Downtown events kick off June Jubilee in Kalamazoo

Contact: Deanne Puca

May 23, 2016

Photo of Kalamazoo's Arcadia Creek Festival Place. — Kalamazoo's Arcadia Creek Festival Place

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Displays of original local artwork; Greek dancing, food and music; a satirical parade through the streets of downtown and an outdoor concert series kick off summer events Thursday through Sunday, June 2-5.

Dionysos Greek Festival

The 40th annual Dionysos Greek Festival is Thursday through Saturday, June 2-5, at Arcadia Creek Festival Place. Gates open at 11 a.m. each day, and admission is free until 4 p.m.

Admission

Thursday, $7 from 4 to 10 p.m.
Friday, $10 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Saturday, $10 from 4 to 5 p.m., $15 from 5 to 6 p.m., and $25 from 6 p.m. to midnight.
After 7 p.m., people younger than 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

Festival highlights

Entertainment includes music from Drop 35 on Thursday, the Verve Pipe on Friday, and Rick Springfield on Saturday.

The festival also will offer more traditional Greek entertainment during the day, including several performances from Detroit's The Levendes, a full Greek orchestra that will be accompanied by Greek dancers and belly dancers, as well as a slew of authentic Greek food and beverages. This year, the West Michigan School of Middle Eastern Dance also will be featured.

To learn more, visit kalamazoogreekfest.com.

Art on the Mall

Original works of art and fine crafts will be sold by more than 75 local artists along the downtown Kalamazoo Mall from Michigan Avenue to Lovell Street Friday and Saturday, June 3-4.

Sale hours are Friday from noon to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The outdoor juried event includes art for sale such as jewelry, pottery, unique garden art, sculptures and more. Artists come from throughout the Midwest as well as southwest Michigan. Downtown merchants will join in by hosting a summer in the city sales event.

Art on the Mall is sponsored by the Arts Council of Kalamazoo.

To learn more, visit kalamazooarts.org.

Annual Ice Cream Social

The Ladies' Library in Kalamazoo is hosting an ice cream social from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 4, at 333 S. Park St. Enjoy ice cream cones, pie a la mode, ice cream pies, coffee and lemonade and make your own sundaes. Tours of the 1878 building will also be available at no charge from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

Do-Dah Parade

Downtown's annual Do-Dah Parade is Saturday, June 4, where local people will dress the part of parodies, spoofs and characters and parade along the streets of downtown Kalamazoo beginning at 11 a.m. The parade follows the traditional route, starting at the corner of Jasper and Lovell streets, proceeding west on Lovell, north on Park Street, east on West Michigan Avenue and south on Portage Street.

A lineup of businesses, nonprofit organizations and individuals will goof-it-up using everything from animals, colorful costumes and makeup, to decorated vehicles, music and more. Known for its parodies and spoofs, the parade is expected to last more than an hour and attract tens of thousands of spectators.

To learn more, visit downtownkalamazoo.org.

Concerts in the Park

Concerts in the Park, one of Kalamazoo's long-standing traditions offered Sundays in June, July and August in Bronson Park, begins June 5 with a performance by the Kalamazoo Singers, a chorus of approximately 50 of the area’s finest singers under the direction of Richard Phelps. Sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, each weekly concert begins at 4 p.m. and is free and appropriate for the whole family.