The fifth annual, week-long festival at eight different Kalamazoo venues kicks off on Monday as a ‘thoughtfully curated music experience.’ The preview, schedule and more.
Sound of the Zoo 2026: Erin Monroe, at left, and Grace Theisen are among more than 40 acts playing the Kalamazoo festival. (Monroe Courtesy Photo/Theisen Photo by Tyler Kuiper)
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Kalamazoo singer-songwriter Grace Theisen – who’s also a member of the Americana super-group The Rebel Eves – says it’s vital and commendable that a music festival such as Kalamazoo’s Sounds of the Zoo has focused bookings and attention on female artists.
“It’s incredibly important,” she said of the week-long, fifth-year festival that not only features a slew of talented women across multiple venues, but even hosts a special night “Celebrating Women in Music” on Tuesday (Sept. 22).
“The numbers show that women and nonbinary artists are still vastly underrepresented on festival stages — about 77.4 percent male, 21.7 percent female and 1 percent nonbinary at major U.S. festivals tracked by Book More Women,” Theisen noted.
“Festivals like Sounds of the Zoo are helping to shift those percentages and create real change. … Most audiences have no idea how stark these numbers still are, so it’s incredibly important that we keep raising awareness — and, more importantly, taking action to change it. I’m really grateful that Sounds of the Zoo and (organizer) Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert are helping to create that change here in Michigan.”
Sounds of the Zoo kicks off Monday (Sept. 21), and by the time it wraps up on Sept. 27, the free-admission festival will have showcased more than 40 diverse bands and solo artists across eight stages and numerous busking locations in downtown Kalamazoo.
Kandace Lavender: Performs Thursday (Courtesy Photo)
Hudson-Prenkert, festival founder and executive director, said she was intentional about booking female artists and otherwise drawing attention to women in the music industry for the 2026 festival.
“Women continue to be underrepresented in the music industry — not just as performers, but across so many other roles behind the scenes. I want Sounds of the Zoo to be a platform that celebrates women, creates opportunities, and helps build a stronger, more inclusive music community,” she said, noting that Music Mavens of Michigan will even sponsor a vending booth featuring Michigan-based, Nashville recording artist Jacki Daniels.
She said she worked with Theisen to create the “Celebrating Women in Music” night at Bell’s Brewery Eccentric Café, a show that will not only serve as an album-release for Theisen but feature Ypsilanti indie-pop artist Kylee Phillips, who also has a new record on the way.
“I’m passionate about creating space for the next generation of female artists, celebrating the women who came before us, and helping more women find their place in the music industry,” Hudson-Prenkert said.
As for Theisen, she’s “beyond thrilled to be a part of the festival. I’ll be playing with a five-piece, all-women band, and it will also be my vinyl-release show for my new album, ‘Androgynous Americana.’ My band will feature Jilian Linklater (also of The Rebel Eves), Carolyn Koebel (percussion/drums), Cori Somers (violin and former Red Sea Pedestrians), and Maggie Heeren (of Fake Baseball).”
Phillips, whose new album, “Before I Am Invisible,” gets released in October, said she’s “honored to be one of those voices” in a festival that elevates female artists. “As a listener, I’m so grateful for women who share the complexity and nuance of their experience through their music and I love being a part of that conversation,” she said.
Grand Rapids singer-songwriter Erin Monroe – who plays the opening night’s “Singer-in-the-Round” show at Kalamazoo’s Clover Room – echoed the sentiments of Theisen and Phillips.
“Sounds of the Zoo has been an essential part of my growth as a performer in this community,” she said.
“So many of the connections and collaborations I’ve been able to make as a singer-songwriter have been made possible by Jennifer and her remarkable ability to rally artists from so many different parts of the state and in so many different genres.”
Monroe – accompanied by guitarist Alex Austin – will be joined on stage by fellow tunesmiths Jacob McLeod and Benna for the 6:30 p.m. Monday show. Matt Gross & Friends will follow that up with a performance at 8 p.m.
FESTIVAL’S STRONG FOUNDATION AND MORE GROWTH IN 2026
By building “a strong foundation” for the festival over the past four years, Hudson-Prenkert believes the 2026 event “is really about expanding that vision,” while allowing the carefully curated festival to grow organically.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is our Monday-through-Sunday format. I’ve been curating the festival this way from the very beginning, thinking of the entire week like an album. Each event is its own track, with its own energy, sound and story. I work with the bands and artists as inspiration when I’m putting that album together — thinking about how one experience leads into another and how the entire week should feel.”
Myron Elkins: Plays Bronson Park on Sept. 26 (Photo/Katy Batdorff)
The festival also has developed “meaningful” partnerships, including Heritage Guitars sponsoring Saturday night headliner Myron Elkins and a collaboration with the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo to host Blue Skies Busking activities around town on Sept. 26. Sounds of the Zoo also has developed a new interactive website with help from Steve Enge, founder of KalamaTicket.
The week-long performances boast a wide range of styles from the Western Michigan University Jazz Ensemble, Great Lakes Brass, MexiCuba and After Ours to The Go Rounds, Da’Veonce & DaFunk Gang, Desmond Jones, Alise King and Santino.
“After five years, I’m finally feeling some real momentum. Being recognized by Local Spins as one of Michigan’s top September festivals was a tremendous honor, and I have so much respect for all of the festivals doing meaningful work across the state,” she said.
“Ultimately, I want Sounds of the Zoo to be a professional, thoughtfully curated music experience that also reminds people how much fun we can have together. I want people to come downtown, wander around, hear something they weren’t expecting, dance in the street, discover a new artist and connect with each other.”
SOUNDS OF THE ZOO FESTIVAL 2026: THE SCHEDULE
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