Winter Events 2023-4

 

With Thanksgiving over and Kalamazoo's first snow cover, it's feeling like Winter is here.  We'll need more snow for skiing and sledding, and some colder temperatures for outdoor skating but local festivities celebrate the season regardless of weather.

Winter Events near Kalamazoo

December 2, 2023 Tree Lighting & Traditional Holiday celebration Celery Flats, Portage 

          December 2, 2023 Local Gift Fair  9 am -4 pm Kalamazoo Nature Center Kalamazoo 

December 18, 2023 December to Remember Bronson Park Kalamazoo

December 31, 2023 New Year's Eve Fest Kalamazoo

January 12-24 2024 Kalamazoo Beer Week Kalamazoo

February 2-4, 2024  Icebreaker  South Haven 

February 17-18, 2024 Free Fishing Winter Weekend throughout Michigan

February 24, 2024 Winter Beer Festival Grand Rapids

March 2, 2024 Quiet Adventures Symposium East Lansing

Ongoing events
          Kerstmarkt Fridays and Saturdays (11/18 to 12/16/2023) Holland

          Christkindl Markt Wednesday-Sunday (11/17 to 12/23/2023) Grand Rapids

          Christmas Bird Count


See also

OptOutside  An alternative to hitting the malls on Black Friday

Kzoo Kids: Christmas Activities in Downtown Kalamazoo

Discover Kalamazoo's event listing
 
Gazelle Sports Races and running calendar

11 Unforgettable Winter Places in Michigan

West Michigan Winter Weekends

Sarrett Nature Center's Event list Benton Harbor

Events calendar from Pure Michigan 

 

Fall Events 2023

The start of school and the Labor Day holiday mark the end of summer, even if the astronomical season lasts a few more weeks.  September and October still have great weather for outdoor activities-- for camping, paddling, or a walk or bike ride.  Seasonal festivals celebrate Labor Day, Art, Sandhill Cranes, and harvest time.

Fall events around Kalamazoo

September 2-4  Lawrence Ox Roast Lawrence

September 4 West Michigan Labor Fest Grand Rapids

September 8-10  Paw Paw Wine and Harvest Festival Paw Paw

September 14 - October 1  Art Prize Grand Rapids

September 16 Fall Festival St. Joseph

September 17 Fall Festival Portage

September 24 Harvest Fest Vicksburg

September 29-30 Oktoberfest Grand Rapids

October 6-7 Pumpkinfest Zeeland

October 14-15 Cranefest Bellevue

October 12-15 Fennville Goose Festival Fennville

October  21-22 Arts and Eats Tour  Allegan, Barry, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and Van Buren counties



Also consider:

Southeast Michigan Labor Day events from MetroParent

SW Michigan Fall Festivals Guide from Kzoo Kids

Labor Day Weekend Events for Metro Detroit (Oakland County Moms)

Mackinac Bridge Walk

5 Spots to Sip Cider, Pick Pumpkins, and Soak up Fall from Discover Kalamazoo

Fall Scenic Drives from Pure Michigan

Fall recommendations from 52 Michigan Weekends

Fresh apple cider from VerHages Cider Mill.

Fall walks and rides on the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail

Event listings from Discover Kalamazoo

Gazelle Sports' calendar of West Michigan Races and Events

League of Michigan Bicyclist's Michigan Ride Calendar

Sarrett Nature Center's Event list Benton Harbor

         Events calendar from Pure Michigan

 

Pilgrim Haven Natural Area

After a few enjoyable hours in South Haven (including a good lunch at Three Blondes Brewing and observing the Army Corps of Engineers' channel-dredging/ beach nourishment project at South Beach) I headed out of town to explore a beach that I had never visited.

Pilgrim Haven is a Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy preserve about 5 miles south of South Haven, near Van Buren State Park.

The parking lot on 18th Avenue is well-marked and has restrooms and signs explaining the history of the preserve.  A sidewalk leads directly to Lake Michigan.  The ramp to the beach is paved and wheelchair accessible.  The beach itself is less wheel friendly, consisting of a mix of sand, pebbles, and rock cobble.

 

While there were a few people sunbathing, most people were beachcombing for interesting rocks.  The Conservancy does allow visitors to collect a small number of rocks for personal use and the preserve frequently appears on lists of places to rock hunt. 

I didn't find much-- just a few colorful granite pebbles-- but I didn't really know what to look for. Michigan Rockhounds report that commonly found treasures at Pilgrim Haven include lightning stone, quartz, unakite, horn coral, crinoid calyx, and chert along with some rare finds that are more common in Northern Michigan.   (Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council has a list of shoreline rocks and fossils  and Owlcation has two articles: identifying rocks of Lake Michigan and beach stone identification. MLive has an article with photos on Collectible rocks of Southwest Lake Michigan beaches.)

Before becoming a preserve, Pilgrim Haven had been a youth camp for decades.  The chimney from the camp's dining hall has been preserved in an open lawn.  (Here's a post from a former camper revisiting Pilgrim Haven.) 

A short system of grassy trails runs through the woods of the 27 acre preserve, with a bridge over Dyckman Creek.

I'd been vaguely aware of Pilgrim Haven as a supporter of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, but I didn't realize it so was so close to South Haven.  Now that I'm familiar with it, I expect it will become a regular addition to my Lake Michigan visits.

Pilgrim Haven Natural Area
18th Avenue
South Haven Charter Township, MI 49090

[free admission]