Kalamazoo Week: Off We Go!

Second Post of the Day

I'm leaving this morning for Kalamazoo with my long time friend and Leslie's bestie, Gretchen.

Gretchen is also an event volunteer and has to be there early Friday and stay late Sunday. 

Lisa and Gretchen disrupting clowning around paying attention respectfully while attending a Feast meeting.

I hitched a ride with her last year and am doing so again. Which means we will arrive in Kalamazoo both hoarse from all the gabbing as we drove, but maybe some chocolate will remedy that, right Gretchen?

My Jolis Chevaux items rode up ahead of time on Wednesday.

Rick and Leslie have already brought my things into the North Expo and have begun setting up my booth for me. Mine are the three brown tables in the front; theirs are the other two and plus those in the back already covered with block print table covers.

Then they got out my block print table covers and put the clothing racks up for me, too.

They also hung my garment bags up on the racks. 

I am incredibly grateful to them for their help. I've got some fancy chocolates for them, but I think that after all that they've done, I will get them a gift card to their favorite restaurant, too.

Hard to believe that after the weeks and weeks of sewing and preparing, the event is finally here. I am so excited!

I have written some blog posts ahead of time and scheduled them to post on Saturday and Sunday. 

Stay 'tooned!

Kalamazoo 2025: Friday's Activities

Second Post of the Day

My sales items may have arrived in Kalamazoo on Wednesday, but I did not leave home until Friday at noon.

I went up with Leslie's bestie, Gretchen who is part of the show staff and was willing to let me put my things into her truck and travel with her. We had so much fun and I soon was hoarse from gabbing - I can see why she is Leslie's bestie.

What luck to run into my favorite living history friend right when we arrived - Carol Jarboe who portrays indentured servant, Maggie, at events. (Remember this photo when you look at others pictures of her as Maggie - yes, she really isn't missing all those teeth. LOL)

We had just a short amount of time to catch up before Leslie called all the staff into one of the Expo halls for dinner.

There were four rooms like this, set up with tables and ready for the doors to open at 7:00 that evening so vendors could begin setting up. The Expo Center is huge!

Leslie and Ethan Hazel, who is taking over for her next year, served us all. Technically I am not staff but Leslie and Gretchen told me not to worry about that and eat.

So I did. My plan had been for Goldfish Crackers back at the hotel, but a pasta dinner was much better. (Thanks, Leslie!)

I stayed for the staff meeting and then took a gander at the traditional Peeps display.

Leslie started the tradition years ago as a way to make people smile.

That's Gretchen on the right - she manned the front desk all weekend.

Honestly, aside from the "Hi," I couldn't read the Peeps message. But it still accomplished its purpose - I smiled.

Then it was on to the North Expo where my tables were and time to set up.

I nearly cried when I stepped through the doors and into the hall. 

Most of the hard work had been done -  my tubs were all inside, the clothing racks had been assembled, and my clothing removed from their bags and set out. That's Frank and Carol setting up Leslie's tables; they also came over and helped me lift boxes. Grateful to them, and to all who helped me.

Leslie had also asked a staff member, Anita, to help me and boy howdy did she ever. Sadly, I did not get her photo but she has become a friend. Grateful, again!

Frank got a time lapse video of set-up Friday night. I've asked him if I can share it here, and if he's okay with that, I'll post it in the next blog post. Stay 'tooned and cross your fingers.

In the meantime, I discovered this video from the 2023 Kalamazoo show made by living history enthusiast, Michael Delaware. Lisa (red riding habit) and I appear (green caraco) in it briefly starting at 11:42.

It will help give you a sense of the scope and size of this show. Take a look.

More tomorrow!