Something Natural
Series addresses environmental stewardship
A lecture series on environmental stewardship will tackle subjects from native plants and public lands to invasive species.
Terra Talks, hosted by the city of Portage, will feature experts discussing topics related to protecting the environment, starting in one’s own backyard. The talks will all begin at 6 p.m. in the Portage Parks and Recreation Building and are free, but registration is required.
The topics, speakers and dates are:
- “Invasive Species Management,” with Abigale Bristol, invasive species specialist at the Van Buren Conservation District, March 7.
- “Evolution of a Naturalist: From Lawn Lover to Native Gardener,” with Donna Keller, president of the Audubon Society of Kalamazoo, March 14.
- “Designing Native Plant Gardens: Minimizing the ‘Error’ in Trial & Error,” with Mike Weis, owner of Dropseed Native Gardens, March 21.
- “Stewardship Strategies: Public Lands, Parks & Private Parcels,” with Jesse Lincoln, conservation scientist with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, March 28.
To register, visit portagemi.gov/calendar.
Something Musical
Fretboard Festival returns
The annual event that showcases Kalamazoo’s stringed-instrument heritage with live music, workshops and vendors returns to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum on March 21 and 22.
The Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival is a free event and will take place in person and virtually. It will kick off at 6 p.m. Friday with mandoliner Brian Oberlin, who will present “The Artistry and History of the Mandolin.” The next day there will be 15 performances by artists and groups that include The Birdseed Salesman, Zero Sun, Joel Mabus, Whiskey Before Breakfast, Brian Oberlin Jam Session and Darcy Wilkin.
In addition, attendees can meet instrument designers, attend stringed instrument workshops and visit vendors. The festival runs from 6–8 p.m. March 21 and 9:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. March 22. For a festival schedule, visit kalamazoomuseum.org/events/fretboard-festival.
Something Domestic
Expo highlights home and garden
If you are looking for some new ideas to spruce up your abode, then you will find plenty at the Kalamazoo Home & Garden Expo March 7–9 at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center.
The event is sponsored by the Home Builders Association of Western Michigan. More than 200 vendors will be on hand with exhibits featuring the latest building trends and products, and there will be seminars on everything from growing mushrooms to healthy home remodeling.
The hours of the expo are noon–8 p.m. March 7, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. March 8 and 11 a.m.–4 p.m. March 9. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. For more information, visit kalamazoohomeexpo.com.
Something Country
Dwight Yoakam, The Mavericks at Wings
Country music legend Dwight Yoakum will team up with the Grammy Award-winning country band The Mavericks in a March 27 concert at Wings Event Center.
Yoakum has sold more than 25 million records since his 1986 debut single “Honky Tonk Man.” The Mavericks, country musicians with multicultural influences, have garnered eight Grammys for their music, the most recent in 2017 for Best Americana Album. The alt-country band 49 Winchester will also perform.
The concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $45–$100 and available at wingseventcenter.com.
Something Festive
Spring Gala celebrates Asian culture
Celebrating the beauty of Asian culture will be the focus of the Asian Initiatives Spring Gala at 6 p.m. March 22 at Miller Auditorium.
Hosted by the Western Michigan University Asian Initiatives of the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, the event celebrates Asian Pacific Heritage Month and will feature performances and displays showcasing Asian artistry and culture. Among those slated to perform are the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra, the Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus, Peking Opera actress Linghui Tu and actor Suosen Lv, and Kalamazoo Chinese Academy dancers.
Tickets are $8–$22 and available for purchase at the Miller Auditorium box office and at millerauditorium.com.
