GR|Mag’s Top Weekend Picks

Two of our top picks this weekend are centered on community. Several Rockford businesses are coming together to help raise money for the employees of the Corner Bar after a devastating fire reduced the popular neighborhood restaurant to ashes earlier this week. The businesses in the Creston neighborhood are also joining forces this weekend for Best of Creston, a festival spanning several blocks of Plainfield Ave. and celebrating the community. There’s also a couple of last chance opportunities this weekend. So get out and enjoy the city.

Help out the Corner Bar in Rockford
(Thursday, Friday, Saturday)

Several businesses have banded together to host Rockford Community Day in an effort to help the employees of the Corner Bar, which experienced a devastating fire earlier this week.

Many Rockford stores and restaurants are participating by donating a portion of their sales to the Rockford Relief fund on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Thursday will kick-off the Shop for a Cause event and information packets will be available at River & Co. studio, 116 Courtland, starting at 11 a.m. Thursday. You can also bring your kids to fill out a thank you note for the local and neighboring police and firefighters who responded.

Best of Creston Festival
(Saturday)

The first annual Best of Creston street fair and festival is being held on the northeast side of Grand Rapids to celebrate the Creston neighborhood. From Graydon’s Crossing to Stonesthrow and on down Plainfield Avenue, activities, artist markets, music and more will be taking place. Be sure to stop by Creston Brewery, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary in conjunction with the festival and will have live music throughout the afternoon.

The festival takes place from noon to 6 p.m.

Restaurant Week serves up three-course meals
(through Sunday)

There is still time to try out Restaurant Week menus at your favorite downtown restaurant – or try somewhere new. More than 60 restaurants in and around the city are offering three-course meals for $28 per person or dinners for two at $28. Several restaurants are also offering lunch menus for $14 per person. Here’s a list of participating restaurants and their menus.

Last chance to see the Ai WeiWei exhibit
(through Sunday)

This weekend is the last weekend you can visit the Ai WeiWei exhibit at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. The exhibit is the artist and activist’s first in the upper Midwest.

The Chinese-born WeiWei is internationally heralded as one of the most important cultural figures of our time. He champions free speech and global human rights through his sculpture, installations, film, photography—and his widely followed social media presence. In the last year alone, he has mounted critically acclaimed exhibitions in London, Helsinki, Paris, Melbourne, Florence and New York. His work, through a neverending variety of materials and forms, communicates important concepts about his life, his homeland and the world.

Get your dance on to ’80s favorites
(Saturday)

Mega 80’s returns to The Intersection. Special guest DJ Jay Vee will be on hand along with the live ’80s tribute band. Tickets available at The Intersection website.

Movies in the Park
(Friday)

Movies in the Park concludes this weekend with the showing of Remember the Titans and Pitch Perfect. Pre-entertainment begins at 6 p.m. followed by Remember the Titans at 7 p.m. and Pitch Perfect at 9:30 p.m.

Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company presents Cymbeline
(Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

Michigan’s year-round touring Shakespeare company is performing “Cymbeline” in Grand Rapids this weekend at the Dog Story Theater.

A “romance” written late in Shakespeare’s career, “Cymbeline” is set in ancient, Roman-occupied Britain. An evil step mother, disguised princess and other fairy-tale elements add to the play’s feeling of epic fantasy as it follows British King Cymbeline’s struggle against Roman rule and his daughter’s journey to reunite with her true love and save her kingdom from the corruption at it’s heart.

Visit Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company for details.

*Main photo courtesy of Restaurant Week GR.