Kalamazoo’s Democracy Fest to bring ‘Power in the Park’ this weekend
The event, themed “Power in the Park!”, is organized by Indivisible Greater Kalamazoo and Paw Paw Indivisible — two local chapters of the national Indivisible.org network. Lead organizer Ken Greschak said the festival is a direct response to “efforts to dismantle our nation’s democratic institutions and to defund critical federal programs and services.”
Kalamazoo will host its first-ever Democracy Fest this weekend, an all-day gathering designed to blend urgency with joy while encouraging residents to engage in civic life.
The event, themed “Power in the Park!”, is organized by Indivisible Greater Kalamazoo and Paw Paw Indivisible — two local chapters of the national Indivisible.org network. Lead organizer Ken Greschak said the festival is a direct response to “efforts to dismantle our nation’s democratic institutions and to defund critical federal programs and services.”
“This event gives people a place and time to come together as a community, to stand shoulder to shoulder, and to feel there is tangible and real power that can impact elected officials and candidates,” Greschak said. “We want people to leave feeling informed, empowered and ready to take action.”
The program will feature local speakers addressing the impacts of federal budget cuts, alongside a wide range of community organizations tabling in the park. Groups set to attend include OutFront Kalamazoo, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, League of Women Voters, Voters Not Politicians, Moms Demand Action, YWCA Kalamazoo, Planned Parenthood, and more. Family-friendly activities and games will also be available for children.
Greschak emphasized the event is free and open to all ages and backgrounds. Previous rallies hosted by Indivisible Greater Kalamazoo have drawn between 2,000 and 8,000 participants, and organizers are hopeful for a strong turnout again this year.
“Democracy can feel abstract, but an event like this makes it tangible,” Greschak said. “When people gather in a public park to learn, sing, and share stories, they build trust and community. That’s the grassroots level where democracy really grows.”
He added that while the issues driving the event are serious, the festival is also meant to be uplifting. “Democracy Fest 2025 is about joy as much as it is about urgency,” he said. “It’s a reminder that democracy is not a spectator sport, it’s a team effort.”
Democracy Fest 2025 will take place Sunday, September 7 at Bronson Park in Kalamazoo.
Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice
Author
Related Articles
Watershed Voice: Year in Review
Before our three-week publishing pause, Watershed Voice invites our readers to take a look back at the past year in local news. For Watershed Voice, it was a year marked by change, as we transitioned from one staff writer — Najifa Farhat for the first half of the year — to another, Maxwell Knauer, for the second half of the year.
No matter the author of our stories, we aimed to bring prompt, fact-based, independent reporting to Southwest Michigan. Here’s a look at some of our favorite, most impactful, and most-read stories of 2025.
Watershed Voice 2025: By the Numbers
As the year comes to an end, Watershed Voice takes a look back at a year of keeping readers across Southwest Michigan informed.
In 2025, Watershed Voice published 322 stories, averaging 27 articles per month. Over the course of the year, our reporting reached 137,762 total page views from 79,435 visitors.
Watershed Voice holiday resource guide
Last week Kalamazoo, Sturgis, and Three Rivers had city commission meetings. In all three meetings, independent of each other, homelessness and ways the city can address it was discussed. As the holidays approach and cold weather continues, Watershed Voice compiled a list of all the resources available for those who need it most in St. Joseph, Cass, and Kalamazoo counties.
This guide lists shelter, warming, food and crisis resources available during the holiday period. Availability and capacity can change quickly, especially during extreme weather.
