Something Historic
Walks offer history of local neighborhoods
You can get your steps in and learn something about Kalamazoo neighborhoods during the Gazelle Sports Historic Walks this month.
Lynn Houghton — regional history curator for the Western Michigan University Archives and Regional History Collection, co-author of Kalamazoo Lost & Found and frequent Encore contributor — will lead these walking tours, sharing with participants the history and architecture of the locales. The walks take place rain or shine unless severe weather is predicted. This month’s tours will focus on:
- The Edison Neighborhood, 8–9:30 a.m. July 8, beginning at the Washington Square Branch Library, 1244 Portage St.
- Parkwyn Village, 6:30–8 p.m. July 14, beginning at the corner of Winchell Avenue and Parkwyn Drive.
- The Haymarket Historic District, 8–9:30 a.m. July 22, beginning at Gazelle Sports, 214 S. Kalamazoo Mall.Street Names in Kalamazoo, 6:30–8 p.m. July 28, beginning at Gazelle Sports.
For more information, including a full schedule of the series’ tours, visit tinyurl.com/Kalwalks.
Something Wrapped
Here Come the Mummies to play at Bell’s
Here Come the Mummies, the band that keeps its members’ identities under wraps — literally — will perform in the Bell’s Brewery Beer Garden, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., at 8 p.m. July 22.
The 13-member funk-rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, is rumored to be made up of Grammy-winning studio musicians, but no one is really sure who is under all those bandages. The group has been performing and recording since 2000.
Opening for the Mummies will be Traverse City’s progressive jam band Biomassive.
Tickets are $25 and available at bellsbeer.com or Bell’s General Store.
Something Indie
Spoon to perform at State Theatre
An Austin, Texas, indie rock band that has endured for more than two decades will perform at 8 p.m. July 12 at the State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St.
Spoon, formed in 1993 by singer and songwriter Britt Daniel and drummer Jim Eno, is touring to promote its 10th album, Lucifer on the Sofa, which critics from Rolling Stone to The Guardian are touting as the band’s best to date. The punk band Bodega will open.
Tickets are $37–$52 and available online at kazoostate.com or at the theater’s box office, which is open 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturdays.
Something Scary
Learn about mythical monsters of Michigan
Local storyteller and folk singer Robin Nott will bring tales of mythical, terrifying monsters of Michigan when he visits the Richland Community Library, 8951 Park St., at 7 p.m. July 19.
Nott, a retired Gull Lake Community Schools educator, has been storytelling and singing for audiences since 1983 at libraries, festivals, conferences, schools, community events, and state and national parks.
This program is intended for teens and adults. For more information, visit richlandlibrary.org.
Something Fun
Dokidokon descends on the Radisson
The anime, cosplay and fandom convention Dokidokon, which touts itself as “the convention with a heart,” will be held July 15–17 at Kalamazoo’s Radisson Plaza Hotel, 100 W. Michigan Ave.
The convention has a theme this year of maids and butlers, and it will include performances by the Harp Twins, ChiRi Girls and LaPetitePapillon Maid Cafe as well as appearances by G.K. Bowes, Shockolate Energy Cosplay and Sarah Wiedenheft.
Convention activities include a formal ball with ballroom dance lessons available, tabletop and video gaming, contests, photo shoots, panels, team events and a vendors’ room.
Weekend passes are $50 for adults and $25 for children, and a VIP pass is $175. Single-day passes will be available online starting July 10. To register or for more information, visit dokidokon.org.
