Pulp & Press Lit Arts Fest Launches Spring 2026, Kalamazoo County, MI!

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood

VICKSBURG, MI – The Pulp & Press Lit Arts Fest will be held April 24-25, 2026 hosted by the Village of Vicksburg, in South Kalamazoo County. This two-day literary arts festival is intended to promote literacy through its unique forms including illustration, written and spoken word.

Kicking-off the first-ever Pulp & Press Lit Arts Fest is Shelby Van Pelt,

New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures. Van Pelt will be speaking at the Vicksburg Performing Art Center at 7:00 pm on Friday, April 24.

Collaborating in the planning of the event are Vicksburg Arts, The Prairie Ronde Artist Gallery/Residency, Gilbert and Ivy Booksellers, the Vicksburg District Library, The Vicksburg Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Village of Vicksburg, which is also serving as the financial sponsor and host in the festival’s inaugural year. The Fest is planned to become an annual event.

The Pulp & Press Lit Arts follows the Tournament of Writers Celebration,

a regional writers’ event sponsored by Vicksburg Arts. Other festival programming includes an art gallery exhibition and workshops on illustration, poetry and book binding. Surrounding these events is the Book Trail, which invites festival visitors to meet and talk with more than 30 regional authors while discovering the shops and businesses in the Village of Vicksburg.

Kimm Mayer, planning committee lead, says establishing the Pulp & Press Lit Arts Fest is important because, “It makes reading and literacy accessible to everybody by introducing people to authors and activities in a fun and relaxed environment. The festival is seen as a complement to an already strong arts community in Southwest Michigan and can impact literacy in the region as well as promote tourism.”

There is no cost to attend many of the programs offered during the Pulp & Press Lit Arts Fest.

However, some speaking events and workshops are ticketed to cover a portion of the cost. Tickets are available on Eventbrite; search for “Pulp & Press”. Follow the festival on Facebook @PulpPressLitArtsFest or https://www.facebook.com/PulpPressLitArtsFest/