Canadiana Fest is growing and evolving and we are always welcoming new team members who might want to participate in various capacities. Whether you’re interested in year-round participation or want to help out at the festival on the day of, or maybe you want to become involved in the inner workings of the planning committee, please reach out to us. We have something for everyone.

Come be a part of the action! In the least, you’ll get a cool t-shirt and have a great time with fun folks.

Before the Fest We have so many roles where you can bring your unique talents!

• Planning Committee, Media, Support: We have several open positions. Let us know what you would like to do and how involved you’d like to be!
• Canuck Club Social Events: We host gatherings from time to time just to hang out and have fun like euchre nights, hockey game nights, concerts, theatre events, ice skating, curling, and more.
• Fundraisers for the Festival: The Fest is planning some exciting performances and events for the coming year, and we’d love for you to be part of the experience!
• Promotional support- we need people to get the word out far and wide. Whether it’s hanging posters or social media, we can use your help. If you live in the big city, or in nearby counties or towns, we need you!

At the Fest Here are just a few places we could use your help on the day of the Fest!

• Decorate the grounds with banners and more!
• Grounds Crew: set up, clean up/empty trash bins, tear down!
• Be a Canuck Greeter- meet people at the gates with the map and schedule of events, answer questions, escort folks to our booths or tents!
• Face painting and game attendants!
• Be a Mascot Handler- help Bobbie Beerver or Kalam A Moose!
• Help stock and sell Fest merchandise!
• Make no-alcohol cocktails! Bonus points for bar experience!
• Work the refreshments stand (no hot food)!
• Work in the VIP Tent and the talent Green Room!

If you can do it, we can put it to work! Let us know how you want to help! Shoot us a note and how you’d like to get involved!

As we wrap up 2025’s Fest, we’re already planning for next year. As you can imagine, offering a free festival means that we have to tap every possible resource. Having information from the public that addresses the validity, value, and importance of what we presented at Canadiana Fest is incredibly important.

If you haven’t completed a survey, would you take a moment to do so? Or, could you send this to friends and family who you know attended? You may receive a survey because you might have been a vendor or a participant in some other way, but please, if you can share this with those you know who attended, we can get a better picture of how to best serve the community next year.

2025 Canadiana Fest Survey https://forms.gle/Z8gD1C8rNe7kzp3MA

Thank you so much for your time and being a part of the Fest this year.

Chi Miigwech, Merci Beaucoup, Thank You Very Much,
Channon Mondoux, Founder and C.C.O. (Chief Canuck Officer) and Amy Crabtree Campbell, Co-Director – Canadiana Fest

If you were at Canadiana Fest, you know that a pretty fierce thunderstorm rolled through before we could announce our Poutine and Buttertart winners! The rain ended, but the lightning essentially shut down our stage and our sound system, so we’re announcing here!

The Grand Champion Poutine was from Katcha Steak, a new entrant this year! Theirs was a bold reimagining of a Canadian classic — crisp golden potato skins loaded with tender cheesesteak, caramelized peppers & onions, finished with house-made cheese gravy, and topped with shaved parmesan, fresh herbs, and a kick of jalapeño heat. They’re going to keep it on their menu, so go check them out!

2nd place Overall: American Culinary Federation of Kalamazoo and Battle Creek and One Well Brewing

3rd Place Overall: Motor Mouth, MI

Most Authentic Poutine: Best Coast Provisions

Most Inventive Poutine: PAC Pizzeria Michigan

People’s Choice: Grand River Brewery – Marshall

Now, on to the Buttertart Bakeoff! The competition was fierce for this highly technical delicate pastry!! The scoring was very tight again, with a point of each other. The 1st place winner was credited with the best overall pastry which tipped the scales.

1st place: Kalamazoo-area local and first time entrant Connie Kamerling!

2nd place: Owen Lewis of Chicago Butter Tart Co. Owen is the returning champion from 2024 and brought us a date-bar tart!

Tied for 3rd: Sarah Rousseau and Brent Grantham. Sarah is returning contestant from Canada, and Brent is another first timer in the contest!

Canadiana Fest catches on in Kalamazoo! Cara Lieurance and Brian O’Keefe talk with Channon Mondoux and John Louis Good.

https://www.wmuk.org/wmuk-culture/2025-09-17/canadiana-festival-catches-on-in-kalamazoo

You thought a shot at a Lake Michigan cruise from Bronze sponsor Fresh Coast Sailing was a good reason to reserve your free tickets in advance? Well! We’re leveling up, and if you reserve your tickets you’ll also be entered to win a year’s yard program by Platinum sponsor Pest Control Experts | Pest Pros of Michigan a spray program to protect your home from fleas, ticks and mosquitos! OR dare we say MOOSEQUITOS? Go to their booth for a second chance to win!

The map and schedule will be handed to you as you enter the Fest. There will also be multiple QR codes throughout the park, and announcements from the stage letting you know where and when the fun will be happening!

Schedule of Events!

Gold sponsor Farmer’s Alley Theatre is doing “Come From Away”! This fantastic show is a thrilling and heartfelt musical based on the true story of the time when the isolated community of Gander, Newfoundland, played host to the world.

What started as an average day in a small town turned into an international sleepover, when 38 planes, carrying thousands of people from around the globe, were diverted to Gander’s airstrip on September 11, 2001. Undaunted by culture clashes and language barriers, the people of Gander cheered the stranded travelers with music, an open bar and the recognition that we’re all part of a global family.

They have added several more performance for a four week run, twice as long as originally planned, because of the response from the community. I suggest getting tickets now, as shows are filling up. You will not regret visiting this charming and intimate theatre in downtown Kalamazoo. They are located at 221 Farmer’s Alley, right off South Street. There is a parking ramp directly behind and above the theatre.

Tell them Canadiana Fest sent you!

Canadiana Fest is proud and excited to announce our support for the Downtown Windsor Community Collaborative in Windsor, Ontario- Channon’s own home town!

The DWCC will benefit from funds raised through the sale of our Platinum third-year sponsor Clearly Canadian sparkling waters at the upcoming CanAm Peace Jam at Canadiana Fest 2025 Presented by CN Railway coming up on Saturday, September 20!

This organization does it all for the underserved in Windsor – food banks, youth programs, homelessness support, recovery services, community development and neighborhood revitalization and renewal, a refugee and entrepreneurial program and so much more!

We feel that bringing the DWCC into the fold of the festival, joining theSouth Michigan Food Bank and Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes complements our mission to help our communities. We welcome you to join us at our FREE CAN AM PEACE JAM presented by Canadian National Railway Company Reserve your free (or pay what you want) tickets now to be entered to win a cruise on Lake Michigan from Fresh Coast Sailing!

This is coming up Saturday and Sunday, August 2 and 3! The WMU Archaeology Team is partnering with the City of Niles, MI on this fascinating look into the past of the City of Four Flags! Why not take a day trip down to Niles and check this out? The WMU team will be at the Fest with a booth as well!

SURPRISE CONTEST! Reserve your tickets now and get entered into a drawing for a private Lake Michigan sailboat cruise on the Mary Rose courtesy of Bronze sponsor Fresh Coast Sailing! We’ll announce the winner at the Fest, and you must be present to claim your prize.