Here we are on November 8th (as I type this) and already those famous candy canes have been seen in downtown Kalamazoo.

If you're not familiar, Candy Cane Lane has been a tradition in the Kalamazoo area for decades. About a dozen, giant candy canes are erected along a sidewalk in Bronson Park and provide the perfect setting for a magical stroll, pictures, and so on.

Well, it looks like the city of Kalamazoo is getting an early start on installation this year as they've already been spotted in Bronson Park:

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I know some people are easily angered by early holiday decorations. Of course, it will never compare to the outrage felt by the community when the candy canes, that previously leaned over the sidewalk, were replaced by ones that stood straight up.

The year was 2019. People in the Kalamazoo area were preparing for their holiday shopping, as they had done in years past when an announcement rocked the otherwise joyful time. The beloved candy canes...had changed:

While I'm mostly being facetious, people were genuinely upset about the change. A change.org petition was even started to bring back the "classic" candy canes that garnered over 6,000 signatures. However, it ultimately did not make a difference. It looks like the new candy canes are here to stay.

What happened to the old ones, you ask? They were simply in disrepair. According to Sean Fletcher, the Parks and Recreation Department Director at the time, the former candy canes were in poor condition and were structurally unsafe to place on the sidewalk. Read more here.


As far as the official installation date for the candy canes, nothing has been announced as of yet. At least nothing that I could find. In previous years, they were usually up by the third or last week of November.

Aside from Candy Cane Lane, Kalamazoo also has Christmas Card Lane which is definitely something you should see in person at least once. Check out last year's:

Kalamazoo's Christmas Card Lane 2021

It's a tradition that started in the city of Zeeland, Michigan and made it's way to Kalamazoo. Every year, residents who live on Lauderdale Drive in Kalamazoo transform into Christmas Card Lane. 

Michigan's Most Dazzling Christmas Light Show

With over 1 Million points of light, this is Michigan's biggest and brightest light show.