Ninth Wave Studio, on Walnut Street in Kalamazoo, is one of Zinta's favorite art galleries, and it's where she discovered artist Dave Middleton. "Whenever I visit," she says, "I can see Dave just on the other side of the large window beside the front door, leaning over his drafting table, steadying his hand to create his unique drawings. Dave has found a style that takes advantage of the essential tremor in his hands, his drawings notable for short lines that come together to create visual magic. He is proof that we can find a new life after retirement and that we don't have to work around what makes us unique, but work it in." Zinta is creative director of Z Word LLC, a writing and editing service, and host of the weekly radio show Art Beat, on WMUK 102.1 FM.
John Liberty
There are few folks as steeped in the craft beverage industry as John, who has reported on it for decades and now provides packaging and production services to craft beverage companies across Michigan. In this issue he brings us a story about St. Julian Winery & Distillery, in Paw Paw, the state's largest and oldest winery and one of its most awarded. "The Braganini family has slowly and methodically built St. Julian into a thriving craft beverage company," John says. "They've expanded beyond wine into spirits, but without compromising quality. It's a great success story."
Robert M. Weir
Robert found that doing the story about Papa's Brittle and its founder, the Rev. Doreen Gardner, was a treat in three ways. "First, Gardner is a lovely, dynamic woman with a passion to utilize her business to benefit others," he says. "Second, she gave me three packages of her delicious brittle. Third, she illuminated a fond memory: Gardner spoke about her family's entrepreneurial endeavors, and I learned that back in 1969, when I attended a Junior Walker & the All Stars concert at a Black nightclub that once existed at 504 Riverview Drive, it was her great-uncle's place. 'That was the Pacific Club,' Gardner told me. 'My great-uncle Council Hawes Jr. owned it.' That comment was the best treat of all."
Publisher encore publications, inc
Editor marie lee
Art Director alexis stubelt
Photographer brian k powers
Contributing Writers zinta aistars, marie lee, john liberty, marcel fable price, robert m. weir
Copy Editor/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 2025, 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. Back issues $6, $12 by mail. Advertising rates on request.
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
From the Editor
What's June if not a time to enjoy the deliciousness of life in all its forms? That's the philosophy we adopted for this month's issue.
Our cover story is all about the deliciousness of wine and spirits, as we look at how, over the past century, the Braganini family has fueled the growth of St. Julian Winery & Distillery, in Paw Paw, into the state's largest and longest-running winery. Their success is certainly something to raise a glass to.
You'll also find some mouth-watering goodness in our story about Papa's Brittle, created by Doreen Gardner. This story is the first in what will be a series of stories in Encore about small businesses. The series is part of the Equitable Community Development reporting project of the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative. You can find out more about the SWMJC's reporting project at swmichjournalism.com.
Another food note, albeit a less joyful one, is our Five Faves feature on how you can help fight food insecurity this summer for our community's kids and teens who rely on school meals. With schools closed, nearly 9,000 children and teens in our community, or 16% of those under age 18, will struggle to have enough to eat every day. You can help them via the suggestions offered by an executive of the Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes food bank.
Finally, we meet two men who find delight and meaning in life via the arts. Artist David Middleton finds it through his drawings, especially those he creates while working in nature. And Marcel Fable Price, whom we profile in our Back Story feature, finds it in nearly everything he does, from his poetry and spoken-word performances to his job at Kalamazoo Forward Ventures to his social justice advocacy to, as he puts it, just "being here."
So, take a moment to enjoy this issue, perhaps sitting in a comfy lawn chair with a drink in hand. Remember the old adage that life is sweet, and what makes it so are the people in your lives and your community.
Left to right: Morgan Rogalke-Scime, Charles S. Ofstein, Tyler J. Stewart, Olivia A. Kurajian, William B. Millard
A Legacy of Leading Students to Success
We extend our congratulations and appreciation to Dr. Edward Montgomery, for his eight years of local leadership as the president of Western Michigan University. We wish him a retirement as rewarding as his career.
First Things
Something Sporting Vintage baseball teams to compete
Playing like it's the 1860s, 23 teams from across the Midwest will descend on Portage's Ramona Park June 28 and 29 for the Portage Vintage Base Ball Festival.
The competition, hosted by the Kalamazoo Continentals vintage baseball team, will feature teams wearing period reproduction uniforms, using period authentic equipment and following baseball rules from the 19th century.
The event, which is free to attend, will be held from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. both days at the park. For more information, visit kalamazoocontinentals.org.
Something Affordable Sample area institutions this month
Through the Southwest Michigan Membership Exchange, anyone who is a member of the Air Zoo, Binder Park Zoo, Gilmore Car Museum, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo Nature Center, W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary or Kellogg Manor House will get free access to all six institutions by presenting a member card for one of them, along with a photo ID.
Those who aren't yet members can join any of these organizations and take advantage of the free access during the month.
For more information, visit swmimemberexchange.com.
Something Fun Pride festival returns
Music, a drag pageant, dance performances, vendors and information booths will be part of the Kalamazoo Pride festival June 6 and 7 at Arcadia Creek Festival Place, in downtown Kalamazoo.
Presented by OutFront Kalamazoo, the festival is a fundraiser for the organization, which provides advocacy and resources for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Festival performers will include Baddie Brooks, The Rebel Eves, The Nathan Moore Affair, and Throb Zombie.
The festival hours are 6–11:30 p.m. June 6 and 2–11:15 p.m. June 7. Ticket prices are $8 for a one-day pass and $15 for a two-day pass. To buy tickets or to see the full festival schedule, visit outfrontkzoo.org/pride2025.
Something Musical Avett Brothers to play at Wings
Something Outdoors Every-Mile Hike on June 7
Maybe you're not up to trekking all 4,800 miles of the North Country Trail, but how about a segment or two?
Hikers can take a smaller bite of the trail during the Chief Noonday Chapter Hike-EveryMile Hike on June 7 and help the chapter achieve its goal of having its entire 120 miles of trail hiked in a single day.
Individuals and teams of hikers sign up to hike one or two of the 31 trail segments, which are 2 to 6 miles in length. The Chief Noonday section of the North Country Trail traverses Barry, Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties.
The event will run from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. and be followed by a meet-up event at 5 p.m. at Ned's on Gull Lake, 15450 M-43, Hickory Corners.
To sign up or for more information, visit tinyurl.com/Noondayhike.
The Avett Brothers folk-rock band is returning to Wings Event Center June 27. The band, which hails from North Carolina, previously performed there in 2014 and 2023.
The show begins at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $56 to $96. For tickets or more information, visit wingseventcenter.com/events.
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Five Faves Ways to keep kids fed this summer
BY GRETA M. FAWORSKI
This time of year many of us are working hard to solidify our summer plans as schools begin to wrap up final lessons and prepare for a much-desired break. Kids are getting restless for long days of freedom and no homework. It can be easy to forget that childhood hunger never takes a vacation.
At Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes (KLF) our busiest months are June, July and August. When schools close for the summer, thousands of children and teens lose access to school meal programs, which are often their only source of nutrition during the day.
Adequate nutrition is important for everyone but is especially vital for young people. Experiencing food insecurity, even for a short period of time, can have a long-lasting impact, including health problems, academic delays and socio-emotional distress. Children simply cannot live up to their potential when their bodies are not adequately fueled.
Fortunately, our caring community can help alleviate childhood hunger this summer through our Food is Fuel Summer Campaign for Kids. Here are some small ways you can help drive out childhood hunger this summer:
Spread awareness
Hunger can be an invisible problem. For many, it doesn’t seem possible that more than 35,000 individuals in Kalamazoo County struggle to find their next meal. This number includes nearly 9,000 children and teens — 16% of those under age 18 in our community. During the summer these numbers spike, and many families find themselves facing food insecurity for the first time. For working families, in addition to losing access to school meals, child care costs increase during the summer, further stretching already-limited budgets. Understanding and accepting that childhood hunger is a problem in our area is the first step in making a difference this summer.
Organize a food drive
KLF serves between 800 and 850 people daily through our Grocery Pantry Program. That’s a lot of food moving through our hunger-relief programs each day. Community food drives provide not only 10% of the food we distribute, but also items that can be difficult and very expensive for us to purchase in bulk. You can host a drive in your neighborhood, at your workplace, at your place of worship, or even at the backyard BBQ you are hosting. All food donations are welcome, but we love items that address special dietary needs such as glutenfree or low-sodium items. Easy-to-make items like microwavable macaroniand-cheese or ravioli are great for kids who are home alone during the day and cooking for themselves. For more tips and suggestions, visit our Food Drive Kit at kzoolf.org/food-drive-kit-2.
Volunteer
The mighty force behind our mission has always been our volunteers. With a small staff and lots of moving parts, KLF relies on volunteers in nearly every aspect of our organization. Whether you prefer working directly with the community or helping in the background, there is a place for you to volunteer. We have opportunities for both individuals and groups as well as one-time or ongoing commitments. Our volunteer coordinator, Jillian Bryant, can guide you through the options available. To learn more, contact Jillian at 488-2617 ext. 209 or jillian@kzoolf.org.
Donate
People are often surprised to learn that our organization purchases between 40% and 60% of the food we distribute. We can’t operate without donations of food and time, but monetary donations are essential to move our mission forward. KLF spends nearly $1.7 million on food each year. Because of our connections with the wholesale market and charitable food network, we really know how to stretch a dollar. You can go to the grocery store and buy a box of cereal for $5, but we can take that same $5 and buy a case of cereal.
Engage others to fight hunger
If you are passionate about making sure kids have enough to eat, chances are you know others who feel the same. Volunteer with your co-workers. Bring a friend to tour our facility. Share this article with family members and challenge them to get involved. Create a fundraiser on social media and encourage others to give financially.
Monetary donations also help us keep our vehicles on the road delivering food and our staff connecting clients with the resources they need.
We accept monetary donations in many forms, including IRAqualified charitable distributions, donor-advised-fund gifts and stocks. Donations to KLF are tax-deductible. For more information on alleviating childhood hunger through a financial gift, contact me at 488-2617 ext. 208 or greta@kzoolf.org.
KLF was built on a foundation of community members joining forces to make sure every member of our community has enough food to eat to live a healthy and active life. That culture of collaboration continues today, and we invite you to be a part of it.
About the Author
Greta M. Faworski is the associate director of Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, an independent food bank that has served Kalamazoo County since 1982. For more information, visit kzoolf.org.
Sweet Success
Papa's Brittle driven by owner's desire to invest in her community
BY ROBERT M. WEIR
In the fall of 2020, the Rev. Doreen Gardner says her parents “voluntold” her to take on a family tradition of cooking a vast amount of peanut brittle for family and friends at Christmastime. At age 67 then and retired from a successful 30-year career as a regional sales manager for AT&T and an active ordained minister at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Gardner refused.
But her response to her parents fell on deaf ears. "About six or seven times we went around about it," she says. "So Daddy comes to me and says, ‘You’re going to help your mother.’ So I did, but I was really mad because I did not want to do it.
“As I was doing it, everybody kept telling me, ‘We’ve been telling your mother for years she ought to sell her brittle.’ But Mom would say, ‘I’m not going to sell it.’ So I woke up in the middle of the night one night, and I don’t know what got into me, but I was like, ‘I’m going to show you!’ I put a post out on Facebook. I sold 200 pounds of brittle in three days.
“Then I was really mad because I had to fill all those orders. And I’m doing this out of my home kitchen. ... As I filled those orders, I swore I would never, ever, as long as I lived, make another batch of peanut brittle. ‘I’m done. The kitchen is closed. Don’t ask me. It’s over. That’s it.’”
But whether she liked it or not, Doreen Gardner had just taken the first steps toward what would eventually become a business called Papa's Brittle.
Making peanut brittle is a decades-long tradition in Gardner's family. “My mom and dad made peanut brittle for over 60 years," Gardner says. "Every Christmas holiday we’d get in the kitchen and we would make it, and
Right: Doreen Gardner, founder and owner of Papa's Brittle at her new commercial kitchen on Stadium Drive. Far right: Varieties of Papa's Brittle, are currently sold in Michigan and Tennessee as well as online.
Mom would just give it away. Her list would grow and grow. Every year people would start calling in August to get on her list,” which ultimately grew to more than 200 names.
Jacqueline Smith’s peanut brittle — which Gardner makes now, along with pecan brittle and cashew brittle — is “not ordinary,” Gardner says. “It’s rich. It’s succulent. It’s thin, full-flavored, loaded with nuts, and it’s really, really good."
Second thoughts
It was when her father, David Smith, became terminally ill that Gardner began to change her mind about making brittle. “My dad says to me, ‘Doreen, please forgive me. All I ever wanted to do is to leave a legacy.’ That’s because his mother and his uncle were business owners. Well, Papa was the sweetest, kindest, most giving and loving man. He set the tone for the family. I told him, ‘Dad, you are a legacy.’”
After Gardner's father died in January 2021 and as her mother was aging (Jacqueline would die in December 2022), Gardner reflected on the lives and legacies of
her parents as well as the brittle for which they had become famous among family and friends.
“I come from a family of entrepreneurs," explains Gardner. "My (paternal) grandmother, Celestine Hawes-Barnes, was a licensed beautician and notorious cook. She owned a barbecue kitchen called Barbecue Gardens and was one of the first cooks for Meals on Wheels in Kalamazoo.”
Hawes-Barnes also cooked for Gardner’s great-uncle Council Hawes Jr., who in 1940 opened The Pacific Club (aka The Pacific Inn), a restaurant and entertainment venue, at 504 Riverview Drive, where the Indian Trails bus company currently has a parking lot and garage.
The Pacific Club was “one of the first Black-owned private clubs in Kalamazoo,” says Gardner, and it hosted big names in jazz and rhythm-and-blues, including Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Junior Walker & The All Stars.
And even though Gardner had coowned and operated First Lady Hats, a clothing boutique in downtown Kalamazoo
from 1999 to 2007, she took her time in establishing Papa's Brittle.
She signed up for the Black Entrepreneur Training Academy (BETA), a five-week training program for Black entrepreneurs run by Sisters in Business and Black Wall Street Kalamazoo, organizations working to promote and support Black businesses within the community.
At first Gardner considered naming her business after her mother: Nana, Jackie, or Granny. “But all those names were oversaturated on social media,” Gardner says. “Finally, on the last day of class, I still could not come up with a name. I’m in tears. And Alisa Parker, who is a friend of my daughter, said, ‘Why don’t you just call it Papa’s Brittle because he was always in the kitchen with Nana?’ So I did, and that connected the legacy that Dad said he wanted.”
Gaining momentum
Since then, Gardner’s entrepreneurial trajectory has been like "a non-stop snowball,” she says.
In the summer of 2021, Gardner began making her large batches of brittle in the commercial kitchen space at the small business incubator Can-Do Kalamazoo.
She debuted Papa’s Brittle at the Kalamazoo Black Business Expo at the end of that summer, garnering the show's People’s Choice Award and a prize of $250 for “Best Food Vendor.” Five months later, in January 2022, Gardner was the first Black entrepreneur to win the Makers Mart competition held by the economic development organization Southwest Michigan First, earning a prize of $2,500 plus free attorney and marketing services. That October, Papa’s Brittle won the national NAACP’s Black Entrepreneur Award, which came with a $25,000 award and mentorship from Daymond John, an investor on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank.
With these awards, Gardner and Papa's Brittle began gaining visibility beyond Kalamazoo. The company was one of 100 Midwest businesses highlighted at Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour in Chicago in July 2023, and Gardner was a featured vendor at the 2024 National Football League’s draft in Detroit. Gardner and her employees have displayed her product at national trade shows, including the National Restaurant
Association Show, National Confectioners Association’s Sweets & Snacks Expo and National Grocers Association convention.
"When we go places and give samples, people grab some and walk on. Then they do a U-turn and come back for more,” Gardner says.
Bringing it home
Kalamazoo Forward Ventures, a $50 million investment fund that invests in Black
entrepreneurs, granted Gardner money to renovate a restaurant space at 6541 Stadium Drive into a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, as well as secure distribution in 48 additional stores. On April 11, her father's birthday, Gardner held a grand opening of the new facility.
Currently, Gardner has four employees, whom she calls "helpers," that make Papa’s Brittle. She expects to hire four to eight fulltime employees and eventually operate her kitchen for two or three shifts, allowing her to triple the company's productivity and satisfy large orders from grocer distributors in Atlanta and other markets who want her product.
At the same time that she aspires to have Papa's Brittle “go global,” she also wants the company to create something bigger than sweet treats.
“My ultimate goal for Papa’s Brittle is to build a plant on the Northside. That’s where I grew up, and that’s where I want to land,” she says, noting that she would like to hire employees from the neighborhood so that “if my employees don’t have transportation, they can walk to work.”
She intends to offer 401(k) financial plans to enable her employees to buy a house, put their children through college, build a nest egg and create generational wealth. “I want to have a training program and lessons and talk about money management, and I really want to be able to close the wealth gap for people on the Northside through meaningful, gainful employment,” she says. “I don’t want to just hand you a paycheck but to impact and change your life. That’s really my goal and mission.”
She also talks about developing a “redemption plan” for hiring those who "have made bad choices or mistakes in their life."
"I don’t want to just hire you but to also move you along and give you the opportunity to use the skills and talents God gave to you so that you can really discover who God created you to be and you can feel that joy of life and purpose and sense of fulfillment,” she says.
“I want my people to know they’re not just making brittle and packing bags but to ask, ‘What can we do to enhance the business? How do we get better? How do we grow?’ I want to have roundtable discussions with all employees to see where their creativeness is. Once you engage people like that, they feel important. That’s the culture I want to establish.
“My better years are behind me," adds the 72-year-old, "so I want to impact the lives of those who are coming up, to enable them to make good decisions.”
With the success of Papa's Brittle, Gardner is being sought out as a role model. “The growth of my business has inspired so many people,” she says. “People want to sit down and talk with me or ask me questions about how I did this or how I did that.
“Sometimes I think we limit ourselves as to how far we really think we can go and how big we think our business can be. I believe Papa’s is that business that’s breaking those barriers. People see that and it’s like, 'Well, shoot, if she can do it, I can do it too.'
“Everybody has different gifts. Maybe they’re supposed to sing or play an instrument or dance or be on stage. This is about community, and so we’ve got to invest in the community that we want.”
This story is part of the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative’s coverage of equitable community development. SWMJC is a group of 12 regional organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism. To learn more, visit swmichjournalism.com.
Above: An illustration of the face of Doreen's father, David Smith, adorns Papa's Brittle packaging. Left: A picture of Gardner's parents, Jacqueline and David Smith, the inspiration for her business, was present at the ribbon cutting for Papa Brittle's commercial kitchen.
Crafting a Legacy at Crafting a Legacy at St. Julian St. Julian
With growth and new products, the state's largest winery isn't resting on its laurels
BY JOHN LIBERTY
Nancie Oxley weaves through the labyrinth of St. Julian Winery & Distillery — stepping over hoses, speaking loudly over clanging bottles, gesturing at towering pallets of wine cases — as if the building is her dance partner.
For the uninitiated, it can be a dizzying trek through a series of intertwined buildings in downtown Paw Paw that help Oxley do what she’s done for more than 20 years: create award-winning wines for Michigan’s oldest winery.
On an afternoon tour of St. Julian, Oxley speaks with the confidence of someone who knows every inch of the property, which is nearing the final phases of nearly $15 million in much-needed modernization investments. As she enters a pristine production room filled with new fermenting equipment, Oxley recalls years ago emphasizing to then-company president John Braganini the importance of upgrades.
“This room had six 70,000-gallon tanks in it. They were old carbon steel tanks with fiberglass linings,” says Oxley, who has been head winemaker since 2010 and was named vice president of winemaking in 2017. “I showed John Braganini a picture of one erupting in South America, and I said, ‘We have these, and this is going to happen.’ He said, ‘Really?’ I said, ‘Someday, it’s going to happen because we can’t actually fix those tanks anymore.’ He said, ‘OK. Let’s do it.’”
In 2019, St. Julian Winery & Distillery began these upgrades as part of a larger vision to update the company, which was founded (under a different name in Windsor, Ontario) in 1921 by Italian-born Mariano Meconi. It has operated in its main building in Paw Paw since 1936. Oxley says this space has been a challenge in terms of process and flow, but the company has “squeezed” everything into it to “make the best of what we had at the time.” She likens the effort to a massive game of Tetris with very finicky pieces. Now it’s time, she says, to improve efficiencies, something she has kept her eye on for years.
In January the company added a new bottling line, and it is currently renovating another portion of the facility to house an expanded distillery operation. In the last few years, St. Julian Winery & Distillery also reconfigured its leadership team and ownership structure to help guide the business under President Apollo Braganini II, who took over the role in 2022.
John Braganini, who is still involved with the company as chairman, says, “The products were really good (despite) the substandard equipment that we had, so I made the decision, ‘What could we be with great equipment?’ I let Nancie make a lot of those decisions.”
Leading St. Julian to success are, from left, Nancie Oxley, vice president of winemaking; John Braganini, chairman; Sarah Braganini, corporate governance and purchasing; and Apollo Braganini II, president. Missing from the photo is Dario Braganini, who directs out-of-state distribution for the company.
“That wasn’t a want. That was a need,” Apollo Braganini says, echoing his father.
As one walks through the facility, one sees a massive wall covered in competition awards, backing up John Braganini’s point about Oxley’s success and the company’s boast that it's “Michigan’s most awarded winery.” Oxley says they’ve run out of space to display all the awards and intend to showcase them differently as renovations continue.
Apollo Braganini says one thing he doesn't have to worry about is bad wine. "Nancie can do everything. She can make an amazing dry red and Boom Pop sweet wine and anything in between. When you don’t have to worry about the quality of what’s coming out and, creatively, you put a concept in front of a winemaker and she can make it and make it taste good every time, it makes our job a lot easier.”
Tragedy and transition
A decade ago, John Braganini and his sons, Dario and Apollo, did not have day-to-day involvement in the winery. David Braganini, John’s brother, had worked at the winery since 1973 and became its president in 1983. He steered the company into becoming one of the most influential members of Michigan’s alcoholic beverage industry.
Meanwhile, John was a principal of his own successful insurance company, Great Lakes Companies in Kalamazoo, while Dario
and Apollo had plans to eventually own a string of car dealerships together. While all of them spent time working in the winery at some point, none of them saw it as the next chapter in their respective career paths.
But on July 5, 2015, David died unexpectedly at age 65. The winery’s future then fell to John, who says there wasn’t much hesitation on his part and that it didn’t take long for the rest of his family to go all-in.
“It wasn’t like we had a succession plan in place," John says. "I was the vice chairman of the company and (David’s) trustee. I had pretty much carte blanche authority to do whatever I wanted to do. I couldn’t find enough reasons to walk away from it.
"Wineries are difficult to sell unless they are simple operations, and this one isn’t. I like the people who work here. I sold my insurance company because private equity put a deal I couldn’t refuse in front of me. I wasn’t ready to get off the playing field. I split my time between this company and my insurance company until going full bore into this (in 2018). And I have a lot of respect for my kids and my wife" (Sarah Braganini, who oversees St. Julian corporate governance and purchasing).
In 2016, John took over as president of St. Julian. He says he spent about a year studying the company and positioning his family to take sole ownership. Dario joined the winery
in 2017, and Apollo added his name to the roster in 2018.
Apollo says his family jumped into the business with a lot to learn. Apollo and Dario brought experience in sales, while John’s strengths were infrastructure and finance. They also relied heavily on the existing leadership, including Oxley and Matt White, the vice president of operations, who has spent more than 30 years working at the winery.
“We’ve been in business for 104 years, and the company has moved through four branches of the family," John says. "We took over in 2016. The company was in good shape financially. We all came from automotive, retail. We brought a sales mentality to the company. Our interest in running it was growing it. We wanted to grow the company. That’s what we like to do. We don’t like to sit still. The company needed massive investment to be relevant into the future. We made the decision to make those investments. That’s what started all of it.”
Staying nimble
Those plans continued through the Covid-19 pandemic and during the recent downturn in alcohol sales, which has hit the wine industry hard. Last year, for the first time in more than three decades, the total number of small U.S. wineries dropped yearover-year. There were 11,450 wineries at the
end of 2024, a decline of 1.5 percent. The Los Angeles Times reported in March that U.S. wine shipments by volume have fallen 4.2 percent from 2023 and 11.3 percent from 2019.
Industry experts cite a variety of reasons for the decline, including changing customer tastes, more competition, rising costs from inflation, and people drinking less, particularly the younger generation. None of those factors appear to be changing drastically anytime soon.
“I look at the landscape right now as an opportunity," Apollo says. "If consumption is going to go down, the best operators are going to thrive. We are trying to make sure we are in that category that continues to grow ... We are very nimble. We are able to change on a dime.
St. Julian is essentially split into three business “channels”: direct-to-consumer and e-commerce sales; wholesale and distribution sales; and specialty services, such as private label work. St. Julian will add
its 10th state for distribution this year, and its collaborative work with others in the wine industry remains solid. The company’s Wine Club boasts more than 20,000 members, who provide real-time feedback on products, and its Spirit Club, still relatively new, continues to grow at an exciting pace as St. Julian places more emphasis on its spirits, especially its bourbon program.
Oxley highlighted the surprise success of last summer’s Punch Line wines, 20 percent alcohol-by-volume white blends sold in a variety of fruit flavors. The concept came to Oxley’s attention through the St. Julian Winery sales team, which spotted the growing popularity of the fruit-flavored XXL Wines. She put her own spin on fruit-flavored wines, and their sales took off, forcing the production team to adapt quickly. St. Julian plans to roll out more new flavors this summer and is mimicking this approach with flavored spirits as well.
When Oxley started at St. Julian in 2002, she says, the company produced between
Photos from St. Julian's history include, clockwise from top left: red grapes ready to harvest from the winery's Mountain Road Estate vineyard; Apollo (left) and Julia Braganini; a harvest tractor in the vineyard at sunset; Mariano Meconi; one of St. Julian's early delivery trucks; workers on the winery's early bottling lines; and the Mountain Road Estate Vineyard. (Courtesy photos)
30 and 40 products. Today she counts more than 200 different offerings. It can become an unwieldy portfolio to manage, but it also makes the company uniquely equipped to adjust when necessary.
“We’ve played into the hand of these crazy flavored wines," she says. "I didn’t go into winemaking to make cotton-candy-flavored wine, but if it’s going to keep the lights on here when wine drinking is down, ... it’s hard to say no to it.”
She notes that within two years, St. Julian's cotton-candy-flavored wine was selling 10,000 cases a year. When sales of that product slowed, the company released a peanut-butter-and-jelly-flavored wine.
"That’s still doing well," she says. "This summer we released Boom Pop, which is a blue wine that tastes just like a melted popsicle. We could not make enough of it fast enough.”
She says that the company is "in a doubledigit growth moment, and we are figuring out what works for us."
The balance of longevity, flexibility, ingenuity and planning gives St. Julian's leadership team confidence as it approaches the homestretch of its modernization moves.
“We saw the slowdown coming," John Braganini says. "It was happening right in front of us. We aggressively planned an inventory reduction and brought in just-intime purchasing. It made a huge impact on our balance sheet and expense structure — right before interest rates went up.
"This doesn’t make for a good wine story, but one of the reasons we are relevant is we are paying attention to stuff that can get you into trouble. We have the right people
in the right seats. We have them locked in. We can ride a storm out if we have to. I think probably five years from now we will be done (with improvements). We will have a worldclass facility. It will look better on the outside and on the inside.”
Leadership and legacy
Not as visible, but just as important to the company's longevity, is its Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP. Six members of the winery’s leadership team, including Oxley, own 10 percent of the company. The Braganini family owns the remaining 90 percent. The family set up the plan in 2023, — a rare move in the wine industry.
Apollo views it as a two-way vote of confidence between the leadership team and the majority owners.
“When everybody is involved and they have ownership, big-picture discussions are much easier to have and help us make sure we have the same vision,” he says. “Our name may be on some of these bottles, but
we couldn’t get it done without the people around us.”
Oxley applauds the relatively young but experienced group at the helm of the longrunning winery and distillery, saying, “We have some newer faces that bring in a different aspect. It’s a fun time for someone of our age — mid-career — that gets to take a company to new heights.”
With Apollo fronting the business, John, who is in his 70s, says he can “wind down a bit” as the next generation takes on more control. Dario and Apollo have young families and are beginning to spend more time inside the business.
The winery walls are a living scrapbook for the Braganini family. Black-and-white framed
photos of siblings, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles dot the hallways, office spaces and tasting rooms. Apollo and Dario say they often talk about the next outgrowth of their family tree.
“My hope is one of my children or nephews or a combination will want to keep the legacy going," Apollo says. "My oldest boy, Apollo III, we call him ‘Tray,’ just turned 13. He is planning to work his first summer here. We will see how he feels after the summer, but that’s the goal — keep this place going strong and pass it down. That would be the ultimate satisfaction for me.”
“We are going to work him hard and toughen him up!” John Braganini shouts with a laugh.
From far left: An employee samples one of the barrels in the winery's cellar; crates of harvested white grapes on their way to the winery; and workers prune vines in the vineyard. (Courtesy photos)
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Stop in for handmade caramels, chocolates and sweets galore! Stay for lunch and ice cream or enjoy an iced coffee in our cafe. Check out our candy making parties and custom ice cream cakes at Schultzsweets.com.
TheArts His Own Style of Drawing
Dave Middleton is adaptable when it comes to art and to life
BY ZINTA AISTARS
Stepping onto the front porch of Ninth Wave Studio, on Walnut Street in Kalamazoo, it's hard not to glance into the large picture window before reaching the front door. Wait, is that Santa Claus sitting at that drafting table inside? Leaning over a piece of paper and drawing so intently?
No. The man with the white beard and long white hair curling over his shirt collar, wearing wire-rimmed glasses that have slipped slightly down his nose, so intent on his work, seems at first glance to be the famed top Christmas elf, but he is not. It is Dave Middleton in his studio, where he can be found more days than not, even during winter.
“Come on in!” He smiles and waves in anyone who might be interested in the stacks and bins of pencil drawings he has created. Additional bins hold rows and rows of small sketchbooks, many of which are hand-bound and stitched. The walls are filled with his drawings.
Drawing despite tremors
Middleton has a recognizable style to his many sketches — myriad short lines that come together to form an entire image.
“I have essential tremors — although I don’t think they are so essential,” he explains, chuckling. “My hand shifts, so I have learned to work with that. I couldn’t draw one long line across the paper, but I can do short lines in hops and skips. The scientist in me doesn’t judge that. I observe and learn how to work with what my hands can do.”
A Wisconsin native, Middleton earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in pharmaceuticals at the University of Wisconsin. He has lived in many different places across the country and in Canada because his father served in the Navy and was often transferred.
After college, Middleton was recruited to work on the development of injectable drugs by The Upjohn Co., where he remained for 18 years. By then, he was married to a schoolteacher, Virginia, who goes by Ginny. They would later have two daughters and three grandchildren.
“I retired about 20 years ago,” he says. “My wife and I enjoyed growing orchids. The orchids were so delicate, so beautiful. I thought I might like to draw them.”
That wish spurred Middleton to sign up for an art class taught by Helen Kleczynski at Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.
“It was years later that Helen told me what she really thought of those first drawings,” he says, then erupts in laughter. “She told me she thought they were terrible.”
Whether they were terrible or not, Middleton had discovered a new passion. He kept drawing and taking more classes at the KIA and other places, wherever he might glean new skills. For example, he learned about printmaking and making his own rice paper in classes at the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center. But pencil sketches most intensely captured his heart and mind.
A favorite way for Middleton to draw is plein air. He finds the perfect spot outdoors, his floppy hat pulled low to shade his eyes while he takes in his surroundings and transfers what he observes to paper in his distinctive short lines.
Training the eye
“I learned a rule I follow now when drawing plein air,” he says. “I found a scene
Artist Dave Middleton in his creative space at Ninth Wave Studio.
once I wanted to draw when I was walking on a boardwalk. It was hot, maybe 85 degrees in the sun, and I had sweat dripping on the paper as I leaned against the railing to draw. I realized the right way to do this was to find a comfortable place first, settle in there, and then turn in a circle until I find the perfect scene to draw. I do that still.”
There will always be something enchanting to capture in his drawings, he says, no matter where he sits to view the world. It is about training the eye — and the heart — to see. Middleton usually goes out midday to draw, because the shadows at the start and end of the day change too quickly.
See Dave Middleton's Work
Where: Ninth Wave Studio, 213 W. Walnut St.
When: During Art Hop events and by appointment. Call 271-3161 for hours
When it comes to drawing indoors, Middleton has made a routine of coming to his space at Ninth Wave Studio three or four times a week since 2021. The drafting table where he works was given to him by The Upjohn Co.
“I start the day with an espresso in town first. Then I come here and do a warm-up sketch and work for a few hours,” he says. “Charcoal, pencil, ink — those are my favorite mediums. I’m left-handed, so I start in the right lower corner and work up to the upper left corner so I don’t smear. Some days all I do is the warm-up drawing. And if it ends up being a bad drawing, that’s OK. It is all part of the same journey.”
Middleton fingers the four rows of beads wrapped around his right wrist. They are Buddhist prayer beads, and they point to his accepting attitude toward all that life brings into his path.
“Buddhism isn’t a religion,” he says. “It’s a way of life. It is my way of seeing and looking.”
In his following of the Buddhist philosophy, Middleton meditates once or twice a day for one or more hours at a time.
“I’m currently doing in-depth study of Buddhism at a monastery in Battle Creek,” he says. “But I started meditation 30-some years ago, since I was in grad school. I wasn’t a particularly good student, so I began meditating to calm myself. It has helped me with my art too, making me better at making a drawing work than coming up with new ideas. I meditate at home or outdoors, and all those birds and insects ... I just look at all of it and let it go.”
Approaching his drawing in that same vein, Middleton doesn’t give much thought to whether he will achieve fame with his art. He just wants his audience to know that he is doing what he wants to do, following his passion.
“The pen or pencil knows what it is doing,” Middleton says. “I just hold it.”
TheArts
•12AngryMen,
•WhatIsMurder?
•TheAddamsFamily
Throughout the month
The Barn Theatre
THEATER
The Barn is offering a musical, a comedy and a courtroom drama in June:
•12 Angry Men , a drama about a jury of a dozen men deliberating the fate of a teenager charged with murder, will be staged June 3–8.
• What Is Murder? , a comedy and mystery about who killed one of four former Jeopardy! champions who meet for a weekend to prepare for the Tournament of Champions, will be performed June 10–15.
•TheAddamsFamily , a musical based on the ghoulish family with an affinity for the macabre, will be staged June 17–29.
Show times are 8 p.m. Tuesday–Friday and 5 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $43–$51 and available at barntheatreschool.org or by calling 250-6984.
RidetheCyclone
Through June 15
Farmers Alley Theatre
In this musical, six teens encounter a mechanical fortune teller who offers a challenge to them for a chance to return to the living after they've died in a freak accident aboard a rollercoaster.
Show times are 7:30 p.m. May 30–31, June 5–7 and June 12–15 and 2:30 p.m. June 1, 8 and 15. Tickets are $25–$51 and available at farmersalleytheatre.com or by calling the box office at 343-2727.
SilverFoxes
June 20-28
Dormouse Theatre
An ensemble of queer men in their 60s must navigate stray cats, online hook-up sites and real-estateravenous neighbors as they undertake a rescue of their friend who is living in a homophobic assisted-living facility.
Show times are 7 p.m. June 20, 21, 27 and 28. Tickets are $25 and available at dormousetheatre.com.
DouceDameJolie
June 1
Early Music Michigan
Early Music Michigan will perform music from the Middle Ages in a performance titled Douce Dame Jolie: Christine de Pizan & Guillaume de Machaut in Dialogue at 3 p.m. at First Congregational Church, in downtown Kalamazoo.
The performance will include poetry by proto-feminist Christine de Pizan in dialogue with motets and chansons by French Ars Nova composer Guillaume de Machaut.
Tickets are available at earlymusic michigan.org on a pay-as-you-will basis, with suggested prices of $15–$50.
Love,Joy &Peace
June 4
Blendings Vocal Ensemble
Accompanied by a live jazz trio, the vocal ensemble will present songs that express love, joy, sorrow and passion in this performance at 7:30 p.m. at the Kalamazoo Civic Auditorium.
Tickets are $20 and available from a Blendings member or at the door. For more information, visit facebook.com/ BlendingsEnsemble.
AmitPeled&Daniel delPino
June 6
Fontana Chamber Arts
Internationally renowned cellist Amit Peled will be joined by leading Spanish concert pianist Daniel del Piño in this performance at 7:30 p.m. at Western Michigan University's Dalton Center Recital Hall.
The program will include works by Grieg, Kopytman, Fauré and Strauss.
Tickets are $5–$30 and available at fontanamusic.org. or by calling 250-6984.
MUSIC
•AnEveningwithYo-YoMa
• HarryPotterandTheChamber
ofSecrets
June 2 & 7
Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
The KSO appeals to the young and not-asyoung with two concerts in June.
For those lucky enough to have secured a ticket (as very few tickets were still available at press time), legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma will perform with the orchestra at 7 p.m. June 2 in Miller Auditorium. Ma, whose musical career has spanned more than five decades, is recognized as one of the most remarkable contemporary cellists and composers.
The KSO's second performance this month will be June 7, when it performs John Williams' score to the movie Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as the movie is projected on a 40-foot-wide screen. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. at Miller Auditorium, and tickets are $57–$146 and available at kalamazoosymphony.com.
Outdoor Concerts
Throughout the month Various venues
Numerous free outdoor concerts are happening at more than a dozen venues across the region this month. The scheduled shows and locations are:
• Hi-Views, 5 p.m. June 4, Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners
• Out of Favor Boys and DJ Mel, 5:30 p.m. June 4, Bates Alley, located between Edwards Street and Portage Road, downtown Kalamazoo
• The Insiders: A Tribute to Tom Petty, 6 p.m. June 5, Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road, Portage
• Kalamazoo Concert Band, 4 p.m. June 8, Bronson Park
• Bronk Bros., 6 p.m. June 8, Texas Drive Park, 6603 Texas Drive, Texas Corners
• Shelagh and Robbie Brown, 5 p.m. June 11, Gilmore Car Museum
RichardGoode&SarahShafer
June 18
The Gilmore
Accomplished artists of two generations will perform together in this concert at 7:30 p.m. at Kalamazoo College's Stetson Chapel. Grammy-winning pianist Richard Goode will be joined by soprano Sarah Shafer for a program featuring music by Fauré, Brahms and Schubert.
Goode, a leading interpreter of works by Mozart and Beethoven, won a Grammy Award in 1983 for the Brahms Sonatas recorded with clarinetist Richard Stoltzman. Shafer has had leading roles with the Metropolitan Opera and San Francisco Opera and has sung with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and at the Spoleto Festival USA.
A concert preview by Zaide Pixley will be offered at 6:30 p.m. in the Olmstead Room, in the college's Mandelle Hall. Concert tickets are $10–$55 and available at thegilmore.org.
• Kalamazoo Kittens and DJ Conscious, 5:30 p.m. June 11, Bates Alley
• Old Hank's Son and McKinney and Brown, 5:30 p.m. June 11, Vicksburg
• Pinter Whitnick, 11:30 a.m. June 13, Bronson Park
• BlueBack, 6 p.m.; Serita's Black Rose, 8 p.m.; June 13, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St., downtown Kalamazoo
• DJ Kamoflauge & MTB Kipsey, DK Morris, and Blacq Cattt, 6:30 p.m., June 14, Northside Association of Community Development, 612 N. Park St.
• Special Guest, 5 p.m. June 18, Gilmore Car Museum
• Kandace DC Lavender and Friends with DJ Boogie, 5:30 p.m. June 18, Bates Alley
• Kitten and The Tonics and Gemini Moon, 5:30 p.m. June 18, Vicksburg
• The Kennedy Affair, 11:30 a.m. June 20, Bronson Park
• Otsego Jazz Ensemble, 4 p.m. June 22, Bronson Park
• Moonshot, 6 p.m. June 22, Flesher Field gazebo, 3664 S. Ninth St., Oshtemo Township
• The Mickeys, 5 p.m. June 25, Gilmore Car Museum
• Zion Lion and DJ Conscious, 5:30 p.m. June 25, Bates Alley
• Hipposonics and Tony Fields and Doug Decker, 5:30 p.m. June 25, Vicksburg
• Carrie McFerrin, 11:30 a.m. June 27, Bronson Park
• Dana Scott, 5 p.m.; The Iconix, 6:30 p.m.; June 27, Celery Flats Pavilion, 7335 Garden Lane, Portage
• Kalamazoo Scottish Festival Pipe Band, 6:30 p.m., Kindleberger Park,122 N. Riverview Drive, Parchment
The shows are part of the Summertime Live! concert series, a collaboration of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, area municipalities & organizations, and the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation. The full summer concert schedule is available at kalamazooarts.org/summertime-live.
TheArts
New Exhibitions
Opening June 7 & 14
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
The KIA will open two new exhibitions this month.
Leo Villareal: Interstellar opens June 7 and will showcase works by the digital art pioneer and light sculptor. Villareal is renowned for his large-scale, site-specific light installations. The exhibition will run through Sept. 21.
The West Michigan Area Show , an annual juried exhibition of works by area visual artists, will be on view from opening night on June 13 through Sept. 14. The juror of this year's show, Detroit artist and teacher Hubert Massey, selected works from more than 300 submitted entries, ranging from paintings, prints and photos to mosaics, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture and mixed-media works.
Massey, whose fresco murals can be seen at Grand Valley State University, the Flint Institute of Arts and the Detroit Athletic Club, will give a talk at 6 p.m. June 19 at the KIA.
The gallery hours at the KIA are 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Thursday; and noon–4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5–$10.
Twenty June 6–Aug. 22
VISUAL ARTS
Kalamazoo Book Arts Center
Works associated with the number 20 that have been created by members of Southwest Michigan Printmakers will be on display in the KBAC's gallery.
This exhibition celebrates the Book Arts Center's 20th anniversary and will showcase a variety of traditional and non-traditional printmaking techniques.
Gallery hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday or by appointment. For more information, visit kalbookarts.org.
KIA Fair & Art on the Mall
June 6 & 7
Downtown Kalamazoo
These simultaneous art fairs, with nearly 200 artists participating, serve as part of the official kickoff to summer in downtown Kalamazoo.
The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Fair, in Bronson Park, will have more than 120 artists displaying their works in a variety of media, including painting, photography, woodworking, jewelry and sculpture. The Arts Fair will run from 3–8 p.m. June 6 and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 7. For more information, visit kiarts.org.
A block away, Art on the Mall, hosted by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, will feature works by 60 artists on the Kalamazoo Mall, plus art demonstrations and live entertainment. Art on the Mall will run from noon–8 p.m. June 6 and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 7. For more information, visit kalamazooarts.org/art-on-the-mall.
The Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, along with the cities of Parchment, Portage, Allegan, Oshtemo Township, Vicksburg and Kalamazoo, as well as numerous venues, artists and the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation are thrilled to bring you the 2025 Summertime Live concert series! All types of musical genres are represented, so there’s truly something for everyone! Best of all, each concert is FREE of charge so bring your family and friends.
Justice, three-color relief print by Bev Hundley
Kip the KPL Chameleon has lost their colors! Are you ready for the challenge? Sign up at any Kalamazoo Public Library location or online, read every day for 60 days and win fun prizes!
For ages birth to 12th grade.
kpl.gov/summer-reading-challenge/
LITERATURE
Author Talks
Throughout the month
Various venues
Two novelists and a poet are among the authors who will give readings and sign books in the area this month.
• Donald Lystra, author of the 2025 Michigan Notable Book Searching for Van Gogh, will give readings from his novel at 6 p.m. June 4 at Comstock Township Library and 6 p.m. June 5 at Vicksburg District Library. This latest of Lystra's novels, set in 1963 in the industrial Midwest, tells a story of love, loss and self-discovery amid the turbulent spirit of the era, according to an Amazon summary.
• Elise Durham, the author of Maya & Natasha, will give a reading at 6 p.m. June 24 at Portage District Library. Her novel is about twin sisters born during the siege of Leningrad in 1941 who grow up to be competitive ballet dancers. Registration is required. To register, call 329-4544 or visit portagelibrary.info.
• Author, poet and Kalamazoo native Marcel Fable Price will speak about his new poetry book, New American Monarch, at 6:30 p.m. June 18 at This Is a Bookstore, 3019 Oakland Drive. (Learn more about Price and his book in Encore's Back Story, on page 38).
Improv Performances
Throughout the month Crawlspace Comedy Theatre
June will be a funny month for improv fans as Crawlspace has a full slate of shows on tap. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition building, 315 W. Michigan Ave., and, unless noted, tickets are $2–$15. The scheduled performances are:
• Blunder Bus and Joyce II Men, June 6
• Crawlspace Eviction, June 13–14
• The Trial: Courtroom Comedy, June 20
• Oh Hey! and Baby Steps, June 21
• Dust Bunnies Sketch Comedy, June 26–28
For tickets or more information, visit crawlspacecomedy.com.
TheArts
is published in partnership and funding provided by
PERFORMING ARTS
THEATER
Plays
12AngryMen— A dozen men deliberate the fate of a teenager charged with murder, June 3–8, The Barn Theatre, 13351 M-96, Augusta, 250-6984, barntheatreschool.org.
What Is Murder ?— A comedy/murder mystery involving four former Jeopardy! champions, June 10–15, The Barn Theatre, 13351 M-96, Augusta, 250-6984, barntheatreschool.org.
Silver Foxes — An ensemble of gay men in their 60s rescue their friend from an assisted-living facility, 7 p.m. June 20, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.
Musicals
Ride the Cyclone — Six teens' encounters with a mechanical fortune teller, May 29–June 15, Farmers Alley Theatre, 221 Farmers Alley, 343–2727, farmersalleytheatre.com.
The Addams Family — How the ghoulish family reacts when their daughter falls in love with a "normal" boy, June 17–29, The Barn Theatre, 13351 M-96, Augusta, 250-6984, barntheatreschool.org.
MUSIC
Bands & Solo Artists
Beats on Bates —Live outdoor music under the lights of Bates Alley, 5:30–8:30 p.m. Wednesdays: Out of Favor Boys & DJ Mel V, June 4; Kalamazoo Kittens & DJ Conscious, June 11; Kandace DC Lavender & Friends with DJ Boogie, June 18; Zion Lion & DJ Conscious, June 25, kalamazooarts.org.
The Insiders: A Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Tribute — 7 p.m. June 5, Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road, portagemi.gov/calendar; bring a blanket or chair.
Katy Needs a Life & Adjy — Indie music with vocals & percussion, 7:30 p.m. June 5, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage Road, dormousetheatre.com.
Bell’s Eccentric Cafe Concerts — All shows at 8 p.m. unless noted otherwise: Gimme Gimme Disco, June 6; Pride After Party with Idiot Kids, 11 p.m. June 7; Kyle Smith w/Highdeas, June 11; Broadway Rave, June 12; An Evening with Railroad Earth, June 13; Watchhouse w/Two Runner, June 17; Craft Music in the Beer Garden, 7 p.m. June 18; The Spits, June 19; Rising Appalachia, June 25; The Cat Empire w/Bermuda Search Party, 7 p.m. June 29; 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382-2332, bellsbeer.com. Concerts in the Park Summer Concert Series — Free outdoor concerts sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, 4 p.m., Bronson Park: Kalamazoo Concert Band, June 8; Otsego Jazz Concert, June 22; kalamazooarts.org/ summertime-live.
Bronk Bros. — Country & rock, 6–7:30 p.m. June 8, Texas Drive Park, 6603 Texas Drive, Texas Corners, kalamazooarts.org/summertime-live.
Burg Days of Summer — Live music, 5:30–8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, downtown Vicksburg: Old Hank’s Son & McKinney & Brown, June 11; Kitten & the Tonics & Gemini Moon, June 18; Hipposonics & Tony Fields & Doug Decker, June 25; kalamazooarts. org/summertime-live.
Lunchtime Live! — Free weekly event in Bronson Park with live music, games and food, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Fridays: Pinter Whitnick, June 13; The Kennedy Affair, June 20; Carrie McFerrin, June 27; kzooparks.org.
Festival Friday — Live music by BlueBack & Serita’s Black Rose, vendors & food trucks, 5–10 p.m. June 13, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St., downtown Kalamazoo, foodtruckrallykz.com.
Cody Johnson – The Leather Deluxe Tour with Carly Pearce and Jade Eagleson, 8 p.m. June 13, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, soaringeaglecasino.com/ shows/.
Community Jam — Live music by DJ Kamoflauge & MTB Kipsey, DK Morris, Blacq Cattt, 6:30–10:30 p.m. June 14, Northside Association of Community Development, 612 N. Park St., kalamazooarts.org/ summertime-live.
Moonshot — Classic & modern rock, 6–7:30 p.m. June 22, Flesher Field gazebo, 3664 S. Ninth St., oshtemo.org/events.
Chicago – The Band: Live in Concert — Featuring three of the chart-topping group’s original members, 7:30 p.m. June 24, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.
Friday at the Flats — Food trucks, live music & vendors, 5–8 p.m. June 27, with Dana Scott at 5 p.m. & The Iconix at 6:30 p.m., Celery Flats Pavilion, 7335 Garden Lane, portagemi.gov/calendar.
The Avett Brothers — Americana folk music, 7:30 p.m. June 27, Wings Event Center, 3600 Vanrick Drive, wingseventcenter.com/events.
Kalamazoo Scottish Festival Pipe Band — 6:30 p.m. June 29, Kindleberger Park Stage, Parchment, kalamazooarts.org/summertime-live.
Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More
Early Music Michigan — Performs poetry and music from the Middle Ages, 3 p.m. June 1, First Congregational Church, 345 W. Michigan Ave., earlymusicmichigan.org.
An Evening with Yo-Yo Ma — The legendary cellist performs with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, 7 p.m. June 2, Miller Auditorium, WMU, kalamazoosymphony.com.
Love, Joy & Peace — Songs sung by Blendings Vocal Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. June 4, Kalamazoo Civic Auditorium, 329 South Park St., facebook.com/ BlendingsEnsemble.
Amit Peled & Daniel del Piño — Internationally renowned cellist & pianist perform together, presented by Fontana Chamber Arts, 7:30 p.m. June 6, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, and master class by Amit Peled, 9 a.m.–noon June 7, same location; fontanamusic.org.
Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets — The KSO performs along with HD projection of the movie, 7:30 p.m. June 7, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.
Richard Goode & Sarah Shafer — Pianist & soprano, 7:30 p.m. June 18, Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College, thegilmore.org.
COMEDY
Crawlspace Comedy Theatre — Improv performances: Blunder Bus & Joyce II Men, June 6; Crawlspace Eviction, June 13–14; The Trial: Courtroom Comedy, June 20; Oh Hey!, June 21; Dust Bunnies Sketch, June 26–28; all shows begin at 7:30 p.m., Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition, 315 W. Michigan Ave., crawlspacecomedy.com.
FILM
Funeral Parade of Roses — Japanese art film, 8 p.m. June 12, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.
Vicksburg Movie Night in the Park Familyfriendly events at 8:30 p.m., Hotel Transylvania movie at 9:30 p.m., June 20; Vicksburg Pavilion, 300 N. Richardson, vicksburglibrary.org/calendar; bring a blanket or chair and snacks.
Kzoo Parks Summer Cinema — Free outdoor movie, Moana 2, June 27, Frays Park, 4400 Canterbury Ave., with face painting & snacks at 6 p.m., movie at 7 p.m., kzooparks.org.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 — Begins after sunset (approximately 9 p.m.) June 27, Celery Flats Historical Area, 7335 Garden Lane, portagemi.gov/ calendar; bring a blanket or chair.
VISUAL ARTS
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org
Exhibitions
An Infinite Constellation of Love — Videos, sculptures & paintings by JooYoung Choi, through June 15.
Leo Villareal: Interstellar — Immersive digital worlds where code and celestial bodies fuse, June 7–Sept. 21.
West Michigan Area Show — Juried exhibition of works by area visual artists, June 14–Sept. 14.
Art Bridges Access for All — Free general admission on Thursdays, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
KIA Arts Fair — With 120+ artists working in a variety of media, 3–8 p.m. June 6, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 7, Bronson Park, downtown Kalamazoo.
Gallery Gathering & Family Night — Explore JooYoung Choi’s installation An Infinite Constellation of Love; 5:30–6 p.m. Gallery Gathering; 6–8 p.m. Family Night; June 5; registration encouraged for the Gallery Gathering.
Holly Roberts — The visual artist discusses her work over the past 40 years, 6–7 p.m. June 12, online and in-person; advance registration is encouraged.
Book Discussion— Jennifer Murphy’s Scarlet in Blue, 2 p.m. June 18; advance registration is encouraged.
Juneteenth Family Afternoon — Celebration with activities, guided tours & low-mess art creating, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. June 19.
Hubert Massey — Talk by Detroit artist & 2025 West Michigan Area Show juror, 6–7 p.m. June 19; advance registration is encouraged.
Summer Jam — A space to share your music, poetry or spoken word, 6–8 p.m. June 26.
Other Venues
Twenty — Southwest Michigan Printmakers exhibition celebrating Kalamazoo Book Arts Center's 20th anniversary, June 6–Aug. 22, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, 373-4938, kalbookarts.org.
Art on the Mall — Featuring works by 60 artists, plus demonstrations & live entertainment, noon–8 p.m. June 6 & 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 7, Kalamazoo Mall, kalamazooarts.org/art-on-the-mall.
LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS
Comstock Township Library 6130 King Highway, 345-0136, comstocklibrary.org
Donald Lystra — Talk by the Michigan Notable Book Author of Searching for Van Gogh, 6–7:30 p.m. June 4.
CTL Writers — Group writing discussion, 10 a.m. June 13.
State Rep. Matt Hall Listening Hour — Talk with the representative’s staff, 1–2 p.m. June 18.
Pride Book Club — Discuss Charlie Craggs’ To My Trans Sisters, 6 p.m. June 18, in person & online; registration required.
Family Program: Chalk the Lower Lot — Create outdoor chalk art, 11 a.m. June 28.
Adult Book Club — Discuss Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth, 6 p.m. June 30; registration required.
Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov
KPL Mobile Library — 3 p.m. June 3, Maple Grove Village, 735 Summit Ave.; 4 p.m. June 5 & 3:30 p.m. June 17, Interfaith Homes, 1037 Interfaith Blvd.; 10 a.m. June 10, Lodge House, 1211 S. Westnedge Ave.; 4 p.m. June 11, Oakwood Neighborhood Association, 3320 Laird Ave.; 3:30 p.m. June 16, New Village Park/Heather Gardens, 2400 Albans Way; 2 p.m. June 26, Leisure Pointe Condominiums, 4814 Weston Ave.; stops are about 1 hour.
Parchment Community Library
401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org
Color Our World Summer Reading Kickoff Event — Activities include making plantable seed paper, decorating a photo station backdrop & registering for the Summer Reading Challenge, for all ages, 10 a.m.–noon June 7.
Parchment Book Group — Discuss Edward Lee’s Buttermilk Graffiti, 6 p.m. June 9.
Dads and Donuts — Donuts, stories & crafts for dads & kids ages 3+, 10:30 a.m. June 14.
Kalamazoo County ID Mobile Unit — Get or renew a county ID, 3–6 p.m. June 16.
Mystery Book Club — Discuss Richard Osman’s The Bullet That Missed, 6:30 p.m. June 17.
Portage District Library
300 Library Lane, 329-4544, portagelibrary.info
Nutrition 101: Recipe for Success — Three-part series with a registered dietitian, 1:30 p.m. June 4, 11 & 18; registration required.
Friends of the Library Book Sale — 9 a.m.–3 p.m. June 7.
Dinosaur Fun — Fun facts, activities & visiting dinosaurs, 12:30 p.m. June 9; registration required.
Family Fun: Minute-to-Win-It Carnival — Play silly & classic games, 6 p.m. June 11; registration required.
Trivia: The ’60s — Compete as an individual or team, 6 p.m. June 12; registration required.
Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society — For anyone interested in genealogy, 7 p.m. June 16.
Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group — Get help with Macintosh programs & accessories, 9 a.m.–noon June 21.
How to Train Your Dragon — Private screening at Celebration Cinema, 1 p.m. June 24; registration required.
Elise Durham — Meet the author of Maya & Natasha, 6 p.m. June 24; registration required.
The Beauty Biz: Part 1 — Learn about the beauty industry, 2 p.m. June 26; registration required.
Show & Tell for Grown-Ups — Share your collection or items with others, 1 p.m. June 28; registration required.
Richland Community Library 8951 Park St., 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org
Bridge Club — Noon Tuesdays.
Fiber Facts, Tidbits & Tall Tales — Dick Dapson of Fabrications will discuss fibers & textile chemistry, 6 p.m. June 10.
Richland Area Writer’s Group — Open to new members, noon–2 p.m. June 13 & 27, in person & online.
Romance Book Club: Between the Pages — 6–8 p.m. June 25, Ned’s on Gull Lake, 15450 M-43, Hickory Corners; registration required.
Lori Hannemann, Michael Brundage, CFP® & Michelle Eldridge, CFA,CPWA® Wealth Management Partners
Van Buren District LibraryAntwerp Sunshine Branch 24283 Front St., Mattawan, 668-2534, vbdl.org Bicycle Rodeo — 11 a.m. June 7.
Potawatomi Zoo Visit — Interact with visiting animals, 10:30–11:30 a.m. June 18.
Vicksburg District Library 215 S. Michigan Ave., 649-1648, vicksburglibrary.org
Bridge Club — 9:30 a.m.–noon Tuesdays. Book Club for Adults — 9:30 a.m. June 5.
Donald Lystra — Talk by the Michigan Notable Book Author of Searching for Van Gogh, 6–7:30 p.m. June 5.
Writer’s Motivational Group — Set goals & report progress, 4 p.m. June 12.
Book Sale — 10 a.m.–5 p.m. June 13 & 14; 10 a.m.–1 p.m. June 16.
Other Venues
New American Monarch — Author Marcel Fable Price shares raw stories, poetry & life transformation, 6:30 p.m. June 18, This Is a Bookstore, 3019 Oakland Drive, kalamazooarts. org/event.
MUSEUMS
Southwest Michigan Cultural Membership Exchange — Enjoy shared membership benefits for the month of June at six Southwest Michigan institutions (Air Zoo, Binder Park Zoo, Gilmore Car Museum, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo Nature Center, W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary & Kellogg Manor House), swmimemberexchange.com.
Wednesday Night Cruise–Ins — Collector cars, oldies music & food, 5–8 p.m. Wednesdays on good-weather nights: Hi-Views, June 4; Shelagh & Robbie Brown, June 11; Special Guest, June 18; The Mickeys, June 25.
Volvos & Saabs Meet-Up — Hosted by the Great Lakes Volvo Club, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. June 14.
Free Park Day
JUNE 19, 2025
Free Admission to Kalamazoo Area Parks
Comstock Twp Parks: Robert Morris Park
Kalamazoo County Parks: Arthur & Mildred Woollam Nature Preserve, Cold Brook, Markin Glen, Prairie View, River Oaks, & Scotts Mill
Portage Parks & Recreation: Ramona Park
Track Day Fundraiser — Run your car on a track with others, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. June 19, Gingerman Raceway, South Haven; registration required.
RPM! Real Performance Meet-Up — Highperformance cars, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. June 21.
Kalamazoo Valley Museum
230 N. Rose St., 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org
Exhibitions
The Art of Advertising — Nostalgic signs & ads from local businesses, through Aug. 31.
ColorfulCollections — Items in a rainbow of hues from the museum's collection, through Aug. 31.
Events
Summer Rain Garden Tour 10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. June 7.
NATURE
Kalamazoo Nature Center 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org
Kalamazoo River Guardians — Take samples of & identify macroinvertebrates in the river’s watershed, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. June 7, beginning at Merrill Park, 5845 Comstock Ave.; registration required.
Juneteenth Free Admission Day — June 19, with Visitor Center open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and trails 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510, birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu
Birds & Coffee Chat Online — Learn about the Kalamazoo River Watershed Council, 10 a.m. June 11.
Bioblitz — Document as many species as possible in a specific area in a short period of time utilizing the iNaturalist app, 9–11:30 a.m. & 12:30–3 p.m. June 14; registration required.
Father’s Day — Dads get in free, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. June 15.
Fishing for the Eagles — Fishing to feed eagles, 6 p.m. June 19.
Other Venues
Kalamazoo Astronomical Society Meeting — Gadget Night, discussion of helpful devices for astronomy, 7 p.m. June 6, Kalamazoo Math & Science Center, 600 W. Vine St., kasonline.org.
Chief Noonday Chapter Hike-Every-Mile Hike
— Sign up to hike parts of the chapter’s 120mile trail segment, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. June 7; meet up afterwards to celebrate at Ned's on Gull Lake, 15450 M-43, Hickory Corners, northcountrytrail. org/events.
Beginning Birding Walk — 9–11 a.m. June 7; meet at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery's second parking lot, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, kalamazooaudubon.org.
Kalamazoo Astronomical Society Public Observing Session — “The Moon & Double Stars of Spring,” June 7; “Super Summer Nebulae,” June 21; both sessions 9:30 p.m.–12:30 a.m., Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave.; register at kasonline.org; sessions canceled if sky is mostly cloudy or overcast; check the website for updates.
Scalin’ Up for Summer — See & touch a variety of reptiles & explore the world of fishing, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. June 14, South Westnedge Park, 9010 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov/calendar.
Cheetah Chase — 5K run/walk through Binder Park Zoo, 8 a.m. June 21, binderparkzoo.com.
Nature Hike: Bioblitz — Hike & record biodiversity data on the iNaturalist app, 10 a.m.–noon June 28, West Lake Preserve, 9001 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov.
MISCELLANEOUS
Portage Farmers Market — 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Sundays, outside Portage City Hall, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov/643/markets.
Kalamazoo Farmers Market — 7 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturdays; Mini Markets, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays; Night Market, 5–10 p.m. June 19; 1204 Bank St., pfcmarkets.com.
Kalamazoo Food Truck Rallies — Tuesdays on the Road: Midtown Fresh Market, 412 Howard
St., June 3; Woods Lake Elementary, 3215 Oakland Drive, June 10; Fannie Pell Park, 211 N. Main St., Plainwell, June 17; 118 N. Main St., Lawton, June 24; all rallies 5–7:30 p.m., foodtruckrallykz.com.
2025 Birdies, Bogeys & Blues KVBA Golf Outing — Live blues music, golfing & dinner, 12:30 p.m. registration, 2 p.m. tee time, June 6, Heritage Glen Golf Course, 29795 Heritage Lane, Paw Paw, kvba.org.
Vicksburg Farmers Market — 2–6 p.m. Fridays & Historic Village Market on June 27, with local food, artisan products & music, 300 N. Richardson St., vicksburgfarmersmarket.com.
Richland Farmers’ Market — Local produce, artisans, artists & food trucks, 3–6 p.m. Wednesdays, Richland Community Center, 9400 East CD Ave., richlandareacc.org/richland-farmers-market.
Kalamazoo Pride Festival — Live entertainment, vendors & information booths, presented by OutFront Kalamazoo, 6–11:30 p.m. June 6 & 2–11:15 p.m. June 7, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St.; see full schedule at outfrontkzoo. org/pride2025.
Southwest Michigan Spectacular Card Show — Trading cards, collectibles & more, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. June 7, Wings Event Center, 3600 Vanrick Drive, wingseventcenter.com/events.
Do-Dah Parade — Whimsical parade with the theme “Once Upon a Time,” 11 a.m. June 7, downtown Kalamazoo; dodahkzoo.com.
Vintage in the Zoo — Outdoor vintage & handmade goods & live music, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. June 8, Kalamazoo Farmers Market, 1204 Bank St., vintageinthezoo.com.
UKC Premier Dog Show — Agility, obedience, terrier racing, dock diving & traditional show ring, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. June 11–15, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake St., ukcdogs.com/premier.
Three Rivers Water Festival — Parade, carnival rides, food, live bands & fireworks, June 12–14, downtown Three Rivers, facebook.com/ ThreeRiversWaterFestival.
Buttermilk Jamboree — Music & arts festival, June 13–15, Circle Pines Center, 8650 Mullen Road, Delton, buttermilkjamboree.org.
Vicksburg Old Car Festival & Historic Village Opening Day — Featuring old cars, steam & gas engines, June 13 & 14, downtown Vicksburg, facebook.com/vixocf/.
Kids in the Zoo — Games, prizes, activities for kids with their adult(s), 10 a.m.–3 p.m. June 14, Kalamazoo Mall, downtownkalamazooshops.com.
Rootead’s Juneteenth Celebration — Familyfriendly event celebrating Black culture, with food, music & performances, 1–7 p.m. June 14, Bronson Park, rootead.org.
Juneteenth Celebration — Self-led meditation & education, June 19, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 1000 MLK Drive, Portage, portagemi.gov/calendar.
Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo —10 a.m.–3 p.m. June 21, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, kalamazooreptileexpo.com.
The Life of Private David Lee Sutfin, World War I — Presentation by historian Steve Russio, 2 p.m. June 22, Vicksburg Historic Village Township Hall, downtown Vicksburg, vicksburghistory.org.
Kalamazoo Caribbean Fest — Food, entertainment & music, June 27 & June 28, Arcadia Creek Festival Place, 145 E. Water St., facebook.com/ kzooislandfest.
Vintage Baseball Festival — 23 vintage baseball clubs compete in the style of the 1860s game, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. June 28 & 29, Ramona Park, 8601 S. Sprinkle Road, Portage, kalamazoocontinentals.org.
Introducing Light Assisted Living
• Medication reminders
• Delicious assortment of meals
• Meal reminders, or transportation to dining/ activities, if needed
• Housekeeping – weekly cleaning of resident rooms
• Optional laundry services
• Bathing assistance
• Assistance putting on socks/shoes
• Assistance with bed making/unmaking
• Enriching activity events and programs daily
• Daily devotions/ Sunday worship services
Dedication
This collection is for the people who can find God within the non-secular stained glass of a butterfly's wingspan.
Who see the imagination of people like Hebru Brantley, Kehinde Wiley, and Ebony Patterson as the windows of our church.
Who look to our communities to be walls that defend our freedom to worship, finding makeshift pulpits on street corners and stages.
Who hear the gospel in hip-hop and understand pastors ain't nothing more than rappers with a different cadence.
Who understand the dialogue is rooted in the same stories, Moses just has a different sea.
Who understand we are all caterpillars until we aren't. This is for you, larvae. Looking for meaning in the crawl, waiting to find the words that help you comfortably devour yourself.
I hope that one day you'll be ready to fly.
Price's "Dedication" is from his new poetry book, New American Monarch Ilustration also by Price. See our Back Story profile of Price on page 38.
We were absolute ruffians and not fit to be role models for young people. There was one teacher who taught at an alternative school who brought us in for a Career Day, which we shouldn't have been doing 'cause we were not making money doing art in West Michigan.
But we talked about the things that you can do. I started talking about what it was to be a young Black kid with bipolar, depression and anxiety and growing up in an abusive household, because that's what a lot of my poems are about, you know, my upbringing, my life.
A couple weeks later we got a manila envelope full of letters from the young people, telling us about what they felt, and they wanted us to come back. And we did every single week for the entire school year. What we didn't know was teachers talk, and before we knew it we were in six, seven schools a week.
It was suggested we turn this into a nonprofit. And in 2016 I decided to put my hat in the ring to become Grand Rapids' poet laureate. I thought if I could become poet laureate, if I could become the youngest in city history, the first person of color, the first person without a college degree, that maybe I could leverage that with starting a nonprofit and turn this into something big.
Meet and Hear Marcel Fable Price
What: Price presents his poetry collection, New American Monarch, in a reading and storytelling event that also includes poet Elizabeth Kerlikowske and writer Destiné Price-Willis, the executive director of Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative.
When: 6:30 p.m. June 18
Where: This Is a Bookstore, 3019 Oakland Drive
More information: bookbugkalamazoo.com/bookstore
Fast-forward a couple years. I've been dating an incredible woman who is diagnosed with cancer. Fast-forward two more years. It's 2021 and the pandemic is in bloom. Arts organizations are flipped on their heads. But somehow we quadrupled in size. Me and my wife get married. We think we beat cancer. A year later the cancer comes back more aggressive. I pour myself into work when I'm not caregiving and decide to raise $6 million to create a multicultural art center in my neighborhood and raised $6.5 million. Staff is burnt out. Staff is exhausted. They were not happy with how things grew. They weren't happy with me as a leader. My wife dies, and it becomes the best thing for me to leave the organization. I felt lost. And
there was something in my heart that was saying, "Move back to Kalamazoo. Move back to Kalamazoo."
Describe the unique features of your new book, New American Monarch
When I met with Ander Monson, the editor of Diagram/New Michigan Press, he gave me creative control to make this book everything that I wanted it to be. The inside of this book has doodles that I drew so that it feels like the author's copy. It feels personal. The pages are made to look distressed. Every poem has a QR code that brings you to (that poem in) an audio version of the book. This book is for the people who like to be read to and the people who like to read. It's also unique in (terms of) the incredibly talented, diverse artists, from the photographer to illustrators to the person who made the QR codes, who came into it to bring it to life.
What's next?
I'm working on a book of nonfiction and getting back to doing shows again. My shows are really rooted in storytelling — the good, the bad and the ugly of everything of human existence and of my story. What I try to do is talk about the ugly so much that it makes people feel comfortable enough to talk about the ugly, you know, talk about the shame, the guilt, the discomfort.
— Interview by Marie Lee, edited for length and clarity.
Marcel Fable Price
Poet, spoken-word artist & director at Kalamazoo Forward Ventures
Marcel Fable Price is a lot of things. The Kalamazoo native returned to his hometown in 2024 from Grand Rapids, where he had undeniably made waves in that city's creative and nonprofit circles.
His resume glitters with accolades from his time there: recipient of a Community Advocate Award, 40 Under 40 honoree, poet laureate of Grand Rapids for three years, Black Bottom Community Builder award winner, Michigan Humanities Impact Partner of the Year, 2022 Newsmaker of the Year, and the Imagination Award from the West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology.
But accolades don't capture all that the 36-year-old Price is or has done. He's a published poet and spoken-word artist who has just released his new book, New American Monarch, and he works as director of community and strategic engagement for Kalamazoo Forward Ventures (KzFV), a $50 million, Black-founded investment firm based in Kalamazoo. He is the founder and former executive director of The Diatribe, a Grand Rapids nonprofit that connects art and activism; a self-taught creative; a widower; and a man who manages his bipolar
disorder and three very loud but lovable dogs. But ask him what his greatest triumph has been and it's none of these.
"My greatest triumph is I'm here," he says. "When my wife was dying, I became so mentally unwell. I was just trying to do too much.
I'm running a multi-million-dollar organization (The Diatribe) with only three full-time people. I'm not only raising the money, I'm helping with programming, I'm doing all the things. I ground myself into dust. My tenure ended with The Diatribe, and I lost the person I love. To lose all of it, I didn't wanna live. I think my triumph is making it out of that, making it to the other side of that, and wanting to be here."
How did you get where you are today?
I moved to Grand Rapids (from Kalamazoo) in 2014 and was looking for a sense of community. I started performing at a weekly event at the Hookah Lounge and was absolutely enamored by the energy. I ran into this community of artists — hip-hop artists, poets, singer-songwriters — and we decided to enter Art Prize, a huge art competition in Grand Rapids. We called ourselves The Diatribe and created the first-ever blindand deaf-friendly Art Prize exhibit.
There were a ton of teachers that came with busloads of young people, and they'd ask if we ever thought about teaching young people and we were
(continued on page 37)
The Airport: Our Community's First Handshake, Economic Engine and Celebration Stage
For many, the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport is simply a place to catch a flight. But for our community, it’s much more — it’s our front door, our welcome mat and often the setting for some of our proudest moments. From hosting high-profile visitors and facilitating business growth to welcoming home champions like the Western Michigan University Men’s Hockey team, our local airport quietly plays a central role in the life of our region.
When guests visit — be it a visit with a local business or someone from afar attending a conference in town — the Airport is their first introduction to Kalamazoo and southwest Michigan. The tone is set not just by the terminal’s design, but by the professionalism and warmth of the welcome they receive. That first impression matters. It shapes how others see our region and often how they choose to engage with it. Every employee of every company at the Airport takes that role seriously and proudly.
And then there are the moments of pure community pride. When our own WMU Broncos Hockey team returned home from St. Louis after claiming a national championship title, it was the Airport that set the stage for celebration. Fans lined the arrival gates, banners were held high, and pride echoed throughout. These are the moments that unite us — not just as fans, but as neighbors who take joy in shared success.
For an engaged, civic-minded community like ours, it’s important to recognize and support the institutions that bring us together and connect us to the world. The Airport is one of them. It’s where leaders arrive, business begins, and champions return. And each time, it quietly reinforces our identity as a community that is proud, connected, and ready for whatever comes next.
Want to know more about our local Airport? Visit www. flyazo.com.
