[Download the brochure for the 2013 show]

Thank you for a great 2013 show!

What a super show! The weather was perfect- not too cold, not too warm- and LOTS of visitors.  Several trends we noticed this year were a large increase in the amount of children attending, as well as a sharp increase in the sale of weekend passes.

Our program personnel- Terry Todish, Gary Foreman of Native Sun Productions, and William Sheets- did a fine job with their presentations in the program rooms, and put out educational displays in the vendor rooms during the show. Brett Walker did a fascinating presentation on Early American footwear.  We would also like to thank the Bush Native Drum and Dance, the SouthEastern WaterSpider Drum, as well as Rick and Hillary Wagner, of Jim’s Red Pants, for their great music and dance performances.  Our thanks to them all for their partnership!

A special note- we were profoundly touched by the outpouring of support from the vendors and visitors in light of our fight with breast cancer. The sea of pink ribbons, pink leather bracelets, and breast cancer awareness jewelry lifted our spirits, and gave us the continued will to fight.  Whether you took our hand to tell us you were praying for us, or gave us a smile as we went by, or shared your personal story about cancer, we were overwhelmed by the support. Please know how much we sincerely appreciated everyone’s cheering us on during our fight with cancer.  We are blessed to call you all friends.

The show has remained strong because of the wonderful reputation it enjoys due to the quality and professionalism of our vendors.  We wish to thank you for being such a huge part of our success over the years.  The Kalamazoo Living History Show™ is known for having the finest vendors in the business. The success of this nationally recognized, juried show is due to the quality and dedication of the vendors and their willingness to help advertise the event.  Please indicate on the enclosed post card the number of brochures you will be able to hand out at reenactments, shows or through your shop trade between now and March 15, 2014.  They should be available by June 15th.

The Kalamazoo Living History Show™ is now on Facebook and YouTube!  Special thanks to Ethan Yazel for his assistance with this project.

Plans for our 39th annual Kalamazoo Living History Show™, March 15-16, 2014, are well under way.  Registration packets will be mailed out for the 39th annual Kalamazoo Living History Show™ to your present address between Christmas and New Years, 2013.  Vendors in good standing may reserve space on a first come - first served basis until January 15th, when registration opens to new vendors, or until we are sold out, whichever comes first.  It is imperative that you get your completed application in immediately to secure tables.  In 2013 we sold out very quickly!  If you will not be at this address in January, please let us know where to mail the information so you will not be left out.

Thank you again for your enthusiasm, support, and faith in the show. We look forward to seeing you at the 39th annual Kalamazoo Living History Show™, March 15-16, 2014.  Have a great year!

Leslie Martin Conwell   Rick Conwell
www.kalamazooshow.com

Kalamazoo Living History Show™
Scheduled for March 16-17, 2013

Theme of 38th Annual Kalamazoo Living History Show™ Announced

More than 10,000 re-enactors from the French and Indian War through the Civil War, history buffs, collectors and the general public from the United States and Canada are expected to attend the 38th annual Kalamazoo Living History Show™.  The juried, nationally recognized show is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17, 2013, at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center, Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds, 2900 Lake Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan.   The show attracts over 270 of the finest craftspeople and dealers of pre-1890 living history supplies and related crafts from throughout the United States. 

The newly expanded Kalamazoo County Expo Center now offers an exciting new venue in the form of an ultramodern, state-of -the-art, 24,000 square foot exhibit hall. The show is excited about the opportunities the new Expo Center gives us to better promote education and development in our hobby by offering more space for traditional crafts, demonstrations, and programming. The just-finished facility will make possible several new activities and features, including:

• Additional period vendor booths
• Children’s activities
• Entertainment, including live period music, and light snacks in a seated, relaxed atmosphere
• Discounted table rates for not-for-profit reenactment groups, historic sites, and museums to enable them to recruit new members, promote their sites, promote their events, or educational activities.

About the Theme
In the early 19th century, Texas was a thinly settled Spanish province north of Mexico. Westward moving American settlers were inevitably attracted to these large expanses of unoccupied land, and in 1823, newly independent Mexico officially opened Texas to American settlement. Tensions soon developed between these settlers and the increasingly powerful and anti-American President of Mexico, Santa Anna.  The settlers, who now called themselves Texians, chafed under Mexican authority.  The Texian resentment resulted in an independence movement, which boiled over into open hostilities. The rag-tag Texian army had some spectacular early success. Then, in 1836, Santa Anna was poised to strike back.  Some Texians decided to take up a defensive position in the crumbling ruin of a Spanish mission and former Mexican Army stronghold. Here, at the Alamo, they would await the revenge of Santa Anna.

Scheduled speakers include Gary Foreman of Native Sun Productions, William Sheets, and Terry Todish.  Join us as our knowledgeable presenters bring to life the men whose battle cry was “Victory or Death!” 

Period Music and Native American Drumming and Dance a Highlight of the Show
 Scheduled musicians and performers include the Bush Native American Drum and Dance, and the musical duo Jim’s Red Pants. 

Members of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potawatomi Indians, the Bush Native American Drum and Dance tell the story of their People through their outstanding drumming, singing, and dancing.  As the Pokagon Potawatomi tribal educational material states: “…the drum for the Nishnabe has special meaning: it represents the heartbeat of our people.  The word dwégén has its root in the word odé, which means heart in our language.  In a traditional sense, our instruments are more than simple material objects we use to make music.  They are representative of where we come from, our connection to Nokmeskignan, Grandmother Earth.”  The Bush Native American Drum and Dance perform at many pow wows and historical festivals.  They are always great favorites wherever they appear, and their music and dance are eloquent representations of a vibrant culture.

As the musical duo “Jim’s Red Pants,” Rick and Hillary Wagner play a variety of original, historic, and contemporary American, Celtic, Scandinavian, and other world folk music.  Rick and Hillary have performed at many living history events, including the Feast of the Hunters’ Moon, Mississinewa 1812,  Roscoe Village, the Lore of the Laughery, Ohio Folk Festival, Penn’s Colony, and Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village. They have recorded six CD’s. In addition to their main instruments of fiddle and guitar, Rick and Hillary play Norwegian Hardanger Fiddle, mandolin, bouzouki, penny whistle, concertinas (Anglo and English style), flute, and banjo.

Program times will be posted on our website several weeks prior to the show.

The 38th annual Kalamazoo Living History Show™ is open to the general public Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Admission is $7.00 for a single day adult pass; $10.00 for a weekend adult pass.  Children 12 years of age and under admitted free when accompanied by a parent. 

Contact Information
For information about the Kalamazoo Living History Show™, contact Leslie Martin Conwell, P.O. Box 2214, West Lafayette, IN 47996, telephone 765.563.6792, kalamazoolivinghistoryshow@gmail.com, or visit our website at:  www.KalamazooShow.com.

March 16-17, 2013

ADMISSION AT THE DOOR:
Single Day - $7.00
Weekend Pass - $10.00
Children 12 and Under Admitted Free When Accompanied By An Adult

Kalamazoo County Expo Center
Kalamazoo County Fair Ground
2900 Lake Street, Kalamazoo Mi.
I-94, Exit 80, North

The largest, nationally recognized, juried show in the Midwest devoted to pre-1890 original or reproduction living history supplies, accouterments and related crafts.  More than 10,000 historical re-enactors from pre-Revolutionary through the Civil War, history buffs, collectors, and the general public from 18 states and Canada come together for a festive weekend to buy, sell and trade.  The event attracts over 270 of the finest craftspeople and dealers of living history supplies and related crafts from throughout the United States. 

The Kalamazoo Living History Show was created in 1976 to bring history alive and entertain as well as expose the general public to some of the most fascinating times in our history.  Each year the focus of the show changes allowing various historical reenactment groups, organizations and individuals, dressed in period clothing, the opportunity to host the show and share their knowledge and enthusiasm of history with all of us.

Anyone attending the show in pre-1890 style clothing will be eligible for a drawing on a door prize.

FUTURE SHOW DATE

March 15-16, 2014

Copyright © 2011 Yankee Doodle Muzzle Loaders, Inc.  All rights reserved.  This website may not be reproduced, in part or in whole, without the written permission of Yankee Doodle Muzzle Loaders, Inc.

Back to top
This web page is designed to be viewed best at 800 x 600 true color.