KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Several of downtown Kalamazoo’s signature festivals will return to Arcadia Creek Festival Place this summer as the city of Kalamazoo prepares to begin construction on the site’s planned renovation later this year.
Kalamazoo Pride will be celebrated at Arcadia Creek Festival Place June 5th and 6th, followed by the Caribbean Festival June 26th and 27th, the Kalamazoo Valley Blues Festival July 10th and 11th, and the Canadiana Fest on September 19th.
Arcadia Creek Festival Place will undergo a major redesign that will transform the space into a more dynamic public gathering place, supporting both large festivals and everyday public use. Based on the latest construction planning, city officials determined work could begin later in the year, allowing festivals to proceed this summer.
The city says these events represent some of the largest and most popular festivals held in downtown Kalamazoo each year. Together, they bring tens of thousands of visitors to downtown Kalamazoo each summer, supporting local businesses and helping make the city one of southwest Michigan’s most active festival destinations.
Following the festival season, the renovation project is expected to move forward after Labor Day.
Outside of these scheduled events, Arcadia Creek Festival Place will remain closed to the public while periodic pre-construction activities take place. Construction fencing will remain around the site throughout the season, and the pedestrian bridge within the park will remain closed due to its condition.
The redesigned Arcadia Creek Festival Place will include several new features developed with community and stakeholder input, including a new pedestrian bridge, multiple performance stages, a playground and water features, an open-air pavilion and amphitheater, a public plaza, and an activated alley along the west side of the site.
Plans for the site also include space at the north end of the property for a future mixed-use building that would provide restrooms as well as storage and event support space. The building is being considered as a separate project and will follow a different timeline.
The redesigned park is expected to reopen in 2027, while planning and development of the mixed-use building may continue beyond that timeframe.
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