Grand Rapids Santa Parade

GR|MAG’s Top Weekend Picks

Don’t let the snow keep you inside—go out and enjoy a few of the wonderful things Grand Rapids has to offer. You can start at the Robert Downes book signing at the library, enjoy a fresh take on a Disney classic, and kick off the holidays by seeing Santa’s parade followed by scoring a picture at his workshop.

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Takes St. Cecilia Stage

Internationally renowned musicians from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York visit Grand Rapids this week to kick off the 2018-2019 Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center series at St. Cecilia Music Center.
Wandering Seeds Exhibit. Photo by Johnny Quirin

For the Love of Haiti

One professor’s love for Haiti has blossomed into community engagement and service learning opportunities for students, a quest for Haitian art, and an exhibit that features all three and more.

GR|MAG’s Top Weekend Picks

Spend an afternoon checking out the "fantastic creatures" of John Ball Zoo or wake up early for an outdoor fitness session followed by coffee in igloos at Outside Coffee Co. You can also help The Mitten celebrate its sixth birthday, hear from area storytellers spinning tales for national Telebration, and check out winter fashions from Burton during a runway show at The BOB.
Justice Choir GR rehearsing.

Social Justice Choir Sings Out in Support of Mental Health

On Sunday, Nov. 11, Justice Choir GR lends its collective voice to the issue of mental health.

Sunday Classical Concert Series Returns to GRAM

Spend your Sundays enjoying classical concerts at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.
GRAM Chief Curator Ron Platt leads a tour through an exhibition by Native American artist Dylan Miner. Titled “Water is Sacred // Trees are Relatives,” it explores the spiritual and historical relationship between Michigan’s natural history and its native peoples. Photo by Sam Easter.

Native American Artist Spotlights the State’s Natural Resources in GRAM Exhibit

The first thing you notice about Dylan Miner’s new exhibition is the smell. The gallery at the Grand Rapids Art Museum has a sharp, almost sawdust-like aroma — the first taste of a gallery that explores the relationship between the rocks, trees and water of Michigan and its native peoples.
Grand Rapids Comic Con. Photo by Jacky Petters Photography.

Grand Rapids Comic Con Returns to Connect with the Community

From Nov. 9-11, Grand Rapids Comic Con returns to DeVos Place with a variety of events and programming, including a vending hall, fan panels, costume contests, film screenings and art shows. Back in 2006, though, it was only an idea. While attending a toy show in Pittsburgh, Mark Hodges, co-owner and event director of Grand Rapids Comic Con, contemplated if it was possible for Grand Rapids to have its own comic book-style convention.
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock Photos

6 Activities You Don’t Want to Miss in November

Fall is in full swing and GR|MAG found several fun ways to keep you busy this month.
*Main photo: Gail Buckland is the curator of the new exhibition at the Grand Rapids Art Museum featuring sports photography from the 1840s to the present. At her left is a striking image of the 1966 NBA Finals. (Photo by Sam Easter for GR|MAG)

Expansive Sports Photography Exhibit Hits a Home Run at GRAM

On the second floor of the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM), there is a photo of the 1966 NBA finals. The Boston Celtics’ Bill Russell is guarding the Los Angeles Lakers’ Elgin Baylor. The two are suspended in midair; floating toward the rim, the stadium lights illuminating their teammates and the countless, pinpoint faces of the crowd.
Grand Rapids Drive full arena. Photo courtesy of Grand Rapids Drive.

GR|MAG’s Top Weekend Picks

Get ready to cheer for the home team this weekend. The Grand Rapids Drive plays its first home game on Saturday. You can also check out local band Pink Sky when the duo plays the Grand Rapids Public Library's Music in the Stacks series.
LaughFest brings people together with laughter.

LaughFest is Searching for Local Talent

Next month Gilda's LaughFest will unveil its headliners for the 2019 "festival of laughter," but in the meantime, the organization is looking for the city's funniest individuals to help fill out its roster.
Lamp Light Music Festival 2018 logo.

Lamp Light Music Fest Flips Switch on New Venues

This is the seventh year of Lamp Light Music Festival, the independently organized, artist-run music festival in the Eastown neighborhood, but it marks the first year the event will not be held in a house-show setting.
Photo by Robert Stone

Opera for All: Nonprofit Arts Organization Gives Free Performance

A local group of singers is breaking down barriers by inviting the public to enjoy opera...for free. The West Michigan Opera Project (WMOP) will be performing Carlisle Floyd’s “Susannah” with the Kalamazoo Philharmonia on Saturday, Nov. 3 at Fountain Street Church.

GR|MAG’s Top Weekend Picks

If the fall air has you thinking about cozying up indoors, don't! Head out and fill your belly with the season's most delicious comfort foods. Visit the Downtown Market on Friday, where vendors will be offering samples of their "fall favorites." Later that night, Local First is bringing together restaurants from across the city for Fork Fest.
Artist & gallery owner Madison May

Conflict, Comfort and Convention

When a difficult childhood and troubling high school experiences left 24-year-old Madison Nicole May with a hefty emotional burden to bear, the Grand Rapids native decided to make the most of it, channeling her pain into art to overcome the past.
Entrance to the Grand Rapids Public Musuem's "Toys!" exhibit.

Make a Playdate at the Public Museum for “Toys!”

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is tying together nostalgia and pop culture in its latest exhibit, “Toys!” Exploring toys throughout time, this chronological walkthrough begins in 1945 with the Baby Boomers and ends in the recent Millennial era.
"The Magic Flute" dress rehearsal. Photo by Grand Lubell Photography.

Opera Grand Rapids Talks Note-Worthy Season

After the success of its 50th-year celebration, Opera Grand Rapids continues to cultivate West Michigan’s vocal arts scene through its 2018-2019 season repertoire of The Magic Flute and La Traviata.
Books & Mortar founders with the store's new owner.

Books & Mortar Starts Second Chapter with New Owner

Books & Mortar is beginning a second chapter. Two years after opening the business, the founders of the neighborhood bookstore, Jonathan Shotwell and Christopher Roe, announced earlier this week via email that they’ve sold the store to Jenny Kinne.

GR|MAG’s Top Weekend Picks

The biggest football game of the year for Michiganders takes place this weekend when MSU and U of M kickoff against each other. So break out your maize & blue or green and white and head to your favorite sports bar to catch the game over beer and pizza.

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