Taste all that Kalamazoo has to Offer!

Savoring its 24th year of local fare, the Taste of Kalamazoo is sure to offer a celebration to satisfy every palate. From July 23-25, the Taste will feature cuisine from more than 30 restaurants, as well as live entertainment and family fun.

Each year the Taste of Kalamazoo attracts 25,000 to 30,000 hungry people who crave world class cuisine prepared by local restaurants and caterers. Tickets for food and beverages—from fresh fruit juices and smoothies to top-shelf liquors and local brews and wines—are $.50, with most items ranging in price from $.50 to $4.

Family activities at the Taste, including face painting, pony rides and appearances by a juggler and comedian start at 11 a.m. each day. A “grill off” is planned every day from 3 – 6 p.m. and special family programming, such as the Hospice of Greater Kalamazoo’s Great Duck Race, is planned from noon – 3 p.m. on Saturday.

More than a dozen music acts—from local favorites to national headliners—are set to add even more flavor to the Taste of Kalamazoo:


Thursday July 24

6:30pm: Four Wheel Drive
7:45pm: Dewsouth
9:00pm: Frankie Ballard

Friday July 24

12:00pm-1:30pm: Dooley Noted
4:45pm-6:00pm: Blue Moon Blues
6:30pm-7:45pm: Funk 211
8:00pm-9:30pm: Zion Lion
10:00pm-11:30pm: Ty Stone The Soul of James Brown
12:00am-1:30am: Greensky Bluegrass

Saturday July 25

11:45-1:30: The Cheap Dates
2:00pm-3:00pm: Kinetic Effect
3:30pm-4:30pm: TBA
5:00pm-7:45: Gypsies in the Palace
8:15pm-9:30pm: Jim Cummmings Band
10:00 pm-11:30pm: The Tubes
12:00am-1:30am: Funktion


The Taste of Kalamazoo is located at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place at 145 E Water Street in Downtown Kalamazoo. The gates will be open Thursday, July 23 from 11 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday, July 24 and 25, the site will be open from 11 a.m. until 1:30 a.m. Admission is free until 4 p.m. From 4-7 p.m. admission is $5. After 7 p.m. admission is $8. Children 12 and under are admitted free.

Kindleberger Summer Festival

The community of Parchment invites you to join in their annual celebration of family, community and the arts: The Kinleberger Summer Festival. Kindleberger Festival week spans from Wednesday, July 8 through Monday, July 13.

Highlights include outdoor art performances, an all you can eat pancake breakfast, a parade, an arts and crafts fair, a car show, a street dance and the Kindleberger 5K Run and Fitness Walk. To register for the Run or Fitness walk on Saturday, July 11, visit http://www.kindleberger.org/5krunwalk.php for details.

Children’s activities range from bouncing fun and pony rides to a KSO Instrument Petting Zoo, crafts, face painting and games. The Kalamazoo Air Zoo and Astronomy Club will host activities, complimented by exciting performances by a balloon artist and a magician.

The 2009 Kingleberger Summer Festival will feature nightly performances of a youth production of The Secret Garden and State Fair, a family musical. Play Performance Dates include:

Wednesday, July 8: The Secret Garden: 5:30pm; State Fair: 7:00 pm
Thursday, July 9: The Secret Garden: 5:30pm; State Fair: 7:00 pm
Friday, July 10: The Secret Garden: 5:30pm; State Fair: 7:00 pm
Saturday, July 11: The Secret Garden: 4:30pm; State Fair: 6:00 pm
Sunday, July 12: The Secret Garden: 4:30pm; State Fair: 6:00 pm

On Monday, July 13, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra will perform a summer concert in Kindleberger Park; closing the festival with a relaxing evening of classical and popular music.

Kindleberger Park is located at 605 S. Riverview Drive in Parchment. To view a full calendar of events for the Kindleberger Summer Festival, visit http://www.kindleberger.org/calendar.php.

Blues Festival and All That Jazz...

The Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association presents the 16th Annual Kalamazoo Blues Festival in Downtown Kalamazoo. The festival runs July 9 – 11 at Arcadia Creek Festival Place, located at 145 E Water Street.

The Kalamazoo Blues Festival will feature two stages and two dozen national and regional non-stop blues acts. Festivities include workshops and activities for children on Saturday, July 11. In addition to face painting, tie-dye and arts and crafts, enjoy live entertainment, local food and flavor!

Performance Schedule:

Thursday (5:10 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.) - Duffield/Caron, Mike Espy & Yakety Yak, Tarbox Ramblers, Fruteland Jackson, Coco Robicheaux & Dave Easley

Friday (5:10 p.m. – 12:45 a.m.) - BluesTime Band, Left Paul Trio, 6 Hands Down, Stacy Mitchhart, Reba Russell, Jimmy Thackery, Out of Favor Boys

Saturday (12 p.m. – 12:55 a.m.) - Garage Band 101, Fatt Lapp, Nomad Willy, Thirsty Perch, Blue Heaven, Left Turn Blues Band, Chris Canas Band, Crossroads The Resurrection , Delta Moon, Larry McCray, Sista Monica, Smokin' Joe Kubek, Blue Moon

Admission is $5 on Thursday, $10 on Friday and $12 on Saturday. Children 12 and under get in free with an adult. Discounts available to college students with a student ID on Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit http://www.kvba.org/fest09/index.html.

Light Up the Sky on the 4th of July

Don't miss your chance to see some exciting fireworks displays around Kalamazoo and Southwest Michigan for Independence Day!

Kalamazoo Kings Fourth of July Spectacular

The Kalamazoo Kings’ ninth annual Fourth of July Extravaganza starts and ends with a big hit: The Kings will take on the Washington Wild Things at 5:05 p.m. and the game concludes with a performance by Drop 35, the band that gave way to American Idol favorite Matt Giraud. Highlights of the evening will also include airline ticket giveaways from DirectAir and spectacular fireworks display after sunset.

Tickets are only $6 for the entire show at Homer Stryker Field. Entrance to the park is free during the ninth inning for the fireworks show. For details, visit www.kalamazookings.com or call 269.388.8326.


Field of Flight Fireworks

The Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival will take place through Sunday at the W.K. Kellogg Regional Airport in Battle Creek. The Air Show and Festival include food, family fun, carnival games and rides, live entertainment and balloon launches in the mornings and evenings.

A fireworks display is scheduled for Friday, July 3 at 10:30 p.m. (With a rain date of Sunday, July 5 at 10:30 p.m.) Admission to the Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival is $10 per person from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and $5 after 5 p.m. Children 4 ft and under get in free. For details, visit www.bcballoons.com.


Galesburg Speedway Eve of Destruction

The Galesburg Speedway will host an Eve of Destruction on July 4. An entertaining night is planned, from a Blues Brother parking contest to Monster Truck and Automobile Red Rover. The evening concludes with a large fireworks display.

Galesburg Speedway is located at 573 South 38th Street. Adult admission ranges, $12 - $15. Admission for children is $5 and children 5 and under get in free. For details and directions, visit www.galesburgspeedway.com.


Fireworks and Wrecks on the Fourth of July

A night of 4th of July fun begins with a free bus ride around the track at the Kalamazoo Speedway. The night will feature the Bell Tire Four Cylinder Enduro Series, spectator drags, and a Powder Puff Enduro. The evening concludes with a fantastic display of fireworks.

The Kalamazoo Speedway is located at 7656 Ravine Road. Tickets are $18 for adults, $12 for teens and children get in free. For details, visit www.kalamazoospeedway.com.


84th Annual Independence Day Celebration

Schoolcraft’s annual celebration kicks off July 4th with a 7 a.m. pancake breakfast at Schoolcraft High School. A 5-Mile Firecracker Roadrace is schedule for 8 a.m., followed by an ice cream social, car show, parade, chicken barbeque and fire truck rides. Fireworks are will launch at 10 p.m. at Schoolcraft High School. For complete schedule and details, visit http://schoolcraft4th.vpweb.com.


Freedom Fest

Freedom Fest kicks off on July 4th at McCamley Field at 6 p.m. There will be entertainment, contests and children activities hosted by area churches and the Portage Rotary Club. The Fest will assemble care packages for local servicemen and women stationed in Iraq.

McCamley Field is located on South Westnedge Avenue between Shaver Road and Centre Avenue. Fireworks will display at dusk.


More Fireworks…

Plainwell: Scheduled for dusk at the Plainwell Municipal Airport on July 4.
South Haven: Schedule for dusk on Sunday, July 5.