After a difficult 2 year hiatus due to Michigan’s restrictions of large events and gathers the Kalamazoo Living History show returned in 2022 with the roar of a big crowd, rivaling pre-COVID attendance numbers.

Full disclosure, I’ve been volunteering at the Kalamazoo Living History show for more than 10 years now. Showrunners Leslie and Rick Conwell were some of the first people to ask me to film their event in the late 2000s and I’ve enjoyed helping set up the show ever since.

On Friday morning I arrived at the Kalamazoo Expo Center to help with the finishing touches of preparing the massive expo center for what was to come, a furious storm of passionate vendors and craftspeople later that night. At 6 pm we opened the doors for set up. Vendors and their vehicles lined up at the 8+ loading doors ready to unpack as quickly as possible. In 30 minutes the expo halls went from bare tables to a bustling complex of everything a muzzleloading/living history enthusiast could possibly need. At 10 pm that night we wished the last of the vendors a good night. The show was ready for its guests to arrive the next morning.

The Kalamazoo Living History show is the largest indoor muzzleloading/living history events in the eastern United States. The Expo Center holds over 400 tables across three massive rooms, the latest being “Main Expo” which was built and first opened in 2011. This modern facility is a great place for this event. There are a variety of hotels within 5 miles of the center and attendees have access to a variety of eating options from fast food to fine dining and local brewpubs.

The gates opened on Saturday morning in light rain. Getting damp didn’t turn attendees away, before 10 am the line wrapped around the building. Both gates were humming with activities as friends, shoppers, and enthusiasts raced to shop and catch up after the last two years. Looking back on Saturday, the attendance was near record-breaking levels, and the rooms felt like it. It was a wonderful first day back to the first show for many looking forward to the rest of the 2022 season.

Sunday was a little slower than Saturday, but many vendors reported sales close to or better than on Saturday. The expo center was certainly not empty on Sunday and it was nice for the show to have some breathing room, vendors and staff were able to have meaningful conversations with each other and the attendees, making for a great show.

Like many living history events, the Kalamazoo Living History Show has dedicated educational programming free for all attendees.

Program Theme of the 46th Annual Kalamazoo Living History Show™

*“The Painter Embodies Forth ... All the Heart Feels”- Artists and Naturalists on the American Frontier

Artists and naturalists shaped the world’s perception of the early American frontier. Without photography or electronic communications, the pencil and brush of frontier artists were indispensable in recording the indigenous peoples, plants and animals of this continent.

Programs for this year were wonderful and included these seminars:

"The Prince, the Artist, & the Cowboy"

Presenters - Michael Dotson

"Mark Catesby & William Bartram"

Presenter - Ken Scott

"Glass Trader Beads: An Overview of Common Types and Uses in the 18th Century"

Presenter - Ward Oles

"Their Bearing is Noble & Proud"

Presenter - James F. O'Neil

"The Meaning & Uses of Wampum"

Presenter - Susan Minor

After a delightful weekend the show closed and within a couple hours the expo halls were empty once again. As stated by many a fan of the show, “It survived! It survived!” and we couldn’t be happier.

If you haven’t been to this show, or haven’t been in many years, I encourage you to get this event on your calendar and do your best to make it.

In loving memory of staff member Jennifer Hardwick July 30, 1976-January 24, 2022