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TASTE SERIES

Journey through a deliciously satisfying sampling of global cuisine, expertly paired with fine wines and spirits. Beginning in April, our chefs and mixologists are curating this monthly showcase of elevated dining from around the world.

APRIL 15

TASTE OF THE BOURBON TRAIL

Focused on Kentucky’s Famed Bourbon Trail

JULY 15

TASTE OF SPAIN

Tapas and Spanish wines

MAY 20

TASTE OF MEXICO

Tequilas for every course

AUGUST 19

TASTE OF ITALY

Big and bold Italian Wines

EACH DINNER IS $125 PER GUEST

JUNE 17

TASTE OF TEXAS

Just for the Dads. Be ready to dig in to Texas Beef!

SEPTEMBER 16

TASTE OF JAPAN

Sushi, Sashimi and the Famed A5 Wagyu

From the Editor

"Enduring" is a word that can be used to describe so many things in our community. While it's important to notice the community's ever-present effort to embrace change, it's also good to step back and celebrate those things, people and groups with staying power that have become part of the tapestry of Southwest Michigan.

One of these groups is the focus of our cover story this month, the Out of Favor Boys, a local band that has played its original blues music for more than two decades. A fixture of festivals, outdoor concerts and a weekly session at O'Duffy's Irish Pub in the Vine neighborhood, this fiveman ensemble has also played in many local venues that have come and gone over their career — Club Soda, The 411 Club, Mr. Wonderful's, to name a few — and chances are you've seen or heard them at some point.

Something else that has had staying power is pizza, and Portage's own Jim Mumford is undeniably the expert on that. In our Back Story, we meet this chemical engineer turned cookbook writer and learn about how his new book, PizzaPedia: Favorite Recipes from Across America, takes readers on a culinary journey exploring the differences in this American food staple from place to place.

"Resilient" is another word that can be used for someone who endures, and our Good Works story about JABS (Justice Against Bullying in Schools) shows how young people can help one another while learning to be resilient themselves. Started as an antibullying effort, JABS now also gives its members a safe place to be themselves and explore their potential as entrepreneurs.

March is a hopeful time — spring is almost here, things feel new, and we're all looking forward to what's to come. But I hope with this issue we're giving you an appreciation for what already is and how it's continuously impacting our community's present and future.

Jordan Bradley

Jordan spoke with local cookbook author Jim Mumford for this issue’s Back Story profile. “Jim’s passion for pizza and dedication to the process and history of a dish was really infectious,” Jordan says. “I’m not one for precise cooking or baking, but I felt inspired to give it a go after talking with Jim.” Jordan is a former Encore intern turned freelance writer and frequent contributor to Encore. When she’s not writing, she can be found at a yoga studio or walking her dog.

Katie Houston

Katie Houston wrote this issue's story about the Kalamazoo organization Justice Against Bullying at School (JABS), a youth-led initiative to fight bullying and support youth who have been bullied that has taken on a new dimension: teaching young people to be entrepreneurs. "This nimble crew embraces new friends and new ideas and is now venturing into entrepreneurship," says Katie. "They’re an inspiring group of young leaders.” Katie is a Kalamazoobased writer and communications consultant specializing in nonprofit marketing.

Publisher encore publications, inc

Editor

marie lee

Art Director alexis stubelt

Photographer brian k powers

Robert M. Weir

In writing our cover story about the Out of Favor Boys, Robert found it brought back great memories of dancing to the band's rhythm-and-blues tunes at joints whose doors are now closed — Mr. Wonderful’s, Missias', The 411 Club. "Sitting around a table in the home of saxophonist Tony Sproul, the five members of the band regaled me with a delightful trip down memory lane as they recalled their 23 years of musical legacy as well as their bright and ever-evolving future," says Robert. "The big takeaway: The Out of Favor Boys might play the blues, but their music and memories are loaded with fun." Weir is a longtime contributor to Encore.

Contributing Writers

kristen aguirre , jordan bradley, katie houston, marie lee , gail martin, robert m weir

Copy Editors

margaret deritter katie houston

Advertising Sales janis clark kimberly juwong

Distribution ron kilian robert zedeck

Office Coordinator kelly burcroff

Proofreader hope smith

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

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

Email: Publisher@encorekalamazoo.com

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

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

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What is the life expectancy of your landscape?

The longevity of a modern landscape is best measured in the number of years its beds, walls, grasses, forbs, trees and shrubs provide a benefit. The beneficial life of a landscape deteriorates over time until its aesthetic, cost of maintenance or level of risk is unacceptable. Premature decline of key features like trees and shrubs commonly limits the lifespan of a landscape to only one or two decades before partial or full replacement is needed.

In contrast to the short life of a modern landscape, trees and shrubs native to their locale live for multiple decades with many plant species thriving well past a century. Native trees and shrubs growing in a locale of their origin live longer, avoiding premature decline by being naturally adapted to the very conditions that commonly cause poorly adapted plants to deteriorate such as compacted soil, poor drainage, heat, and humidity. When native trees and shrubs are established into a landscape, durability is gained and years of benefit extended

What kind of plant community was your neighborhood prior to settlement?

Prior to settlement beginning in the 1820s, Kalamazoo County consisted of natural plant communities including fens, swamps, marshes, meadows, prairies, forests and savannas. The natural conditions of each plant community supported plants and animals adapted to and dependent on that plant community’s unique conditions. Certain extant natural conditions inherent to a locale are relevant today and, combined with the locale's present-day condition

and woody plants natural to its pre-settlement community provide suitable criteria for selecting native trees and shrubs for planting.

Planting native trees and shrubs should target swift establishment by using seed-grown and appropriately-sized stock, which is methodically planted during cool seasons and supported against wind, protected from deer and rabbits, watered, fertilized and pruned appropriately. Optimum planting favors establishment periods of 2 years or less for most native trees and shrubs.

Native planting of trees and shrubs adds durability and life expectancy to modern landscapes allowing their natural characteristics to benefit multiple generations.

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First Things

Something Spirit-Free

Hear music at cozy, alcohol-free venues

Intimate venues make for a heightened listening experience, and the following performances are open to all, with no spirits served.

Kalamazoo’s non-alcoholic bar Zero, at 202 S. Kalamazoo Mall, hosts Live Music at Zero from 6–9 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. The scheduled bands and more information can be found at welcometozero.com.

A local favorite for the St. Patrick’s season is the band Whiskey Before Breakfast, which will be playing traditional Irish music at 2 p.m. March 8 at Parchment Community Library. Admission is free, and more information is available at parchmentlibrary.org.

The Asheville, North Carolina-based, Grammy-winning band King Garbage will play The Clover Room at 7 p.m. March 14. The show will also feature Grand Rapids singer/songwriter Hannah Laine. Just 55 tickets are sold for each show at this venue and can be purchased at thecloverroomkalamazoo.com.

Something Different

TEDx Kalamazoo presents topical talks

Seven speakers with "ideas worth spreading," plus performances by local artists, will be featured March 12 when TEDx Kalamazoo comes to the Judy Jolliffe Theatre, inside the Epic Center.

The performances begin at 5:30 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. by short talks with a Michigan spin. The topics include the healing power of basketball, nonprofits' role within a government's responsibility to people and how community planning begins with engaging others. The speakers include Western Michigan University President Russ Kavalhuna and Kalamazoo Deputy City Manager Rebekah Kik.

There will also be tours of the Epic Center, offering insights into local arts and entertainment organizations.

Tedx Kalamazoo is presented by Public Media Network. Information on the scheduled speakers and their topics is available at tedxkalamazoo.net. Tickets, priced at $49, are also available on the website.

Something Festive Diverse festivals offer once-a-year fun

Festivals and celebrations for families and music lovers abound this month.

The Lantern Festival Celebration, presented by the Kalamazoo Chinese Association, will offer food, games and cultural activities for the whole family from 12:30–3:30 p.m. March 1 at the Portage Zhang Senior Center. Admission is free for members and $5 for others. You can register at kzooca.org/events.

The Kalamazoo Nature Center’s Maple Sugar Festival on March 7 means spring is nearing. Activities will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Among them are an all-day pancake breakfast, a magic show, old-fashioned games, maple sugaring demonstrations and demonstrations of early Indigenous maple sugar production techniques. Admission is $20 for adults, $12 for children above age 5, and free for children 5 and under, with discounted prices for members. For more information or to register for the event, visit naturecenter. org or call 381-1574.

The John Stites Western Jazz Festival hosts a closing concert featuring Western's University Jazz Orchestra and pianist Geoffrey Keezer at 7:30 p.m. March 7 in WMU's Dalton Center Recital Hall. Tickets are $6–$18 and available at wmich.edu/music/events.

The Kalamazoo St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which begins at 11 a.m. March 14, will feature Irish step dancers, bagpipes and more. The parade begins at the corner of East Michigan Avenue and South Burdick Street, goes south down Burdick, then west on Cedar Street, and ends at Rose Street. The parade website is kalamazooirish.org/st-pats-parade.

The Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival, celebrating Kalamazoo’s rich stringed-instrument heritage, will be held March 20–21 at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum and the neighboring Anna Whitten Hall. It kicks off with a performance by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Billy Davis at 6 p.m. March 20. Seating is free but limited and first come, first served. The festival will also feature workshops, vendors and other performances. For more information, visit kalamazoomuseum.org/events/fretboard-festival.

Something Stringed Exhibit explores the guitar as art

The guitar is one of the most enduring icons in American history, and more guitars are made every year than all other instruments combined. ShapeShifting:TheGuitarasModern ARTifact, an exhibit at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum through April 26, examines the guitar as not just a musical instrument but as a physical canvas for artists and builders.

The exhibit includes more than 40 guitars, some with unique or outrageous designs, and covers the origin of the guitar, its close relatives, and the introduction of electricity to the guitar.

Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is free.

Something Improvisational Three venues offer comedy surprises

A little laughter is a perfect tonic for what has been a long winter, and there are several opportunities to get a giggle this month.

The famous Chicago home for improv, Second City, has incubated scads of stars, and a show called The Best of Second City comes to Marshall's Franke Center for the Arts on March 6. It celebrates the 65th anniversary of Second City and includes some classic characters and sketches from its comedy archive performed by today's improv comics. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $68 and available at thefranke.org.

Kalamazoo’s Crawlspace Comedy Theatre presents improv shows throughout the month, with cocktails available for purchase. Tickets range from $2 to $20, and all shows begin at 7:30 p.m. You can purchase tickets and find more information at crawlspacecomedy.com.

Looking for a financial advisor who puts client service first?

More local improv talent will be on stage at the Dormouse Theatre when Canned Champagne performs there at 7:30 p.m. March 14. Tickets are $15 and are available at dormousetheatre.com. They will also be sold at the door. Ongoing communication is central to how we work. We provide direct access to our team for proactive planning, timely decisions, and real conversations, whether meeting in person or connecting by phone, video, or email.

Five Faves

Fabulous and futuristic footwear at the KIA

BY KALAMAZOO INSTITUTE OF ARTS STAFF

Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks is a groundbreaking new exhibition featuring nearly 60 designs pushing the boundaries of what footwear can be. It opened Feb. 7 at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and continues through June 7.

This touring show, which was coorganized by the American Federation of Arts and Toronto's Bata Show Museum, features an incredible mix of fashion, design, gaming, new media, architecture and material arts as well as sustainable and collaborative practices. It showcases work by designers as diverse as Rem D. Koolhaas and Zaha Hadid and innovators Mr. Bailey and Salehe Bembury, as well as collaborations with fashion icons like Stella McCartney and gaming and innovation companies such as PlayStation and Gravity Sketch.

Future Now groups these works in sections covering innovation, sustainability, transformative footwear and virtual footwear. Exhibition highlights include the self-lacing Nike MAG, digitally designed and 3D-printed shoes, sneakers made from mushroom leather and reclaimed ocean plastics, and virtual footwear.

Here are some of the cool kicks you will find in the exhibition:

Transformative footwear

Change occurs when the status quo is disrupted. From striving to build a more inclusive future to pushing the boundaries of design, the most visionary creators in the footwear industry are reimagining the future by breaking old molds and inventing new possibilities.

An example of this trend is the Octopus Shoe (2018), created by London-based industrial designer Mr. Bailey (Daniel Bailey) for Takashi Murakami's ComplexCon exhibition Sneakers for Breakfast. This whimsical, wearable shoe features a tentacleinspired sole that rises to encase the shoe's upper.

Virtual footwear

The metaverse is a new frontier, a compelling place for creators that offers infinite potential for virtual footwear. The futurists working in the metaverse are blurring the boundaries between the physical and virtual worlds. This piece, Zaha Hadid x United, Nude NOVA (2022), is the product of a collaboration between Rem D. Koolhaas, United Nude creative director, and Zaha Hadid, the famed late architect with a passion for shoes. With no preconceptions about the rules of shoe design, the pair created an entirely new form for shoes that features a chrome vinyl upper, a carbon fiber wedge and heel, and a leather lining.

Innovative footwear

Innovation has long driven footwear design, with each new material and production method meeting shifting needs and stoking desires. Today, innovation continues unabated. Cutting-edge technologies are being used by forward-thinking creators in startling ways, from responsive smart shoes to 3D-printed heels. A great example of this is SCRY, Undercurrent P Virtual Prototype (2022), created by Zixiong Wei for the Beijing-based footwear laboratory SCRY. It is a 3D-printed, digitally designed piece that blends architectural lines with a flowing look.

Sustainable footwear

Globally, more than 20 billion pairs of shoes are manufactured every year, and the majority of these are discarded as quickly as they are consumed. The environmental impact of such fast, cheap fashion has many concerned creators developing more sustainable materials and production methods to push the footwear industry toward a more circular economy. In the 19th century, shoemaking in the West was influenced by the advent of industrial production and the development of new synthetic materials. This resulted in artisan shoemaking taking a cultural backseat to mass production. Artisan shoemaking — the trade of the cobbler — can be seen in these work slippers from the 1860s.

Although mass production increased affordability and access to reliable footwear, it posed a new problem: Predetermined sizes, styles and colors limited consumer options and eventually led to worker exploitation and environmental waste. The designers represented in Future Now grapple with this complex history, prioritizing sustainability and style in equal measure.

Your footwear

OK, so maybe you don't have a pair of these Nike MAG shoes, which are a replica of a self-tying shoe featured in the film Back to the Future Part II that Nike released in 2011 and then again in 2016, but you can still show off your own cool kicks and fabulous footwear at an event called Future: REMIX, set for 7–10 p.m. March 20 at the KIA. The KIA's REMIX events seek to connect with the community around art. Future: REMIX will be an evening inspired by the Future Now exhibition and will include DJs, a cash bar, savory bites, sweet treats, dancing and a “kicks contest." Scan this QR code for tickets to the event.

courtesy of the Bata Shoe Museum.

About the Authors

The staff members of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts work in accord with the nonprofit organization's mission: to cultivate the creation and appreciation of the visual arts in West Michigan. In keeping with this mission, the KIA presents touring and collection exhibitions in 10 galleries; offers four terms of art classes at the Kirk Newman Art School; and houses the KIA Gallery Shop, featuring artwork by area artists and international artisans.

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‘Really big for us’ Micro-grants bring mighty potential for small businesses

BY KRISTEN AGUIRRE

Walking around downtown Kalamazoo, you’re never short on breweries to try, but there’s one "tasting room" you might have overlooked, Samson’s Barbershop.

“For us, the barbershop is kind of like a tasting room for a brewery,” says Adam Muncy, CEO and co-owner of Samson’s Hair Care.

The “beer” for Muncy’s barbershop is actually pomade.

His partner, Jake Hamlet, already an established barber in the area, was making the hair product using a modified rice cooker when he asked Muncy to partner with him in 2019 at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic allowed them to sell their product internationally more easily.

Nationally, their big break came after attending their first trade show in 2023. “That really changed our whole trajectory as a company. Overnight, we probably grew 40 percent,” Muncy says.

This meant more distribution and more product. They needed to expand to bigger equipment.

“We’ve been on a journey of outgrowing our spaces every six months,” Muncy says.

From relief to reality

This is where the United Way of South Central Michigan's Kalamazoo MicroEnterprise Grant came into play. It’s a $5,000 mini-grant to eligible small businesses in Kalamazoo.

“The grant is meant to provide relief to businesses that might be experiencing a financial need for really any regular, ordinary business purchases,” says Natalie O’Hagan, Senior Director of Strategy and Culture at United Way of South Central Michigan.

Initially, the United Way was not doing small business work at all until the pandemic

happened. In March 2020, the local city government pulled partners together to ask, "What can we do?" Small businesses needed quick capital for immediate relief. An emergency relief grant was created.

“We thought, 'Why don’t we stay in this space?'” supporting small businesses, O’Hagan says.

This opportunity evolved into the microgrants that are available now, every spring and fall. This season’s application deadline closes at the end of May and opens again in October for four weeks.

Since launching the Kalamazoo MicroEnterprise Grant program in 2020, UWSCMI has provided 721 businesses with microgrants. Of those businesses, 601, accounting for $3 million in investment, are located within the city limits of Kalamazoo. Another

120 grants, representing $600,000 in investment, were awarded to businesses located outside of the city but within Kalamazoo County.

'Anyone can apply'

Since 2023, applications have been open only to businesses in the city of Kalamazoo. Funding for these grants is provided by the City of Kalamazoo Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds through the American Rescue Plan Act.

O’Hagan says that in the past, a disproportionate number of BIPOC — Black, Indigenous, people of color communities — and women-owned businesses have not had access to funding, especially for small businesses. “This grant is positioned to support those populations, specifically. Anyone can apply.”

Businesses that have been in operation for at least one year in the city of Kalamazoo can apply, and those located within Shared

Prosperity Kalamazoo neighborhoods of Eastside, Edison, and Northside are highly encouraged to apply, as are businesses that

• have 10 or fewer employees;

• have annual revenue of $1 million or less;

• did not receive Kalamazoo MicroEnterprise Grant support in the previous year; and

• are current on all local, state, and federal taxes.

In 2024,one of those applicants was Muncy and Hamlet of Samson's Hair Care.

“It was exciting for us in that they really let us say, 'Hey, this is how we’re going to use the funds in a way we would get maximum return on it,'” Muncy says.

After an application is submitted, United Way staff reviews it for eligibility criteria, financial need and how the business aligns with United Way's values. UW staff creates recommendations for the 50 grants available for each round. That list then goes to a panel of small business owners, who give final approval.

“We know we have to target investments to communities that are disproportionally represented,” O’Hagan says.

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Muncy enjoyed the rigorous application process. “This forces you to get really creative if you can say, 'Hey, what can $5,000 do for me.'”

For Samson’s, the grant funds were used to upgrade equipment.

“Being able to put the money towards something so you’ll be able to grow from there is huge, and for us, being able to invest it in equipment is big because that gets used every day,” he says.

That investment is building loyal customers who describe Samson's products through online reviews like: "It's only been a few days of use, however, this is by far the best product I have used. I bought the pomade and the shampoo/conditioner, and all have been great for my hair." And "Great, strong product that maintains hold for my thick hair throughout the day — was surprised at its performance in rain and those hot, humid summer days. Definitely recommend this product."

Other customers have found Samson’s Foster the Hair Gel Pomade, a gel pomade that rinses out with water. As part of Samson’s Foster the Hair tradition, 3% of revenues will go to children in the foster care system.

On average, the United Way gives out about 100 micro-grants every year. While “equitable investments are central to our mission as an organization,” says O’Hagan, those investments are also essential to Kalamazoo’s business development.

“What we are looking for with this grant is to not only fund them and meet a financial need, but we’re also hoping they’re able to access additional funds,” O’Hagan says.

With their new equipment, Samson’s is now launching in Europe after expanding into Canada.

“That was really big for us,” Muncy says.

This story is part of Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative’s coverage of equitable community development, a topic readers told us they wanted to know more about when surveyed. SWMJC is a group of 12 regional organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism. This story originally ran in Southwest Michigan Second Wave. Visit swmichjournalism.com to learn more.

Learning and Earning

Anti-bullying program becomes outlet for young entrepreneurs

BY KATIE HOUSTON

Kalamazoo’s Justice Against Bullying at School (JABS) initiative was created in 2016 to support and empower youth who have been affected by bullying, but it has become much more.

The program embraces any school-aged youth, including college students, and over the years, and has adapted to offer programs on what members want to explore — from self-defense and gardening to podcasts and customized clothing — which have become a unique avenue of growth for the organization.

JABS began as an after-school safe space for students, launched by two sisters after one was repeatedly harassed and assaulted in grade school.

“It was my birthday, Sept. 12, and I had cupcakes for my class,” recalls Justyce Calvert, now 18. “These boys got mad that I wouldn’t give them any, but they weren’t in my class, and it was against the rules. After school, they took my candy and my leftover cupcakes from me and went into the boys’ bathroom. I went in there to get my stuff, and that's all I remember.”

Calvert, a third-grader at the time, was treated for a broken nose, and the incident was covered by local news media. The boys were suspended, but Justyce and her sister Jaide transferred schools and, encouraged by family members — including their grandmother Gwendolyn Hooker — created the anti-bullying club that continues to operate in the Edison neighborhood, at 921 Washington St.

“A lot of kids have to deal with bullying, and they don't have anybody to talk about

it with, how they feel about what happened to them. So, we came up with these letters DTTE,” says Justyce, which stand for "Defend yourself. Tell someone nearby. Tell someone at home. Express your feelings and emotions."

JABS is a program under the umbrella of the local nonprofit organization Helping Other People Exceed Thru Navigation. Hooker, the CEO and founder of HOPE Thru Navigation, says JABS has spawned four clubs serving the Edison, Northside, Vine and New Village Park neighborhoods and has reached more than 800 youth through these clubs and through community events and after-school programs at which members share their experiences and educate others about bullying.

Selling their own products

To earn money to support the organization, JABS embraced entrepreneurship in 2025, establishing the JABS Event Factory, through which members sell concessions such as snow cones, popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs and punch, as well as their own products, at various events.

“We started looking at ways the older kids could earn money,” says Hooker. “We started doing popcorn and snow cones, and then it evolved from there. We’re geared towards nonprofits and youth-serving organizations that have different events throughout the year.”

Hooker provided the funds needed to purchase concession equipment and says she was “quickly paid back in full.” The members of the JABS Event Factory learn how to use all the equipment and to follow food-safety protocols.

The Event Factory has seven members who are paid staff, known as Leaders in Training. The Event Factory has given JABS leaders merchandising and customer service experience, along with experience managing money by taking payments, making change and counting cash, and saving and budgeting. Last year the group made roughly $20,000, which funded student payroll, programming, parties and field trips such as a recent excursion to Airway Lanes.

And in the true spirit of entrepreneurship, many of the members who were doing creative pursuits on their own saw an opportunity to turn those talents into services and products that could also be sold at JABS events.

“Kirsten is our artist. She does henna and face painting and does her own artwork,” says Hooker. “Justyce does phone cases and custom clothing. Jaide does baking and makes fried Oreos.”

“I got a little individual deep fryer,” explains Jaide Calvert, 17. “You dip the Oreos in pancake mix and then in the oil and let it get a golden brown.”

At December’s Hillside Middle School Holiday Expo, these JABSpreneurs, as they have unofficially been dubbed, sold their wares ranging from sweet treats to haircuts. With 5 percent going to the organization, the JABSpreneurs made about $1,000 between them just in time for Christmas gift giving.

Many JABSpreneurs who are currently high school juniors and seniors have their eyes on the future. Student-athlete and barber Daijon Arnod, 17, cut hair at the Hillside Expo and hopes to continue that work. “I've been thinking about creating a mobile barber shop, one that’s kind of like a party bus, with seats and a TV," he says. "We’ll go to a place and park, and even if you're not getting a haircut, you can hang out.”

Self-taught baker Dillon Purnell, 17, makes personal-sized cakes to sell at JABS events and works as a paid staff member at the JABS headquarters in the Edison neighborhood. Purnell was just 9 when he was first harassed by other students at school.

“I was being bullied for my sexuality, which I didn’t really understand at the time,” Dillon says, noting that he now identifies as a gay young man. He found comfort and made friends at the JABS club at New Village Park, where he was living.

“JABS helped me feel accepted and gave me a community, and now I get to help people being bullied about the same thing I was. I can tell them, ‘I know exactly how you feel, because I was in your same place,'” he says, adding that he wants to go to college to be a psychotherapist.

“I’ve had problems with my mental health, so I want to help people with that," he continues. "I also want to study culinary arts, because I have always loved cooking. I recently got into baking, and now I get to hear people say how nice my things taste and how nice they look. It makes me want to keep going and just go higher.”

Diamond Anderson, 18, makes customized hoodies and shoes like Crocs. “It’s, like, my life now," she says of her work with JABS. "I want to be here every day, and if I’m not here, I want to be here."

Jaide Calvert expresses a similar feeling. “It’s family," she says. "Most of the group makes up a family, and we treat everybody else like family.”

Their schedule heats up Spring and summer are busy for the JABS crew, which Hooker says currently numbers 62. They are busy planning their Annual Youth Connect event, set for 3–6:30 p.m. April 1 at the Douglass Community Center, in Kalamazoo's Northside neighborhood. There, they will welcome students, families and caregivers to enjoy slime making and henna painting, meet community service providers and consume some tasty treats.

June has been designated as JABS Awareness Month by the city of Kalamazoo for the past nine years. In June of this year the JABS group will participate in Art Hop, march in the Do-Dah Parade and host a booth at Kalamazoo Pride. They will celebrate Juneteenth, host an annual bake sale at the Park Street Market, participate in Caribbean Fest, and wrap everything up with a JABS Jubilation outdoor party to celebrate the end of their program year. In July they’ll be part of the Black Arts Festival in Bronson Park.

This story is part of the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative’s coverage of equitable community development. The SWMJC is a group of 12 regional organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism. To learn more, visit swmichjournalism.com.

THE (NOT SO) OUT OF FAVOR BOYS

For two decades, the popular local band has found favor singing the blues

BY ROBERT M. WEIR

The year was 2003, and the millennium was young. The band was good but green, new to the Kalamazoo blues scene. And they didn’t have a name — until one night at O’Duffy’s Pub in the Vine neighborhood.

The band back then consisted of saxophonist Tony Sproul, now 48, guitarists Dan Ouellette and Joel Krauss, both now 52, bassist Tim Brouhard, now 45, and a drummer and an organist who soon drifted away.

“Danny and Joel and I were playing," Sproul recalls, "and the place was packed, but nobody was listening. We were all at the end of relationships, and we couldn’t get drinks because the waitress was ignoring us.

“It was just one of those nights when everything was piling up and piling up. Nothing was going right, and it really felt like a night for the blues. One of us said, ‘We are completely out of favor tonight,’ and another said, into the microphone, ‘We’re the Out of Favor Boys.’ The name stuck, and it’s a mouthful, but 23 years later we wouldn’t change it.”

Today the band has five members — drummer Tom Ufkes, 60, joined in 2016. Sproul, Ouellette and Krauss play smaller gigs, including every third Wednesday of the month at O’Duffy’s Pub, under the name Out of Favor Boys Trio (OFB3).

Their music is still blues-based, but they’ve evolved into more rock ’n’ roll and Americana, a contemporary music genre that blends folk, country, bluegrass, roots and blues.

Original members, original songs

On any given night, their tunes range from ballads and love songs to the soulful groove of deep Delta blues. And many of those tunes are originals, thanks to inspiration by Krauss, Ouellette or Sproul that is then honed by the entire group.

“Joel and Danny kind of went into a deep dive of writing originals,” says Brouhard, who played a ukelele and trombone in middle school before buying his first bass guitar at age 16. “We have songs that could compete with Pop Song of the

Year and others that just make their own genre. Joel writes songs that are reflective of his life.”

“Everything that I’ve written, there’s one line that’s true,” affirms Krauss, who played trombone in middle school and high school before taking up acoustic guitar in college. “It’ll be the first line or the intro. We start running through the chord progression. Tommy figures out a drum pattern that feels right. Then everything kind of trickles up.”

Ufkes, who as a child performed gospel songs on ukelele and guitar before “drums spoke” to him, explains, “These guys throw a song at me, and I do different drum versions. They say, ‘Yes, do that and that a little bit.’ And I spin it. It’s so easy.”

Brouhard says some songs “just evolve. We might be jammin’ or playing at a looser gig or even doing a soundcheck. I’d start with a baseline. Tony would make up some lyrics. That’s some of the best stuff we’ve ever done. I wish we had recordings.”

The Out of Favor Boys have recorded six albums, either as CDs or on vinyl, one of those a double album recorded live at The 411 Club in 2010.

Gigs large and small

They’ve played hundreds of gigs throughout Southwest Michigan, at everything from major music events to private parties, weddings and clubs that have faded into misty memory: Mr. Wonderful’s, Missias', Club Soda, The 411 Club.

“We’ve played at the Arcadia Festival Site more times than we can remember,” says Krauss. Those times include gigs at The Kalamazoo Blues Festival, Ribfest, Taste of Kalamazoo and other events.

“We’ve been at the Kalamazoo State Theatre more than a dozen times, and it’s a thrill every time,” says Ouellette, who at age 7 “stole” his older brother’s guitar and who remains inspired by Bob Seger, Eric Clapton, Robert Johnson and BB King.

They’ve played at gigs hosted by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo since 2007 and have become premier performers at the Summertime Live outdoor concerts that started in 2018.

The Out of Favor Boys won the Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association Blues Challenge in late 2003, when they were a six-piece band, an honor that took them to Memphis, Tennessee, for the 2004 International Blues Challenge.

With the current lineup, they won the local competition again in 2019 but chose not to return to Memphis because of the cost and required time away from their day jobs in banking, education, insurance and consumer products.

“It amazes me that we’ve played so many gigs,” says Ufkes.

For some of those gigs, the Out of Favor Boys have been on stage with legendary musicians who are in the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in Memphis and the Chicago

Out of Favor Boys Albums

• Halo, 2004

• Can’t Be Good, 2006

• 7.18.9., 2010 (live, titled for the date it was recorded at The 411 Club)

• It All Comes Back, 2016

• Out of Favor Boys, 2017

• Love & Sorrow, 2025

All of the albums are available on Spotify and on the Out of Favor Boys website, outoffavorboys.com.

More than willing to sit down with a bunch of young guys and give us the time of day about music and playing,” says Sproul, who chose the sax over other wind instruments in elementary school because he “thought it was neat.”

technical questions about strings and pedals to chord progressions and the structure of a song.”

Jam sessions are an integral part of the Out of Favor Boys’ history. “We cut our teeth at blues jams,” says Krauss. “That’s how we learned to be in a band, because it’s very give-and-take, very spontaneous.”

Blues Hall of Fame. And they’ve played many times with their idols, Chicago-based Howard and the White Boys, including at Mr. Wonderful’s in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

“Ninety-nine percent of them were wonderful people, just the nicest people.

“We were babies as a band back then,” says Ouellette.

Passing it on

Today they are mentors for up-andcoming musicians. “The young guitarists are asking me the same questions I asked 20 years ago," Ouellette says, "from simple

“If you’re not listening, it’s not going to work,” adds Ouellette. “But that’s hard, especially when you’re in your 20s and can barely play and everybody else is 50 and you’re intimidated and just trying to keep your head above water.”

The band members say that the Kalamazoo blues scene “has always been collaborative, supportive.” They express gratitude for the longstanding mainstay groups Seventh Son Blues Band and Crossroads Blues Band, with whom they jammed many times, going back

to the mid-1990s. “They were so generous with us,” Ouellette says.

To pass the torch, the Out of Favor Boys hosted jam sessions on Thursday nights at Mr. Wonderful’s from 2006 to 2008 and at The 411 Club from 2010 to 2016. “We weren’t sure who was going to show up,” says Sproul. “We would get some young kids. Their parents would bring them.”

“We would coach them and would help them know what’s coming next," Ouellette adds.

Known for having fun

As the Out of Favor Boys relate their experiences, their recollections roll with energy and laughter. “We were always known for our live shows,” says Sproul. “We bring absolute energy to the stage, and the majority of compliments we get are, ‘You guys look like you’re having so much fun.’ That’s not conscious on our part. It just happens naturally. They might not remember a damn song we played, but they know we were having a good time.”

“We read each other really well,” says Ufkes. “Every night’s a little different. One night I told the guys I’m going to put a disco beat into every song, and they adjusted. They adapted immediately.”

“Our draw has always been our live experience,” adds Brouhard. “That’s why our live album is our best seller.”

Does having fun while playing music translate into profitability?

See the Band

Upcoming performances by the Out of Favor Boys:

• March 17, 7 p.m., St. Patrick’s Day at Shakespeare’s Pub, 241 E. Kalamazoo Ave.

• March 18, 7 p.m., O’Duffy’s Pub, 804 W. Vine St. (Out of Favor Boys Trio)

• April 18, 7 p.m., SugarBowl Bar & Grille, 904 Washington St.

“From a tax standpoint, no,” says Sproul, “but we do all right as an entity.” The band, a limited license corporation, has been able to purchase equipment and studio recording time.

“I’ve bought a lot of guitars that I couldn’t afford if I weren’t in the band,” says Ouellette.

While most of the band’s revenue comes from live performances, songs uploaded to the internet aren't very profitable. “People can jump on Spotify and, for 19 bucks a month, listen to as many Out of Favor Boys songs as they want,” says Sproul. But the band gets practically nothing: 500 plays will pay a royalty of less than a penny.

“The digital music resources have essentially ruined that end of the business,” says Sproul.

“We’ve got Spotify’s basic plan," explains Ouellette. "But if we were Taylor Swift, we could say, ‘Do you want my song? Well, then, you need to pay $2 per play.’ She can say that, and she gets it.”

But Sproul mentions a more positive reality of the arts and entertainment industry. “None of us ever started doing this to make money," he says. "We do this because everybody finds joy in the music and the opportunity to play. That is a consistent piece that never goes away. The highlight over the years has been the people we’ve had a chance to meet and play with.”

'Chugging along'

Sproul says the future of the Out of Favor Boys is “to just keep chugging along one way or another. ... The evolution of the band is a never-ending story.”

They plan to continue writing songs. “About half our songs are original now, and we’re still creating,” says Ouellette.

And while the number of live music venues in the Kalamazoo area is fewer these days, the audiences are still there. During a recent gig at The Dock at Bayview in Richland, that nightspot and restaurant was hosting two bachelor parties involving men in their midto late twenties.

“And they loved us,” says Sproul. “Absolutely loved us. They really dug what we were doing, and they didn’t want to hear covers. They wanted to hear our music.”

With those young men — and with numerous audiences over the years — the Out of Favor Boys have found favor. They no longer sing the out-of-favor blues.

TheArts THEATER

Misery

March 5–15

Farmers Alley Theatre

After being rescued from a car crash by his self-avowed "number one fan," a novelist is forced to write as if his life depends on it in this thriller based on the Stephen King novel and movie. Paul Stroili, resident artist at The Purple Rose Theatre Company in Chelsea, has the lead role as Paul Sheldon, while Laura Jordan will star in the role of avid fan Annie Wilkes.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. March 5–7 and 12–14 and 2 p.m. March 8 and 15. Tickets are $17–28 and available at farmersalleytheatre.com.

AngelsinAmerica

PartI:Millennium

Approaches

March 13–22

Civic Theatre

Set in 1980s New York City during the onset of the AIDS crisis, this production is the first part of Tony Kushner's two-part, Pulitzer Prize-winning play that explores themes of love, loss, religion, and politics through interconnected storylines and the supernatural intervention of an angel.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. March 13, 14, 20 and 21 and 2 p.m. March 15 and 22 in the Civic Theatre, 329 S. Park St. Tickets are $17–$32 and available online at kazoocivic. com or by calling 343-1313.

•LoveGames •

TheDoctorHasa

Beau

March 6 & 14

All Ears Theatre

Two unique allaudio productions, one improvised and one not, will be presented this month in the Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition (KNAC) building, 315 W. Michigan Ave.

TheLysistrataProject

March 20–22

Queer Theatre Kalamazoo

Four college roommates — Manic Pixie, Gold Star, Pick-A-Side and Easy A — swear off sex for good or until the local frat boys can get their acts together in this production loosely based on the ancient Greek comedy Lysistrata about women staging a sex strike to force their husbands to end the Peloponnesian War.

An improv performance inspired by the radio shows of the 1930s–50s, Love Games:AllEarsAfterDark&Improvised Golden Age of Radio , will feature a cast creating improvised sound effects and performances as they act out stories of romantic couples and friends who use games to express love and overcome their relationship obstacles. Show time is 7:30 p.m. March 6 in KNAC's Crawlspace Comedy Theatre and tickets are $20.

Intrepid U.S. Marshal Chase Marlow will be on the case in The Doctor Has a Beau , to be performed at 6 p.m. March 14. Marlow seeks to make sure the town doctor's new beau is what he seems in this radio drama written and directed by All Ears co-founder Don Ramlow. Admission is free.

MuchAdoAbout Nothing

March 20–29

WMU Theatre

With mistaken identities, romance and frenemies, this Shakespeare comedy staged by Western Michigan University students will offer enough mischief and meddling to fill a, well, theater.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. March 20–21 and 26–28 and 2 p.m. March 22 and 29 in Williams Theatre in the Gilmore Theatre Complex on the WMU campus. Tickets are $12–$22 and available online at wmich. edu/theatre or by calling 387–6222.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. March 20–21 and 2 p.m. March 22 in the Jolliffe Theatre, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall. Tickets are on a name-your-price basis and can be purchased online at queertk.org.

ThePiratesof Penzance

March 27–29

Center Stage Theatre

Swashbuckling pirates, bumbling bobbies, beautiful young maidens, and, of course, the Modern Major General, all come together in this comedic opera to be staged at Hackett Catholic Prep High School, 1000 W. Kilgore Road.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. March 27–28 and 2 p.m. March 28–29. Tickets are $12–$15 and available online at kzoocst.com.

Hair:TheAmerican TribalLove-Rock Musical

March 20–28

Dormouse Theatre

Capturing the 1960s counterculture with its themes of peace, love and anti-war protest, this show follows a "tribe" of hippies in New York City as they navigate life and protest the Vietnam War.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. March 20, 21, 27 and 28 at Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St. Tickets are $25 and available online at dormousetheatre.com.

Discovery

March 6

Art Hop

Downtown Kalamazoo’s Art Hop returns after a winter hiatus, celebrating curiosity and the art that comes from it this month

This free event, organized by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, runs from 5–8 p.m. and features a variety of artists’ works as well as live music and the chance to visit downtown businesses.

For a brochure showing Art Hop sites and information about participating artists, visit kalamazooarts.org.

Edible Book Festival

March 28

Kalamazoo Book Arts Center

If your favorite book were a food, what would it be? Find out how others answer this question at this annual event that invites entrants to create edible creations that are related to a book. The festival is part of the global Edible Book Festival, celebrated in more than 20 countries.

The event runs from 3:30–5 p.m. at the KBAC, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A. Voting begins at 3:30 p.m., with winners announced at 4 p.m., followed by eating of the books.

For more information, visit kalbookarts.org.

Continuing Exhibitions

TaekyeomLee:Designed, Printed & Fired , KIA, through March 8

The Illustrated Accordion, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, through March 20

2026YoungArtistsof KalamazooCounty , KIA, through March 22

Future Now: Virtual SneakerstoCutting-Edge Kicks , KIA, through June 7

VISUAL ARTS

•Vibrations

•BFAExhibition

Richmond Center for Visual Arts

Two new exhibitions — one featuring works by instructors, the other by students — will open this month at Western Michigan University.

Vibrations , running March 24–April 25 in the Netzorg-Kerr Gallery, brings together the work of instructors of the school's Morean Ceramics Research Center's Summer Intensive Workshop, highlighting the shifting role of ceramics across studio craft, design, and contemporary art.

Works by graduating seniors of WMU's Gwen Frostic School of Art will be showcased in the 1st Annual BFA Exhibition from March 31–May 2 in the Albertine Monroe-Brown Gallery. A reception for the artists will be held from 5–8 p.m. May 1.

The galleries are located on the WMU campus and hours are noon–6 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday.

From Cobaltto

Indigo

March 28–July 12

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

One of the most enduring and influential colors in global art history, blue is the subject of From Cobalt to Indigo: The Power of Blue in East Asia that opens March 28.

Spanning centuries of Chinese and Japanese creativity, the exhibition traces how the color blue — once among the rarest and most prized pigments — shaped artistic innovation, cultural exchange, and aesthetic identity across East Asia.

The KIA, 314 S. Park St., is open 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 $10–$15.

RooteadinRhythm: YouthShowcase

March 1

RYDDE

Highlighting African diasporic drum and dance traditions, Rootead Youth Drum & Dance Ensemble (RYDDE), will perform at 3 p.m. at the Fetzer Center, 2251 Business Court on the Western Michigan University campus.

RYDDE is a pre-professional drum and dance company for youth ages 13–18 that focuses on Black diasporic drum and dance including traditional West African, Afro Fusion, and Afro Beats.

Tickets are $15 and available online at rootead.org.

RADFest2026

March 5–8

Various venues

For a steamy respite from the season, a weekend full of dance returns for its 16th year, when the Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival (RADFest) presents performances by dancers from all over the world. Hosted by Wellspring, Southwest Michigan's oldest professional dance company, the juried festival is based out of the Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, but has events scheduled at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo Public Library and KP Cinema.

Tickets range from free to $25 and are available at wellspringdance.org.

TheArts

MusictoTugatYour Harpstrings

March 1

Early Music Michigan

Early Music Michigan presents Clevelandbased historical and folk harpist and soprano Anna O’Connell, who will bring the unique sound of the Baroque double harp in combination with voice, flute, and other instruments.

Showtime is 3 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 504 S. Westnedge Ave. Recommended ticket prices are $15–$25 and available for purchase online at earlymusicmichigan.org.

• Tonya Martini & the Bluetones

•JR Clark Band

March 15

Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association

A little blues music will help you heat up on March 15 when two Kalamazoo blues bands take the stage at Shakespeare’s Pub, Lower Level, 241 E. Kalamazoo Ave. Performing as part of the KVBA's Winter Blues Series, Tonya Martini & the Bluetones will play from 2–4 p.m. and the JR Clark Band takes the stage from 4–6 p.m. Admission is a suggested donation of $8. For more information visit kvba.org.

Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

Throughout the month Various venues

From pirates to flight to the return of a Stulberg champion, the KSO has an eclectic roster of performances this month.

First up is Symphonic Beats:HipHopCulture , at 7:30 p.m. March 6, which will celebrate the rich history of Hip Hop, fusing it with sounds of classical music. Local artists take the stage at Kalamazoo Central High School, 2432 N. Drake Road, for cyphers, dance, spoken word, original music and artistry, all backed by the DC Quintet and Symphony musicians. Tickets are $10–$20.

On March 10, the KSO and its 2025 Youth Soloist Competition winner will perform a family-friendly flight-themed program at 6 p.m. in Miller Auditorium. The pieces featured in Music Takes Flight include Flight of the Bumblebee, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” The Ride of the Valkyries and “Mars” from The Planets. Tickets are $5–$15.

On March 21, the KSO will take to the sea when it performs the score to Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl Live while an HD projection of the movie plays. Showtime is 7 p.m. in Miller Auditorium and tickets are $35–$85.

Finally, on March 28, several Stulberg International String Competition winners, including violinist Benjamin Beilman (2007 gold medalist), will join the KSO to play Beethoven’s Violin Concerto at 7:30 p.m. in Miller Auditorium. In addition, Laurentia Woo (2025 Gold Medalist) and Lauren Yoon (2025 Julius & Esther Stulberg Memorial Prize) will perform. Tickets are $5–$68. For tickets or more information, visit kalamazoosymphony.org.

MUSIC

DivergentFates

March 7

Kalamazoo Philharmonia

While Igor Stravinsky's and Sergei Rachmaninoff's lives were incredibly similar — they were born in Russia to wealthy families, built international reputations as composers, permanently left Russia, emigrated to the U.S. and even dined together at each other’s homes in Los Angeles — their music could not be more different. These differences will be explored in this concert which also features violinist Eliot Heaton.

Showtime is 7:30 p.m. in Dalton Theatre of the Light Fine Arts Building at Kalamazoo College. Tickets are $3–$7 and available at the door.

WMU School of Music

Throughout the month

Various venues

From festival performances to accomplished guest artists, the Western Michigan University Gilmore School of Music has a full slate of concerts this month. Unless otherwise noted, the performances are at the Dalton Center Recital Hall, and tickets are $6 to $18.

• Carol Dusdieker, soprano, 7:30 p.m. March 3

• John Stites Western Jazz Festival Closing Concert, University Jazz Orchestra & pianist Geoffrey Keezer, 7:30 p.m. March 7

• Will Sutton, trombone, tuba & euphonium, 7:30 p.m. March 16, Dalton Center Lecture Hall, free

• Jonathan Shames, piano, 7:30 p.m. March 16

• Varo String Quartet, 7:30 p.m. March 18; pre-concert talk 7 p.m.

• Southwestern Michigan Vocal Festival, choral music, 7 p.m. March 19, Miller Auditorium

• Jazz Combo Showcase, 7:30 p.m. March 24, free

• Martha Councell-Vargas & Dianne Frazer, flute & piano, 7:30 p.m. March 25; pre-concert talk 7 p.m.

• WMU Drum Choir, 7:30 p.m. March 30, free

• Earth Echoes: Music for Health & Wellness , Deanna Bush & Wind Willow Consortium, 7:30 p.m. March 31

TheArts

Katy Didden & Samyak Shertok

March 28

Kalamazoo Book Arts Center

These two poets will give readings from their work at 7 p.m. March 28 at the KBAC, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, as part of its Poets in Print series.

Didden is an associate professor at Ball State University where she teaches poetry workshops and classes on creative writing and the environment. She is the author of The Glacier’s Wake and Ore Choir: The Lava on Iceland and her work has appeared in Poetry Northwest, Ecotone, 32 Poems, Diagram, The Sewanee Review and The Kenyon Review.

Roots&Wings: StoriesofSurvival& Soaring

March 5 & 19

Kalamazoo Poetry Festival

Led by creative wellness practitioner

Erica Smith, this twopart workshop blends painting and poetry to explore the theme of "Beyond Resilience." Participants will reflect on their personal journeys, creating works that capture their "roots" (strength) and their "wings" (future growth).

Lyanda Lynn Haupt

March 18

KVCC Visiting Writers Series

An award-winning author, naturalist and ecophilosopher, Haupt will give a craft talk and reading from her latest book, Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit, in the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Student Commons Theater on the college's Texas Township campus.

Originally from Nepal, Shertok’s debut collection, No Rhododendron, was selected for the 2024 AWP Donald Hall Prize for Poetry. His poems have appeared in The Cincinnati Review, The Gettysburg Review, The Iowa Review, The Kenyon Review, POETRY, Shenandoah and Best New Poets. He teaches creative writing at Hendrix College.

Workshop sessions are 6–7:30 p.m. March 5 and 19 in the Kalamazoo Poetry Festival space at Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition (KNAC) building, 315 W. Michigan Ave. Registration is required, and participants must attend both sessions. To register and for more information, visit kalamazoopoetryfestival.com.

TheArts

Acclaimed for combining scientific knowledge with literary, poetic prose, she has won the Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award, the Nautilus Book Award and is a two-time winner of the Washington State Book Award. The craft talk will be at 10 a.m. and her reading will be at 2:15 p.m. Visit libguides.kvcc.edu/visitingwriters for more information.

is published in partnership and funding provided by

Saturday Morning Basketball

Begin with the mother who spots the untied shoe on the boy flying up and down the polished gym floor. Basketball. He’s nine. She shouts at him to tie it and he waves her off.

Now five of us on the sidelines are fretting. He’s on the line ready to take the ball back into play when the ref holds up a hand. “You heard your momma.” In the end, there’s a knot, and the ref kneels and helps.

These men, primers in patience. Each time they blow the whistle, they explain the infraction. Every free throw, a delay to guide the players exactly where to place

their feet, how their jerseys need to read: teal/purple, teal/purple. At the half, they ask the kids to point to their goal. And, “Son. You’re gonna have to dribble,” to the boy who carries the ball proudly, cake on a platter, the length of the court.

The boy with the retied shoe is ready to move. “Wait, son. Tell your momma you love her.” And he does.

— Gail Martin

Gail Martin, a psychotherapist in Kalamazoo, has had two award-winning poetry collections. Disappearing Queen won the Wilder Prize from Two Sylvias Press (2021), while Begin Empty-Handed won the Perugia Press Poetry Prize (2013) and the Housatonic Book Award for Poetry. Her first book, The Hourglass Heart, was published by New Issues Press in 2003. Her work has been featured on Verse Daily and Poetry Daily and in the anthology Braving the Body (Harbor Editions, 2024) as well as various literary journals.

THEATER Plays

Misery — A thriller about a romance novelist rescued by an avid fan, 7:30 p.m. March 5–7 & 12–14, 2 p.m. March 8 & 15, Farmers Alley Theatre, 221 Farmers Alley, 343-2727, farmersalleytheatre.com.

A Needless and Wasteful Requirement — Satirical one-act play about copyright law & bigotry, 8 p.m. March 6–7, 13–14 & 20–21, New Vic Theatre, 134 E. Vine St., 381-3328, thenewvictheatre.org.

Much Ado About Nothing — Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identities, 7:30 p.m. March 20–21 & 26–28, 2 p.m. March 22 & 29, Williams Theatre, WMU, 387-6222, wmich.edu/theatre.

The Lysistrata Project — Four college roommates face romantic trials, Queer Theatre Kalamazoo, 7:30 p.m. March 20 & 21, 2 p.m. March 22, Jolliffe Theatre, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, queertk.org.

Musicals

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical — Follows the life of the rock singer, 7:30 p.m. March 3 & 4, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.

Angels in America Part I: Millennium Approaches — Love, identity & politics during the 1980s AIDS epidemic, 7:30 p.m. March 13, 14, 20 & 21; 2 p.m. March 15 & 22, Civic Theatre, 329 S. Park St., 343-1313, kazoocivic.com.

Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical — Observations from the hippie counterculture, 7:30 p.m. March 20, 21, 27 & 28, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.

The Pirates of Penzance — Romance of a pirate’s apprentice & a Major-General's daughter, March 27–29, Center Stage Theatre, Hackett Catholic Prep High School, 1000 W. Kilgore Rd., kzoocst.com.

Other

TEDx Kalamazoo — Speakers share thoughtprovoking ideas with live performances from local artists, presented by Public Media Network, 7 p.m. March 12, Jolliffe Theatre, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, kalamazooarts. org/event.

The Doctor Has a Beau — All-audio theater production, 6 p.m. March 14, Kalamazoo

Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition, 315 W. Michigan Ave., allearstheatre.org.

DANCE

Ebony Vision Student Dance Concert — Showcasing WMU dance students of color, 2 p.m. Mar. 1, Dance Studio B, Dalton Center, WMU, wmich.edu/dance/events.

Rootead in Rhythm: Annual RYDDE Showcase — Rootead’s Youth Drum & Dance Ensemble performs, Fetzer Center, WMU, 3 p.m. March 1, rootead.org.

Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival (RAD Fest) — Modern, post-modern & contemporary dance, March 5–8, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, wellspringdance.org, 342-4354.

Spring Noon Dance Showing — WMU students perform short-form dance, noon March 20, Dance Studio B, Dalton Center, wmich.edu/dance/events.

MUSIC

Bands & Solo Artists

Live Music at Zero — Live music, 6–9 p.m. Wednesdays & Fridays, Zero: Non-Alcoholic Bar, 202 S. Kalamazoo Mall, welcometozero.com.

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe Concerts — Kyle Jennings w/Lexi Adams, March 6; Hairmania w/ OCD/C, 7:30 p.m. March 7; 2026 Spring Concert Series: Yellowhouse, Sierra Miffed & Witches Wedding, March 13; Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore, March 14; Mustard Plug w/The Boy Detective, Killer Diller, March 20; Hot Like Mars w/The All American Super Jam, March 21; Oberon Day live music, 11 a.m. March 23; Twen w/Phabies & Monsoon, March 26; Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, March 28; shows at 8 p.m. unless noted, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382-2332, bellsbeer.com.

Gun Lake Casino Shows — The LALAS Burlesque Show, 9 p.m. March 6; DJ Mel-V Pool Party, 8 p.m. March 7; Family Tradition Band, 8 p.m. March 7; Nick Dekoff, 8 p.m. March 13; Dick Diamond & The Dusters, 8 p.m. March 21; 1123 129th Ave., Wayland, gunlakecasino.com.

Whiskey Before Breakfast – Traditional Irish music, 2 p.m. March 8, Parchment Community Library, 401 S. Riverview Drive, parchmentlibrary. org.

King Garbage w/Hannah Laine — Ashevillebased Grammy-winning band, 7 p.m. March 14, The Clover Room, 1501 Fulford St., thecloverroomkalamazoo.com.

Tonya Martini Band & JR Clark Band — Blues music, 2 p.m. March 15, Shakespeare’s Pub, Lower Level, 241 E. Kalamazoo Ave., kvba.org.

Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More MusictoTugatYourHarpstrings— Historical harpist & soprano Anna O’Connell, 3 p.m. March 1, Trinity Lutheran Church, 504 S. Westnedge Ave., earlymusicmichigan.org.

Carol Dusdieker — Soprano, 7:30 p.m. March 3, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, wmich.edu/ music/events.

Kalamazoo College Singers — 7:30 p.m. March 4, Dalton Theatre, Light Fine Arts Building, Kalamazoo College, music.kzoo.edu/events.

Symphonic Beats: Hip Hop Culture — DJ, dancers, rappers, singers & instrumentalists backed by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. March 6, Kalamazoo Central High School, 2432 N. Drake Road, kalamazoosymphony.com.

Divergent Fates — Kalamazoo Philharmonia performs with Eliot Heaton, 7:30 p.m. March 7, Dalton Theatre, Light Fine Arts Building, Kalamazoo College, music.kzoo.edu/events.

John Stites Western Jazz Festival Closing Concert — University Jazz Orchestra & pianist Geoffrey Keezer, 7:30 p.m. March 7, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

International Percussion Ensemble — 4 p.m. March 8, Dalton Theatre, Light Fine Arts Building, music.kzoo.edu/events.

Music Takes Flight — KSO & its 2025 Youth Soloist Competition winner, 6 p.m. March 10, Miller Auditorium, kalamazoosymphony.com.

Will Sutton — Trombone, tuba & euphonium; master class, 6 p.m.; recital 7:30 p.m. March 16, Dalton Center Lecture Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

Jonathan Shames — Piano, 7:30 p.m. March 16, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

Varo String Quartet — 7:30 p.m. March 18, Dalton Center Recital Hall; pre-concert talk 7 p.m., wmich.edu/music/events.

Southwestern Michigan Vocal Festival — WMU's University Chorale, Festival Chorus & Honors Choir, 7 p.m. March 19, Miller Auditorium, wmich.edu/music/events.

Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival — Celebrating Kalamazoo’s stringed-instrument heritage, March 20–21, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 230 N. Rose St., kalamazoomuseum.org.

Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl Live in Concert — KSO performs while movie plays, 7 p.m. March 21, Miller Auditorium, kalamazoosymphony.org.

College A Cappella Night — Musical rivalry of a cappella groups, 8 p.m. March 21, Franke Center for the Arts, 214 E. Mansion St., Marshall, thefranke.org.

Crescendo Academy of Music Student Recital — 2 p.m. March 22, First Presbyterian Church, 321 W. South St., 345-6664, crescendoacademy.com.

Jazz Combo Showcase — 7:30 p.m. March 24, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

Martha Councell-Vargas & Dianne Frazer — Flute & piano, 7:30 p.m. March 25, Dalton Center Recital Hall; pre-concert talk 7 p.m., wmich.edu/music/events.

Beethoven’s Violin Concerto — KSO & Stulberg International String Competition winners, 7:30 p.m. March 28, Miller Auditorium, kalamazoosymphony.org.

WMU Drum Choir — 7:30 p.m. March 30, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

Earth Echoes: Music for Health & Wellness — Music therapist Deanna Bush & Wind Willow Consortium, 7:30 p.m. March 31, Dalton Center Recital Hall, 387-4678, wmich.edu/music/ events.

COMEDY

Crawlspace Comedy Theatre — Improv performances: All Ears After Dark & Improvised Golden Age of Radio, March 6; The Buttons & Baby Steps, March 7; Crawlspace Eviction, March 13 & 14; Crawlspace Sketch Comedy Show, March 20, 21, 27 & 28; all shows begin at 7:30 p.m., Crawlspace Theatre, 315 W. Michigan Ave., crawlspacecomedy.com.

The Second City Improv Comedy — 8 p.m. March 6, Franke Center for the Arts, 214 E. Mansion St., Marshall, thefranke.org.

Canned Champagne Improv Comedy — 7:30 p.m. March 14, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.

Adam Ray — On his Who Is Me Tour, 7 p.m. March 15, 1123 129th Ave., Wayland, gunlakecasino.com.

FILM

Son of the White Mare — Screening of the 1981 film, 8 p.m.; pre-show poetry readings 7 p.m., March 12, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.

VISUAL ARTS

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org

Exhibitions

Taekyeom Lee: Designed, Printed & Fired — 3D printing with traditional ceramic making, through March 8.

2026 Young Artists of Kalamazoo County — Celebrating art by Kalamazoo County K–8th graders, through March 22.

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

FromCobalttoIndigo:ThePowerofBluein East Asia — Exploring the use across East Asia of the rare, prized pigment, March 28–July 12.

Events

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

Gallery Gathering — Works from Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks, 5:30 p.m. March 5; registration encouraged.

RADFest Community Dance & Drumming Jam — Dance improvisation to live music, 2 p.m. March 7.

ARTbreak — Programs about art & artists: Pysanky Eggs: A Traditional Eastern European Folk Art, March 11; The Art & Life of Hughie LeeSmith, March 25; noon; registration encouraged.

Sneakerheadz — Screening of the 2015 documentary on shoe collecting, 6 p.m. March 12; registration encouraged.

Cool Kicks — Wear your favorite shoes for photo ops, 11 a.m. March 14.

Book Discussion — Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s Take My Hand, 2 p.m. March 18, registration encouraged.

Gallery Shop Artist Meet & Greet — Connect with local artists, 5 p.m. March 19.

Sneaker Culture Night — Food, music & presentation on sneaker culture by Dr. Delisia Matthews, 5:30 p.m. March 26, registration encouraged.

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

Vibrations — Works by summer intensive workshop instructors, March 24–April 25, Netzorg-Kerr Gallery.

BFA Exhibition — Works by graduating seniors, March 31–May 2, Albertine Monroe-Brown Gallery.

Other Venues

The Illustrated Accordion — Accordion-style books, through March 20, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, 3734938, kalbookarts.org.

Art Hop — Art on the theme of “Discovery,” celebrating curiosity, 5–8 p.m. March 6, downtown Kalamazoo, 342-5059, kalamazooarts.org.

Edible Book Festival — Books presented as culinary art, 3:30 p.m. March 28; winner announcement, 4 p.m. followed by eating, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, kalbookarts.org.

LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS

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

CTL Writers — Group writing discussion, 10 a.m. March 6 & 27.

Pride Book Club — Discuss C.L. Polk’s Even Though I Knew the End, 6 p.m. March 11, registration required.

Journaling Club — For adults & teens, 11 a.m. March 12; registration required.

Adulting 101: House Cleaning Basics — For young adults or for a refresher, 6 p.m. March 30; registration required.

Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov

KPL Mobile Library — 4 p.m. March 11, Interfaith Homes, 1037 Interfaith Blvd.; 3 p.m. March 18, Parkview Hills Clubhouse, 3707 Greenleaf Circle; stops are approximately 1 hour.

Parchment Community Library 401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org

Parchment Book Group/Reading Together — Discuss Dolen Perkins-Valdez's Take My Hand, 6 p.m. March 9.

Vinyasa Yoga — All levels welcome, 5:15 p.m. March 11.

Pizza & Perspectives: Indie Lens Pop-Up — Watch & discuss The Inquisitor, a documentary on Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, 6 p.m. March 16.

Mystery Book Club — Discuss Jean-Luc Bannalec's The Fleur-de-Sel Murders, 6:30 p.m. March 17.

Chair Yoga — All levels welcome, 11 a.m. March 21.

Kalamazoo County ID Mobile Unit — Get or renew an ID or info on Kalamazoo County ID program, 3 p.m. March 23.

Board Game Blast for Adults — Play board games, 10 a.m. March 27.

Portage District Library 300 Library Lane, 329-4544, portagelibrary.info

Kalamazoo County Historical Society — Local history speakers & discussion, 7 p.m. March 2.

The Historical Japanese Katana — Discussion of this weapon, 6 p.m. March 3; registration required.

Cultivating the Self & the Community — Wellness in the Buddhism & East Asia tradition, 6 p.m. March 4; registration required.

Muffins & the Market — Recent stock market trends, 9 a.m. March 5 & 19.

Chinese Calligraphy & Self-Reflection — Traditional Chinese calligraphy, 4:30 p.m. March 5; registration required.

Pub(lic) Library Trivia — Create or join a team to compete, 6:30 p.m. March 10; registration required.

Molecules: Portrait of a Community — Community painting project for all ages, 3 p.m. March 12 & 19.

Yoga with Apral — 4 p.m. March 12 & 26; registration required.

Documentary & Donuts — Viewing of Radioactive with discussion, 10 a.m. March 13.

Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society — 7 p.m. March 16.

Plots & Pages: A Local Writers Group — Discuss the craft of writing, 6 p.m. March 17.

Speed Friending for Adults — Meet other 60to 80-year-olds, but all are welcome, 5:30 p.m. March 18; registration required.

Drop-In Genealogy Help — 10 a.m. March 19.

International Mystery Book Club — Discuss I.S. Berry’s The Peacock & the Sparrow, 7 p.m. March 19.

Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group — About Mac computers, programs & accessories, 9 a.m. March 21.

Saturday Sound Immersion — Wind Willow Consortium plays, 10:30 a.m. March 21; registration required.

Kalamazoo Plant It Forward — Indoor & outdoor plant swap & social event, 10 a.m. March 28.

Light Lunch & Literature — Discuss Alix Harrow’s A Spindle Splintered, noon March 30, registration required.

KPL’s Reading Together Event — Discuss 2026 Reading Together selection Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, 6:30 p.m. March 30.

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

Bridge Club — Noon Tuesdays.

Intro to A.I. — What it is, how it works & how people interact with it, 6 p.m. March 3.

Cookbook Club — Sample & discuss recipes from Frankie Celenza’s East Affordable Tasty, 6 p.m. March 10.

Music Trivia — Individuals or teams of up to six, 7 p.m. March 24; registration required.

Seed Starting 101 — For all skill levels, 6 p.m. March 25.

Van Buren District LibraryAntwerp Sunshine Branch 24283 Front St., Mattawan, 668-2534, vbdl.org

On a Lighter Note — Enjoy a lighthearted book, 5:30 p.m. March 10.

Adult Book Club — 5:30 p.m. March 18.

Read It & Reel — Compare movies with the books they inspired, 5:45 p.m. March 23.

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

Adult Winter Reading Challenge — Earn points & prizes, through March 20.

Bridge Club — 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays. Book Club for Adults — Selection at circulation desk, 9:30 a.m. March 5.

Cookie Swap — Bring 2 dozen cookies to sample & trade, 6 p.m. March 9.

Scrabble Club for Adults — All skill levels, 1 p.m. March 10.

Writer’s Motivational Group — Set goals & report progress, 4 p.m. March 12.

Other Venues

Roots & Wings: Stories of Survival & Soaring — Two-session painting & poetry workshop led by Erica Smith, 6 p.m. March 5 & 19, KNAC building, 315 W. Michigan Ave., register at kalamazoopoetryfestival.com.

Lyanda Lynn Haupt — Craft talk & reading from her book, Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, & Spirit, 10 a.m. craft talk, 2:15 p.m. reading, March 18, KVCC Student Commons Theater, Texas Township, libguides. kvcc.edu/visitingwriters.

Katy Didden & Samyak Shertok — Poetry reading, 7 p.m. March 28, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, kalbookarts.org.

MUSEUMS

Air Zoo

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

Movie Night — 6 p.m. March 14.

Sensory Friendly Sunday — 10 a.m. March 15.

Spring Break Family Fun Days — Special events & activities, March 31–April 9.

Gilmore Car Museum

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

2026 Winter Lecture Series — Hollywood Memories, March 1; The Upjohn Company, March 8; Fatal Crossing, March 15; Billy Durant: Founder of General Motors, March 22; Driving in 1925, March 29; sessions begin at 2 p.m.

Oberon Release Party — Celebrating Bell's iconic brew, 5 p.m. March 23.

Kalamazoo Valley Museum

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

Shape Shifting: The Guitar as Modern ARTifact — The guitar as both instrument & physical canvas for artists & builders, through April 26.

Black Cowboys — The lives & work of Black men, women & children who labored on ranches & cattle drives, through July 26.

Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival — See entry in Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More

NATURE

Kalamazoo Nature Center

7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org

Maple Sugar Festival — Maple sugaring demonstrations, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. March 7.

Jigsaw Puzzle Night — Team competition to complete a 550-piece puzzle, 6 p.m. March 19; registration required.

Yoga with Apral — 10 a.m. March 21; registration required.

Meet the Flock: Pigeon Walk — Meet KNC animal ambassadors, 2 p.m. March 21.

Science Speaks: Bats with Dr. Vonhof — Info on these often-unseen flying mammals, 2 p.m. March 28.

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

Birds & Coffee Chat — Protecting local songbirds, 10 a.m. March 11, online; registration required.

Behind the Scenes: Raptors — Caring for raptors, 10 a.m. March 21.

Guided Birding Hike — Celebrating National Swan Day, 1:30 p.m. March 28.

Other Venues

Butterflies Are Blooming — Tropical butterfly exhibition, March 1–April 30, Meijer Gardens, 1000 E. Beltline NE, Grand Rapids, meijergardens.org.

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society General Meeting & Speaker — Thinking Big: From Detroit Observatory to the ESO 39-Meter ELT, presentation by Prof. Michael Meyer, 7 p.m. March 6, Kalamazoo Math & Science Center, 600 W. Vine St., or online; kasonline.org.

Beginning Birding Walk — 9 a.m. March 7; Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery's second parking lot, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, kalamazooaudubon.org.

Terra Talks — Lecture series on environmental stewardship: Invasive Species Spotlight: MileA-Minute Weed, March 13; Backyard Birding Basics, March 20; Designing Native Plant Gardens, March 27; sessions begin at 6 p.m.,

The Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo offers grants for individual artists and nonprofits to fund creative projects and professional development. Through office hours, one-on-one conversations, and online workshops, the Arts Council helps you navigate the application process, build a strong budget and confidently tell your story—so your next idea is ready for launch, with guidance and support every step of the way. KalamazooArts.org/Grants

Portage Parks & Recreation Building, 320 Library Lane, portagemi.gov/calendar; registration required.

Honorable Harvest Lecture Series — Pecking in Circles, March 10; In the Company of Plants: How Relationships Became Community, March 17; From Classroom to Manoomin — Inspiring Children to Connect to the Land, March 24, 6:30 p.m., Room 223, KVCC’s Schlack Culinary & Allied Health Building, 418 E. Walnut St.; valleyhub.kvcc.edu.

Introduction to Amateur Astronomy — 5-part lecture series: Part 5: The Art of Astrophotography, 1 p.m. March 14 online; register at kasonline.org.

Astrophotography Workshop —AstroBackyard creator Trevor Jones presents, 8 p.m. March 20 online; register at kasonline.org.

Interdunal Bugs & Birds — 7 p.m. March 23, People’s Church, 1758 N. 10th St., kalamazooaudubon.org.

MISCELLANEOUS

Lantern Festival Celebration — Chinesethemed activities, performances & games, noon March 1, Portage Zhang Senior Center, 203 E. Centre Ave., kzooca.org/events.

Kalamazoo Winter Market — Produce & artisan wares, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturdays, through April 25, 507 Harrison St., pfcmarkets.com.

Kalamazoo Indoor Garage Sale — 8 a.m.–3 p.m. March 7, Expo North & Room A, 2900 Lake St., Kalamazoo County Expo Center, kalcounty.gov.

Craft Show — 250+ vendors, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. March 7, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. March 8, Main Expo & Expo South, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, kalcounty.gov.

300 Years, 88 Keys, 11 Days — Dr. Zaide Pixley discusses music of the 2026 Gilmore International Piano Festival & the relationship between piano & pianist, 2 p.m. March 13, Ladies Library, 333 S. Park St., thegilmore.org; register online.

Kalamazoo Home & Garden Expo — Building trends, products & ideas, noon–8 p.m. March 13, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. March 14, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. March 15, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 375-4225, kalamazoohomeexpo.com.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade — Featuring Irish step dancers, bagpipes & more, 11 a.m. March 14, downtown Kalamazoo; kalamazooirish.org/stpats-parade.

Storybooks in the Zoo — Story readings celebrating Literacy Month, 1 p.m. March 14, Kalamazoo Mall, see Downtown Kalamazoo Collective Facebook page.

ARC Community Advocates’ Inclusion Conference — Promoting inclusivity, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. March 18, Delta Hotel & Conference Center, 2747 S. 11th St., communityadvocates. org.

Kalamazoo Living History Show — Reenactors, craftspeople, vendors & history buffs, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. March 21, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. March 22, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, kalamazooshow. com.

Kalamazoo County 4-H Tack Sale — Horses & farm items, 5–9 p.m. March 23, Kalamazoo County Expo Center; for more information, email kalamazoo4hhorse@yahoo.com.

Kalamazoo Golf Show — Latest gear, 2–7 p.m. March 27, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. March 28, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. March 29, Kalamazoo County Expo Center; for more information, kalamazoogolfshow.com.

Kalamazoo Holistic Health Fair — Natural wellness & artisan goods, March 28–29, Radisson Plaza Hotel, 100 W. Michigan Ave., holistichealthfair.org.

Jim Mumford (continued from page 38)

friend asked him for help tinkering with some recipes, he “fell in love with that instantly.”

So he wrote his first cookbook, The Food Good Cookbook: Healthy Comfort Food Reimagined, which was picked up by Broadleaf Publishing in 2023. “And then the snowball kept growing as it rolled downhill,” he says.

He started the I Need Pizza Club podcast, taking on brand partnerships, ghost-writing projects, and contributing writer roles, doing interviews on websites like MarthaStewart. com, and becoming a certified judge at the World Food Championship.

But Mumford is not a classically trained chef nor a recipe maker by trade. In fact, he spends his 9 to 5 as a chemical engineer — the fundamentals of which proved to be a solid foundation for his foray into the wide, technical, delicious world of pizza and the creation of his new cookbook, PizzaPedia: Favorite Recipes from Across America, released last June by Fox Chapel Publishing.

The cookbook digs into the history of more than 100 pizza recipes, their origins, and best practices for pizza making. While introducing the tools necessary for a successful pie, Mumford also presents the technical aspects of making a pizza in a matter-of-fact way that will give even a novice chef with a passion for pizza confidence to fire up the oven.

“I made over 500 test pizzas for this book,” Mumford says. “I was very purposeful on writing for a first-time cook and someone who might not have a lot of confidence. I spent years writing and rewriting for that audience.”

How did you get to where you are today?

I grew up in South Bend, Indiana, as an only child. My mom and her mom are Sicilian, so pizza and pasta and an Italian-American vibe were present throughout my childhood. I joke that I didn’t realize pizza came as round until I was a teenager — it was always a square Sicilian kind of sheet pan.

I went to Purdue University for engineering, graduated in 2008, then moved to the

Chicago area and worked in nuclear power for over a decade. That’s where my culinary eyes became wide open and where my love of food blew up. My wife Gloria and I lived above a pizzeria, Flo and Santo’s, where we had one pizza that we would always order. In the book I call it the “G&Jim.” It’s got pepperoni, goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and red onions in the tavern style. It’s the pizza we ate the night I proposed.

Our daughter, Danielle, was born in late 2017, so in 2018 we decided to move to the Kalamazoo area. I’d had friends and family saying, “Hey, Jim, we love that you cook food for us. Can you share a recipe?”

I made a website originally for friends and family, JimCooksFoodGood.com, purposefully tongue in cheek, to share recipes of food that I made for them. That blew up in a way I could have never imagined and kicked off my culinary journey from hobby to where I am today.

PizzaPedia is a mix of ingredients in its own right: equal parts love letter to pizza, history lesson, travel adventure and strict commitment to the process. What was your inspiration for this cookbook?

As with most of my cooking adventures, PizzaPedia was kind of an accident. We had just moved here, and I had to travel to Connecticut last minute and decided to drive. A blizzard hit along the way, and what should have been a 10-hour drive took three days. I made an adventure out of it, Googling “pizza near me,” and stopped at places in Youngstown and Cleveland, Ohio, and Pittsburgh. Every place had a different pizza.

It’s so interesting that I drove basically a straight line, a few hundred miles, and yet every 50 miles, the pizza was just different. I talked to people, asking, “What style is this? What’s that?” and made friends and connections. I thought, “There’s a story here, and one day, when I have nothing to do, I’m going to figure this out.”

Then the pandemic happened, and I started diving in, calling some people that I met along the way. What surprised me was

the pizza community, their openness, and how many people flat-out gave me their recipes. I think you can see in the book the love these pizza makers have for their pizza. What advice do you have for the novice pizzaiola or pizzaiolo (meaning pizza maker)?

I want them to do two things. One, don’t worry about it. It’s not going to be perfect. I’ve been making pizzas basically nonstop for six years and consider myself a rookie compared to some of the people I’ve met. Don’t fuss about it being perfectly round; it’s still going to taste delicious because you made it with love and it’s pizza. The second is to please measure and weigh everything. When I had my friends and family test this book, the ones who had the worst results were those who eyeball everything. Unfortunately, you really do have to weigh ingredients. Go nuts with the toppings and cheeses, but for the dough it has to be a little more scientific. A couple grams either way can make or break it. How did the Kalamazoo Style pizza come about?

The Kalamazoo Style pizza is one I’m arguably the most proud of because it was a lab accident. I made over 500 pizzas for this book. Different doughs, different sauces, different combinations. I always made extra of everything so I could make multiple batches. I ended up with some scraps: Chicago dough, Detroit sauce. I had this vision in my mind of what I was doing. It was just a perfect cross-section of Detroit-style pizza and Chicago-style pizza – isn’t that what Kalamazoo and Western Michigan are? Yes, we’re in Michigan, but we’re so influenced by the Great Lakes, the Midwest and Chicago. Culturally, this area takes influence from everywhere, but it’s still uniquely itself.

— Interview by Jordan Bradley, edited for length and clarity

Jim Mumford

Jim Mumford, the author of a new cookbook called PizzaPedia, has always enjoyed cooking and eating good food.

The Portage resident says he has long been delighting family and friends with his signature style of cooking “healthy comfort food." He even created a blog, JimCooksFoodGood.com, to keep track of the meals he’s prepared, and shared it with friends and family. When a professional recipe writer

(continued on page 37)

United Airlines’ Return to Kalamazoo Is a Win for Southwest Michigan

By Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport Staff

On April 30, United Airlines will once again take flight from Kalamazoo, restoring nonstop service between Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport and Chicago O’Hare. While the return of a familiar airline logo may feel symbolic, the real story is what this service means for Southwest Michigan’s economy, employers, and connectivity to the world.

Air service doesn’t come easily to small communities. Airlines make decisions based on performance, relationships, and long-term confidence in a community. United’s return reflects years of steady engagement, collaboration, and persistence. The result is a meaningful expansion of air service: four daily United flights to Chicago, one of the largest airline hubs in the world.

The impact is immediate and measurable. On April 29, AZO will see six departing flights offering 416 seats. Just two days later, on May 1, the airport will host ten departures with 616 seats. That represents a 66 percent increase in daily flights and a 48 percent increase in available seats overnight. Few infrastructure or economic development projects deliver that level of capacity growth so quickly.

This is why air service development is economic development. At its core, economic development is about retaining and growing jobs. The airport’s role complements the work of regional partners by ensuring local employers remain connected to the national and global marketplace. When a company makes expansion plans, they do so with

a consideration of how they connect to their customers. Without reliable, competitive airline service, companies can, and do, reconsider expansion plans in the community.

The return of United dramatically improves that connectivity. Consider just a few examples. DENSO Corporation in Battle Creek currently has three local onestop options to reach its Chattanooga facility. With United’s Chicago service, that number increases to seven. Zoetis in Portage currently has no one-stop options to Lincoln, Nebraska; that jumps to four. Landscape Forms in Comstock Township goes from zero one-stop options to Duluth, Minnesota, to three.

Beyond domestic travel, United’s Chicago hub opens the door to additional international destinations with just one connection. And for Big Ten fans, the service adds convenient access to Penn State and Oregon.

These examples only scratch the surface. Every business traveler can point to meetings made easier, recruiting efforts strengthened, and opportunities unlocked by better connectivity. That’s why this milestone matters more for the community than it does for the airport itself.

Now comes the most important part: sustaining the service. Airline success depends on people choosing to fly local. To remain in a strong position, the community needs to support existing service by filling seats. That’s seats on all of our airlines, including American and Delta. When routes succeed, other airlines take notice.

United’s return is an invitation. With community support, it can be the start of even more growth and proof that when Southwest Michigan shows up, we can make some noise.

The days we remember most aren’t defined by routine. They’re shaped by where we are and who we’re with. Set in the heart of West Q Avenue, The Halstead will include easy access to all the action and support for all your spontaneous social plans.

This is not your typical 55+ community. This is life, uncompromised.

Make every day your best. Join the Halstead Priority Program. Enjoy pricing advantages, preferred access and greater personalization options. Call: (269) 238–4002 | Visit: TheHalstead.com