2024 Volunteer Planting Events & More
If you have an interest in volunteering (in something other than planting),
please email Monika at director@kalamazooinbloom.org.
Adopt a Bed
June through September 2024
Sign up to adopt a flower bed in either downtown Kalamazoo or Portage. Tend to your bed once a week throughout the summer (end of May through end of September). Responsibilities include weeding, deadheading and removing litter. Adopter orientations will be in May (dates TBD).
Click here to sign up to adopt a bed.
Vew our Bed Adopter orientation for Kalamazoo or Portage (coming soon).
Peacock Planting Days - Add Soil
Friday, May 10
The first of several community planting days start with the filling of 2 peacock topiary structures with soil in Bronson Park. Volunteers are welcome to help us stuff the birds. It's a muddy but fun time. Rain boots are recommended since we'll be adding water from hoses into the peacock frames as we fill with soil. Bring gloves and wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. We start at 9 am and should be done by 12 pm. Beverages and snacks will be provided. Come for all of it or however much time you can spare. A parking pass will be handed out at registration so you can park at a metered spot surrounding Bronson Park. Return the parking pass before you leave.
Portage Bicentennial Creek Trailhead
Saturday, May 11 (backup date if freezing temps is May 30)
Help plant and mulch the circle bed at the trailhead on Kilgore and Lovers Lane. Bring your favorite gardening essentials like gloves, trowel, small shovel, pruners, knee pad. Some supplies will be available. Beverages and snacks will be provided.
Peacock Planting Days - Plant
Monday, May 13 & Tuesday, May 14
Help plant the 2 peacocks in Bronson Park. We start at 9 am and will be done by 12 pm when the bucket truck comes to lift and attach the peacock heads to the bodies on Tuesday. It's quite a sight to see the peacocks come together, and you can play a role in bringing these community icons back for the summer! Beverages and snacks will be provided. A parking pass will be handed out at registration to park at a metered spot surrounding Bronson Park. Return the pass before leaving.
Portage Planting Days
Wednesday, May 15, Thursday, May 16 & Friday, May 17
Our first large community planting day is in Portage (rain or shine, cold or hot). Registration starts at 9 am in the Portage District Library parking lot. Bring your favorite planting utensils - trowel, gloves, kneeling pad, bucket. Extras will be available if needed. After planting, we'll add mulch to the beds. Buckets are good for spreading mulch. Beverages and snacks will be provided. If it is needed, an afternoon shift is available too. Volunteers are tired by lunchtime so having more volunteers come for a 2nd shift will help us get all the work done. If the work is done by Noon, the afternoon shift will be canceled.
View our welcome video on planting in Portage.
Watch our Planting Basics video.
Watch our Bed Supervisor orientation video (experienced KIB volunteers).
Arcadia Creek Festival Place
Monday, May 20
Plant the circle beds just outside of the Arcadia Creek Festival Place. Wear a hat because we're in full sun. Bring your favorite gardening gloves, trowel, and knee pad. Extras will also be available. Beverages and snacks will be provided.
Topiary Installation Day & Plant Children's Statue Bed
Tuesday, May 21
Help install our topiaries in Bronson Park and help us plant the children's statue beds. We start at 9 am and will be done by 1pm. Beverages and snacks will be provided. Come for all of it or however much time you can spare. A parking pass will be handed out at registration to park at a metered spot surrounding Bronson Park. Return the pass before leaving.
Kalamazoo Planting Days
Wednesday, May 22, Thursday, May 23 & Friday, May 24
Volunteers will help plant Bronson Park and City Hall. Bring your favorite planting essentials - gloves, trowel, a small shovel, kneeling pad, and bucket. After planting, we'll add mulch to all of the beds. Beverages and snacks will be provided. An afternoon shift is available too. Volunteers are tired by lunchtime so having more volunteers come for a 2nd shift will help us get all the work done. If the work gets done in time, the afternoon shift will be canceled. Parking is allowed at meters immediately surrounding Bronson Park with a parking pass received at registration. Parking pass must be returned before you leave.
View our welcome video on planting in Kalamazoo.
Watch our Planting Basics video.
Watch our Bed Supervisor orientation video (experienced KIB volunteers).
Transportation Center
Tuesday, May 28
Help plant 16 containers located at the Kalamazoo Transportation Center downtown.
AND MORE
2024 End of Season Volunteer Events
Pull Flowers & Topiaries
Kalamazoo: TBD
Portage: TBD
Flower beds and topiaries have to be pulled at Portage, Bronson Park, City Hall, and the Courthouse. Bring gloves and if you have them, a shovel and pots/bag to carry any plants home. Wear your gardening clothes and prepare to get dirty. Come at 9:00 or whenever you can. You'll be given a parking pass that's valid at a meter spot surrounding Bronson Park. In Portage, park at City Hall or the library (the lot closest to where flowers need to be pulled).
Empty Flower Containers
Kalamazoo: TBD
Now that the flower beds have been cleared, the flower containers can get pulled and the soil raked into the beds. Wear your gardening clothes and boots. Bring gloves and if you have them, a shovel, garden rake, containers/bags to carry plants home. Come at 9:00 or whenever you can in the morning. You'll be given a parking pass that's valid at a meter spot surrounding Bronson Park.