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It’s Friday, Kalamazoo! Let’s finish this week strong.
In today’s can’t-miss-weekend-plans edition: Contract awarded before public vote, Maple Sugar Festival, and John Stites Jazz Festival with a GRAMMY winner + a stacked lineup of events this weekend.
Today’s sponsor (FinanceBuzz) built a free comparison tool that helped me cut my car insurance premiums in half. It took about 3 minutes, and honestly… I wish I’d done it sooner. If you haven’t shopped around in a while, you can easily check the best rates here.
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📰 In the news
Contract awarded before public vote: Portage has moved to a single trash hauler with WM, and pickup is starting this week. Residents will vote in May on whether to keep the single-hauler system — get details on bins and vote.
Campus enhancements on the way: Kalamazoo Public Schools approved $3.1 million in renovations at Kalamazoo Central High School, including a secure vestibule and drinking fountains. Work will be completed this summer, funded by the 2022 bond — see project scope and timeline.
Event highlights across Michigan: March is packed statewide, from St. Joseph restaurant deals to Irish festivities. In Kalamazoo, the Nature Center’s Maple Sugar Festival returns this month with pancakes, wagon rides, and family activities — check out the full lineup.
Gold & silver are hot: Coming off gold’s best year since 1979, the momentum is carrying well into 2026 with silver remaining one of the most talked-about assets. Curious why they’re back in focus? American Hartford Gold has a free guide that explains what’s happening and how people are approaching it today. It’s free – and definitely worth a read.
Someone Googled you this week: Whether you’re dating again, selling something locally, or just meeting new neighbors… people are going to look you up. Like it or not, the internet has a way of surfacing past mistakes and outdated information that no longer reflects who you are. Thankfully, there’s a really easy way for you (or someone you care about) to clean up all that up – learn more here.
Highlights this week:
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🚗 Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance?
Together with our sponsor FinanceBuzz
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I learned that the hard way. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, I saw the charges come in every month and never thought twice about them. Turns out I was paying well above the national average ($175/mo) for a single car… for years.
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🫶 We got your back
Crave-worthy vegan comfort: When you crave mac and “cheese,” warm soups, and stacked sandwiches without ingredient roulette, glofoods delivers the goods, 100% vegan, gluten-free, and peanut-free. Think of it as your easy midweek reset that tastes like a small victory.
Curated finds, zero clutter: Garden House Vintage Market turns a quick pop-in into a “where has this been?” moment, with 10,000 sq. ft. of vintage, antique, and home-and-garden treasures… from ironstone and well-loved furniture to houseplants and topiaries. For instant inspiration and a little dopamine.
Low-maintenance glow, unlocked: At Blade & Beauty Bar, we specialize in microshaded (powder/ombré) brows, lip blushing, and subtle top-lash enhancements, delivering clean, natural-looking results that shave time off your morning. If your makeup bag is doing the most, give it a breather and let us handle the everyday.
An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.
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📆 Around town this weekend
Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →
All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
🎉 Trekkers Grand Opening @ Trekkers Nacho Average | Friday (3/6) at 5:00 PM – The new Trekkers is opening, nacho average grand opening. Pop in, raise a chip to the dreamers behind it, and treat yourself to melty goodness, neighborly chatter, and a new excuse to skip cooking. Waistbands will adapt, pride will swell.
🏷 Kalamazoo’s Indoor Garage Sale @ Kalamazoo County Expo Center | Saturday (3/7) at 8:00 AM – Kalamazoo’s favorite treasure hunt is back at the County Expo Center, indoors, no soggy driveways. Expect antiques, collectibles, kids gear, furniture, clothing, not a craft show, just real finds. Early bird is $5, general $2, and anyone 18 and under gets in free.
🍁 Maple Sugar Festival @ Kalamazoo Nature Center | Saturday (3/7) at 9:00 AM – Grab your flannel and head to KNC for the 61st Maple Sugar Festival, with pancakes drenched in real Michigan syrup, wagon rides, kid fun, and maple-sugaring demos, including a rare Indigenous technique revived. It’s their biggest fundraiser, so that second stack counts as conservation.
🌲 Introduction to Forest Bathing @ Spring Valley Park | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – If you’ve been forest-curious but not ready to hug a tree, join Jodi for a free mini-session that samples forest bathing and helps you find your fit among 22 paths. Expect a short paved stroll, possibly slick, and cozy snacks, tea, and cocoa. Mark yourself going, please.
🎷 44th Annual John Stites Jazz Festival @ Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI | Saturday (3/7) at 7:00 PM – The 44th John Stites Jazz Festival brings GRAMMY-winning pianist Geoffrey Keezer, the last cat to play keys for Art Blakey’s Messengers. WMU’s Western Jazz Collective and award-winning WMU Jazz Orchestra are in the mix. Book a sitter, skip the noise, and let the swing talk.
✈ WGVU Public Media Kids Day @ Air Zoo | Sunday (3/8) at 12:00 PM – Let Portage’s Air Zoo wear out the kids while you call it science, with planes, hands-on chaos, and a visit from Wimee. $5 a person, 4 and under free, first 500 comped by Kalamazoo Community Foundation, and proceeds support WGVU PBS Kids.
🍹 Sustainable Sips: Herbal Mixology and Upcycled Alchemy @ The Clover Room | Sunday (3/8) at 1:00 PM – This hands-on workshop teaches zero-proof, zero-waste mixology that turns citrus rinds, herb stems, and fruit pits into shrubs, syrups, and elegant garnishes. Finally, cocktail hour your liver, taste buds, and compost can agree on, with a sliding scale of $25 to $35 and limited spots.
Live music & entertainment:
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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🔥 Worth a peek
We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.
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📻 Kalamazoo report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 66°F – Low: 58°F – Precip: 57%
Areas of fog before 11am, then a chance of rain showers between noon and 4pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. South southeast wind 3 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Later: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 7pm and 1am, then showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
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Tomorrow – High: 66°F – Low: 34°F – Precip: 85%
Showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. West southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Later: A chance of rain showers before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
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