Events 2025

3:00 – 7:00 PM: Mural Painting

Muralists will be painting during this time.

7:00 – 8:30 PM: Opening Reception @ Black Arts and Cultural Center

The opening reception will offer food and beverages in an open house style with an opportunity to meet the mural artists, located at the Black Arts and Cultural Center, 359 S Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 102.

3:00 – 7:00 PM: Information & Merch Tent

The Information & Merch Tent will be located at the corner of S Kalamazoo Mall and South Street during the festival.

3:00 – 8:00 PM: Salvador Troli

Salvador Troli, sponsored by Discover Kalamazoo!, is a trolley service running September 2-6 offering free transportation for the public to view all our mural locations! This trolley route takes you through downtown Kalamazoo and surrounding neighborhoods.

All Day: Community Window Paint Project, Unity

The Community Window Paint Project, Unity, will take place in participating businesses and organizations in downtown Kalamazoo and surrounding neighborhoods. The theme “Unity” celebrates the strength, beauty, and connection that come from coming together as a community. Through this window art project, we invited artists to express what togetherness means—whether it’s family, friendship, diversity, support, or shared hopes.

Painting on windows symbolizes openness and visibility—reflecting how our unity shines out into the world. Each piece becomes part of a bigger picture, showing how individual voices and styles come together to create something meaningful and whole. You can view this wonderful window art throughout the festival September 2 – 7. Maps will be available on our website and at participating businesses.

3:00 – 7:00 PM: Mural Painting

Muralists will be painting during this time.

3:00 – 7:00 PM: Information & Merch Tent

The Information & Merch Tent will be located at the corner of S Kalamazoo Mall and South Street during the festival.

3:00 – 8:00 PM: Salvador Troli

Salvador Troli, sponsored by Discover Kalamazoo!, is a trolley service running September 2-6 offering free transportation for the public to view all our mural locations! This trolley route takes you through downtown Kalamazoo and surrounding neighborhoods.

6:00 – 7:30 PM: Public Art Panel Discussion with the Kalamazoo County Public Art Commission @ Jolliffe Theater in the Epic Center

This special edition of the Kalamazoo Public Art Commission will include a brief board meeting, panel discussion with mural artists, and Q&A to learn all about public art in Kalamazoo County. The Public Art Panel Discussion will take place in the Jolliffe Theater, 359 S Kalamazoo Mall, on the second floor of the Epic Center.

All Day: Community Window Paint Project, Unity

The Community Window Paint Project, Unity, will take place in participating businesses and organizations in downtown Kalamazoo and surrounding neighborhoods. The theme “Unity” celebrates the strength, beauty, and connection that come from coming together as a community. Through this window art project, we invited artists to express what togetherness means—whether it’s family, friendship, diversity, support, or shared hopes.

Painting on windows symbolizes openness and visibility—reflecting how our unity shines out into the world. Each piece becomes part of a bigger picture, showing how individual voices and styles come together to create something meaningful and whole. You can view this wonderful window art throughout the festival September 2–7. Maps will be available on our website and at participating businesses.

3:00 – 7:00 PM: Mural Painting

Muralists will be painting during this time.

All Day: Community Window Paint Project, Unity

The Community Window Paint Project, Unity will take place in participating businesses and organizations in downtown Kalamazoo and surrounding neighborhoods. The theme “Unity” celebrates the strength, beauty, and connection that come from coming together as a community. Through this window art project, we invited artists to express what togetherness means—whether it’s family, friendship, diversity, support, or shared hopes.

Painting on windows symbolizes openness and visibility—reflecting how our unity shines out into the world. Each piece becomes part of a bigger picture, showing how individual voices and styles come together to create something meaningful and whole. You can view this wonderful window art throughout the festival September 2 – September 7. Maps will be available on our website and at participating businesses.

3:00 – 7:00 PM: Information & Merch Tent

The Information & Merch Tent will be located at the corner of S Kalamazoo Mall and South Street during the festival.

3:00 – 8:00 PM: Salvador Troli

Salvador Troli, sponsored by Discover Kalamazoo!, is a trolley service running Tuesday, September 2 through Saturday September 6 offering free transportation for the public to view all our mural locations! This trolley route takes you through downtown Kalamazoo and surrounding neighborhoods.

12:00 – 1:00 PM: Panel discussion – RFQs, RFPs & Applying for Public Art Opportunities @ Epic Center

During this discussion, visitors will learn all about the process of finding Calls for Artists opportunities and how to apply to RFQs (request for qualifications), RFPs (request for proposal), and public art applications.

6:00 – 8:00 PM: The Skeletones, Brought to You by Sounds of the Zoo @ Northside Association for Community Development

Live music will be playing at the Northside Association for Community Development courtesy of Sounds of the Zoo.

Things you can look forward to in this concert include amazing live music, merch for sale, live mural painting, and an opportunity to participate in our Community Public Art Project, Imagine That!

6:00 – 8:00 PM: Community Art Project, Imagine That!

The Community Public Art Project, Imagine That!, is a Louise Nevelson inspired project for all and anyone in our community to enjoy! Imagine That! will be available for public participation at the Northside Association for Community Development during the live music event featuring The Skeletones.

Participants will glue small wood pieces and found objects to a 10” by 10” wood piece. They will then spray paint the whole piece with one chosen color of water-based spray paint.

The theme “Imagine That!” invites our community to dream big and create freely. It’s about using imagination to explore new ideas, reimagine the world around us, and bring creative visions to life.

Whether playful, hopeful, or visionary, this theme celebrates the power of art to express what’s possible when we dare to dream. These items will be 3D and revealed as a whole in an installation for the Closing Reception on Sunday, September 7, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.

3:00 – 7:00 PM: Mural Painting

Muralists will be painting during this time.

All Day: Community Window Paint Project, Unity

The Community Window Paint Project, Unity, will take place in participating businesses and organizations in downtown Kalamazoo and surrounding neighborhoods. The theme “Unity” celebrates the strength, beauty, and connection that come from coming together as a community. Through this window art project, we invited artists to express what togetherness means—whether it’s family, friendship, diversity, support, or shared hopes.

Painting on windows symbolizes openness and visibility—reflecting how our unity shines out into the world. Each piece becomes part of a bigger picture, showing how individual voices and styles come together to create something meaningful and whole. You can view this wonderful window art throughout the festival September 2–7. Maps will be available on our website and at participating businesses.

3:00 – 8:00 PM: Information & Merch Tent

The Information & Merch Tent will be located at the corner of S Kalamazoo Mall and South Street during the festival.

3:00 – 9:00 PM: Salvador Troli

Salvador Troli, sponsored by Discover Kalamazoo!, is a trolley service running September 2–6 offering free transportation for the public to view all our mural locations! This trolley route takes you through downtown Kalamazoo and surrounding neighborhoods.

5:00 – 8:00 PM: Art Hop

Art Hop was created as a way for local artists, organizations, and businesses to showcase their work and to bring the Kalamazoo community together surrounding a shared love of arts and culture.

The Art Hop on Friday, September 5 is free for the public to attend and takes place in downtown Kalamazoo and surrounding neighborhoods. Visit www.kalamazooarthop.org for more information.

6:00 – 7:30 PM: Public Art Tour with Lynn Houghton

The Public Art Walk with Lynn Houghton is a 90-minute tour and will meet at 6:00 PM in front of the Epic Center on Friday, September 5. You are welcome to join for the entire walk or jump in and out at your leisure. During this walk we will be looking up, down, and all around to find those pieces that decorate our spaces and our buildings, all of which add to the uniqueness of our downtown. There is no cost for this special tour event.

Lynn Houghton is the regional history curator at the Zhang Legacy Collections Center on the campus of Western Michigan University (WMU) connecting people with the information they need, especially relating to local, regional, and state history. Her public programming includes a variety of presentations including walking tours held during the summer and fall. She is the co-author with Pamela O’Connor of the book Kalamazoo Lost and Found, contributes to Encore Magazine and taught Michigan History for WMU. She also participated in the PBS series, “10 that Shaped America,” focusing on the Kalamazoo Mall. She has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in history from WMU and a master’s in library and information science from Wayne State University.

5:00 – 8:00 PM: Nathan Moore Affair brought to you by Sounds of the Zoo @ Bates Alley

Live music will be playing in the Bates Alley courtesy of Sounds of the Zoo.

Things you can look forward to in this concert include amazing live music, merch for sale, live mural painting, and an opportunity to participate in our Community Public Art Project, Imagine That!

5:00 – 8:00 PM: Community Public Art Project, Imagine That!

The Community Public Art Project, Imagine That!, is a Louise Nevelson inspired project for all and anyone in our community to enjoy! Imagine That! will be available for public participation in Bates Alley during the live music event featuring Nathan Moore Affair.

Participants will glue small wood pieces and found objects to a 10” by 10” wood piece. They will then spray paint the whole piece with one chosen color of water-based spray paint.

The theme “Imagine That!” invites our community to dream big and create freely. It’s about using imagination to explore new ideas, reimagine the world around us, and bring creative visions to life.

Whether playful, hopeful, or visionary, this theme celebrates the power of art to express what’s possible when we dare to dream. These items will be 3D and revealed as a whole in an installation for the Closing Reception on Sunday, September 7, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.

12:00 – 8:00 PM: Mural Painting

Muralists will be painting during this time.

12:00 – 5:00 PM: Information & Merch Tent

The Information & Merch Tent will be located at the corner of S Kalamazoo Mall and South Street during the festival.

12:00 – 8:00 PM: Salvador Troli

Salvador Troli, sponsored by Discover Kalamazoo!, is a trolley service running Tuesday September 2 through Saturday September 6 offering free transportation for the public to view all our mural locations! This trolley route takes you through downtown Kalamazoo and surrounding neighborhoods.

All Day: Community Window Paint Project, Unity

The Community Window Paint Project, Unity will take place in participating businesses and organizations in downtown Kalamazoo and surrounding neighborhoods. The theme “Unity” celebrates the strength, beauty, and connection that come from coming together as a community. Through this window art project, we invited artists to express what togetherness means—whether it’s family, friendship, diversity, support, or shared hopes.

Painting on windows symbolizes openness and visibility—reflecting how our unity shines out into the world. Each piece becomes part of a bigger picture, showing how individual voices and styles come together to create something meaningful and whole. You can view this wonderful window art throughout the festival September 2 – September 7. Maps will be available on our website and at participating businesses.

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Closing Celebration @ Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

The Brush the Block Closing Reception will take place on Sunday, September 7, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S Park Street.

During this closing event we will thank and highlight all that came together to make Brush the Block an incredible festival, including the mural artists, sponsors, partners, volunteers, the City of Kalamazoo, and many more!

The remarks will be begin at 11:45 AM followed by the big reveal of Imagine That!, our Community Public Art Project. Food and beverages will be provided and the galleries will be open to the public beginning at 12:00 PM.