Underwriting support from:
Why hello fellow Grand Rapids folk,
Fall is here. You can tell because there is a dramatic, intense spike in weekend events… in fact there is SO MUCH going on over the next few weeks that you might as well just get up in the morning grab a water bottle, tie on your tennys and plan on not coming home till long after sunset…. The best part is lot’s o’ it is free and the variety of events is freaking fantastic. This weekend alone you can check out the Artpeers Fall Festival, Celebration on the Grand, The Mexican Festival and of course my all time favorite, The Avenue for the Arts Market! and the that is just the tip of the iceberg…. I could go on, and on, and on…. In fact, I think I will.
Here is Word on the Street September 10th 2010
FRIDAY IS ARTDAY
Tonight check out the new show, “Human/Nature”, opening at Byrneboehm Gallery. From 5:30pm - 9:30pm you can scope new work by Matt Schenk and Matt Manscalo. Their paintings (appropriate to the show title) focus on human figures and endangered species. I have seen Matt M’s work, can’t wait to see Matt S’s!
Location: 959 Lake
Cost: Free
The UICA is opening their Retail Store on Friday night from 5:30 until 9:30. Show up too meet the artists whose work will be sold including some bomb ass limited edition ArtPrize items. I have a pretty good inside scoop and I have heard there are some totally sweet items… I can’t wait to see the Artworks Ceramic pieces and the dolls….. UICA members get 10% off!
Location: 41 Sheldon Blvd. SE
Cost: Free
Swarm to Wealthy for the ArtPeers “Fall Festival” (officially kicked off on Thursday night) Fall Festival has a totally impressive line up of artists and events taking place on and around Wealthy Street. Friday, catch the action from 4-9pm and on Saturday from 1-9pm. You are going to want to figure out a plan of attack for this one; check out all the details at artpeers.org/fall-festival/
Location: Wealthy Street
Cost: Free
Friday night is also “Fashion’s Night Out” AK Rikk’s is doing a pop up shop at 38 Commerce during ArtPrize and Friday is the first time you are going to have a chance to check it out! In addition, lots of great local retailers including the sweet travel store on Cherry, Peninsula Trading, will be open late, hosting special events and extended hours!
Location: Various (start at 38 Commerce for all the details!)
Cost: Free
FRIDAY/SATURDAY
Friday night there are FIREWORKS for Celebration on the Grand! I love fireworks. Fireworks start at dusk…Saturday and Sunday you can check out Taste of Grand Rapids (um food galore, bunch of local eats) on Monroe and live music at the Mya Lyn Elliptic and at Ah-Nab-Awen Park. There are back-to-back band line ups, a beer, stuff for the kiddies, and a movie on Saturday night
Location: Monroe Center and along the River!
Cost: Free
Wander over the Hispanic Festival at Calder Plaza. Starting on Friday and running all day on Saturday they will host performers include the band Los Mismos, mariachi bands, traditional/ contemporary singers and dance troupes performing Latin America folk styling’s from Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. There will be food, artwork and goods for sale as well as beer tent! And there are tons of really cool random things happening like a dance contest from 2-5pm on Saturday (first prize is a weekend in Chicago)!
Location: 250 Monroe Avenue
Cost: Free!
SATURDAY
The Vertigo- A- Go-Go Starts at 11am and will be bumping all day long! Herm and the crew stash a great selection of new and used vinyl to pull out throughout the day…. In addition, there are performances by Skeleton Party, Chester Nimitz, Tokyo Morose, Lazy Genius and $$$$$$$ (feat. Michael Cunningham of gRrroPoLis). Be sure to check out their used CDS and remember….buy it on Itunes and your computer crashes that shit is gone… but buy it on Vinyl and that shit lasts….let’s put it this way… they didn’t put a golden Ipod into a space shuttle and launch it into the start, they put a RECORD into the space shuttle to represent human knowledge and communication. So spruce up your collection of solid awesome tangible music artifacts.
Location: 129 S. Division Ave.
Cost: Free!
So say you have been waiting all summer to pick up that great t-Shirt you keep seeing at the Avenue for the Arts Market…well this weekend is the LAST CHANCE! Jewelry, photos, paintings, house goods, live music, smiling happy people! Artists and vendors will be set up along south Division from 4-9pm. In addition we will have food vendors including Erb Thai, Grand Rapids Pizza Delivery, Pop's Kettle Corn, Sweet Revenge Patisserie, Kool Penguin Ice Cream, and Pikositos and live music performances in the 106 South Division lot! For a look at our vendors check out the website, avenueforthearts.com/streetmarket!
Location: 100 Block of South Division
Cost: Free!
Saturday night head to Wealthy Theater for the wrap up of Fall Festival with a performance by a totally kick ass local crew. “Salmagundi: Harvest” is described as Unconventional, dance, music, performance, art and the performers/creative contributors include Paucity, Austin Bunn, Rachel Finan, Amy Wilson, Carolina Pava, Christian Vigrass, People Design, Patrick Foley, Mary Alice Korth, Sara Schneider, Mary Jo Masters, Melissa Mondry-Sefton, Rael Orao, Sarah Baumgras, Johanna Schuyten, Riley Wilson and Siona Wilson.
Location: 1130 Wealthy SE
Cost: $12 a few bucks less to CMC Members
After the Avenue for the Arts Art Market head over to Founders for a freaking legit line up of bands! Bars of Gold is suppose to be tight but when you add to that, Chance Jones, Prussia & Ghost Heart THEN you have musical greatness! Bars of Gold is doig a special release of their LP and there are only 500 currently in print so pick them up! Show starts at 9pm, you gotta be 21 to get in
Location: 235 Grandville Avenue Southwest
Cost: ?
If you happen to be headed up Eastown way stop in to Mulligan’s to check out Chernobyl Babies with special guest Chugger (one of the most hilarious band names ever). The show starts at 10 and goes till close. Show is 21 and up
Location: 1518 Wealthy St SE
Cost: Free
SUNDAY
Props to the home county! There is an ongoing exhibition at the Muskegon Art Museum featuring the Symbolist Paintings of Annabel Livermore, whom if I am not mistaken is actually the alternative personality of a male sculptor… gee….those kookey artists are at it again! Nevertheless the work is also interesting because is a reflections of a bunch of the places I grew up around including Pickerel Lake (I am sure this makes it really interesting for all of you as well…) Open Sunday from 10 until 4:30
Cost: Adults $5
Location 296 W. Webster
There is nothing like…fantastic musical theater…On Thursday night I got to seen South Pacific It was amazing, a totally enchanted evening. The set was ‘tastic, the singing was glorious, although the French man was not as hot as I would prefer… Granted the plot line is a little harsh reflecting on war, racism and romance but all of it is glossed over with some pretty catchy musical tunes…in fact it is going to take some time to wash those songs right out of my head…. (I know this is cheesy but musical theater brings out the nerd in me!) The Sunday performance starts at 6:30 pm and you are going to want to make sure you slurp up some tickets ASAP!
Location: Devos Center 303 Monroe
Cost: Varies
MONDAY
Join the Heartside Neighborhood Association for Ice Cream at Heartside Ministires. Grab a scoop, top it off and get to know some peeps! The association is recruiting new board members and is working on some great upcoming events and is a great way to get plugged into the downtown.
Location: 54 South Division
Cost: Free
THE END
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
The Rapidian, a program of the 501(c)3 nonprofit Community Media Center, relies on the community’s support to help cover the cost of training reporters and publishing content.
We need your help.
If each of our readers and content creators who values this community platform help support its creation and maintenance, The Rapidian can continue to educate and facilitate a conversation around issues for years to come.
Please support The Rapidian and make a contribution today.
Comments, like all content, are held to The Rapidian standards of civility and open identity as outlined in our Terms of Use and Values Statement. We reserve the right to remove any content that does not hold to these standards.