The Blog

In one short week, the Festival of the Forks will be in full swing. The annual celebration in downtown Albion has been occurring since 1967. Named after the fork in the Kalamazoo River not a utensil, the festival is a celebration of the heritage and culture of the Albion community. The two-day event kicks off with the Cruise-In & Car …

As the school year has begun, countless extracurricular activities have started too. One opportunity we have in Albion is robotics through INNOVATE Albion. I had the opportunity to sit down with Caroline Hurteau, Executive Director at INNOVATE Albion, to discuss the build-up and work that really goes into FIRST robotics competitions. Although the official competition materials and preparation does not …

The Run Albion 5K races and series have been going on for numerous years. The organization has blossomed into an annual 5K series including the Run the Rock in the spring, the History Hustle in the summer, and the Forks 5K the Friday night of the Festival of the Forks in September. It ventures runners and walkers through the beautiful …

As they tried to beat the rain, American Legion Post 55 with the help the Albion Scout Troops 158B and 158G and Home Depot, successfully restored Barnes Park on Thursday August 17th and Tuesday August 22nd. A project two years in the making has come to fruition with replacing park benches, cleaning the riverbank, and trimming overgrown trees. This passion …

Kids ‘N’ Stuff Children’s Museum has been an iconic and vibrant aspect to downtown Albion for almost 21 years. Personally, being one of the first kids in the community to truly experience Kids ‘N’ Stuff, the opportunity for hands-on play in Albion has always been an opportunity I’ve cherished. This past month, I had the opportunity to sit down with …

About one month ago, the local Scouts, Troop 158B and 158G, went on an amazing trip to West Virginia with the support of the Albion community. On July 21st, the Scouts took off with a mission of visiting the National Jamboree for a day. The Jamboree is a time for Scouts from across the nation to gather and experience the …

The heart of Albion, the historic downtown district is filled architectural charm and iconic landmarks. To preserve and enhance this unique character, the Albion Downtown Development Authority (DDA) recently celebrated the successful completion of the 2023 Façade Grant projects. The program aimed to revitalize and maintain the city’s historic downtown by providing grants to deserving recipients for improvements to building …

The weekly community event of the Albion Farmer’s Market is an easily overlooked resource within our community. Albion Farmer’s Market is a great way to support local but also buy fresh produce to support healthy living. Not only is it convient that our Farmer’s Market is located right downtown in Stoffer Plaza, but it is also accessible to all with …

4-H Creative & Expressive Arts has been a great opportunity for students in the Albion community for over 25 years, but what effect has it had on the students? There is a great love from the leadership for the program, but how do the students feel? I had the opportunity to talk with some of the student leaders and participants …

Built between 1867 to 1868, a two-story gable front house was built by and became home to Albionite R. J. Frost, a local shoemaker and businessman. Fast-forward 156 years; the home now belongs to C. J. Frost, R. J.’s great-great-grandson who is restoring the home to its full glory. Although not an original Albionite himself, C. J. Frost is bringing …