Hello Stay-cation-ers.
You know how when you are planning a vacation and you spend a whole lot of time trying to figure out where to go, what to do, what sites to see and what the hottest sites to hit up are?… and of course you only have a limited amount of time to see EVERYTHING so you really pack it in?
Well what if you tried to do that in Grand Rapids? What if you planned a steller weekend hanging around downtown? I want to know what sites you would put on your list… what destinations do you want to see that you haven’t seen? What locations make it onto the list of tried and true favorites? I am going to make my list this weekend for WOTS next week… if you make a list maybe we can compare?
So I would bet that if you made a list of events it might look something like this…..
Word on the Street for April 29, 2009.
ALL WEEKEND LONG
A new season, a new Beerhorst family Art Show! Friday Saturday Sunday from 10 till 8pm. Get a jump start on presents for wedding gifts. Mothers Day, maybe a treasure for yourself… Whatever you need to shop for, great people, great place, with great art work, great weekend. Location 106 Fuller Ave. SE Cost Free
Get cultured this weekend on Friday and Saturday with the Opera Grand Rapids performance of Porgy & Bess. Gershwin, Summertime, Pimps and Charleston… I have head that it is a pretty rad performance.
For performances times check out the Opera Grand Rapids Website www.operagr.com Location: 303 Monroe. Cost: Tickets at Ticketmaster.com
FRIDAY – ARTDAY!
Head to the Sparrows for new work by Miss Natalie Good. From 6-9pm she will be meeting and greeting, Hawks and Owls will be playing, snacks will be had and you can check out her new work… The post card is pretty awesome and the description is “Keeping Record- drawings as objects, histories, compositions, stories and actions.” I am totally looking forward to it. Location 1035 Wealthy St. South East. Cost Free
Downtown the next installment of Noshnight takes place at McKay Towers. This month there is going to be a sketch off Competition the participants get 3 minutes to create a drawing based on a random theme audience vote decided who stays and who goes. Food by the Winchester, mixing it up with Superdre and Flying Without Wingz, Evening starts up at 7pm. Location: 146 Monroe Center (across from the GRAM)
Cost: $7
The DAAC weekend kicks off with a Vantage Point entertainment show with a long term, Kryptonite,
Dante Cope, Cuietstorm, Lok & Chyna D, Sprout Diggy, C.D.R., The Pittz, DOSS, Baby Taz… uh yep hip hop show…Starts at 7pm. Location: 115 S. Division Cost $6
SATURDAY!
Nothing else is so dramatically spring as the opening of the Fulton Street Farmers market.
I am SO excited about opening day! I need soap, flowers for the pourch and somewhere I read they are even going to have some early veggies on hand….oh the glory! Local Produce!!!!
SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE! Excitement!
On Saturday Well House is having an arts and craft show beginning at 10 am and ending around 6. A little bit of this, a little bit of that a whole lot of art and an open mic…The Well house community is pretty cool and if you don’t know much about it worth not only seeing the work but finding out more about the community. Location: 606 Cass SE Cost: Free!
Saturday there is going to be a great Mayday celebration at MLK jr Park … There is a pretty interesting line up of events. Lots of community sharing… from 11-1pm there will be a potluck, and from 2-4pm there will be a Really Really Free Market and all afternoon there are going to be activities for kids…music from BMG Entertainment, Chance Jones, Euphoria, Kelly O'Brien and the Bridge Street Special, Jihad Islam, Todd Krabs, Organel Williams and the Bottom Line Band, Pain and Glory, Alexis…. Location: Fuller and Franklin Cost: Free!
In Eastown 360 Massage is celebrating a new location with and open house and a fundraiser for the Equest center! Donations are going to be accepted throughout the day with complementary massages, food consultations and foot detoxes. Help celebrate and support a great cause (find out more about the Equest Center at equestcenter.org)
Their new location is:1514 Wealthy suite 218
Midwest fest is a HUGE multi day show coming up in a month and this weekend at the DAAC there is a preview show including Mr. Gnome, Jes Kramer and Charles The Osprey show starts at 8pm. Want to know more about Midwest fest, check out the DAACTraxxx music preview on the website www.thedaac.org or pick up the newest OnTheTown. Location: 115 S. Division Cost: $6.00
Stella’s Lounge is bound to be the hottest spot in Heartside this weekend. The Grand Opening is on Saturday beginning at 4pm and total props to Erwin cause it is also the unveiling of a new mural that he and the guys installed into the space… for a little sneak peak at the mural check out this link….
Location 53 Commerce Ave SW
Cost bring your credit card…
SUNDAY
Sunday at the DAAC three bands starting at 5pm. Listener, Fienix and The Fainting Generals Location: 115 S. Division Cost $6
TUESDAY!
So I’ve been trying to squeeze in some more sun… and on Tuesday at high noon I am going to squeeze in some sun while I munch on lunch and chat with some neighbors and friends.. SO I am sending out an open invite for you to join me, lunch is BYO, corner of South Division and Cherry in the park. See you there.
OK. Staycationers send me a list of your Grand Rapids must see vacation sites…
If you are on facebook you can join the Word on the Street group. Currently we are sending word out as an “event” and a message on facebook so feel free to share….. you can also post feedback there or of course send me an email at… [email protected] . OR if you want to check out the Blog got to http://www.g-rad.org/projects/wordonthestreet/
Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom!
jenn
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