don’t like kids. You’re ordering your coffee, for example, and the heavily tattooed barista with an ironic mustache and no sense of humor (ironically?) sighs loudly because your 4-year-old wants to sing him a 15-minute song about oatmeal. Or you’re in line at the bank, and your adorable, toothless, applecheeked 7-month-old keeps smiling at the woman in line behind you, who is pretending not to notice and making exactly the face she would make if a similarly toothless, apple-cheeked hobo were smiling at her while slowly slicing off his toenails with a soiled knife. An ex-girlfriend of mine was one of those people. She just didn’t care much for kids. She also spent her spare time hatching a dastardly plot to kidnap several dozen puppies in order to make an extravagant coat of their pelts — which I personally thought was a weird hobby — only to have her plans foiled by canine shrewdness and the random hand of chance. Last I heard, she was working as a tort lawyer in Houston, which is basically the same thing. The problem was that I had one — a kid. My oldest was 3 when she met him and 5 when we were living together, and he was pretty much the most well-behaved little kid I’ve ever known, then or since. I was young and an idiot, but even then I knew I was lucky. He could entertain himself for hours. My girlfriend would occasionally take him out for ice cream and buy him things like fur-lined robes and Turkish delight, but mostly she preferred he not speak to her. Because I was young and she was pretty in a talon-like, glacial sort of way, and I loved her and didn’t know any •
22 • June / July 2016
better, I tried to sympathize. Sure, he was a good kid, but kids could be annoying. On the weekends when I had him, I just tried to keep him occupied and the task of keeping him out of her way could be stressful. I expressed these woes to my friend Paulie, a compact New Jersey Jew with a David Crosby mustache and a bald-dude ponytail (random side note: Paulie is now an elected member of the City Council of Denver) known to issue sage and acerbic advice. I don’t know what I was expecting him to say, but it was something like, “Well, different strokes, buddy. Suck it up.” Instead, he made a face of sheer bafflement. “She doesn’t like kids,” he said, as if trying on the texture of the words as they exited his mouth. “What kind of person doesn’t like kids?” What kind, indeed? In retrospect, I won’t say they’re shriveled, bitter husks of human beings — except for my ex, who was last seen reading Atlas Shrugged to a group
of preschoolers while defrauding single mothers with a pyramid scheme hinged on the promise of discount baby food. Usually they’re just people who mistakenly view children as small adults, which of course children are not. And so they react to children the same way they would react to, say, clowns, or the mentally ill: with discomfort and revulsion. Which is not a nice way to treat the mentally ill. And I don’t think I’m alone as a parent in saying I’m not immune from occasionally taking this same view of kids, especially my own. For example, the other night, my apple-cheeked daughter woke up at 3 a.m., screaming fiendish, otherworldly screams. It was 5 a.m., and a half hour before I had to get up and go to work, when I laid her back in the crib. When her eyes flew open at the merest touch of the sheet, and she opened her mouth to cry, KPL_FYI_SUM2016Ad2.pdf 1 4/19/2016 2:38:37 PM and I lifted her back out of the crib, emotionally prepar-
ing to incinerate her utterly in the white-hot furnace of my rage, but instead of crying, she cooed and touched my face. And I realized with a pang of sadness those nights would soon be gone. My oldest is 13 now, and if he ever wakes up crying in the middle of the night anymore, he’s certainly not telling me about it. My daughter will grow out of it. She’ll grow out of it all. And eventually I and she — even she — will grow old, unwilling passengers of time’s inexorable, relentless missile, and we’ll die, replaced by heirs whose names we’ll never know. That’s the life cycle. And like everything else in life, it is, if you think about it, both beautiful and devastating. So really, maybe it’s the pitiless specter of their own mortality these people who dislike kids are so afraid of. It’s understandable. Raising kids is not for the faint of heart.
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ONGOING WHERE IS? Addresses, phone numbers & websites of venues frequently appearing in the calendar: Air Zoo — 6151 Portage Rd, 382-6555, airzoo.org Binder Park Zoo — 7400 Division Dr, Battle Creek, 979-1351, binderparkzoo.org Bounceland — 6255 Technology Ave, 353-0940, bounceland.com Comstock Township Library — 6130 King Highway, 345-0136, comstocklibrary.org Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center — 7255 S Sprinkle Rd, 324-1992, junglejoesffc.com Kalamazoo County Expo Center — 2900 Lake St, 383-8778, kalcounty.com/parks/expo Kalamazoo Institute of Arts — 314 S Park St, 349-7775, kiarts.com Kalamazoo Nature Center — 7000 N Westnedge Ave, 381-1574, naturecenter.org Kalamazoo Valley Museum — 230 N Rose St, 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org KPL-Alma Powell — Kalamazoo Public Library-Alma Powell, 1000 W Paterson Ave, 553-7960, kpl.gov
Thru June 5, Young Artists of Kalamazoo County, art exhibition, museum hours, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, all ages, regular admission
Thru June 12, The Artists’ Sky, experience the stars thru story, song, painting & music, 3 pm Tues & Thurs, 2 pm Sat, Kalamazoo Valley Museum Planetarium, all ages, $3 Thru June 12, Bear Tales, identify constellations thru stories & natural history, 1 pm Sat, 2 pm Sun, Kalama-
WEEKLY Mondays
Open Bounce, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–8 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, all ages, $10 unlimited play, $3 adults with child, $2 ages 0–23
Storytime, story, coloring & treat, 10:30 am, Barnes & Noble, 6134 S Westnedge Ave, 324-1433, barnesandnoble.com, all ages, FREE Tuesdays
Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market, 7 am–2 pm, 1204 Bank St, farmersmarketkalamazoo.com, all ages, FREE Open Bounce, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–8 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, all ages, $10 unlimited play, $3 adults with child, $2 ages 0–23 mo Toddler Time, indoor trampoline park, 10 am–noon, Sky Zone, ages 1–5, $7/hour
Toddler Time, indoor inflatable park, 10 am–1 pm, Bounceland, $5 ages 3–5, $4 ages 2 & under
KPL-Central — Kalamazoo Public Library-Central, 315 S Rose St, 342-9837, kpl.gov
Open Jump, 10 am–7 pm, Bounceland, all ages, $8 ages 2 & older, $4 under 2, adults vary
KPL-Eastwood — Kalamazoo Public Library-Eastwood, 1112 Gayle Ave, 553-7810, kpl.gov
Wednesdays
KPL-Oshtemo — Kalamazoo Public Library-Oshtemo, 7265 W Main St, 553-7980, kpl.gov KPL-Washington Square — Kalamazoo Public Library-Washington Square, 1244 Portage St, 553-7970, kpl.gov Olde World Village — 13215 M-96, Augusta, 580-1290, oldeworldvillage.com Parchment Library — Parchment Community Library, 401 S Riverview Dr, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org Portage Library — Portage District Library, 300 Library Lane, 3294544, portagelibrary.info Richland Library — 8951 Park St, 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org Sky Zone — 5103 Portage Rd, 459-9243, skyzone.com/kalamazoo
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24 • June / July 2016
Open Jump, 4–8 pm, Sky Zone, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min Open Bounce, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–8 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, all ages, $10 unlimited play, $3 adults with child, $2 ages 0–23 mo
Farmyard Wednesdays, a different farm-related theme each week, 10–11:30 am, DeLano Homestead, 555 West E Ave, 381-1574, naturecenter.org, all ages, regular admission plus $2 fee Toddler Time, indoor inflatable park, 10 am–1 pm, Bounceland, $5 ages 3–5, $4 ages 2 & under Open Jump, 10 am–7 pm, Bounceland, all ages, $8 ages 2 & older, $4 under 2, adults vary
Toddler Talk, (June 8–22), toddlers play & adults share with a parent educator, 10:15 am–noon, KPLOshtemo, ages 1–3, FREE Baby Talk, (June 1–22), talk infant care with Carolyn Call, RN, 1:30– 3:30 pm, KPL-Oshtemo, ages 0–12 mo, FREE
Open Jump, indoor trampoline park, 4–8 pm, Sky Zone, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min
zoo Valley Museum Planetarium, all ages, $3
Thru June 17, Invaders of Mars, orbit in a spacecraft & explore Mars, 3 pm Sun, Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat, Kalamazoo Valley Museum Planetarium, all ages, $3 Thru Aug 21, Fares & Squares: The History of Checker Motors, learn the company’s history & view a 1923 taxi, museum hours, Kalamazoo Valley Museum Planetarium, all ages, FREE Thru Sept 11, LEGO® Travel Adventure, build vehicles & plan a
Drop-In Gymnastics, supervised, structured gymnastics class, 6–8 pm, Greater Kalamazoo World of Gymnastics, 2723 Kersten Ct, 3815749, gkwg.net, ages 6 & up, $10 membership fee Thursdays
Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market, 7 am–2 pm, 1204 Bank St, farmersmarketkalamazoo.com, all ages, FREE Open Bounce, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–8 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, all ages, $10 unlimited play, $3 adults with child, $2 ages 0–23 mo
Family Storytime, story, songs, fingerplay & crafts, 10 am, Bookbug, 3019 Oakland Dr, 385-2847, bookbugkalamazoo.com, all ages, FREE Toddler Time, indoor inflatable park, 10 am–1 pm, Bounceland, $5 ages 3–5, $4 ages 2 & under Open Jump, 10 am–7 pm, Bounceland, all ages, $8 ages 2 & older, $4 under 2, adults vary
Family Storytime, stories, songs & activities, 10:30 am, KPL-Eastwood & KPL-Oshtemo, ages 0–5, FREE
Storytime, story, coloring & treat, 10:30 am, Barnes & Noble, 6134 S Westnedge Ave, 324-1433, barnesandnoble.com, all ages, FREE Reading with Tucker, read to a friendly Golden Retriever (registration required), 4–5:30 pm, KPL-Central (June only) & KPL-Washington Square (July only), all ages, FREE
Open Jump, indoor trampoline park, 4–8 pm, Sky Zone, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min Zumba, (July only), dance & kickboxing, 4:30 pm, KPL-Central, ages 13 & up, FREE Fridays
Open Bounce, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–9 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, all ages, $10 unlimited play, $3 adults with child, $2 ages 0–23 mo Toddler Time, indoor trampoline park, 10 am–noon, Sky Zone, ages 1–5, $7/hour
Toddler Time, indoor inflatable park, 10 am–1 pm, Bounceland, ages 0–5, $5 ages 3–5, $4 ages 2 & under Open Jump, 10 am–9 pm, Bounceland, all ages, $8 ages 2 & older, $4 under 2, adults vary
travel adventure, museum hours, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, all ages, FREE July 6–10, Kindleberger Summer Festival of the Performing Arts, theater, car show, arts & crafts, 5K & kids fun run, & parade, Kindleberger Park, 650 S Riverview Dr, 504-6155474, kindleberger.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE, see website for schedule July 11–17, Black Arts Festival, 3491035, blackartskalamazoo.org, all ages, see website for schedule
Family Storytime, stories, songs & activities, 10:30 am, KPL-Central (June only) & KPL-Alma Powell (June & July), ages 0–5, FREE
Lunchtime Live, (begins June 10), local musicians, food trucks & popup vendors, 11:30 am–1:30 pm, Bronson Park, 200 W South St, 3378295, kzooparks.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Open Jump, 3–8 pm, Sky Zone, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min
Jumpapalooza, 2 hours of jumping, 8–10 pm, Sky Zone, all ages, $15/jumper Saturdays
Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market, 7 am–2 pm, 1204 Bank St, farmersmarketkalamazoo.com, all ages, FREE Fitness in the Parks, (begins June 18, excluding July 2), free exercise program, 9–10 am, Upjohn Park, 1000 Walter St, 337-8295, kzooparks.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Open Bounce, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–8 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, all ages, $10 unlimited play, $3 adults with child, $2 ages 0–23 mo
Open Jump, indoor inflatable park, 10 am–6 pm, Bounceland, all ages, $8 ages 2 & older, $4 under 2, adults vary Open Jump, indoor trampoline park, 10 am–8:30 pm, Sky Zone, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min
Creature Feature, (June only), see a different animal up-close each week, 11 am, Kalamazoo Nature Center, all ages, regular admission plus $2 fee
Sky Jam, jump time for teens, 8:30– 10 pm, Sky Zone, ages 14 & up, $18/ jumper Sundays
Open Jump, indoor inflatable park, 11 am–6 pm, Bounceland, all ages, $8 ages 2 & older, $4 under 2, adults vary Open Bounce, indoor inflatable park, noon–6 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, all ages, $10 unlimited play, $3 adults with child, $2 ages 0–23 mo
Open Jump, indoor trampoline park, noon–6 pm, Sky Zone, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min
JUNE Wednesday, June 1
Party in the Park, book & healthy snack (registration required), 10 am, Bronson Park, 200 W South St, kpl. gov, preschool, outdoors, FREE Thursday, June 2
Dionysos Greek Festival, Greek food, music, dance & children’s activities, 11 am–10 pm, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 125 E Water St, 3451830, kalamazoogreekfest.com, all ages, outdoors, $10 Friday, June 3
Dionysos Greek Festival, 11 am– 12:30 am, see description under Thursday, June 2
Art on the Mall, artisans display & sell work, noon–9 pm, Kalamazoo Mall, Michigan Ave to Lovell St, 3425059, kalamazooarts.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE KIA Arts Fair, artwork for sale & children’s activities, 3–8 pm, Bronson Park, 200 W South St, 349-7775, kiarts.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Art Hop, art at locations around Kalamazoo, 5–8 pm, 342-5059, kalamazooarts.org, all ages, FREE Saturday, June 4
Art on the Mall, artisans display & sell work, 9 am–5 pm, Kalamazoo Mall, Michigan Ave to Lovell St, 3425059, kalamazooarts.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE
KIA Fair, artwork for sale & children’s activities, 9 am–5 pm, Bronson Park, 200 W South St, 349-7775, kiarts.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE LEGO @ the Library, build, race & imagine, 10:30 am, KPL-Oshtemo, all ages, FREE Do-Dah Parade, fun floats & whimsical costumes, 11 am, downtown Kalamazoo, 388-2830, experientiallearningcenter.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE
Dionysos Greek Festival, 11 am–1:30 am, see description under Thursday, June 2
Six Starz Skate Jam, meet a professional skateboarder & compete, 11 am–3 pm, Upjohn Park Skate Park, 1000 Walter St, 337-8191, kzooparks. org, teens & families, outdoors, FREE
Art Detectives: Find Arty @ the Arts Fair, 12:15–5 pm, Bronson Park, 3497775, kiarts.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE AniMotion Festival, create LEGOthemed animation, 1–4 pm, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, all ages, FREE Monday, June 6
Little Scientists, stories & science (registration required), 10:30 am, KPL-Central, ages 3–6, FREE Animanga Club, watch anime & check out manga, 4:30–6 pm, Parchment Library, teens & tweens, FREE Tuesday, June 7
Teen Game Club, video games, comics & snacks, 4 pm, Portage Library, grades 6–12, FREE
Nashon Holloway Concert, rock, jazz & soul, 6:30–8 pm, KPL-Alma Powell, grades 5–12, FREE
Friday, June 10
Vicksburg Old Car Festival, old car cruise-in, 6–10 pm, downtown Vicksburg, vicksburgoldcarfestival.com, all ages, outdoors, FREE Saturday, June 11
Kalamazoo Mud Run, get muddy or stay clean on a 5K trail run, Kalamazoo Community Church, 2435 N 26th St, kalamazoocountry.com/ kalamazoo-mud-run-registration-isopen, all ages, outdoors, see website for details
Vicksburg Old Car Festival, old car show, arts, crafts & “Tin Can Tourists,” downtown Vicksburg, vicksburgoldcarfestival.com, all ages, outdoors, FREE Family Fishing Clinic, learn basics of casting & catching, 9–11 am, Spring Valley Park, 2600 Mt Olivet Rd, 3378295, kzooparks.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE
Summer Expo Craft & Vendor Show, 9 am–4 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, 903-1604, kalcounty.com/parks/expo, all ages, $5 per vehicle
Summer Kickoff, sign up for summer reading & fun activities, 10 am–1 pm, Portage Library, all ages, FREE Sunday, June 12
Author Event: The Marked Girl, young adult fantasy novel, by Lindsey Klingele, 2 pm, Barnes & Noble, 6134 S Westnedge Ave, 324-1433, barnesandnoble.com, teens, FREE Welcome to Geocaching, join an outdoor treasure hunt, 2 pm, Kalamazoo Nature Center, all ages, outdoors, regular admission Tuesday, June 14
Baby & Toddler Storytime, stories, fingerplays & movement, 10 am, Portage Library, ages 0–23 mo, FREE KBS Dairy Open House, dairy tours & ice cream, 4–8 pm; tours depart @ 5, 6 & 7 pm, Pasture Dairy Center, WK Kellogg Biological Station, 10461 N 40th St, Hickory Corners, 671-2508, pasturedairy.kbs.msu.edu, all ages, outdoors, FREE Bookworms, discuss BFG, by Roald Dahl, 4:30 pm, KPL-Central, ages 6–11 & adults, FREE Wednesday, June 15
Family Fun, interactive art, dance & stories, 10 am, Portage Library, all ages, FREE
Wild Wednesdays: Bird Babies, learn about nesting & visit baby birds, 7 pm, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, 12685 East C Ave, 671-2510, birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu, ages 3–7, regular admission Thursday, June 16
Fantasy Forest Art Carve 2016, watch artists carve tree trunks, 8 am–8 pm, Leila Arboretum, 928 W Michigan Ave, Battle Creek, 269-9690270, lasgarden.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE
Do-Nut Go to School Anymore Storytime, join Arnie the Donut for costumed storytime, 10–11 am, Bookbug, 3019 Oakland Dr, 3852847, bookbugkalamazoo.com, all ages, FREE
Wildlife Neighbors Lunch & Learn, meet animals & learn about wildlife, 11 am, Oakland Drive Park, 7650 Oakland Dr, 329-4522, all ages, outdoors, FREE Kalamazoo Island Festival, live reggae music & crafts, 11 am–midnight, Mayors’ Riverfront Park, 251 Mills St, 217-0022, islandfestkzoo.com, all ages, outdoors, free before 6 pm, $5 from 6 pm–close Minecraft Launch, join the worldbuilding game, 2 pm, KPL-Eastwood, grades 5–12, FREE Family Fit Festival, explore new activities & wellness opportunities, 4–7 pm, Upjohn Park, 1018 Walter St, 329-4522, healthykalamazoo.com, all ages, outdoors, FREE
Harborfest, celebrate Southwest Michigan’s maritime history, music, crafts & food, 5–11 pm, downtown South Haven, southhavenharborfest. com, all ages, outdoors, FREE
Movies Under the Stars, The Long, Long Trailer, 9–10:30 pm, Oshtemo Township Park, 7275 W Main St, 5537980, kpl.gov, all ages, outdoors, FREE Friday, June 17
Fantasy Forest Art Carve 2016, see description under Thursday, June 16 Harborfest, 11 am–11 pm, see description under Thursday, June 16
Kalamazoo Island Festival, see description under Thursday, June 16, free before 4 pm, $5 from 4–7 pm, $10 from 7 pm–close Movie, watch Finding Nemo, 3–5 pm Portage Library, grades 6–12, FREE
Steam Dream Expo, steampunk convention, 6–10 pm, Olde World Village, all ages, outdoors, $10 adults, 12 & under free Saturday, June 18
Fantasy Forest Art Carve 2016, see description under Thursday, June 16 Harborfest, 8 am–11 pm, see description under Thursday, June 16
Lemur Lap & FUNfari Kids’ Day, activities focused on healthy lifestyles, 8:15 am run, 9 am–2 pm kids’ activities, Binder Park Zoo, all ages, outdoors, regular admission; $10–12 per child age 10 & under for run Paddle Lessons, 10 am–noon, Ramona Park, 8600 S Sprinkle Rd, Portage, all ages, outdoors, to sign up contact Lee’s Adventure Sports, 311 W Kilgore Rd, 381-7700
Steam Dream Expo, 10 am–10 pm, see description under Friday, June 17 LEGO @ the Library, build, race & imagine, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, all ages, FREE
Kalamazoo Island Festival, see description under Thursday, June 16, free before 4 pm, $5 from 4–7 pm, $10 from 7 pm–close, Father’s Day Read-In, listen to stories & create a card, 2–4 pm, KPLCentral, all ages, FREE
Pups & a Picnic, bring a picnic & watch America’s Best Frisbee Dogs perform, 5–7 pm, Portage Library, all ages, outdoors, FREE
Family Overnight Safari, learn about Africa’s animals & sleep in a tent, 6 pm–11 am, Binder Park Zoo, ages 6 & up with adult, outdoors, $60 per person Sunday, June 19
Steam Dream Expo, 10 am–6 pm, see description under Friday, June 17
Michigan Reptiles & Amphibians, meet captive cold-blooded friends, 2 pm, Kalamazoo Nature Center, all ages, outdoors, regular admission Harborfest, 8 am–5 pm, see description under Thursday, June 16 Monday, June 20
Summer LEGO My Library, create & build with LEGOs, 10 am–1 pm, Portage Library, all ages, FREE
Flying Aces, Frisbee history, technique & audience participation, 1–2 pm, KPL-Oshtemo, all ages, outdoors, FREE J-Pop Club, latest media & food from Japan, 4 pm, KPL-Central, grades 6–12, FREE Tuesday, June 21
Baby & Toddler Program, stories, fingerplays & movement, 10 am, Portage Library, ages 0–23 mo, FREE
Stroller Stroll, walk on stroller-friendly paths, 10 am, Kalamazoo Nature Center, ages 0–5 with adult, outdoors, regular admission Author Event: The Marked Girl, young adult fantasy novel, by Lindsey Klingele, 5 pm, Barnes & Noble, 6134 S Westnedge Ave, 324-1433, barnesandnoble.com, teens, FREE
Teen Dessert Olympics, dessert decorating contest (registration required), 6:30–8 pm, Portage Library, grades 6–12, FREE Wednesday, June 22
Family Fun, interactive art, dance & stories, 10 am, Portage Library, all ages, FREE Minecraft Launch, join the worldbuilding game, 2 pm, KPL-Alma Powell, grades 5–12, FREE
Cinema Shorts, watch the film Sesame Street presents Abby in Wonderland (registration required), 2–3 pm, KPL-Central, all ages, FREE Thursday, June 23
Drum Core Fitness Class for Kids, Just Move Fitness helps you workout your body & brain (registration required), 10 & 11 am, Portage Library, ages 7–9, FREE Growlers Skills Clinic, baseball skills clinic with Kalamazoo Growlers, 1–2 pm, KPL-Washington Square, ages 8 & up, outdoors, FREE
Bookworms, discuss BFG, by Roald Dahl, 4:30 pm, KPL-Central, ages 6–11 & adults, FREE Friday, June 24
Antique Tractor, Engine & Machinery Show, tractor parade, sawmill demonstrations, tractor pulls, antiques & crafts, 9 am–5 pm, Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 W Hickory Rd, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org, all ages, outdoors, $12, 11 & under free
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25 •
Movie in the Park, family activities & a movie under the stars, 7–11 pm, South Westnedge Park, 1101 S Westnedge Ave, 337-8295, kzooparks.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Saturday, June 25
Cheetah Chase, 5K run thru the zoo (registration required), 7:30 am, Binder Park Zoo, all ages, outdoors, $30–40 Art in the Park, art in various media for sale, 9 am–4 pm, Milham Park, 699 E Kilgore Rd, 349-1185, eagletakeflight.com, all ages, outdoors, FREE Antique Tractor, Engine & Machinery Show, 9 am–6 pm, see description under Friday, June 24
Nature Discovery Bike Ride, a Kalamazoo Nature Center naturalist leads the ride, 10 am–noon, Portage Creek Bicentennial Park, 1098 E Milham Ave, Portage 329-4522, all ages, outdoors, FREE Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo, buy, sell or trade, 10 am–3 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center Room A, 779-9851, all ages, $5 adults, $2 children, under 6 free Australian Didgeridoo, learn about Australian art & music, create a Didgeridoo instrument (registration required), 2 pm, KPL-Central, ages 6–11, FREE Sunday, June 26
Antique Tractor, Engine & Machinery Show, 9 am–1 pm, see description under Friday, June 24
Monday, June 27
Summer Crafternoons, create various projects (registration required), 2–3 pm, KPL-Central, ages 6–11, FREE Tuesday, June 28
Baby & Toddler Program, stories, fingerplays & movement, 10 am, Portage Library, ages 0–23 mo, FREE
Chemical Kim Science Show, hands-on science fun, 2 pm, KPLOshtemo, grades 5–12, FREE Jewelry Making, craft a unique piece with Meg Tang, 2 pm, KPL-Alma Powell, grades 5–12, FREE
Ferret Fun, learn about ferrets as pets, 2 & 4 pm, KPL-Oshtemo, all ages, FREE but ticket required
Teen Game Club, video games, comics & snacks, 4 pm, Portage Library, grades 6–12, FREE Wednesday, June 29
Family Fun, interactive art, dance & stories, 10 am, Portage Library, all ages, FREE
Susan Harrison & Her Palamazoo Puppets, interactive concert, 11 am, KPL-Central, ages 0–6, FREE
Teen LEGO Club, build with LEGOs, 4 pm, Portage Library, grades 6–12, FREE Wild Wednesdays: Butterfly Bonanza, learn about caterpillars & butterflies, 7 pm, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, 12685 East C Ave, 671-2510, birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu, ages 3–7, regular admission Thursday, June 30
Papermaking Play, kids’ workshop making paper (registration required),
•
26 • June / July 2016
10 am–noon, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W Kalamazoo Ave, 3734938, kalbookarts.org, ages 6+, $15
Air Zoo Ocean Odyssey, hands-on exploration of marine life (registration required), 10:30 am, KPL-Eastwood, ages 6–11, FREE Paddle Lessons, 5–7 pm, Ramona Park, 8600 S Sprinkle Rd, Portage, all ages, outdoors, to sign up contact Lee’s Adventure Sports, 311 W Kilgore Rd, 381-7700
JULY
Saturday, July 2
LEGO @ the Library, build, race & imagine, 10:30 am, KPL-Oshtemo, all ages, FREE
Family Overnight Safari, learn about Africa’s animals & sleep in a tent, 6 pm–11 am, Binder Park Zoo, ages 6 & up with adult, outdoors, $60 per person Sunday, July 3
Light Up the Lake Fireworks, 10:35 pm, North & South Beach, South Haven, 269-637-5171, southhaven.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Tuesday, July 5
LEGO City Returns, see a city made of LEGOs, library hours, Portage Library, all ages, FREE
Wildlife Safari, see live, wild animals, 2 pm, KPL-Eastwood, ages 0–6, FREE but ticket required Teen Game Club, video games, comics & snacks, 4 pm, Portage Library, grades 6–12, FREE The Glenn Miller Band, popular big band with a jazz sound, 6:30 pm, Overlander Bandshell, 7800 Shaver Rd, Portage, 329-4522, all ages, outdoors, FREE Wednesday, July 6
LEGO City Returns, see description under Tuesday, July 5
The Leopard’s Drum, an Asante tale by Rootead Studio performers, 2 pm, KPL-Alma Powell, ages 0–6, FREE
Pirates of the Amazon: The Treasure of Mystery Island, Kindleberger Summer Festival youth production, 5:30 pm, Kindleberger Park, 650 S Riverview Dr, 330-3210, kindleberger.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Brigadoon, Kindleberger Summer Festival family musical, 7 pm, Kindleberger Park, all ages, outdoors, FREE Thursday, July 7
LEGO City Returns, see description under Tuesday, July 5
Fresh Food Fairy, Hether Frayer celebrates healthy eating with her bike blender (registration required), 10:30 am, KPL-Eastwood, ages 3–7, FREE
Maranda’s Park Party, rides, games, inflatables & food, noon–2 pm, Upjohn Park, 1000 Walter St, 337-8191, kzooparks.org, teens & families, outdoors, FREE Zentangle, create beautiful patterns, 2 pm, KPL-Eastwood, grades 5–12, FREE Kalamazoo Blues Festival, local, regional & national touring acts, 5–11
pm, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 125 E Water St, kalamazoobluesfestival.com, all ages, outdoors, $5
7366 Garden Ln, Portage, 329-4522, friendsoftheparksportage.com, all ages, outdoors, donation
Brigadoon, see description under Wednesday, July 6
Brigadoon, see description under Wednesday, July 6
Pirates of the Amazon: The Treasure of Mystery Island, see description under Wednesday, July 6 Friday, July 8
LEGO City Returns, see description under Tuesday, July 5 Art Hop, art at locations around Kalamazoo, 5–8 pm, 342-5059, kalamazooarts.org, all ages, FREE
Kalamazoo Blues Festival, 5 pm– midnight, see description under Thursday, July 7
Pirates of the Amazon: The Treasure of Mystery Island, see description under Wednesday, July 6 Brigadoon, see description under Wednesday, July 6 Saturday, July 9
LEGO City Returns, see description under Tuesday, July 5 Kalamazoo 4-H Open Horse Show, classes for every riding discipline, 8:30 am, Kalamazoo County Expo Center Horse Arenas, msue. msu.edu/kalamazoo, all ages, outdoors, FREE for spectators
Insane Inflatables 5K, 5K run filled with inflatable obstacles, 8:30 & 11:30 am, Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 W Hickory Rd, Hickory Coners, 978-2167, insaneinflatable5k.com/ kalamazoo-mi, 42” height required, outdoors, $57–$100 Fancy Pants Theater, songs, stories, games & pretend play (registration required), 10 am, ages 3–6; 11 am, ages 6–11, KPL-Central, FREE
BlackRock Medieval Fest, entertainment, jousting, vendors & food, 10 am–6 pm, Olde World Village, all ages, outdoors, $10 adults, 12 & under free Art Detectives, a story, tour of the galleries & art activity, 11 am, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, all ages, FREE
Kalamazoo Blues Festival, noon– midnight, see description under Thursday, July 7 The Leopard’s Drum, an Asante tale by Rootead Studio performers, 2 pm, KPL-Central, ages 0–6, FREE Pirates of the Amazon: The Treasure of Mystery Island, see description under Wednesday, July 6 Brigadoon, see description under Wednesday, July 6 Sunday, July 10
Kalamazoo 4-H Open Horse Show, classes for every riding discipline, 9 am, Kalamazoo County Expo Center Horse Arenas, msue.msu. edu/kalamazoo, all ages, outdoors, FREE for spectators
BlackRock Medieval Fest, entertainment, jousting, vendors & food, 10 am–6 pm, Olde World Village, all ages, outdoors, $10 adults, 12 & under free
Celery Flats Music Festival, bluegrass & Americana music, noon– 4:30 pm, Celery Flats Historical Area,
Pirates of the Amazon: The Treasure of Mystery Island, see description under Wednesday, July 6 Monday, July 11
Little Scientists, stories & science (registration required), 10:30 am, KPL-Central, ages 3–6, FREE Maker Mondays, tinker, create & explore, 1 pm, KPL-Central, grades 5–12, FREE
Zak Morgan in Concert, songs & poems with wit, 2 pm, KPL-Eastwood, ages 0–11, FREE but ticket required Animanga Club, watch anime & check out manga, 4:30–6 pm, Parchment Library, teens & tweens, FREE
Meet the Author: Kate DiCamillo, author of Ramie Nightingale, 6:30 pm, KPL-Central, all ages, FREE Tuesday, July 12
Baby & Toddler Program, stories, fingerplays & movement, 10 am, Portage Library, ages 0–23 mo, FREE Japanese Books with Haiku, kids’ workshop making books (registration required), 10 am–noon, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W Kalamazoo Ave, 373-4938, kalbookarts.org, ages 6+, $15
Critchlow Alligators, meet crocodilians, lizards & amphibians, 2 pm, KPLOshtemo; 4 pm, KPL-Washington, ages 0–6, FREE but ticket required
Bookworms, discuss Raymie Nightingale, by Kate DiCamillo, 4:30 pm, KPL-Central, ages 6–11 & adults, FREE Pokemon Party, battle with cards, DS games & Pokken Tournament, 5:30 pm, KPL-Central, grades 5–12, FREE Wednesday, July 13
Family Fun, interactive art, dance & stories, 10 am, Portage Library, all ages, FREE
Game Central, board, card & video games, 1 pm, KPL-Central, grades 5–12, FREE
Wild Wednesdays: Predator Party, learn about those at the top of the food web, 7 pm, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, 12685 East C Ave, 671-2510, birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu, ages 3–7, regular admission Thursday, July 14
BIG Games, play big checkers, cards & more, 10 am–noon, Portage Library, all ages, FREE Once Upon a Raptor Lunch & Learn, a story of a raptor featuring Birds of Prey, 11 am, Central Park, 7800 Shaver Rd, Portage, 329-4522, all ages, outdoors, FREE Australian Didgeridoo, learn about Australian art & music, create a Didgeridoo instrument (registration required), 2 pm, KPL-Washington Square, ages 6–11, FREE Cooking Camp with Chef K, prepare, cook & consume with Keneisha Morgan-Darden (registration required), 2 pm, KPL-Eastwood, grades 5–12, FREE
Canvases with Kara, a step-by-step process to paint a masterpiece (registration required), 6:30–8 pm, Portage Library, grades 6–12, FREE Friday, July 15
Movie in the Park, family activities & a movie under the stars, 7–11 pm, South Westnedge Park, 1101 S Westnedge Ave, 337-8295, kzooparks.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Saturday, July 16
Fancy Pants Theater, songs, stories, games & pretend play (registration required), 10 am, ages 3–6; 11 am, ages 6–11, KPL-Central, FREE Paddle Lessons, 10 am–noon, Ramona Park, 8600 S Sprinkle Rd, Portage, all ages, outdoors, to sign up contact Lee’s Adventure Sports, 311 W Kilgore Rd, 381-7700 Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo, buy, sell or trade, 10 am–3 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center Room A, 779-9851, all ages, $5 adults, $2 children, under 6 free
BlackRock Medieval Fest, entertainment, jousting, vendors & food, 10 am–6 pm, Olde World Village, all ages, outdoors, $10 adults, 12 & under free
BenJammin & Analisa in Concert, play & sing educational music, 2 pm, KPL-Central, ages 0–11, FREE but ticket required Kalamazoo Farmers’ Night Market, produce & other goods, 6–10 pm, 1204 Bank St, farmersmarketkalamazoo.com, all ages, outdoors, FREE Family Overnight Safari, learn about Africa’s animals & sleep in a tent, 6 pm–11 am, Binder Park Zoo, ages 6 & up with adult, outdoors, $60 per person Sunday, July 17
BlackRock Medieval Fest, entertainment, jousting, vendors & food, 10 am–6 pm, Olde World Village, all ages, outdoors, $10 adults, 12 & under free New Edition, reunion tour of the R&B vocal boy band, 7 pm, Miller Auditorium, WMU, 387-2300, millerauditorium.com, all ages, $45–75 Monday, July 18
Gelatin Printing, kids’ workshop printing on Jello (registration required), 10 am–noon, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W Kalamazoo Ave, 373-4938, kalbookarts.org, ages 6+, $15 Summer LEGO My Library, create & build with LEGOs, 10 am–1 pm, Portage Library, all ages, FREE Air Zoo Astronauts, learn about astronauts on the International Space Station (registration required), 10:30 am, KPL-Central, ages 5–8, FREE
Maker Mondays, tinker, create & explore, 1 pm, KPL-Central, grades 5–12, FREE
J-Pop Club, latest media & food from Japan, 4 pm, KPL-Central, grades 6–12, FREE Tuesday, July 19
Baby & Toddler Program, stories, fingerplays & movement, 10 am, Portage Library, ages 0–23 mo, FREE
Kevin S. Devine Concert, with sing-alongs & dancing, 2 pm, KPLOshtemo, ages 0–6, FREE but ticket required
Martial Arts, learn self-defense techniques (registration required), 2 pm, ages 7–10; 3 pm, ages 11–18, KPLAlma Powell, FREE Teen Game Club, video games, comics & snacks, 4 pm, Portage Library, grades 6–12, FREE Wednesday, July 20
Family Fun, interactive art, dance & stories, 10 am, Portage Library, all ages, FREE
Small Sounds, hands-on, interactive music, 11 am, KPL-Central, ages 3–6, FREE Zoo City Hoop Dance, movement & tricks with hula hoops, 2 pm, KPLAlma Powell, grades 5–12, FREE
Teen LEGO Club, build with LEGOs, 4 pm, Portage Library, grades 6–12, FREE Stuffed Animal Sleepover, pajama storytime & a sleepover for your stuffed animal, 6–6:30 pm; donuts & juice @ 10 am July 21 to pick up your animal, Portage Library, ages 3–11, FREE Thursday, July 21
Zoo City Hoop Dance, movement & tricks with hula hoops, 2 pm, KPLEastwood, grades 5–12, FREE
Build a Fairy House with Your Family, create a fairy house to decorate the Celery Flats trail (registration required), 6–8 pm, Portage Library, all ages, FREE
Tuesday, July 26
Baby & Toddler Program, stories, fingerplays & movement, 10 am, Portage Library, ages 0–23 mo, FREE
Foam Printing, kids’ workshop making block prints (registration required), 10 am–noon, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W Kalamazoo Ave, 373-4938, kalbookarts.org, ages 6+, $15.
Growlers Skills Clinic, baseball skills clinic with Kalamazoo Growlers, 1–2 pm, KPL-Oshtemo, ages 8 & up, outdoors, FREE Zumba, dance & kickboxing, 2 pm, KPL-Alma Powell, ages 13 & up, FREE
PDL Family Challenge, ninja maze, costume relay & more, 6–7:30 pm, Portage Library, all ages, FREE Wednesday, July 27
Family Fun, interactive art, dance & stories, 10 am, Portage Library, all ages, FREE Game Central, board, card & video games, 1 pm, KPL-Central, grades 5–12, FREE
Wild Wednesdays: Water Wonders, learn about water & animals, 7 pm, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, 12685 East C Ave, Augusta, 671-2510, birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu, ages 3–7, regular admission
Thursday, July 28
Big Truck Petting Zoo, meet big truck driver Mike & climb on real trucks, 10 am–noon, Portage Library, all ages, outdoors, FREE
Bookworms, discuss Raymie Nightingale, by Kate DiCamillo, 4:30 pm, KPL-Central, ages 6–11 & adults, FREE Saturday, July 30
BlackRock Medieval Fest, entertainment, jousting, vendors & food, 10 am–6 pm, Olde World Village, all ages, outdoors, $10 adults, 12 & under free Harry Potter Party, celebrate the release of Harry Potter & the Cursed Child, 2–4 pm, KPL-Central, grades 5–12, FREE Sunday, July 31
BlackRock Medieval Fest, entertainment, jousting, vendors & food, 10 am–6 pm, Olde World Village, all ages, outdoors, $10 adults, 12 & under free
Harry Potter Midnight Release Party, read & watch scenes from Harry Potter & the Cursed Child, midnight, Bookbug, 3019 Oakland Dr, 3852847, bookbugkalamazoo.com, all ages, FREE
Events may change without notice. FYI Family Magazine makes all reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy of the events listed here, but makes no warranty for the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the events information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for results obtained from the use of the information.
Movies Under the Stars, Big Hero 6, 8:30–10:30 pm, Oshtemo Township Park, 7275 W Main St, 553-7980, kpl. gov, all ages, outdoors, FREE Friday, July 22
Cinema Shorts, watch the film Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown (registration required), 2–3 pm, KPL-Central, all ages, FREE Saturday, July 23
BlackRock Medieval Fest, entertainment, jousting, vendors & food, 10 am–6 pm, Olde World Village, all ages, outdoors, $10 adults, 12 & under free
LEGO @ the Library, build, race & imagine, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, 315 S Rose St, 342-9837, kpl.gov, all ages, FREE Sunday, July 24
BlackRock Medieval Fest, entertainment, jousting, vendors & food, 10 am–6 pm, Olde World Village, all ages, outdoors, $10 adults, 12 & under free Monday, July 25
Maker Mondays, tinker, create & explore, 1 pm, KPL-Central, grades 5–12, FREE
Improv, learn the basics of improv, 2 pm, KPL-Oshtemo, grades 5–12, FREE Summer Crafternoons, create various projects (registration required), 2–3 pm, KPL-Central, ages 6–11, FREE
2016·2017 SEASON · Brad Mehldau · Joshua Redman · Stephanie Blythe · Inon Barnatan · Anthony McGill · Alisa Weilerstein · Danish String Quartet · The Hot Sardines · Ebène Quartet · Calmus · Crybaby Concerts
fontanamusic.org | 269.382.7774 fyiswmichigan.com •
27 •
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Last Laugh (continued from page 30) • Brush your teeth. A summer without brushing could cause gingivitis, which is a leading cause of tooth decay. On the bright side, your unbrushed breath would keep the neighbors who want you to mow your unsightly lawn from actually talking to you about it. • Tour Michigan wine country. The Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail is a true taste of Michigan. Step right up to the tasting desks of these homegrown wineries and sample the fruits of Michigan’s soil. From traditional European varietals, like Merlot and Chardonnay, to U.S. hybrid varietals, like Traminette and Vidal Blanc, Michigan wines gain more and more national and international attention every year. Sipping them at the vine-
yards from whence they were produced just adds to the sumptuous experience.
tance. Take an evening stroll around the neighborhood. Summer is here. Sink into it.
• Pay your mortgage or rent. And the electric bill. It’s easy to forget about these pesky monthly necessities if you are spending your free moments barbecuing, basking in the sun and climbing dunes. But come October, when it gets cold and you still have a home and heat, you’ll thank me.
• Pick your kids up from camp. Do not forget this year like you did last summer. Camp counselors tend to like to leave at the end of their workday, too, but have a real aversion to doing so if your little ones are sitting on a curb, crying piteously, waiting for you to come get them. And you don’t want to be labeled ”that parent” of camp again this year, do you?
• Take time for you. Summer goes by fast. Schedule a day or two this summer with no agenda and no responsibilities. Savor a few lazy days where you crack a beer on the back patio or watch a little golf as someone else’s mower hums off in the dis-
They are simply easy and few, but these must-dos will ensure your summer isn’t all work and no fun. Because it’ll be gone before you know it, amIright?
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fyiswmichigan.com •
29 •
LAST LAUGH FYI 10 “Must Do’s” for a Michigan Summer By Brian Lam
• Mow your lawn. If you don’t, it will grow long and your yard will become unsightly. Garlic mustard will take over, the skunks and woodchucks will become squatters and your neighbors will give you the stink eye. Just mow it already.
Woo-hoo! Michigan summer is here. It’s what we live
for, amIright? As summers go, Michigan’s are particularly unique. From its great water resources to amazing agriculture, a summer in the Mitten State is more than just three calendar months; it’s an experience. So before Labor Day bites you in the butt, here are 10 things you simply must do this summer: • Visit Sleeping Bear Dunes. The purest Michigan. Soak up the sun on warm, soft sand while gentle breezes off the Big Lake brush just enough of the heat away. Refresh yourself in the sun-warmed water of Lake Michigan (best to do this in mid-summer). Nearby, the dunes are great for hiking and breathtaking scenic views and running up and down them will wear out your kids, making for a quiet ride home.
•
30 • June / July 2016
• Have a backyard barbecue. Ah, can you smell the delicious aromas of grilled steak and chicken wafting through your neighborhood? That’s summer. As you grill, your adult guests toss bags, Frisbees and horseshoes while the kids happily splash and cool off in a plastic turtle pool. Michigan’s humidity allows for warm summer nights, so light the tiki torches (and citronella candles) and keep the music tuned to summer rock. The neighbors won’t mind; they’re at your house! • Go to work. You are not an elementary school student. • Visit Mackinac Island. Splurge a little because this historic island has something for the whole family. Enjoy a scenic bike ride around the island or climb the steps of Fort Mackinac and learn the rich heritage of the island. From trinkets to taffy, fun shopping abounds for kids and adults alike. No cars needed — or allowed — on this tiny island, so be sure to catch a romantic horse and carriage ride. (continued on page 29)
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Kalamazoo Public Schools
are reaching higher! st 5 years la e th r e v o te ra n o Rising graduati nd high a l o o h sc le d id m , ry Rising elementa chievement school student a dents taking u st f o r e b m u n e th More than doubleent courses in the last 8 years Advance Placem e tuition for g e ll o c e e fr : e is m ro The Kalamazoo P idency & attendance requirements apply) KPS graduates (res e been or v a h ts n e d u st S P K More than 4,000of The Kalamazoo Promise are beneficiaries 00 students ,3 2 ly te a im x ro p p a Growth of in the last 10 years
For enrollment or more information please contact Kalamazoo Public Schools at
32 269.337.0161 •
• June / July 2016