Encore_APRIL26_Final_LInks

Planting for Posterity – Part II

Matching native trees and shrubs to your lawn and landscape

Fens, Swamps, Marshes, Meadows, Prairies, Forests and Savannahs originally vegetated Kalamazoo County. Many trees and shrubs native to pre-settlement Kalamazoo County are uniquely adapted to growing conditions and care practices common to a wide variety of lawns and landscapes. Answer these questions to help match native trees and shrubs with planting sites in your lawn or landscape. Is your lawn or landscape irrigated during the summer?

A summer irrigated lawn or landscape shares conditions with floodplain forests, wet-prairies and wet-meadows. Choose native trees and shrubs that thrive with ample moisture to match planting sites in an irrigated lawn or landscape. Conversely, choose native trees and shrubs adapted to the droughty soils of dry-prairies, dry-forests and savannahs to match planting sites in a non-irrigated lawn and landscape. Does your lawn or landscape drain slowly?

Poor lawn and landscape drainage is often evidenced by water standing hours or days after rainfall and is similar to growing conditions in Hardwood-swamps and floodplain-forests. Choose native trees and shrubs tolerant to saturated soil to match planting sites where water drains slowly. Conversely, choose native trees and shrubs adapted to dry-prairies, dry-forests and savannahs to match planting sites where water drains sufficiently or excessively.

Is your lawn or landscape regularly fertilized throughout the growing season?

Fertile soils of fens, hardwood-swamps and moist-forests share conditions with a regularly fertilized lawn or landscape. Choose native trees and shrubs that thrive in nutrient-rich soils to match planting sites that are fertilized periodically throughout the growing season. Conversely, choose native trees and shrubs adapted to the nutrient poor soils of prairies and savannahs to match planting sites infrequently or never fertilized.

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Is the soil in your lawn or landscape acidic or alkaline?

Acidic soil (low pH) natural to prairies, forests and savannahs support trees and shrubs requiring high amounts of certain nutrients like iron, manganese and zinc. Choose “acid-loving” native trees and shrubs to match planting sites with low soil pH (7 or below). Conversely, choose native trees and shrubs adapted to the alkaline soils of fens, swamps and meadows to match planting sites with a soil pH of 7 or above.

How much sunlight does your lawn or landscape receive per day?

Full-sun conditions found in fens, meadows and savannahs support native trees and shrubs with high light needs and tolerance to hot days. Choose sun-loving, heat tolerant native trees and shrubs to match sunny planting sites. Conversely, choose native trees and shrubs that thrive in the cool shade of swamps, marshes and forests to match planting sites where sunlight is limited.

Arborist Services of Kalamazoo, LLC is a locally owned practice of ISA Certified Arborists helping you manage trees and shrubs of all sizes and establish native woody plants by performing Arborist Evaluation, Pruning, Plant Disorder Treatment, Supplemental Support Installation, Removal, Grade Restoration and Native Planting. www.arboristserviceskzoo.com

From the Editor

If I were to pick a theme for this month's issue, it would be "perseverance." The subjects of this issue's stories epitomize the concepts of grit and resolve, and the stories show how they have used these traits to achieve inspiring things.

Our cover story is about Western Michigan University's Higher Education for the JusticeInvolved, a five-year humanities degree program at Lakeland Correctional Facility, in Coldwater. We meet Jayson DeMarco Hardin, the first student in the program who has transitioned from the prison to attending classes on WMU's main campus, and we learn how this program is lifechanging not only for the students but also for the professors who teach them.

When we interviewed Casey Grooten, executive director of the Kalamazoo Poetry Festival, for this month's Back Story, we didn't anticipate the lessons in resilience and determination he would impart. A former addict who has had two open-heart surgeries in his young adult years to correct a birth defect, Casey is very candid about how poetry changed his trajectory and why this year's festival theme is "Beyond Resilience."

On a lighter note, we also explore the doggedness of author Stephen Hall, a former museum curator who spent decades researching the artifacts that once appeared in the Upjohn Pharmacy at Disneyland, in Anaheim, California. He has produced a new book, A Spoonful of Sugar: The Story of the Upjohn Pharmacy in Disneyland, that explores the relationship between the theme park and the pharmaceutical giant that began in Kalamazoo.

And, finally, Kalamazoo's Gilmore International Piano Festival is certainly an example of endurance and dedication. The Gilmore is now in its 37th year and has hosted 17 biennial festivals. This year's festival begins April 30, and will mark The Gilmore's foray into being an annual event. Pierre van der Westhuizen, The Gilmore's executive director, gives us five wonderful things to look forward to at this year's festival.

Happy reading!

Jordan Bradley

Jordan interviewed Casey Grooten, executive director of the Kalamazoo Poetry Festival, for this month's Back Story and admits that one of the Back Story’s questions — "For those who may be intimidated to try writing poetry, what do you recommend?" — was personal. “As a journalist, writing can sometimes be fun, but it has to stick to the facts,” Jordan says, “and poetry is not like that. Where would I even start? Casey made some compelling points about delving into poetry and the benefits of writing poetry.” Jordan was an intern at Encore and is now a freelance contributor to the magazine. When she’s not writing about interesting people and goings-on in Southwest Michigan, she can be found at a yoga studio or walking her dog.

Katie Halloran

Interviewing author Stephen Hall for this issue was especially inspiring to Katie. "He had no intention of ever writing a book, but the magical story of The Upjohn Co.'s connection to Disneyland took on a life of its own," she says, "and the tale was published as a 136page book in early 2026. Throughout his decade of research, Stephen endeared himself to many of the Kalamazoo area's historians and archivists, whom he listed in the acknowledgments of his book, A Spoonful of Sugar: The Story of the Upjohn Pharmacy in Disneyland." Katie is a freelance writer for Encore

Katie Houston

Katie began working on our cover story about the Western Michigan University degree program Higher Education for the Justice-Involved last fall and found it to be a deeply moving experience. The program offers college courses to inmates at Lakeland Correctional Facility, in Coldwater. "This is the kind of story I went to journalism school to write," says Katie. "I appreciate the trust given to me by Jayson Hardin in telling his story to me. Unfortunately, as is true with many really compelling stories, there’s so much more to it that we didn’t have room for.” Katie is a writer and communications consultant specializing in nonprofit marketing.

Editor

marie lee

Art Director alexis stubelt

Photographers brian k power

Contributing Writers

jordan bradley, katie halloran, katie houston, marie lee , pierre van der westhuizen

Copy Editors margaret deritter katie houston

Poetry Editor margaret deritter

Advertising Sales janis clark kimberly juwong

Distribution ron kilian robert zedeck

Office Coordinator kelly burcroff

Proofreader hope smith

Encore Magazine is published 12 times yearly. Copyright 2026, Encore Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to:

www.encorekalamazoo.com 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Telephone: (269) 383–4433

Email: Publisher@encorekalamazoo.com

The staff at Encore welcomes written comments from readers, and articles and poems for submission with no obligation to print or return them. To learn more about us or to comment, visit encorekalamazoo.com. Encore subscription rates: one year $36, two years $70. Current single issue and newsstand $4, $10 by mail. Back issues $6, $12 by mail. Advertising rates on request. Closing date for space is 28 days prior to publication date. Final date for print–ready copy is 21 days prior to publication date.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by those interviewed and published here do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Encore Magazine or the official policies, owners or employees of Encore Publications

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First Things

Something Intriguing

Event blends sound and science

Be prepared to be fascinated when scientists from Michigan State University's Kellogg Biological Station join cellist and composer Jordan Hamiliton for an event called "Sounds of Science, Inspiring Connections."

This event will feature scientists giving five-minute talks on the ideas that inspire them in ecology, evolution and microbiology, with Hamilton creating a musical response.

It's scheduled for 6:30 p.m. April 8 at Alley Cat, 266 E. Michigan Ave., Suite B. The free program is part of the MSU Science Festival’s Science After Dark series. For more information, visit kbs.msu.edu/ events.

Something Green Farming skills on display Something Cultural Bazaar offers international

sampler

Patrons can take a quick trip around the world at the International Bazaar 2026 at the Western Michigan University Student Center.

From 4–9 p.m. April 4, nearly 30 student organizations representing various international student groups at WMU will present live dance and music performances, traditional food, and activities representing their home countries. In addition, crafts and jewelry from various countries will be available for purchase.

Get ready to indulge your back-to-the-land fantasies with two events in Scotts that will spotlight traditional farming skills and equipment.

Olde Tyme Plow Days, set for April 18–19 at Scotts Mill County Park, will allow spectators to see old-school farming techniques. Demonstrations will include vintage tractors plowing fields using traditional methods, antique tractors, steam engines, sawmills, a shingle mill, rope making, a spinning wheel and blacksmithing. In addition, the event will include a flea market, crafts, a kiddie train and a baked goods sale. The hours are 9 a.m.–5 p.m. April 18 and 9 a.m.–3 p.m. April 19, and admission is $5 per vehicle. For more information, visit scottstractorshow.org.

Also on April 18 will be Tillers International's Annual Plow Day: Tools, Teams & Traditions. This full-farm open house, at 10515 East OP Ave., runs from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. It will include demonstrations on plowing, harrowing, blacksmithing and woodworking and will feature handcrafted goods from local makers and artisans. For more information, visit tillersinternational.org.

Something

Literary Festival debuts in Vicksburg

Shelby Van Pelt, the bestselling author of the novel Remarkably Bright Creatures, will kick off the first-ever Pulp & Press Lit Arts Fest, set for April 24–25 at various locations in Vicksburg.

This two-day literary festival is hosted by the village of Vicksburg. Keynoter Van Pelt will speak at 7 p.m. April 24 at the Vicksburg Performing Arts Center. Tickets for her presentation are $22.30.

On April 25 another well-known writer, Shonda Buchanan, author of the memoir Black Indian, will lead a workshop and give a reading, followed by a book signing. Additional workshops on poetry, illustration, bookbinding and printing will also be held that day.

Other festival programs include an art exhibition, a writing and illustration workshop for children, and a Book Trail where visitors can meet and talk with more than 30 regional authors. There is a cost to attend some of the events, but many are free. For times, locations and other details, visit tinyurl.com/pulp-press.

Something Culinary

Food symposium spotlights Southeast Asia

Chef, educator and serial entrepreneur Brian Chen, also known as Abang Brian of MasterChef Malaysia fame, will be the keynote speaker for the Kalamazoo Foodways Symposium April 10–11.

The free two-day symposium will explore the food culture of Southeast Asia, with cooking demonstrations, classes, hands-on activities and local vendors.

The symposium begins at 6 p.m. April 10 at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum with a seed exchange, followed by Chen's keynote presentation at 7 p.m. Chen has nearly two decades of experience in food, media and education and is the author of seven cookbooks, some that have won Gourmand International Cookbook Awards.

On April 11, Chen will engage in cooking demonstrations and a panel discussion at Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building, 418 E. Walnut St. Events that day will run from 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Lewis Reed & Allen P.C. attorneys

J. Todd, Ronald W.

A.

Front row, center: Richard D. Reed Middle Row (L-R): Michael A. Dombos, Stephen M. Denenfeld, Lana M. Escamilla, Jennifer Wu, Kimberly L. Swinehart, Adam D. Bancroft Back Row (L-R): Wesley

Ryan, David

Lewis, Christopher D. Morris, Michael A. Shields, Thomas C. Richardson

Shely Van Pelt

Brian "Abang Brian" Chen

Five Faves 2026 Gilmore Festival must-see performances

BY PIERRE VAN DER WESTHUIZEN

Kalamazoo’s own The Gilmore is the largest supporter of pianists in the world. In addition to awarding $600,000 to two top pianists every four years, The Gilmore also presents the largest piano festival in North America. Those lucky enough to be in Southwest Michigan from April 30 to May 10 should attend one (or all!) of the 75-plus events happening at the 2026 Gilmore Piano Festival. From free concerts for children and a unique film series to traditional piano recitals in proscenium theaters and smokin’ hot jazz concerts in a brewery, this year’s festival can sate every musical appetite. Here are five must-see festival events:

Sullivan Fortner

April 30 and May 10

Opening and closing this year's festival will be two truly unique and powerful celebrations of the most American art form — jazz. What better way to kick-start the festival than on April 30, which is International Jazz Appreciation Day? Grammy Award-winning pianist Sullivan Fortner, the inaugural recipient of The Gilmore’s Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award, will perform a solo concert in the Kalamazoo Civic's Parish Theatre, preceded by a dinner honoring Kalamazoo businessman Larry J. Bell, past president of The Gilmore’s Board of Trustees and provider of some of the most generous financial support to the musical arts and to the city of Kalamazoo. Returning for the festival’s final night, May 10, Fortner will lead his incredible trio — himself, famed vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire — in a performance at Chenery Auditorium.

Alexandre Kantorow

May 1 and 2

Celebrating his Gilmore Festival debut is acclaimed pianist and 2024 Gilmore Artist winner Alexandre Kantorow. Hailed as a “young czar of the piano (The New York Times),” Kantorow is known for playing impeccably and flawlessly with a lucid, pearly touch. We are lucky to have two opportunities to hear him live at Chenery Auditorium: On May 1 he will perform Tchaikovsky’s breathtaking Piano Concerto No. 2, and on May 2 he will play Beethoven’s final sonatas and the U.S. premiere of a new work by Swedish composer Anders Hillborg.

ARTEMIS

May 8

Voted DownBeat Magazine’s Jazz Group of the Year for three consecutive years (2023–2025), this powerhouse all-female group is renowned for its high-energy performances. The group will play in the Dalton Center Recital Hall, on the Western Michigan University campus. ARTEMIS is named for the Greek goddess of hunting and unites five instrumental virtuosos in jazz: Renee Rosnes (piano), Ingrid Jensen (trumpet), Nicoel Glover (tenor saxophone), Noriko Ueda (bass) and Allison Miller (drums). According to NPR, this is a “killer lineup of players, composers and performers … who converge on an extremely cosmopolitan, sleek, rhythm-forward, modern sound.”

Family Events

May 2 and 3

As the father of four, I’d also recommend checking out our two familyfriendly concerts — they’re genuinely engaging for kids and enjoyable for the adults who come with them. Right in the Eye, on May 2 at Chenery Auditorium, will be a feast for the senses, combining 12 short silent films by pioneering French filmmaker Georges Méliès with live music, lighting design and theatrical flair. Three musicians will perform on more than 50 instruments, including rare and unexpected ones, to create all the sound effects and music live onstage to accompany the films. This concert is imaginative, surprising and ideal for children ages 5 and up. Baby Grands, on May 3 at First United Methodist Church of Kalamazoo, will offer a different kind of magic, with no stage, no seats and no need to sit still. Kids of all ages are invited to move freely during an interactive musical story time featuring organist Kory Heitzig and narrator Garret Jones. The program includes Rex: The

King of Instruments, by Daniel Burton, followed by an OrgelKids workshop where children help assemble a real working organ. Plus, there will be snacks and, for grownups, coffee.

Four Hands: Brad Mehldau + Kirill Girstein

May 4

Two of today’s top pianists unite in a musical dialogue spanning styles and genres. Grammy Award-winning pianist Brad Mehldau has long bridged musical worlds, shaping modern jazz. 2010 Gilmore Artist Kirill Gerstein is equally at home in classical and jazz traditions. These two greats join forces on the Dalton Center Recital Hall stage for a mash-up of jazz improvisations and classical works. Expect the unexpected!

About the Author

Pierre van der Westhuizen, a native of South Africa, is executive and artistic director of The Gilmore, which presents the largest piano festival in the Western Hemisphere, a Rising Stars and Piano Masters series of performances, and robust educational programming in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. He came to The Gilmore after six years as president and CEO of the Cleveland International Piano Competition. He lives in Kalamazoo with his wife, Sophie, and their four children. The couple, who are concert pianists themselves, perform occasionally in Southwest Michigan.

Upjohn in Disneyland Book explores company's presence in 'The Happiest Place on Earth'

BY KATIE HALLORAN

Disneyland and the Upjohn Co. are not two entities you might expect to be mentioned in a sentence together, but they are — many times — in a new book exploring the relationship between the former pharmaceutical giant and "The Happiest Place on Earth."

As residents of Southwest Michigan, many of us have probably spent a day or two strolling the grounds of the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners and may recall The Gnome-Mobile display from the 1967 Disney film of the same name as well as other Disney memorabilia there.

What most of us probably don't remember is that the Upjohn Co. had a prominent presence in the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California. What was called the Upjohn Pharmacy graced Disneyland's Main Street from the park’s opening day in 1955 until the pharmacy's closure in 1970. And what virtually nobody knows is that the pharmacy's more than 1,000-piece collection of antique apothecary artifacts now resides in a museum in Tucson, Arizona.

But Stephen Hall has managed to weave these histories together in his book, A Spoonful of Sugar: The Story of the Upjohn Pharmacy in Disneyland, published by The

Old Mill Press in January. The 136-page book documents not only the physical journey of what Hall calls the Upjohn Pharmacy's “terrific, world-class" collection but also personal and professional tales of Walt Disney and Donald S. Gilmore, who joined the Upjohn Co. in 1929 and served as chairman and CEO from 1953 to 1961.

“I never set out to write a book,” says Hall, former director of the Coit Museum of Pharmacy & Health Services at the University

of Arizona. “This was a passion project. This book has not only a lot about Disney, but also about Upjohn, Don Gilmore and the history of pharmacy — all threaded together.”

Mostly forgotten history

In 2012, Hall began working with the artifacts from the Upjohn Pharmacy as an unpaid graduate student at the University of Arizona in Tucson, where he was studying library science and volunteering at what was then the school's History of Pharmacy

Museum (now Coit Museum of Pharmacy & Health Sciences).

Piece by piece, Hall delicately unboxed dozens of crates' worth of artifacts that had comprised the former Upjohn display at Disneyland. Although he had no background in pharmacy, he became enchanted by the beautiful handmade and hand-painted items. Most of the collection’s pieces date from the 1860s to 1910 and were “genuine apothecary antiques, not fabricated for Disneyland,” says Hall. Even when the park opened in 1955, these items were considered antiques.

“I was the first person to have laid eyes on this world-class collection in 40 years,” Hall says.

After securing a paid position as curator and caretaker of this antique collection, Hall spent the next 10 years researching the collection and ascertaining many facts about it and how it came to be.

Turns out that Walt Disney and Donald Gilmore, then-chairman of the Upjohn Co., were personal friends. They were neighbors and lawn-bowling partners in the winter months in California and often corresponded.

In fact, The Gnome Mobile movie set and car on display at the Gilmore Car Museum were personal gifts from Disney to the museum. However, Hall’s research uncovered that the Upjohn Pharmacy's inclusion in Disneyland was actually the result of an independent idea from Upjohn's then-marketing director Jack Gauntlett, who had heard about the theme park and worked to have the Upjohn Co. become a corporate sponsor.

Disneyland's Upjohn Pharmacy, located at the corner of Main and Center streets, on the way to Sleeping Beauty Castle, involved two parts. The first was "a display of a turnof-the-century apothecary,” says Hall. The second part showcased the Upjohn Co. of the 1950s, with photos of its buildings in Portage, including Building 41, the manufacturing facility made famous again worldwide in 2020–21 for its production of a Covid-19 vaccine by Pfizer Inc., a company that succeeded Upjohn.

The Disneyland pharmacy also displayed Upjohn's mid-century offerings, including Unicap vitamins. Although it was not an operational pharmacy, Hall says, "two

licensed pharmacists worked at the Upjohn Pharmacy, and they had to have the most fun pharmacy job in the world, being at Disneyland every day.”

According to Hall’s research, Disneyland visitors during that time best remember receiving souvenir bottles of Unicap vitamins and seeing a jar of live leeches on the pharmacy's counter that was a symbolic nod to medical practices of the 19th century.

The Upjohn Pharmacy remained at Disneyland until 1970, when it was

Clockwise from far right: The cover of Hall's book; author Stephen Hall with artifacts from the Upjohn Pharmacy Collection; the photo of the Upjohn Pharmacy in Disneyland as it appeared in the 1960s; a 19th-century apothecary show globe that hung in the front window of the pharmacy; and panels from the exhibit at the Coit Museum of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. (Photos, except book cover, courtesy of the Coit Museum)

dismantled and donated to the National Science Museum of Southern California, now known as the California Science Center.

“As far as I can tell, the museum in California never displayed it,” says Hall. The items remained there for four decades, until Hall's predecessor, Richard Wiedhopf, thencurator of the History of Pharmacy Museum, requested the items in 2008. Wiedhopf remembered the Disneyland display from his childhood and wished to have the items back on public view.

While the former Upjohn Pharmacy building at Disneyland now operates as a gift shop, it still whispers of its past — in the building’s corner is a “non-descript window that has four names, including E.G. Upjohn (a physician who established the medical division of the Upjohn Co. in 1937 and served as president of the company from 1953 to 1962 and as chairman of the board from 1962 to 1969) and Don Gilmore,” says Hall. “It’s a bit of an Easter egg to find that!”

And it was only one of hundreds of such discoveries by Hall during his research, which by 2018 had grown exponentially.

“This book is an example of scope creep,” says Hall. “My initial research was so that I could do my job, but I just became really interested and wrote a 15-page paper for an academic journal. During a couple rounds of peer review, with others asking questions, I got to 60 pages of content and wasn’t even

close to actually telling the full story. Then I realized this is actually much bigger than I thought it was.”

So, he decided to write his book, thinking, “I have all this information, and there is nobody in a better position than I am to be able to tell this story. Nothing has ever been written about this, and Disney is so huge.”

Back on display

Thanks to a large endowment from the Coit family to create the Coit Museum in 2022, the Upjohn Pharmacy once again has a permanent display.

“When we first displayed the Upjohn Pharmacy pieces in 2014, it was just a display case, but, thanks to this generous gift, we were able to build a single, central home for the Upjohn display at the museum,” says Hall. The current display is remarkably similar to the original but with a slightly larger floor plan. It has become "the crown jewel at the Coit Museum," Hall says. "It is the hook that makes everyday people want to visit a pharmacy museum.”

A full-circle moment for Hall was meeting a man who was in Tucson for a reunion on the 50th anniversary of his graduation from the University of Arizona and who was also an Upjohn and then Pfizer Inc. employee. Having retired, the man still met monthly for breakfast with his former coworkers.

Hall says the man approached him and said, “We solved the mystery. For decades, all of us

retirees had wondered what had happened to the pharmacy at Disneyland. I can’t wait to tell everyone at the next breakfast that all of our Upjohn display is now in Arizona!”

“It almost brought me to tears,” says Hall. “Many other people remember seeing this as kids visiting Disneyland, and it is very cool for them to see it again.”

Although Hall left the museum in 2022, his heart was still set on publishing the story of the Upjohn Pharmacy.

“I was surprised to keep discovering how big of a story this was,” says Hall. “The more I dug into this, the more I realized this was a much bigger narrative, with so many unexpected directions and rabbit holes. I hope that the reader will enjoy being surprised too."

Lori Hannemann, Michael Brundage, CFP® & Michelle Eldridge, CFA,CPWA® Wealth Management Partners

Author Stephen Hall in a display at the Coit Museum of Pharmacy & Health Sciences (Courtesy photo)

WMU Program Goes to Prison

And the effort reaps rewards for students, staff and society

BY KATIE HOUSTON

There’s a new face at meetings when the staff of the Higher Education for the JusticeInvolved program gets together at Western Michigan University.

Student Office Assistant Jayson DeMarco Hardin (Class of '28), who was hired in January, brings a particularly well-informed perspective to the team, which staffs WMU’s satellite campus at the Lakeland Corrections Facility, in Coldwater. Hardin was one of HEJI’s first incarcerated college students when it launched a five-year humanities degree program at the prison in 2023.

“When they described what type of education they were offering, rich in the humanities, and what that actually produces inside a person, how it cultivates dialogue and empathy, that was very appealing to me,” says Hardin. “The chance to have a formal education with college professors was an opportunity I couldn't turn down.”

Hardin’s first college professor was Ann Miles, director of WMU's Center for the Humanities, which manages HEJI.

“The kind of teaching one does in prison is very different and in many ways incredibly fulfilling,” says Miles. “There’s no access to the internet, so our teaching methods are old-school — no PowerPoint or film clips, just conversation, close reading and a whiteboard.”

Hardin cited "Dr. Ann's” sociology class, Modern Social Problems, as an early favorite of his. “When we studied power structures and how society operates, it helped give me insight into some of the things from my past, some of my upbringing, some of the circumstances surrounding my incarceration.”

Hardin, now 39 years old, was arrested at age 17 for the armed robbery of a video store in Detroit and sentenced to serve 36 to 70 years in prison. He was released in July 2025, after successfully appealing for resentencing.

Origin story

The HEJI program is the brainchild of Dale Brown, whose Ph.D. dissertation research focused on the transformative and humanizing power of higher education for people who are or have been incarcerated. Now director of HEJI and a lecturer in WMU’s philosophy department, Brown partnered with the Michigan Department of Corrections and WMU’s philosophy department to launch a pilot program offering non-credit classes to men at Lakeland in 2018. The HEJI program continued for three semesters until pausing in 2020 due to the Covid–19 pandemic. It then returned as a five-year degree program in August 2023.

“Both WMU and the Michigan Department of Corrections have put in a substantial amount of energy to make this thing happen,” says Brown.

Miles concurs. “We’ve had so many colleagues helping us, from financial aid to advising to administrators," she says. Everything's a little different from what they would normally do, but we've had tremendous success, with the university taking the time to work with us.”

The program now has two cohorts of 36 men. Each group lives and takes classes together, studying the same accredited curriculum offered at WMU’s main campus. The university is one of 13 institutions statewide bringing college courses to an estimated 1,300 men and women behind bars. This year 250 men and women earned a degree in Michigan while incarcerated. WMU's HEJI program paused accepting new

WMU student and HEJI participant Jayson Hardin, center, with HEJI staff, from left, Dale Brown, Sacelia Strong-Sangster, McGwire Hidden and Ann Miles.

students in 2025 but will welcome its third cohort of incarcerated students this fall.

In its first year, more than 100 men statewide applied to study with HEJI, and 25 were accepted, some relocating to Lakeland to do so. The applicants had to have a high school diploma or GED certificate and fill out WMU’s standard college application.

They showed up eager to learn, according to Brown. “These are folks who are extremely dedicated to improving themselves through higher education,” he says. “There’s this hunger for self-improvement, and their curiosity is inexhaustible. And these are not remedial students. These are folks who already had the skills, already had fundamental ideas and viewpoints.”

As he talks about his own intellectual growth, Hardin proves Brown’s point.

“I love philosophy, specifically when you engage with questions of things like love and what is right and what is wrong and whether or not it's relative or it's an absolute,” says Hardin. “These things allowed me to finetune my own moral compass.”

The collective classroom enthusiasm at Lakeland makes for a different kind of teaching experience, says Miles.

“I found out early on that I could stop preparing exercises or activities to draw the students out," she says. "I just needed to make sure that I understood my material so I could answer all the questions that came up. I’ve been at WMU for 30 years, and this has been the most fulfilling project of my career.”

Brown says of his incarcerated students, “They do the things that we want all college students to do all the time — to think and connect and have an earnest, basic, fundamental engagement and mental activity. I'm still captivated by what happens in the classroom, because it's the ideal of an educational exchange where there's dialogue, where there's ideas, and this baseline openness to other possibilities of understanding the world or ourselves.

“We’re not saying that these men didn’t make mistakes or commit crimes or minimizing the fact that they have caused harm, have made decisions that landed them there. But we are saying that providing incarcerated students with quality, in-person

higher education is shown to provide myriad benefits to the individual, the prison, the surrounding community and society as a whole. These are incredible folks. Their hunger for self-improvement is otherworldly.”

Sacelia Strong-Sangster, one of seven HEJI staff members teaching at Lakeland this term, talks about the unity that comes from the students living and studying together. “Living together helps build the tightness within the cohort,” she says. “They help each other with homework. They help each other practice their speeches and their presentations. They study together.”

Strong-Sangster is a Ph.D. candidate in interdisciplinary studies at WMU and an instructor in the Department of World Religions and Cultures. As the HEJI student success coordinator, she meets one-on-one with the current 36 students to help support their needs.

“The students are very dedicated to what they're doing. There's a lot of passion with them,” Strong-Sangster says. “It’s incredible to see the growth in their writing and criticalthinking skills from when they began.”

Miles recalls hearing from prison staff right before the start of spring semester in 2024 that there was a “strange mood” among the prisoners in the housing unit that the guards couldn’t identify.

“Turns out it was happiness," she says. "They were so excited to get back to the classroom.”

From prison cell to campus

Thanks to the work of the HEJI staff, Hardin was able to move to WMU’s main campus in September. The team worked across and

within two bureaucracies — at WMU and at Lakeland — to get him to Kalamazoo in time for the fall term, arranging housing, tuition (funded by grants) and class registration. When Encore spoke with Hardin in midSeptember, he had just six weeks of freedom under his belt and was getting used to the whole new world of college life — classes, technology and living alone.

“I've always had either a bunkie or someone around me, and, being that I went to prison so young, I'm not used to being by myself,” he says.

Hardin also missed the other students, but parole regulations prohibit him from communicating with them.

“I had a lot of brothers in there, and I miss all of them," he says, "especially the cohort, because we actually became very close, and that's not typical inside that environment. This program provided us with an opportunity to develop a brotherhood amongst ourselves, because we studied and lived together in the same unit, going to class with each other every day, and you can't help but, especially in those types of circumstances, lean on people in times of hardship or stress.”

“Everyone in Coldwater asks about Jayson,” reports Miles. “They ask, ‘How is he doing? Do you see him in the hallways? What's the food like that he's eating?’ They want to know all these things about what his experience is like. So, he's got a lot on his shoulders in many

Carla Koretsky, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at WMU, lectures to students, including Jayson Hardin, who is the seat closest to the podium. Koretsky was a guest lecturer in a First-Year Experience course at the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Fall 2023. (Courtesy photo)

ways, because they're also looking to him as a role model. Jayson is getting that college experience that so many of them are trying to achieve. They're really proud of him.”

It’s clear that HEJI staff is proud of Hardin as well, though he insists he’s not unique.

“I need to tell you, I am not exceptional compared to my classmates,” says Hardin. “The only difference is God blessed me with the opportunity to obtain my freedom first. I'm not about to mess up under any circumstance.”

McGwire Hidden, program coordinator for HEJI and the Center for the Humanities, teaches philosophy on the main WMU campus and at WMU Lakewood. He says recent data shows there is less recidivism and there are fewer violent incidents at Michigan correctional facilities that offer college programming, which doesn’t surprise him.

“The thing I'm proudest of is the feedback we get regarding our students’ ability to function at a higher level in their day-to-day lives,” says Hidden. “I heard one student say, ‘I was talking to my daughter, and I was better able to handle this situation because of the things that I've learned.’ That's incredibly gratifying.”

Hardin saw for himself the social and emotional benefits of education in prison.

“I can personally give a testament to that," he says. "Coldwater is what they call a program prison, where they have the college program but also a cognitive behavior therapy program, substance abuse program, and they all work together. So, prisons where you have programming — going to school and getting education — it changes people. It really does. I've seen it with my own eyes, and I've experienced it in myself.”

Moving ahead

In February, Hardin finished his first semester with a 3.79 grade point average and was invited to join WMU's Lee Honors College, something he’d promised himself in September that he would accomplish.

“On my first day, we went on a campus tour, and I looked at the Honors College building and said, ‘What’s that?’ And Dale (Brown) said, ‘That's the Honors College, where the most exceptional students go.’ And I was like, ‘I'll be there next semester.’ And he laughed, but I

said, ‘I’m serious.’ So, when I received the email saying, ‘We are inviting you to join the exclusive membership of Lee Honors College,’ I was very stoked. That's something I'm real proud of.”

This winter HEJI worked with university administrators to change policy and allow the hiring of formerly incarcerated individuals, making Hardin WMU's first such employee. The process included Hardin meeting with WMU President Russ Kavalhuna.

“I'm like, ‘OK, I'm meeting with the president. Like, what do you want me to do?’ And they said, ‘Just tell him your story, just go in there and tell him the same things that you tell us all the time, just be yourself,’” Hardin recalls. “So, I told him the circumstances surrounding my incarceration and what I did while I was incarcerated, from the bad to the good. And then what I've been doing currently, since I've been out, and what I plan on doing. And you know, I just kept checking off all of the things that I’ve been able to accomplish.”

Hardin now works 20 hours per week for the HEJI program while taking a full load of classes. He’s on track to graduate with a B.A. in interdisciplinary studies in 2028 (as are those at Lakeland who continue in the program), and he plans to attend graduate school, hoping to work with youth and do societal re-entry work with former prisoners like himself.

“I'll be damned if I allow any of my nieces or nephews to go through what I went through, and I'm very vocal with all of them and any young person I encounter that I see on that path. I'm very vocal about what prison is and how to, you know, not go there. If I don't know how to do anything else, I know that.”

The transition to being a student, an earner and an independent adult continues for Hardin. When asked if, with a semester on main campus under his belt, he still feels like a different kind of student in the classroom, he replies, “It's hard not to feel like the old guy, because for the most part my student peers are two decades younger than me. I'm starting to feel more comfortable with being that guy. The alienation that I felt last fall I don't feel it as intensely.”

Brown says of Hardin’s first few months at WMU, “It was a tough semester for him, just

making the transition, navigating the world and the campus and the technology. And he ended up doing so well, and now the man works here Monday, Wednesday and Friday — first real job, first real paycheck.”

HEJI on the road

The HEJI team will be on the agenda at the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison’s annual conference this month. Staff will travel to Cleveland to talk about the challenges and rewards of the HEJI program, and Hardin will be among them, under special permission from his probation officer. There will also be some R&R on the schedule, including attendance at a Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game.

As they prepare to take their story to a wider audience, HEJI staff reflect on their personal experiences, the program’s progress and what’s ahead.

“I had no idea what resilience meant before I met some of these guys,” says Brown. “I’ve heard them casually say, ‘I had a tough time a couple years back because I was in solitary confinement for 10 years.’ Somehow, against all odds, they’ve found ways to be successful. The amount of wasted talent in prison is devastating, the amount of squandered potential.”

Miles adds, “Some of these men have been waiting a long time to prove they are worth something.”

As for Hardin, he is grateful and determined.

“I understand that this is a privilege," he says. "I have a lot of friends who are formerly incarcerated, who are very close to me and who don't have the resources I do, don't have a program like this one. A lot of people, like a lot of my homeboys, asked why don't I do school closer to home, like at Wayne State University (in Detroit) — they have a very nice re-entry college program. But I know who Dr. Ann is. I know who Dale is. I know who McGwire is. I know it's more than just work for them. I'm living proof that if you're serious, education has the power to transform anything and to make anything possible.”

TheArts

•TheOddCouple

•MirrorofMostValue

Throughout the month

Kalamazoo Civic Theatre

This month, the Civic is spanning the age continuum with two productions.

The Civic Senior Class Reader’s Theatre, a program for adult performers 50 and older, will present a comedy about mismatched roommates with its production of The Odd Couple . Ron Dundon and Bob Terwilliger share the spotlight in the roles of Oscar Madison and Felix Unger. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. April 10 and 17 and 2 p.m. April 11, 12, 18 and 19 in the Carver Studio, 419 S. Park St. Tickets are $17–$32.

The young thespians of Kalamazoo Civic Youth Theatre’s will stage MirrorofMostValue:AMs.Marvel

Play about a young heroine who must fight evil to save her city. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. April 17 and 24 and 2 p.m. April 18–19 and 25–26, and 5 p.m. April 18 and 25 in the Civic's Parish Theatre, 405 S. Lovell St., Tickets are $15.

To purchase tickets or for more information call 343-1313 or visit kazoocivic.com.

GoodNight,Oscar

Farmers Alley Theatre

April 16–26

Funny and poignant, this production explores what happens when host Jack Paar's favorite guest, pianist and humorist Oscar Levant, gets a four-hour pass from a mental institution for a guest appearance on The Tonight Show Shows on April 16–17 are sold out, but remaining showtimes for the production, which is presented in collaboration with The Gilmore Piano Festival, are 7:30 p.m. April 18 and 23–25 and 2 p.m. April 18–19 and 25–26. Tickets are $22–$54 and available online at farmersalleytheatre.com.

SweeneyTodd:The DemonBarberof FleetStreet

April 10–25

WMU Theatre

Western Michigan University students stage the Stephen Sondheim musical tale of a barber who returns from unjust exile, driven by vengeance and a hunger for justice. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. April 10–11, 16–19 and 23–24 and 2 p.m. April 12, 19 and 25 in Shaw Theatre on the WMU campus. Tickets are $7–$24 and available by calling 387-6222 or online at wmich.edu/theatre.

WestSideStory

April 18

Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

The KSO travels to New York’s Upper West Side for a fully-staged production of the Broadway classic of forbidden lovers and dueling gangs. Renowned opera performers Cecilia Violetta López and Andrew Bidlack will perform in the roles of star-crossed lovers Maria and Tony with choreography by Erin Moore.

Showtime is 7:30 p.m. in Miller Auditorium. Tickets are $5–$120 and available online at kalamazoosymphony.com.

TheTortoise &theHare

April 18

All Ears Theatre

The classic Aesop's fable gets a little Monty Python spin in this all-audio adaptation by playwright David Isaacson who promises, "this contemporary version will upset only snobs, none of whom attend All Ears Theatre plays anyway."

Showtime is 6 p.m. at the Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition, 315 W. Michigan Ave. and is free. For more information, visit allearstheatre.org.

TheArts

AprilinParis

April 18

Kalamazoo Concert Band

Transport yourself to The City of Lights with this Paris-focused performance at 7 p.m. in Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave.

The free concert includes selections by Claude Debussy, Count Basie and Paul Dukas as well as from the musical Les Misérables.

Joining the band will be flutist Allysa Eder, winner of KCB's annual Youth Solo Competition.

Visit kalamazooconcertband.org for more information.

Souvenir

April 26

Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra

The KJSO ends its performance season with a concert featuring a world premiere and appearance by violinist Terry Stamp, 2025 Concerto and Composition Competition winner. Stamp will premiere his original composition Night Mystique. The program will also include works by Niels Gade, Camille Saint-Saëns and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

Showtime is 3 p.m. at Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave., and tickets are $5–$15 and available at kjso.org.

• Carmen Bradford Quartet

• Bob Mervak

April 23 & 29 Crawlspace Theatre

Two impressive musical artists will grace the Crawlspace Theatre stage, 315 W. Michigan Ave., this month.

Grammy Award-winning vocalist Carmen Bradford will perform two shows on April 23 with piano, bass & drums. A featured vocalist with the Count Basie Orchestra, she won a 2024 Grammy for the album Basie Swings the Blues – the Count Basie Orchestra

Showtimes are 7 and 9 p.m. and tickets are $10–$25.

On April 29, pianist, vocalist & songwriter Bob Mervak will perform at 7:30 p.m. A part of Detroit's music scene for nearly three decades, his style encompasses pop and jazz and features his original songs. A session musician, writer and arranger, he was the main composer for fellow Michigander Dax Shepard’s motion picture Hit and Run and pianist and vocalist in George Clooney’s political drama The Ides of March. Tickets are $25.

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit crawlspacecomedy.com.

Ariel String Quartet

April 19

Fontana Chamber Arts

The Fontana ends its season with The Ariel Quartet, known for its virtuosic and impassioned performances, at 7:30 p.m. in WMU’s Dalton Center Recital Hall.

Formed as teenagers, the group is now Faculty Quartet-in-Residence at University of Cincinnati’s College–Conservatory of Music and recent recipient of Chamber Music America’s Cleveland Quartet Award. They will present a program featuring works by Haydn, Berg, Shaw, and Beethoven.

Tickets are $15–$30 and are available by calling 250-6984 or online at fontanamusic.org.

The Gilmore Piano Festival

April 30–May 10

Various venues

In its first iteration as an annual event, the festival will offer 75 programs, from concerts and films to classes and collaborative performances. On the schedule are concerts by world-class jazz artist Sullivan Fortner and Gilmore Artists Alexandre Kantorow (2024) and Kirill Gerstein (2010) as well as by Kandace Springs, Chucho Valdés and Richard Goode.

For the full schedule, visit thegilmore. org. Also, see Five Faves on page 8 for The Gilmore Executive Director Pierre van der Westhuisen's festival picks.

WMU School of Music

Throughout the month

Various venues

Western Michigan University Gilmore School of Music ends the semester with an impressive catalog of performances. Unless otherwise noted, the performances are at Dalton Center Recital Hall, and tickets are $6 to $18.

• Western Wind Quintet, 7:30 p.m. April 1; pre-concert talk, 7 p.m.

• Student Composers III, 2 p.m. April 3, free

• University Percussion Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. April 4, free

• Carter Rice, multimedia artist, 7:30 p.m. April 5

• University Jazz Lab Band, 7:30 p.m. April 7

• Chamber Music Showcase, Chamber Music Competition winners, 7:30 p.m. April 9, St. Thomas More, 421 Monroe St., free

• Gold Company, GCII and New York Voices, jazz choral groups, 7:30 p.m. April 10–11

• Igor Fedotov, viola, 3 p.m. April 12

• Michael Keeler, saxophone, 7:30 p.m. April 13

• WMU Trombone Choir, 5 p.m. April 14, free

• Opera Workshop, 7:30 p.m. April 14, free

• David Ambrosio and Civil Disobedience, jazz, 7:30 p.m. April 15; pre-concert talk, 7 p.m.

• Gold Company II, 7:30 p.m. April 16

• Choral Showcase, with Amphion, Anima and University Chorale, 7:30 p.m. April 18

• Advanced Jazz Ensemble, 1 p.m. April 19, free

• University Bands, University Symphonic and Concert Bands, 3 p.m. April 19, Miller Auditorium

• Carlos López Soria and Friends, bassoon, 7:30 p.m. April 21

• University Wind Symphony and Nicole Piunno All-Star Band, wind and percussion, 7:30 p.m. April 23, Miller Auditorium

• University Symphony Orchestra, 7 p.m. April 26, Miller Auditorium

For tickets and more information, visit wmich. edu/music/events.

TheArts

2026High SchoolArea Show

April 11–May 12

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

The annual juried exhibition highlighting the talents of area high school students and providing prizes and scholarships will open this month.

This year's exhibition juror is Ginger Owen-Murakami, a professor of photography at Western Michigan University’s Gwen Frostic School of Art. The show is open to high school students residing in Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren counties.

Exploringthe TibetanBook: Materials& Makers

April 3–24

Kalamazoo Book Arts Center

The rich tradition of manuscript and print production in the Himalayas is highlighted in this exhibition at the KBAC gallery, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A.

Curated by book conservator Jim Canary, the exhibition will include examples of papermaking fibers and sheets, calligraphy, woodblocks and prints as well as images of the artisans and their tools.

Canary will give a lecture on Exploring the Tibetan Book at 5:30 p.m. April 2 in Room 2008 of the Richmond Center for Visual Arts at Western Michigan University, and a reception for Canary will be held at KBAC from 5–8 p.m. April 3.

VISUAL ARTS

Glass Blowers

Battle2026

April 24–25

Glass Art Kalamazoo

Over the course of two days, you can watch glass artists compete in six events of glass blowing and lampworking to create winning glass art creations. Held at the Glass Art Kalamazoo studios at 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., competition hours will be 3–10 p.m. April 24 and 9 a.m.–6 p.m. April 25.

The event, which is free to attend and includes both judged and publicvoted components to decide winners, will culminate in an awards event at the end of competition on April 25. For more information, visit glassartkalamazoo.org.

Continuing Exhibitions

Vibrations , WMU Richmond Center for Visual Arts, through April 25

Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks , KIA, through June 7.

From Cobalt to Indigo: The Power of Blue in East Asia , KIA, through July 12.

Readyfor Takeoff

April 18 & 19

Ballet Arts Ensemble

The area's oldest youth ballet company will present three performances of a mixedrepertoire program in its spring concert at the Cori Terry Theatre, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall.

Showtimes are 1 and 6 p.m. April 18 and 1 p.m. April 19. Tickets are $17–$23 and available online at balletartsensemble.org.

Author Hop

April 17

Portage District Library

Author Talks

Throughout the month

Various venues

Several authors will offer readings and insights into the craft of writing this month.

Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of 2026’s Reading Together title, Take My Hand, will speak at 3 p.m. April 11 in Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave. Reading Together is an annual event hosted by the Kalamazoo Public Library where the community is invited to read a selected title and hear that author speak.

Perkins-Valdez is a New York Times bestselling author of several books. Published in 2022, Take My Hand was a finalist for a Goodreads Choice Award and received 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work–Fiction. Her presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session and book signing.

The author of numerous children's and young adult novels, Laurie Halse Anderson will discuss her writing process and how literature can spark change at 6 p.m. April 15 at the Kalamazoo Public Library's Central Branch. A National Book Award nominee for her 1999 novel, Speak, Anderson is one of the most banned authors of young adult literature.

For information on both Perkins-Valdez's and Anderson's presentations, visit kpl.gov/ events.

Poet and essayist Ross Gay will present a craft talk at 10 a.m. April 16 in the Student Commons Theater at Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Texas Township campus. Gay is the author of four books of poetry, including Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award and 2016 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. Ross has released three collections of essays, including New York Times bestseller The Book of Delights (2019).

For more information, visit libguides.kvcc. edu/visitingwriters.

Meet local authors of fiction, nonfiction and youth literature, peruse books for sale and get copies signed at this annual event from 5–8 p.m. at the library located at 300 Library Lane.

Among the artists participating in this year's event are H & S Alavaurence, A.J. Parks and Samanatha Moran. For more information, visit portagelibrary.info.

TheArts

is published in partnership and funding provided by

Kalamazoo Poetry Festival

April 9–11

Various venues

With a theme of "Beyond Resilience," this free biennial festival returns with guest poets, workshops, readings, craft talks and activities promoting poetry.

Kicking off the festival will be the Celebration of Community Poets at 6:30 p.m. April 9 at Crawlspace Theatre, 315 W. Michigan Ave. This event will feature readings by local poets including Margaret DeRitter, Nora Kay, Elizabeth Bullmer and Hafsa Zwick, as well as musical performances by local artists including Lipsey, JB and David Diame.

The festival will culminate with a reading & reception at 5 p.m. April 11, at the Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall.

For a full schedule visit, kalamazoopoetryfestival.com.

Left to right: Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Laurie Halse Anderson and Ross Gay

PERFORMING ARTS

THEATER

Plays

Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat Live on Stage — Two bored kids go on an adventure with a hatwearing cat, 2 p.m. April 4, Miller Auditorium, WMU, millerauditorium.com.

The Odd Couple — Civic Senior Class Readers present a comedy about mismatched roommates, 7:30 p.m. April 10 & 17, 2 p.m. April 11, 12, 18 & 19, Carver Studio, 419 S. Park St., 343-1313, kazoocivic.com.

Mirror of Most Value — Ms. Marvel fights evil to protect her city, 7:30 p.m. April 17 & 24, 2 p.m. April 18, 19, 25 & 26, 5 p.m. 18 & 25, Parish Theatre, 405 S. Lovell St., 343-1313, kazoocivic.com.

Good Night, Oscar — The story of a 1950s late night talk show with guest Oscar Levant, 7:30 p.m. April 18, 23–25, 2 p.m. April 18, 19 & 25, Farmers Alley Theatre, 221 Farmers Alley, farmersalleytheatre.com.

Musicals

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street — A barber driven by vengeance teams up with a pie shop owner, 7:30 p.m. April 10–11, 16–19, 23–24; 2 p.m. April 12, 19 & 25, Shaw Theatre, WMU, 387-6222, wmich.edu/theatre.

West Side Story — A tale of star-crossed lovers with music provided by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. April 18, Miller Auditorium, kalamazoosymphony.com.

Other

Experience the Magic of Spring Gala — Performances by the KSO & dance groups from WMU, 6 p.m. April 12, Miller Auditorium, 349-7557, millerauditorium.com.

The Tortoise & the Hare — All-audio theater production, 6 p.m. April 18, Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition, 315 W. Michigan, allearstheatre.org.

DANCE

Ready for Takeoff — Ballet Arts Ensemble’s spring concert, 1 & 6 p.m. April 18, 1 p.m. April 19, Cori Terry Theatre, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Ste. 204, balletartsensemble.org.

Senior Graduating Presentations — Senior capstone & solo performances, 7:30 p.m. April 10, 11, 17 & 18; 2 p.m. April 11, 12, 18 & 19, Dalton Center, WMU, wmich.edu/dance/events.

Western Dance Project Final Concert — 7:30 p.m. April 23 & 24, Dalton Center, wmich.edu/ dance/events.

MUSIC

Bands & Solo Artists

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe Concerts — Pool Kids w/ Dikembe, April 3; Terrapin Flyer: Premier Grateful Dead Band, April 4; Santino Jones, Sonny Ski & Shai-li, April 10; Chicago Farmer & The Fieldnotes, April 11; Natewantstobattle w/Cam Steady & Genwunner, April 12; Grieves w/Street Sweepers & Bowdizz, April 17; Jammy Buffet, April 18; Dogs in a Pile, April 23; Octave Cat, April 25; Dave Bruzza Unsafe at any Speed w/The Go Rounds, April 30; shows at 8 p.m. unless noted, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382-2332, bellsbeer.com.

Gun Lake Casino Shows — Quiet Riot, 9 p.m. April 3; DJ Pauly D, noon April 5; Ozzy Rebourne, 9 p.m. April 17; 1123 129th Ave., Wayland, gunlakecasino.com.

Winter Blues Series — Mays & Blue, 2–4 p.m.; Kathleen & Bridge St. Band, 4–6 p.m. April 12, The Dock at Bayview, 12504 East D Ave., Richland, kvba.org.

The Rock & Roll Bad Guys, No Skull & Lucius Fox — Rock music, 3–7 p.m. April 12, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.

Jean Marie & The Lads — Celtic music & fundraiser for El Salvador, 7 p.m. April 17, St. Thomas More, 421 Monroe, 330-2734.

Hannah Laine — Michigan singer, pianist & songwriter, 8 p.m. April 17, Franke Center for the Arts, 214 E. Mansion St., Marshall, thefranke.org. STOMP — Energetic percussion performance, 7:30 p.m. April 24, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.

May Erlewine — With guitarist Packy Lundholm, 8 p.m. April 24, Franke Center for the Arts, 214 E. Mansion St., Marshall, thefranke.org. Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More Western Winds — 7:30 p.m. April 1, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU; pre-concert talk, 7 p.m., 387-4678, wmich.edu/music/events.

Student Composers III — 2 p.m. April 3, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

A Night on Broadway Symphony Gala — Fundraising dinner with KSO musicians performing selections from West Side Story, 5 p.m. April 4, Arcadia Ballroom, Radisson Plaza Hotel, 100 W. Michigan Ave., kalamazoosymphony.com.

University Percussion Ensemble — 7:30 p.m. April 4, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/ music/events.

Carter Rice — Multimedia artist, 7:30 p.m. April 5, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

University Jazz Lab Band — 7:30 p.m. April 7, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

Chamber Music Showcase — Winners of the Chamber Music Competition, 7:30 p.m. April 9, St. Thomas More, 421 Monroe, wmich.edu/ music/events.

Luke Mortensen — Saxophone, 7 p.m. April 10, The Listening Room, Second Reformed Church, 2323 Stadium Dr., 382-6600.

Gold Company, GCII & New York Voices — 7:30 p.m. April 10 & 11, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Saturdays with Stulberg — Online recital, 10 a.m. April 11, stulberg.org.

Igor Fedotov — Viola, 3 p.m. April 12, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Michael Keeler — Saxophone, 7:30 p.m. April 13, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

WMU Trombone Choir — 5 p.m. April 14, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Opera Workshop — WMU Opera, 7:30 p.m. April 14, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

David Ambrosio & Civil Disobedience — Jazz, 7:30 p.m. April 15, Dalton Center Recital Hall; preconcert talk, 7 p.m., wmich.edu/music/events.

Gold Company II — 7:30 p.m. April 16, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Crescendo Academy of Music Student Recital — 2 p.m. April 18, First Congregational Church, 345 W. Michigan Ave., crescendoacademy.com.

April in Paris — Kalamazoo Concert Band with 2026 Youth Soloist Competition winner, 7 p.m. April 18, Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave., kalamazooconcertband.org.

Choral Showcase — Amphion, Anima & University Chorale, 7:30 p.m. April 18, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Advanced Jazz Ensemble — 1 p.m. April 19, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

University Bands — University Symphonic & University Concert Bands, 3 p.m. April 19, Miller Auditorium, wmich.edu/music/events.

Gathered at the Table: Songs of Heritage, Harmony & Hope — Kalamazoo Community Chorale, 3 p.m. April 19, First United Methodist Church, 212 S. Park St., kalamazoocommunitychorale.com.

Ariel String Quartet — 7:30 p.m. April 19, Dalton Center Recital Hall, fontanamusic.org.

Carlos López Soria & Friends — Bassoon, 7:30 p.m. April 21, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich. edu/music/events.

Carmen Bradford Quartet — Grammy-winning vocalist with piano, bass & drums, 7 p.m. & 9 p.m. April 23, Crawlspace Theatre, 315 W. Michigan Ave., crawlspacecomedy.com.

University Wind Symphony & Nicole Piunno All-Star Band — Wind & percussion, 7:30 p.m. April 23, Miller Auditorium, wmich.edu/music/ events.

Souvenir — Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra, 3 p.m. April 26, Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave., kjso.org.

University Symphony Orchestra — 7 p.m. April 26, Miller Auditorium, wmich.edu/music/events.

Bob Mervak — Pianist, vocalist & songwriter, 7:30 p.m. April 29, Crawlspace Theatre, 315 W. Michigan Ave., crawlspacecomedy.com.

The Gilmore Piano Festival — World-class musicians celebrating piano repertoire, April 30–May 10, various locations; see thegilmore.org for full schedule.

FILM

Grey Gardens — Screening of the 1975 film followed by discussion, Little Edie-style outfits encouraged, 8 p.m.; pre-show 7 p.m., April 9, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.

Wolf Tree Film Festival — Short films by Great Lakes region filmmakers, 7 p.m. April 11, Franke Center for the Arts, 214 E. Mansion St., Marshall, thefranke.org.

The Librarians — Screening of the 2025 documentary, 1 p.m. April 19, Sangren Hall, WMU, kpl.gov/events; registration required.

VISUAL ARTS

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org Exhibitions

Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to CuttingEdge Kicks — Futuristic footwear blending fashion, new materials & technology, through June 7.

From Cobalt to Indigo: The Power of Blue in East Asia — Exploring the use of the rare, prized pigment, through July 12.

2026 High School Area Show — Juried exhibition of works by area high school artists, April 11–May 12.

Events

Art Bridges Access for All — Free admission on Thursdays, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

Future Now for Families — Works from Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks, 5:30 p.m. April 2; registration encouraged.

Explore & Create Night — View the Future Now exhibit & create shoe-inspired artworks, 6 p.m. April 2.

ARTbreak — Programs about art & artists: Virtual Artist’s Talk with Nick La Marca, April 8; Steps through Time: A Retrospective of Shoes, April 22; noon; registration encouraged.

Book Swap — Free book swap, raffle ticket for each book brought in, 6–8 p.m. April 9; registration encouraged.

Book Discussion — Thomas Schlesser’s Mona’s Eyes, 2 p.m. April 15; registration requested.

Wilson W. Smith III — Artist’s talk by the athletic shoe designer, 6 p.m. April 16.

Richmond Center for Visual Arts Western Michigan University, 387-2436, wmich.edu/art

Vibrations — Works by summer intensive workshop instructors, through April 25, NetzorgKerr Gallery.

Emergence: Graduating Seniors Exhibition — Works by graduating seniors, through May 2, Albertine Monroe-Brown Gallery.

Other Venues

Exploring the Tibetan Book: Materials & Makers — Manuscript & print production in the Himalayas, April 3–24; presentation by Jim Canary, 5:30 p.m. April 2, Room 2008, Richmond Center for Visual Arts, WMU; reception 5–8 p.m. April 3, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, 373-4938, kalbookarts.org.

Glass Blowers Battle 2026 — Glass-blowing competition, 3–10 p.m. April 24, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. April 25, Glass Art Kalamazoo, Suite 100, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., glassartkalamazoo.org.

LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS

Comstock Township Library 6130 King Highway, 345-0136, comstocklibrary.org

CTL Writers — Group writing discussion, 10 a.m. April 3, 17 & 24.

Journaling Club — For adults & teens, 11 a.m. April 9; registration required.

Pride Book Club — Discuss Curtis Chin’s Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, 6 p.m. April 15; registration required.

Adulting 101: Time Management Basics — For young adults or for a refresher, 6 p.m. April 27; registration required.

Shelf Assured Book Club — Theme is Young Adult Reads, 5:30 p.m. April 28; registration required.

Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov

Danny Go! Book Release Party — Familyfriendly event with activities, craft & book raffle, 10:30 a.m. April 1, Oshtemo Branch, 7265 W. Main St.

Genealogy Scrapbook Workshop — Research your family tree & access digital resources, during open hours every Thursday, Alma Powell Branch, 1000 W. Paterson St.

KPL Mobile Library — 11:30 a.m. April 2 & 30, Leisure Time Condominiums, Green Meadow Rd.; 2 p.m. April 2 & 30, Leisure Pointe Condominiums, 4814 Weston Ave.; 3 p.m. April 7, Maple Grove Village, 735 Summit Ave.; 4 p.m. April 8 & 3:30 p.m. April 21, Interfaith Homes, 1037 Interfaith Blvd.; 10 a.m. April 15, Kalamazoo Literacy Council, 420 E. Alcott St.; 3 p.m. April 15, Parkview Hills Clubhouse, 3707 Greenleaf Circle; 4 p.m. April 15, Oakwood Neighborhood Association, 3320 Laird Ave.; 3:30 p.m. April 20, New Village Park/Heather Gardens, 2400 Albans Way; 10 a.m.

April 21, Lodge House, 1211 S. Westnedge Ave.; 4 p.m. Aug. 13, Douglass Community Association, 1000 W. Paterson St.; 3:30 p.m. April 27, Milwood Commons, 2031 East Cork St.; stops are about one hour unless noted otherwise.

Family Bingo — Families play for fun & prizes, 2 p.m. April 2, Central Library, 315 S. Rose St. Puppet Show — By Alex Thomas & Friends, 10:30 a.m. April 3, Eastwood Branch, 1112 Gayle Ave.

KPL Tech Days — Learn tech basics or get help with personal devices, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays & Saturdays, second-floor rotunda, Central Library.

Promise to Read — Community literacy program, 10:30 a.m. April 4, Central Library; registration required.

Family Finance Fun — Activities & prizes to celebrate Financial Literacy Month, 11:30 a.m. April 4, Northside Association of Community Development, 612 N. Park St.

Kalamazoo Writers — In-person adult program for local writers, 4 p.m. April 7, Central Library.

No Shelf Control: A Graphic Novel Book Club — Discussion of George Takei's They Called Us Enemy, 6 p.m. April 7, Central Library.

Picture Book Show & Tell — Share favorite picture books, 6 p.m. April 7, Alma Powell Branch.

Reading Together Book Discussion — Of Dolen Perkins-Valdez's Take My Hand, 5:30 p.m. April 8, Central Library.

Euchre, Anyone? — All experience levels, 4:30 p.m. April 9, Eastwood Branch.

Music & Memories — Music to engage older adults & those with memory loss, 11 a.m. April 13, Oshtemo Branch.

Page Turners Book Club — Discuss Karen Russell’s The Antidote, 6:30 p.m. April 13, Oshtemo Branch.

Community Cafe — Movie, board games, puzzles & refreshments, 10 a.m. April 15, Central Library.

Dungeons & Dragons Game Night — Adults, beginner to experienced levels, 5:30 p.m. April 15, Washington Square Branch, 1244 Portage St.; registration required.

Laurie Halse Anderson — The National Book Award nominee discusses her writing process & how literature can spark change, 6 p.m. April 15, Central Library.

Intro to Genealogy Resources — Info on databases & online resources, 10 a.m. April 16, Alma Powell Branch.

Classics Revisited — Discuss Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, 2:30 p.m. April 16, Central Library.

Breathwork with Apral — Deep breathing exercises, 11 a.m. April 16, Eastwood Branch.

Electric Vehicle Show & Tell — EV car display & answers to questions, noon April 18, Oshtemo Branch.

Family Carnival — Music, face painting & games, 1 p.m. April 18, Central Library.

Romance Roundtable — Discuss Beverly Jenkins’s Topaz, 6:30 p.m. April 20, Central Library.

Free Professional Headshots — Participants receive an edited photo, 4–6 p.m. April 22, Central Library; registration required.

The Jackie Robinson Story — How he broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier, 6:30 p.m. April 23, Central Library.

Senior Citizen Breakfast — Breakfast & conversation, 10:30–noon April 24, Eastwood Branch.

Relax & Meditate with Tai Chi — Introduction to Tai Chi, 11 a.m. April 25, Oshtemo Branch.

Yoga with Apral — 5:30 p.m. April 28, Eastwood Branch.

Introduction to Ayurveda — Simple practices for well-being, 6:30 p.m. April 29, Washington Square Branch; registration required.

Día de los Niños — Latin American-inspired activities to celebrate the day of the child, April 30, all KPL branches.

Parchment Community Library

401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org

Vinyasa Yoga with Alla — All levels welcome, 5:15 p.m. April 8 & 11 a.m. April 11.

Parchment Book Group — Discuss David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon, 6 p.m. April 13.

Parchment School District Art Show Opening — 5–7 p.m. April 15.

Indie Lens Pop-Up — Watch & discuss The Tallest Dwarf, a documentary on the little people community, 6 p.m. April 20.

Mystery Book Club — Discuss Anna Lee Huber’s The Anatomist’s Wife, 6:30 p.m. April 21.

Bike Repair Workshop — Help get your bicycle ready for summer, 4–7 p.m. April 27.

Portage District Library

300 Library Lane, 329-4544, portagelibrary.info April Fools! — Seek-&-finds, jokes & mindbending tricks, all day April 1.

Muffins & the Market — Recent stock market trends, 9 a.m. April 2 & 16.

Kalamazoo County Historical Society — Local history speakers & discussion, 7 p.m. April 6.

Racial Relations with Donna Odom — A Reading Together discussion event with SHARE’s executive director, 6 p.m. April 7; registration required.

Pub(lic) Library Trivia — Create or join a team to compete, 6:30 p.m. April 8; registration required.

Documentary & Donuts — Viewing of Midnight Family, 10 a.m. April 10.

Friends of the Library Book Sale — 9 a.m.–3 p.m. April 11; members pre-sale, 4–5:30 p.m. April 10.

Generative AI Writing Workflows — Brian Gogan discusses Generative AI, 2 p.m. April 14; registration required.

Spring Home Maintenance — Hands-on workshop with Community Homeworks, 6 p.m. April 14; registration required.

WMU Student Poetry Reading — 5 p.m. April 15; registration required.

Yoga with Apral — 4 p.m. April 16; registration required.

International Mystery Book Club — Discuss Jo Piazza’s The Sicilian Inheritance, 7 p.m. April 16.

Author Hop — Meet local authors & explore their books for sale, 5–8 p.m. April 17.

Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group — Help with Macintosh programs & accessories, 9 a.m., April 18.

Saturday Sound Immersion — Wind Willow Consortium members play, 10:30 a.m. April 18; registration required.

Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society — Information on genealogy, 7 p.m. April 20; inperson & online.

Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones — Discussing “Looking Back, Looking Forward, Listening to the Land," 6:30 p.m. April 22.

Drop-In Genealogy Help — 10 a.m. April 23.

Light Lunch & Literature — Discuss Andrew Krivak’s The Bear, noon April 27; registration required.

House of Henna — Presentation on henna art, 5:30 p.m. April 30; registration required.

Richland Community Library 8951 Park St., 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org

Bridge Club — Noon Tuesdays.

Richland Area Writer’s Group — Open to new members, noon April 10 & 24; in person & online.

Cookbook Club — Sample recipes from Jill Norman’s Eating for Victory: Healthy Home Front Cooking on War Rations, 6 p.m. April 14.

Adult Dungeons & Dragons Bravo Team — New crusade each month, 3–6 p.m. April 15 & 5–8 p.m. April 29; registration required.

Richland Genealogy Group — Discussion group, 10 a.m. April 16; in person & online.

RCL Book Club — Discuss Jasper Fforde’s Shades of Grey, 6 p.m. April 16.

Sports Trivia — Teams of up to six, 7 p.m. April 21, First Presbyterian Church of Richland, 8047 Church St.; registration required.

Between the Pages: Romance Book Club — Discuss Kennedy Ryan’s Before I Let Go, 6 p.m. April 22, Ned’s on Gull Lake, 15450 M-43, Hickory Corners; registration required.

Grown-Ups Deserve Great Vacations Too — Discussion on adult travel, 7 p.m. April 23.

In Our Own Words: Gateway Poetry Night — Poets share their works, 6 p.m. April 29.

Smarter Theme Park Travel: Disney World & Universal Orlando — Tips for planning a trip to the theme parks, 7 p.m. April 30.

Van Buren District Library - Antwerp Sunshine Branch

24283 Front St., Mattawan, 668-2534, vbdl.org

On a Lighter Note — Enjoy a lighthearted book, 5:30 p.m. April 14.

Adult Book Club — 5:30 p.m. April 15.

Book Sale — 10 a.m.–4 p.m. April 17; 10 a.m.–3 p.m. April 18.

Read It & Reel — Compare movies with the books they inspired, 5:45 p.m. April 27.

Vicksburg District Library 215 S. Michigan Ave., 649-1648, vicksburglibrary.org

Book Club for Adults — Selection at circulation desk, 9:30 a.m. April 2.

Bridge Club — 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays.

Writer’s Motivational Group — Set goals & report progress, 4 p.m. April 9.

Scrabble Club for Adults — All skill levels, 1 p.m. April 14.

Other Venues

Kalamazoo Poetry Festival — Celebration of Community Poets, 6:30 p.m. April 9, Crawlspace Theatre, 315 W. Michigan Ave.; Your Turn Open Mic, 7 p.m. April 10, Fire Historical & Cultural Arts Collaborative, 1249 Portage St.; Finale Reading & Reception, 5 p.m. April 11, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, kalamazoopoetryfestival.com.

Dolen Perkins-Valdez — Meet the author of 2026’s Reading Together title, Take My Hand; Q&A & book signing, 3 p.m. April 11, Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave, kpl.gov/ events.

Ross Gay — Craft talk by the poet & essayist, 10 a.m., KVCC Student Commons Theater, Room 4240, Texas Township, libguides.kvcc.edu/ visitingwriters.

Book Discussion — Van Cliburn’s Moscow Nights: The Van Cliburn Story, 2 p.m. April 19, Ladies Library Auditorium, 333 S. Park St., ladieslibrarykzoo.org.

Tournament of Writers Book Release Celebration — Announcement of winners & readings, 5:30 p.m. April 23, Wind & James Event Center, 555 Eliza St., Schoolcraft, vicksburgarts. org/calendar.

Pulp & Press Lit Arts Fest — Illustration, written & spoken word events & visiting authors, hosted by the Village of Vicksburg, April 24–25, various locations, Vicksburg, kalamazooarts.org/events.

MUSEUMS

Air Zoo

6151 Portage Road, Portage, 382-6555, airzoo.org

Spring Break Family Fun Days — Themed activities with admission, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. April 1, 2, 7, 8 & 9.

Gilmore Car Museum

6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org

2026 Winter Lecture Series — The Life & Death of RMS Titanic, April 12; The Mustang Movement, April 19; You Auto Know, April 26; sessions begin at 2 p.m.

Donald’s Dust-Off — All makes, models & years with special area for Mustangs, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. April 25, with live music, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Kalamazoo Valley Museum

230 N. Rose St., 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org

Shape Shifting: The Guitar as Modern ARTifact — The guitar as instrument & canvas, through April 26.

Black Cowboys — Black laborers on ranches & cattle drives, through July 26.

Celebrate Earth Day with KVM — Free guided Rain Garden tours, 10:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.; Innovation Lab activities, noon–3 p.m.; special Planetarium movie, 1 p.m. & 2 p.m., April 22.

NATURE

Kalamazoo Nature Center 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org

Nature Journaling — For teens & adults, 10 a.m. April 4; registration required.

Saving Woods Lake: Invisible Salt & Urban Dead Seas — Presentation for those 50+, but all are welcome, 11 a.m. April 8; registration required.

Rewilding Creativity Retreat — Yoga, art projects & meals, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. April 11, Stryker Nature Preserve, off Oakland Drive; registration required.

Spring Salads Foraging Scavenger Hunt — Forage greens for salads, 11 a.m. April 11; registration required.

Turtles — KNC's turtles, 12:30 p.m. April 11; registration required.

Woodcock Walks — View the male woodcock’s twilight aerial display, 8 p.m. April 14 & 16; registration required.

Golf Cart Tours — View nature through binoculars, 10 a.m. & noon April 16; registration required.

Trivia Night — Nature trivia, 6:30 p.m. April 16, Cooper’s Glen Auditorium; registration required.

Earth Day Celebration — Free admission, activities & vendors, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. April 18

Yoga & Forest Bathing — 2 p.m. April 19, Glen Vista Gallery; registration required.

Garlic Mustard Games — Pull & bag invasive plants for prizes, 10 a.m.– 6 p.m. April 24, Habitat Haven & Fern Valley Trails; April 25, DeLano Farms; free event, register for a shift.

Discover KNC — Guided hike, 2 p.m. April 25.

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510, birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu

Poetry on the Trail — Read poems placed along the trails & visit Haiku Corner, Wednesday–Sunday, April 1–30.

Birds & Coffee Chat Online — Discuss loons, 10 a.m. April 8; registration required.

Sounds of Science, Inspiring Connections — Five-minute presentations by scientists & music by cellist Jordan Hamilton, 6:30 p.m. April 8, Alley Cat, 266 E. Michigan Ave. Suite B, kbs.msu.edu/ events.

Sustaining the Vision Open House — Free sanctuary admission, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; free admission to Kellogg Manor House, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., April 12, 2700 E. Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners.

Behind the Scenes: Raptors — Caring for raptors, 10 a.m. April 18.

Earth Day Free Admission — 9 a.m.–5 p.m. April 22.

Other Venues

KAS General Meeting & Speaker — Michael Velbel discusses Leopard Spots & Poppy Seeds:

Recent Developments in the Search for Evidence of Ancient Life on Mars, 7 p.m. April 3, Kalamazoo Math & Science Center, 600 W. Vine St., or online, kasonline.org.

Beginning Birding Walk — 9 a.m. April 4, Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery's 2nd parking lot, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, kalamazooaudubon. org.

KAS Public Observing Session — Jupiter & the Orion Nebula, April 4; Galaxies of the Virgo Cluster, April 18; both sessions 8 p.m.–11 p.m., Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave.; register at kasonline.org; check website for weather updates.

Honorable Harvest Lecture Series — Haiku Writing Workshop, April 7; Ross Gay Book Discussion & Writing Workshop, April 14; Building a Personal Roadmap for Climate Resilience, April 21; all lectures, 6:30 p.m., Room 223, KVCC’s Schlack Culinary & Allied Health Building, 418 E. Walnut St., valleyhub.kvcc.edu.

PixInsight: A Simple & Effective Workflow for 2026 — About the astronomical image processing program, 8 p.m. April 17 online; register at kasonline.org.

Binder Park Zoo Opening Day — April 22, 7400 Division Drive, Battle Creek, 979-1351, binderparkzoo.org.

MISCELLANEOUS

Kalamazoo County Expo Center 2900 Lake St., 383-8778, kalcounty.gov

Kalamazoo Indoor Flea Market — 9 a.m.–3 p.m. April 4, Main Expo, kalcounty.gov/397/FleaMarket.

Kalamazoo Numismatic Club Coin Show — 9 a.m.–3 p.m. April 4, North Expo, 491-0962. Antique Bottle & Glass Show — 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. April 4, Room A.

Model Railroad Swap Meet — Model railroad items, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. April 4, South Expo, kmrhs.org.

Kalamazoo Comic-Con — Comic book & popular arts, noon–7 p.m. April 10, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. April 11, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. April 12, grcomiccon.com.

Pinball at the Zoo — Pinball games & machines, 2–10 p.m. April 16, 1–10 p.m. April 17, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. April 18, South Expo, pinballatthezoo.com.

KazooPex Stamp & Cover Show — Stamps, covers, postcards & supplies, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. April 17 & 18, North Expo, 375-6188.

Southwest Michigan Postcard Club Show —

Vintage postcards, photographs & postal history items, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. April 18, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. April 19, Room A, postcardarcheology.com.

Kalamazoo Record & CD Show — New, used records & CDs, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., April 19, Room A, rerunrecords.com.

Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo — Reptiles, amphibians, small mammals & exotic pets, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. April 19, South Expo, collisonzoo.com/kalamazooreptileexpo.

Mom-to-Mom Sale — Baby, maternity & children’s items, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. April 25, North Expo & Room A, 903-5820.

Spring Craft Show — 200+ vendors, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. April 25, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. April 26, South Expo, 903–5820.

Other Venues

Kalamazoo Winter Market — Produce & artisan wares, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturdays, through April 25, 1204 Bank St., pfcmarkets.com.

Annual Egg Hunt — Family activities & prizes, 2–4 p.m. April 4, Mayors Riverfront Park, 251 Mills St., kzooparks.org/events.

International Bazaar 2026 — Food, cultural performances & student booths, 4–9 p.m. April 4, Student Center, 1070 Student Center Loop, WMU, wmich.edu/global/events/international-bazaar.

Pianos, Programming & Decision-Making — Piano technician D Marie Jones discusses selection, tuning & adjustments of pianos for Gilmore Festival performances, 2 p.m. April 9, Ladies Library Auditorium, 333 S. Park St., ladieslibrarykzoo.org.

Kalamazoo Foodways Symposium — Exploring Southeastern Asian food culture, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 6–7 p.m. April 10; KVCC’s Culinary & Allied Health Building, 418 E. Walnut St., 10 a.m.–3 p.m. April 11, kalamazoofoodways.org.

Clue in the Zoo — Whodunit with clues in downtown Kalamazoo, noon–4 p.m. April 11, Kalamazoo Mall, tickets online, see Downtown Kalamazoo Collective Facebook page.

Olde Tyme Plow Days — Demonstrations, antique tractors & flea market, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. April 18, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. April 19, Scotts Mill County Park, 8451 S. 35th St., Scotts, 579-4627, scottstractorshow.org.

Annual Plow Day: Tools, Teams & Traditions — Demonstrations of traditional farming skills, local makers & artisans, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. April 18, Tillers International, 10515 E. OP Ave., Scotts, tillersinternational.org.

Social Security Workshop — Learn about Social Security & Medicare benefits, noon April 21, Gasaway Learning Center, 7110 Stadium Drive; in person & online, financeinsights.net/ GjnZTN0WQtPj3kQ; registration required.

Home Energy Efficiency — Workshop by Community Homeworks & Consumers Energy, 6 p.m. April 21, Douglass Community Association, 1000 W. Paterson St., communityhomeworks.org/ education/workshops-events.

Zeigler Marathon, 10K, 5K & Kids’ 1K — April 25 & 26, downtown Kalamazoo; registration required, zeiglerkalamazoomarathon.com.

Casey Grooten (continued from page 30)

also begun to offer events during the rest of the year, including workshops and open mics.

Reading and writing poetry “can be mentally healing,” Grooten says, “but we also think — and data suggests — that the study and the writing of poetry can be very, very helpful when it comes to your physical health.”

For Grooten, poetry has become a tool he uses to sort out his thinking when his mind becomes cluttered.

“I don’t know who said it, but I read once that poetry is like language with all the water wrung out of it, and that’s really powerful. I have a very active brain, and it can be hard to sort things sometimes. With poetry, I can just shut off what’s telling me that I even need to control that, and I can just let it flow.”

How did you get where you are today?

I grew up in Gobles, basically in the middle of the woods. I've been artistic for as long as I can remember. It started off with visual art. I drew all the time. In late middle school and in high school, I was pushed toward singing because I was born with aortic valve stenosis and had several life-saving operations before age 3, so I couldn't do any sports past middle school. It was always the plan to have valve replacement surgery in my adult life, but because of a strep bacteria entering my bloodstream, I was diagnosed with endocarditis at age 26 and had openheart surgery that year. In 2025 I had another surgery to replace my aortic and mitral valves and install a pacemaker.

Singing led to me writing lyrics. I started at Adrian College but left after deciding musical theater wasn't for me. I'm a great singer, but I cannot dance. My first week at Adrian College I began using narcotics. This was fall 2008.

My first poetry class was with Chad Sweeney at Western Michigan University in fall 2009, and it really sparked everything for me. Within a year of taking that class I had become sober, had a steady job, secure housing and more secure friendships and had transitioned out of the music program and into English. I'm coming up on 15 years sober this month.

the KPF board. I got involved with the festival by reading at the Celebration of Community Poets and was on the board of directors from 2018 until 2024. In May 2024 I was hired as the part-time executive director.

I am (also) a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Michigan Real Estate, a project manager for Issue Media Group and a writer/photographer for Second Wave Media.

For those who may be intimidated to try writing poetry, what do you recommend?

Just start with yourself. That's an easy thing to say but honestly can be probably the most intimidating for some people.

As far as poetry practices, there's something called ekphrastic poetry. It’s just a fancy word that means “art that represents another type of art.” It takes a piece of artwork and expands on it. So, you might see a poem written about a painting. You might see a painting that was an ekphrastic piece of art based on a film. You might even see a film based on a painting. It's an approachable way to write a poem if you're starting out, because a lot of the work is done for you.

Another practice to do is erasure (poetry). It’s exactly how it sounds: You can take anything — your own journal, a news article, another poem, fiction, nonfiction, whatever — and start erasing or blocking out words. Aside from looking cool when it's done — because there are all different ways you can do erasure — you create a poem out of words that are already there.

It's easy to get in your head and make all these rules and expectations, because we're

I got my degree in creative writing in 2018. That was also the year that I became part of

taught to plan everything out, right? But sometimes in poetry the easiest way to do it is just to practice shutting your brain off and letting the words come out. It doesn't have to be perfect the first time, and it's never going to be perfect anyway.

Why was “Beyond Resilience” chosen for this year’s festival theme?

This year we wanted to nod to how things are precarious and dangerous for a lot of people right now. We want to be on the solution-focused and uplifting end of things. A board member gave the example of when you go through something hard, people say, “Wow, you're so strong.” And it's like, “Yeah, thank you.” But then there's part of you that might think, “I don't want to have to be strong.” And then, “What comes after being strong?” A simple way to say it is: “I don't want to survive. I want to thrive.”

We purposely try to be a bit broad with our themes, because we like people to pinpoint what it means to them. When I think “Beyond Resilience,” I think of my heart surgeries. I think goal setting, self-care, social awareness and social justice, being aware of what's happening in the world, doing my part, doing the work, and not just being strong, but spreading that strength as much as possible in a sustainable way.

For more information on the Kalamazoo Poetry Festival, including a schedule of events for this year's festival, visit kalamazoopoetryfestival.com.

— Interview by Jordan Bradley, edited for length and clarity

SUMMER FUN SUMMER FUN

Casey Grooten

Festival director on how poetry 'can be for everybody'

Casey Grooten, 36, looks at poetry as an “opportunity to break whatever rules.”

“Poetry can be whatever you want it to be,” says Grooten, executive director of the Kalamazoo Poetry Festival. “It has this reputation about being inaccessible, but that’s a big part of what we do and why we do what we do at KPF. Poetry really can be for everybody. Anybody can do it beautifully.”

The annual Kalamazoo Poetry Festival will be held April 9–11 and feature keynote readers, workshops, a showcase of community poets, open mics and mixers. The theme for the weekend event is “Beyond Resilience.” KPF has

(continued on page 29)

Think Globally, Fly Locally: International Travel Made Easy from Kalamazoo

By Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport Staff

For many travelers in Southwest Michigan, the idea of flying internationally can feel daunting. Long drives to big-city airports and navigating sprawling terminals can make a dream vacation or business trip seem more like a chore than an adventure. But thanks to the convenience of Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (AZO), international travel is more accessible than you might think.

Having American Airlines and Delta Air Lines in Kalamazoo, and with the return of United Airlines starting May 2026, AZO passengers now enjoy seamless connections to complete that journey to Europe, Asia, or Latin America — and it begins just a short drive from your front door. In practical terms, you can board a flight at AZO and connect to a flight to London, Paris, or Tokyo by afternoon — all without enduring the stress and traffic of driving to Detroit or Chicago. Or expensive parking.

One common myth is that the price is more expensive in Kalamazoo because there is a connection. That’s not necessarily the case. In fact, within the industry it’s called the “convenience” tax. An academic study of airfare pricing found that one stop flights are on average cheaper than nonstop flights when comparing similar routes, as airlines price nonstop convenience at a premium. One analysis showed one stop flights were on average about 5% cheaper than nonstop routes, especially over longer distances like international flights. A check of this for AZO flights on 14 random days found that the average one-way fare to London was about

$200 cheaper than the nonstop from Detroit — approximately 33% cheaper. Also, booking locally matters more than you might realize. Airlines carefully track where passengers originate their journeys and consistent use of AZO signals to carriers that Kalamazoo is a thriving market. When residents choose local flights, they help ensure current routes are maintained and new destinations are added. It really is true that butts in seats matter.

Planning an international trip from AZO is straightforward. Start by selecting your desired global destination, then look at connecting flights through Chicago or Detroit. Use airline apps to monitor schedules and gate changes, and make sure to enroll in Global Entry for the smoothest possible airport experience. For first-time international travelers, consider leaving a little extra time for your connection to allow for

security and customs, but with AZO’s easy parking, short lines, and friendly staff, the journey begins stress-free.

Perhaps the best part of flying internationally from Kalamazoo isn’t just convenience — it’s the return. After a flight home there’s no better feeling than stepping off the plane knowing you’re just a short drive from home. By flying local, southwest Michigan residents can think globally, explore the world, and come home with stories, experiences, and memories — all while supporting their own airport.

So, the next time you dream of distant cities, remember: your journey begins in Kalamazoo. With connecting flights and flights on the three largest network carriers, the world is closer than you think. Book local, fly global, and enjoy the comfort of returning home at the end of every adventure. For booking go to www.flyazo.com.

The smartest decisions don’t limit your life. They expand your options. We’re currently planning a smarter 55+ community for Texas Township. We call it The Halstead. You’ll just call it home. Backed by Heritage Community of Kalamazoo, you will have unprecedented access to higher levels of care, along with your higher standard of living. Be