FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 9, 2022

Contact:   Deb Droppers | Kalamazoo Experiential Learning Center
deb@eventkalamazoo.com   |    269-388-2830

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Downtown Kalamazoo is gearing up for a summer season of endless outdoor activities, live music, community art, fitness classes, and “walktails” in the Central Commons Refreshment Area.

JumpstART your summer downtown

Kick off your summer right with JumpstART Weekend June 1-5, 2022 in downtown Kalamazoo. JumpstART, formerly known as June Jubilee, is an entirely outdoor experience featuring events that the community has come to know and love: Art on the Mall, Do-Dah Parade, KIA Arts Fair, Kalamazoo Pride Festival, Concerts in the Park, and more.

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Fair
Friday, June 3 | Noon – 8pm (Beer Garden open 3-10pm)
Saturday, June 4 | 9am – 5pm

The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Fair is the second longest-running arts fair in the country. And it is happening right in the heart of Kalamazoo: Bronson Park. Fine artisans across the country convene for the two-day unique shopping experience. Find jewelry, photography, sculpture, painting, ceramics, glass, fiber, leather, wood, and more all handcrafted by over 100 jury-selected fine artists from across Michigan and the country.

Art on the Mall
Friday, June 3 | Noon – 8pm
Saturday, June 4 | 9am – 5pm

Brought to you by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, Art on the Mall, located on the Kalamazoo Mall and South Street, returns Friday, June 3 from 12 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, June 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This outdoor soft juried show features everything from jewelry to pottery and sculptures to garden art, as well as art demonstrations and live entertainment.

Kalamazoo Pride
Friday, June 3 and Saturday, June 4

Kalamazoo Pride 2022 returns to the Arcadia Creek Festival Place in person this year June 3-4, 2022 with entertainment ranging from local to national artists. This year’s theme will be #AlwaysProud.

Do-Dah Parade
Saturday, June 4 | 11 a.m.

The annual Do-Dah Parade – Where is the Zoo? returns Saturday, June 4, 11:00 a.m. The Do-Dah Parade has been part of the Kalamazoo landscape for over 35 years and each year, participants are challenged to reinvigorate the meaning of “Do-Dah” (a parody based on a spoof or a satire).

This year’s event will feature a new route that will begin at Jasper and Lovell St., travel on Lovell St. to Rose St., Rose St. to Michigan Ave., and Michigan Ave. back to Portage St., where it will end at Lovell. All of Portage Street will be included in the parade route, which will provide excellent viewing opportunities (with a glimpse of the fun of watching a parade being created in the Bronson Healthcare Parking lot). Do-Dah will also include voting links for your favorite unit. With a soft deadline of May 18 and a hard deadline of June 1, it’s not too late to sign up for Do-Dah.

Concerts in the Park
Sunday, June 5

Concerts in the Park, brought to you by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, rounds out the JumpstART festivities on Sunday, June 5 with live music by the Samuel Nalangira Ensemble (World Music of Uganda) in Bronson Park.

Enjoy live music downtown

Beats on Bates, a weekly live music series, is returning to Downtown Kalamazoo’s already vibrant music scene. Presented by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo and The JACK and HITS 96.5 radio stations, Beats on Bates adds a variety of flavors to the downtown vibe, allowing visitors to indulge in a meal, sip walking cocktails in the Central Commons Refreshment Area, and listen to the musical stylings of local performers. 

Performances are scheduled every Wednesday between June and August from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

JUNE 1 – Capt. Cat
JUNE 8 – BlueBack
JUNE 15 – The Incantations
JUNE 22 – J.Cam.G & Flizz-E
JUNE 29 – Zion Lion
JULY 6 – Sam Luna Band
JULY 13 – Samuel Nalangira’s Trio
JULY 20 – FlyLiteGemini		JULY 27 – Chick & The Boomers
AUGUST 3 – DJ Conscious, Courtney Moore,
                        Mitchie Moore, & Sherdizzil
AUGUST 10 – Kalamazoo Academy of Rock
AUGUST 17 – Pinter Whitnick
AUGUST 24 – Yolonda Lavender
AUGUST 31 – Out of Favor Boys 
 

Get active downtown

Workout Wednesdays, presented by Gazelle Sports, is a weekly fitness class series in Bronson Park, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.  featuring free workouts presented by local fitness organizations. Make sure you pack your workout gear for a summer filled with socially distant Workout Wednesdays in downtown Kalamazoo

JUNE 1 – Rose Wellbeing
JUNE 8 – Kalamazoo Barre
JUNE 15 – Guess Who’s Dancing
JUNE 22 – Intentional Yoga
JUNE 29 – Bronson Athletic Club
JULY 6 – Just Move Fitness
JULY 13 – Fit Bella Vei		JULY 20 – Ascension Borgess Health & Fitness
JULY 27 – Guess Who’s Dancing
AUGUST 3 – Wellspring Dance Academy
AUGUST 10 – Just Move Fitness
AUGUST 17 – Intentional Yoga
AUGUST 24 – Rose Wellbeing
AUGUST 31 – Kalamazoo Barre

Sip and stroll downtown

Don’t miss out on one of downtown’s newest amenities, the Central Commons Refreshment Area. With nearly 20 businesses participating, this is the ideal activity to end your day with a happy hour stroll through downtown, browse boutiques, meet friends, and enjoy downtown’s outdoor spaces and activities. The program is operational seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. A complete set of rules and a list of participating businesses can be found at https://downtownkalamazoo.org/social-district/.

About Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership

Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization that works with both the public and private sectors in preserving and enhancing the economic health of Kalamazoo’s downtown area and, in turn, the Kalamazoo community. In conjunction with its affiliate organizations, it manages a full range of activities that include capital improvement projects, business development and recruitment programs, image marketing and event planning to establish Downtown Kalamazoo as an accessible, diverse, green, progressive and vibrant urban center. For more info, visit downtownkalamazoo.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or find more downtown news on our website.

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