People + Places

Hello, and welcome to grmag.com, a new daily online publication celebrating Grand Rapids.

Since the age of 9, RC Caylan has had a passion for fashion and design. Born and raised in the Philippines, his inspiration came from his grandmother, a schoolteacher and uniform seamstress.

What does Grand Rapids have in common with Anchorage, Alaska and Aspen, Colorado? All three cities host festivals that made the “10 Most Epic U.S. Winter Festivals Worth Braving The Cold For” list.

Muskegon Pride Center is partnering to host the city’s first Pride Festival next month.

The DeVos family and Kent County have unveiled a statue honoring the local philanthropist who was a driving force behind creating West Michigan’s largest urban park.

Dr. Charles Gibson is one of only a few Black trauma surgeons in the country.

The city of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department is offering free lifeguard certifications and raising its wage for the 2022 pool season.

A new downtown event venue is in the works.

Can the police department’s new strategic plan really transform policing in a meaningful way?

Kyd Kane, Grand Rapids’ current poet laureate, said she is a spoken word poet “in limbo,” as so many poets are in these long months of the pandemic that has shut down venues, stopped indoor events and slowed community gatherings.

A rainbow of colors now covers a street in downtown Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids this week is partnering with Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) on an outdoor program for students.

A new lifestyle and home boutique will have its grand opening later this month.

A West Michigan nonprofit extended its services to survivors of human trafficking.

John Ball Zoo is getting a new resident later this summer.

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Pack your bags and head to Camp Newaygo for a Girlfriends Get-A-Way.

John Ball Zoo will construct a new pygmy hippo habitat.

A leading agency in suicide prevention plans to host a monthlong series of events. 

The oldest farmers market in West Michigan will celebrate 100 years when it opens next month.

A thrift store and artisan market opened on Division Avenue to raise funding and serve and employ individuals experiencing homelessness.