Downtown Kalamazoo is set to come alive with the spirit of Halloween this October as it hosts the Metro Toyota Skeletour, a month-long celebration filled with events and activities for all ages. Starting October 6th, over 40 skeletons will be placed throughout downtown Kalamazoo sponsored by businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations.  Every skeleton is designed to transform downtown into an adventure that allows visitors and community residents to find the skeletons, visit shops, eat, and celebrate the power of small businesses and the community that creates a tradition of celebrating the Halloween season.  

Here’s a quick glance at the signature events that are creeping in this month:

  • October 3-5 – Skeletons are installed
  • October 6- 31 – Metro Toyota Skeletour, Skelfie Tour, Passport Card, and Find Spidey Contest
  • October 6 – First Friday throughout downtown
  • October 6 – Night Beats hosted by The Xperience on Bates Alley, 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
  • October 14 – Boos In The Zoo, hosted by Downtown Kalamazoo Shops, on the Kalamazoo Mall, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • October 14- 31 – Skeletour Bar Crawl, Sponsored by Discover Kalamazoo
  • October 20 – Skeletour’s First Adult Costume Party sponsored by Cannamazoo, on the North Kalamazoo Mall, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

The month-long event allows the Kalamazoo region to explore the variety of skeletons, take pictures with the decorated and themed skeletons, participate in the Bar Crawl, and win a variety of prizes that many of the events host. As the events unfold in October, people are encouraged to follow along on social media channels (@downtownkalamazoo) to receive updates. Some of the events that will unfold include the Skelfie Tour, a Bar Crawl Passport Card, and weekly Find Spidey Contest where there will be clues to find the poster downtown and win a variety of prizes from Metro Toyota.

The placement of the skeletons will be celebrated on October 6th, when First Friday on the Kalamazoo Mall, sponsored by Downtown Kalamazoo Shops, will kick off the festivities. As night falls, The Xperience will launch their first look at Night Beats in Bates Alley from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. where the sensational live performances by Zion Lion and Work in Progress can be enjoyed.

Boos in the Zoo is on October 14 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on the Kalamazoo Mall, a family-friendly event for everyone!

The Bar Crawl runs from October 14-31 and will highlight 10 businesses that will feature a special Halloween cocktail.  The passport will allow participants to check in to the locations for a chance to win $100 in Downtown. The participating locations include:

  • Brewery Outré
  • Hub Tavern + Grill
  • Saugatuck Brewing Co.
  • Harvey’s on the Mall
  • Louie’s Trophy House
  • Principle
  • Roca
  • Brick + Brine
  • Old Burdick’s
  • Green Door Distilling

The month-long event is a collaboration of the City of Kalamazoo Parks and Recreation Department, the Downtown Kalamazoo Shops, The Xperience, Metro Toyota, Discover Kalamazoo, and Cannamazoo.