Gear up for the Grand Rapids Coffee Crawl.
The arrival of April means spring has officially sprung. With more hours of daylight and warmer weather making an appearance on the weekly forecasts, this is the perfect time to get out and enjoy all that Greater Grand Rapids has to offer.
Whether you or your children are on enjoying time off for Spring Break or you just have a few open weekends you're looking to fill up this month, there's plenty of events worth checking out. Maybe you're a coffee lover looking to explore local coffee shop offers or just hoping to explore Downtown Grand Rapids and find your next favorite piece of art. Whatever the case may be, don't miss these local happenings.
Calling all coffee lovers! This is the crawl for you. From April 7 to 8, explore local coffee shops and try different blends of coffee, tea or hot chocolate, all while benefiting the Heartside Gleaning Initiative. General tickets for this event are $15 and just $12 for students. All of the coffee shops are located within our bus service area, so just show your ticket to your bus operator and you can ride The Rapid at no cost! Get your ticket here.
Routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 + can get you there.
Stroll downtown’s historic shopping districts until 8 p.m. every Tuesday. Get there via one of our fixed routes, the Silver Line (free within downtown Grand Rapids) or the free DASH buses! Start your evening with dinner and then enjoy some late night shopping entertainment. Explore all the local boutique shops, sports apparel, kitchen gifts, clothing, specialty foods, and unique gifts, salon/spa services. Various shops will have specials and other features like trunk shows, refreshments, demos, and music.
Routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5+ can get you there.
Spring Break at the Public Museum
Do something special during Spring Break! The week of April 3 – 8 is Spring Break for many in the area. Enjoy a day at the Grand Rapids Public Museum for a special visit to Whales Giants of the Deep and additional hands-on activities including watercolor printmaking, making origami whales and big games. Activities take place 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday – Saturday of Spring Break and from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Learn more about admission here.
Route 7, 9, 12, 50 can get you there.
The 2017 DisArt Symposium: Disability Arts takes place from April 6 – 8. This is an international symposium designed to bring together academics, critics, artists, community organizers, designers, and arts organization professionals to consider the current state of disability arts and the current state of access making for cities around the world. Events include keynote presenters, a silent film screening, theater, dance, as well as an accessible event planning seminar. You can purchase your tickets here.
Routes 1, 4, 14, 15 and the Silver Line can get you there.
Amazing Dinos at the Grand Rapids Children's Museum
Plan a trip with your children and ride with us to the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum to dig up fossils, examine dinosaur habitats, and even come face to face with your favorite dinos! The Amazing Dinosaurs exhibit is now open through June 25. You don’t want to miss this fun, interactive exhibit that’s sure to please dinosaur lovers of all ages. Museum admission is just $8.50 for ages 1-64 and free for children under one. EBT card holders can get in for just $1.75.
Routes 1, 4, 6, 14, 15 and the Silver Line can get you there.
On Saturday, April 8, from 12-9 p.m., art is taking over downtown. Expanding from the Avenue for the Arts corridor in the Heartside Neighborhood to Kendall College of Art and Design and Devos Place in central downtown, this one-night event features several hundred artists in dozens of galleries, businesses, and studio spaces around downtown Grand Rapids. This is a rain-or-shine, no-cost event!
Routes 1, 2, 3, 4 + can get you there.
Grandville Art & Chocolate Walk
More than 20 different venues in downtown Grandville will feature artwork on Friday, April 21. There will also be a live statue performance, musical performances and interactive art exhibits. Visitors can also enjoy chocolate and beverage tasting stations with $3 “Sips & Bits” cards available for purchase at the event or for pre-purchase at Grandville City Hall.
Route 8, 24, 28 can get you there.
Play, learn and explore! This free event takes place at Kent Career Technical Center on Saturday, April 29. Bring your children to take part in fun activities, as well as access to many valuable programs, resources and organizations. There will be an onsite signup for free preschool, free vision and hearing screenings for toddlers and a range of early childhood information.
Route 15 can get you there.
If you're planning to ride The Rapid to a number of different locations this month, we suggest purchasing a 10-Ride ticket. This will allow you to ride at a discounted rate when it's most convenient for you and not worry about getting in a certain amount of rides within a 31-day period. Safe travels and enjoy April!
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