Coming Up Next

Whether it’s an annual event like Maple Sugar Festival, a special exhibit at the Visitor Center, or a hike with the Preschool Explorers, there’s something for everyone at KNC. You may register in advance or at the KNC Visitor Center or Welcome Station when you arrive for a number of programs. In some cases, such as workshops like Returning & Reskilling, registration is required so we can plan for materials.

Monthly Weekly Daily List
June 2026
young children walking in forest on a nature program

Preschool Explorers

Come dressed to explore the outdoors while developing early childhood readiness skills. Each week participants will enjoy a nature inspired program based on a monthly theme with a story, a movement activity and a craft. Learn more about this popular program and register here > Fee: $8/Member child, $10/Non-Member child, 1 adult included in price.…
30 Jun
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo Nature Center
July 2026
Summer Exploration Kalamazoo Nature Center

Summer Exploration Series

Looking for ways to keep your brain going all summer long? The Summer Exploration series is a great way for elementary and middle school scientists to get involved in ecology alongside their grown-ups.   Register for June 4– Slime and Scales: Learn about salamanders, snakes, turtles, and all things cold-blooded  Register for June 18– Feathered Friends: The…
02 Jul
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Prairie Pathway Trail

Free Admission Day

The Kalamazoo Nature Center is offering free admission today. We hope to see you on the trails! Other free admission days in 2026 – please note, some dates trails are open but Visitor Center is closed: New Year’s Day: January 1, 2026 (Trails open, Visitor Center is closed) Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: January 19, 2026 KNC’s Earth Day…
04 Jul
All Day
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo Nature Center
young children walking in forest on a nature program

Preschool Explorers

Come dressed to explore the outdoors while developing early childhood readiness skills. Each week participants will enjoy a nature inspired program based on a monthly theme with a story, a movement activity and a craft. Learn more about this popular program and register here > Fee: $8/Member child, $10/Non-Member child, 1 adult included in price.…
07 Jul
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Forage Cattail Abundance Kalamazoo Nature Center

Forage Cattail Abundance

Dive into a deeper level of foraging and learn how to enjoy the abundance of cattails. This advanced level foraging program will take a deep look at cattails, how to harvest an abundance of them and enjoy their edible parts. Participants will join conservationist and foraging leader, Shaina, in a hike out to source pond fen where they will harvest cattails. On the hike back, foragers will learn how to…
11 Jul
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Insect pinning workshop kalamazoo nature center

Insect Pinning Workshop

Insect pinning exists at the intersection of science and beauty, an art form with a rich history in the sciences. We’ll learn to pin spotted lanternflies, a beautiful yet damaging invasive species spreading across North America, and take home vibrant pinned insects.   Saturday, July 11, 10:00 – 12:00PM Meet: Visitor Center Classroom Fee: Non-member $15, KNC members $12 Please Register >…
11 Jul
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Night magic leigh ann henion kalamazoo nature center

Terry Todd International Speaker Series: Night Magic

KNC is proud to present New York Times Bestselling Author Leigh Ann Henion as part of 2026’s Terry Todd Speaker Series! Henion’s book, Night Magic, is an exploration of the nocturnal life happening all around us. From bioluminescent insects to migratory salamanders, Henion will talk about her studies of the night, and the beauty that sits…
11 Jul
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Night magic hike kalamazoo nature center

Night Magic Hike

Join acclaimed science author Leigh Ann Henion for an exploration of KNC’s nocturnal habitats! We’ll hike by red light flashlight to see and hear how the trails come to life after dark, and experience firsthand the magic that can only happen after dark. Saturday, July 11, 2026, 9:00-10:30 pm Meet: Visitor Center Classroom Fee: KNC Members $12; Non-Members…
11 Jul
9:00 pm - 10:30 pm
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Soil Life Exploration Kalamazoo Nature Center

Soil Life Exploration

Who lives in our dirt? We’ll examine the soil at our Delano Farms to investigate just how much life finds home in the ground beneath our feet and talk about how the bugs in our soil help us and our ecosystems thrive.    Sunday, July 12, 2026, 2-3 pm Meet: DeLano Farm, 555 W. E Avenue Fee: Included in regular KNC…
12 Jul
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
DeLano Homestead
DeLano Homestead
young children walking in forest on a nature program

Preschool Explorers

Come dressed to explore the outdoors while developing early childhood readiness skills. Each week participants will enjoy a nature inspired program based on a monthly theme with a story, a movement activity and a craft. Learn more about this popular program and register here > Fee: $8/Member child, $10/Non-Member child, 1 adult included in price.…
14 Jul
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Silver Maples: The Truth About Earthworms Kalamazoo Nature Center

Silver Maples: The Truth About Earthworms

Earthworms are more than garden helpers — they shape soil, ecosystems, and even forests in surprising ways. Our guest lecturer Ellen, a scientist and interpreter with EnviroSpeak, will uncover their biology, origins, benefits, invasive counterparts, and their hidden impacts.    Thursday, July 16, 2026, 11 am-1 pm Meet: Cooper’s Glen Auditorium inside the Visitor Center Fee: Included in regular…
16 Jul
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Summer foraging kalamazoo nature center

Summer Foraging

Join KNC staff to learn some foraging basics of summer. Grab your basket and enjoy finding the edible treasures around us on a guided hike. Dress for the weather as this program will be entirely outdoors.  Registration is recommended as these popular programs often reach capacity; drop-ins welcome if space is available. Please click on each…
16 Jul
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo Nature Center
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Registration is now open for:

kid running in fall

Raptor Run 5K & Kids Run

Saturday, October 18, 2025
Registration required

Learn More >

Tricks & Trails

Friday, October 31, 2025

Learn More >

Sponsor an Event!

Whether your business operates locally, nationally, or globally, a sponsorship places you in front of our 5,600+ membership base and the greater Kalamazoo community. Read more >

Save the date for these annual events:

Raptor Run 5K & Kids Run

October 18, 2025
Learn More >

Tricks & Trails

Friday, October 31, 2025

Learn More >

Buy Local Art & Gift Fair

Buy Local Art & Gift Fair

December 6, 2025

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Maple Sugaring

Maple Sugar Festival

Saturday, March 7, 2026

Learn More >

Earth Day Celebration

Saturday, April 18, 2026

Learn More >

firefly

Firefly Night Hike

June 27, 2026
Learn More >

Terry Todd International Speaker Series

Terry Todd was an avid nature lover and longtime supporter of the Kalamazoo Nature Center and many other community organizations. She was an advocate for education and believed that people of all ages should never stop learning. The Terry Todd International Speaker Series was created by her family as a memorial to her and in recognition of her commitment to these ideals. This endowment fund invites dynamic individuals in the fields of nature and the environment to Kalamazoo to share their knowledge and passion with the community Terry loved.

Read more about upcoming and past Series events >