Residents in the Third Ward will have a chance to talk trash—literally—when the City of Grand Rapids hosts its second Commission Night Out of 2025 on Tuesday, July 29. The event, held at the Gerald R. Ford Academic Center, 851 Madison Ave. SE, combines a community engagement session, free dinner, family-friendly activities and giveaways ahead of the evening’s City Commission meeting.
Doors open at 4:30 p.m., with a complimentary dinner from Eastern Deli served at 4:45 p.m. Community members are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy the meal and explore informational tables hosted by city departments including 311, Water, Code Compliance, Planning and the 61st District Court. Staff from Economic Development will be on-site with updates on the Grand Rapids Land Bank Authority and the Emerging Developer Program.
The evening’s “Trash Talk” engagement session kicks off at 5:30 p.m., inviting residents to share feedback on city waste services such as recycling, composting, garbage pickup and yard waste. As a thank-you for participating, attendees can enter giveaways for items like free trash pick-up and bulk item tags, tabletop compost bins, and even a free yard waste cart. A limited number of free pavilion rentals, courtesy of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, will also be awarded.
A Goodwill trailer will be stationed on-site to accept gently used clothing donations, while Kent County representatives share updates on the city’s Food Scrap Program. Home Repair Services will offer information on energy-efficient home improvements—including furnaces, water heaters and access ramps constructed from recycled shopping bags—and may even conduct a live demo on repurposing scrap wood.
The Grand Rapids Public Library will host children’s activities and assist residents with signing up for library cards. Healthy Homes will also be present to discuss their free air filter replacement program, designed to help residents breathe easier indoors.
The City Commission meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Comcast Channel 26, as well as streamed on the City’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
More details are available at grandrapidsmi.gov or on the City of Grand Rapids Facebook page.
