The Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts (RRCA) opened its doors on July 7 with their free talk series. After positive reviews from patrons, the RRCA is looking to increase its programming. One patron expressed, “The RRCA was well prepared, following all guidelines. [We were] impressed with their plan and safety concerns. We’ll be back! Thank you!” The RRCA COVID-19 guidelines are available at RamsdellTheatre.org/COVID-19-Updates.
The RRCA launched its opening with the popular Midweek Mornings in Manistee, a collaborative effort between the RRCA, Vogue Theatre, and Old Kirke Museum to increase programming during the summer months. The RRCA has also booked an exclusive documentary series, Great Art On Screen, and recently added two performances of the Bolshoi Ballet.
The art gallery opens July 24 with works by Onekama residents Phil and Susan Joseph. “We’re moving forward and appreciate the positive response from our patrons. More programming is being scheduled, including pre-recorded performances from the National Theatre and Met Opera.
At this time, all events will be at the Ramsdell and available to a live audience,” said Executive Director, Xavier Verna. A listing of events is available at www.RamsdellTheatre.org.
The Grass River Natural Area (GRNA) staff and volunteers will be at the Cherry Republic’s pub Friday, July 24, for live music and conversation. There will be plenty outdoor seating is available and Cherry Republic has a new outdoor bar.
A percentage of total sales from the evening will go to GRNA to help them continue to fulfill their mission while organized programming is limited.
The event runs from 4 – 7 p.m. at the Glen Arbor location. There will be activities for kids, so bring the whole family. Physical distancing will be enforced.
John Ball Zoo hosts an Adult night out Thursday. (Supplied)
By Darci David John Ball Zoo
John Ball Zoo is hosting Adult Night Out this Thursday, July 23, for those aged 21 and up looking for a fun date night or friend’s night out.
Adult Night Out gives attendees the opportunity to experience the Zoo at night, with adult beverages, and without any kids. There will be select animal encounters for guests to choose from all starting at 7pm including; a turtle telemetry demo, bear training, a meerkat and African Cape porcupine talk, an animal spotlight, and fun trivia.
Guests can also enjoy the summer evening with beer and wine selections, specialty drinks and delicious food options. The newly launched JBZ beer in partnership with Brewery Vivant will also be served.
The Thursday, July 23, event is 6 – 9 p.m. Limited tickets are available so the Zoo highly recommends reserving tickets before the event. The Zoo offers three times to enter for the event at 5:45 p.m., 6 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. to help with space for safe social distancing.
Tickets can be purchased online for $18 for members or $20 for non-members at jbzoo.org/AdultNightOut. Tickets could be available for those who walk-up but the Zoo cannot guarantee these will be available.
Masks will be required for those medically able when visiting their indoor habitats and for outdoor areas where a 6 feet distance is not possible between other guests. The Zoo asks for guests to bring their own mask.
John Ball Zoo is located on Fulton Ave., one mile west of downtown Grand Rapids. For questions or for more information, visit www.jbzoo.org, call 616-336-4301 or email info@jbzoo.org.
The festival may be canceled, but you can still show support during what would have been Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival 2020 with the Front Porch Salute July 25-Aug. 8.
Join in with Grand Haven neighbors, businesses, apartments, and condos and transform your porch, deck, front door, yard, or window with patriotic colors and decorations. Show everyone how much the men and women of the Coast Guard are appreciated and celebrated!
Decorate anytime between July 25 and Aug. 8 and email pictures of your completed creations to marketing@coastguardfest.org (including your address, which will not be shared). Photos will be posted on the Festival social media pages. Some decorations may get special attention to be included in a poster, so the more extravagant the better! All businesses, residential homes, and apartments are encouraged to participate.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum will feature the Smithsonian exhibit “Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World” Aug. 1 – Sept. 27. (Supplied)
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is thrilled to announce a new exhibition is coming to the Museum from the Smithsonian, Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World, beginning Saturday, Aug. 1. The exhibit highlights how pathogens can spread to people from wildlife and livestock, why some outbreaks become epidemics and how human, animal and environmental health are all connected.
“As an educational institution, it’s important for the Museum to host an exhibit that’s relevant to today’s events,” said Dr. Cory Redman, the GRPM’s Science Curator. “Through an informative and immersive exhibit experience, information related to the COVID-19 pandemic will be shared, along with stories submitted from the West Michigan community about how this current health crisis has affected daily lives.”
Outbreak features informative panels and videos that cover outbreaks such as Zika, Ebola, Influenza and new information pertaining to COVID-19. Visitors will learn about the vaccination process, stigmas associated with certain infectious diseases, different roles community members and international partnerships assume to help stop outbreaks from becoming epidemics and more. The Museum also is including a section related to its community documentation project of daily life during COVID-19.
Detail of a MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) virus. (Supplied)
“We want people in all countries and settings to have effective communication tools about infectious diseases and health,” said Sabrina Sholts, lead curator of the exhibition and curator in the Department of Anthropology at the National Museum of Natural History. “We see this as an extraordinary opportunity to raise awareness about pandemic risks and make everyone safer in our connected world.”
Outbreak will be located on the second floor of the GRPM, and is free with general admission to the Museum. The exhibition is presented in English and Spanish. Outbreak will be on display Aug. 1 through Oct. 18.
The GRPM is open and welcoming visitors to explore the three floors of core exhibitions, along with Bodies Revealed – extended through Sept. 27. Limited capacity; advance ticketing is required. For additional details about the new GRPM visitor experience, visit grpm.org.
The LowellArts Board of Directors announced that this year’s Fallasburg Arts Festival will go on, but not in the usual live formatthat festival lovers have grown accustomed to. In reaction to Covid-19 concerns, plans are currently underway to create a virtual version of the festival with as much of the fun and flavor of past festivals as can be imagined. “We are a creative community,” said LowellArts’ Board President, Gary Eldridge. “If we can imagine it, I believe we have the talent and means to make it happen.”
The Festival began in 1968 and LowellArts has been presenting the Fallasburg Arts Festival in historic Fallasburg Park since 1978. In that time the festival has always gone on, surviving downpours, dry spells, and even the competition of ArtPrize. “We won’t let a virus stop that tradition!” said Eldridge. The 2-day, outdoor event typically features over 100 unique fine art and fine craft booths, food booths, children’s craft area, craft demonstrations, and music performed on an outdoor stage. Annual attendance estimates are 25,000.
The Festival is also a major annual fundraiser for LowellArts as well as for many other community non-profits who raise funds through food sales and donations from parking and the children’s area. Over 150 volunteers work for months in advance planning and organizing the Festival. In addition, the 100+ fine artisans that participate in the Festival depend on art sales as part of their regular income, and view this Festival as their last big event before folding their tents for the winter.
LowellArts’ virtual festival will share the same Sept. 19 & 20 dates as was originally planned, with hopes of including a virtual Saturday morning opening at 10:00am. Additional plans will be shared when they are finalized.
Whether fairy or wizard, prince or princess, everyone is invited to come in costume to Princess Day on Tuesday, July 21 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at John Ball Zoo.
While dressed as your favorite character, guests can meet special royalty visiting throughout the day, including, Ice Queen, Ice Princess, Cinderella, Frog Princess, Wayfinder, Jasmine, Ariel, and Belle. Princesses join the Zoo from Olivia Grace & Company.
John Ball Zoo notes that the princesses meet-and-greets will be different this year.
Instead of individual photo opportunities with each character, guests will have the chance to meet and take photos with up to three characters in each specified meet-and-greet location. For the safety of the performers and guests, these magical interactions will be from a safe distance of 6 feet apart while still being able to capture the perfect, socially distanced, photo.
Guests will need to adhere to the state’s masks guidelines for both the Zoo’s indoor and outdoor locations. For all indoor public spaces at the Zoo, anyone who is age five (5) years and older, and who can medically tolerate a mask must wear one. In addition, if you cannot maintain six feet distance from other guests, are age five (5) years and older, and can medically tolerate a mask, you must wear one outdoors. The Zoo asks that guests bring a mask with them for their visit.
Princess Day meet-and-greet is included in regular admission. Along with meeting princesses, guests can also see the Zoo’s BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise, meerkats, and the new inclusively designed entry.
There are a limited number of guest tickets available for Princess Day. The Zoo highly recommends reserving timed entry tickets online prior to arrival. This will ensure guest entry as the Zoo cannot guarantee tickets will be available for walk-up ticket purchases.
Tickets are available through the Zoo online ticket portal at https://www.jbzoo.org/tickets. Zoo admission is $14 for adults, $11 for children (3-12) and seniors, and children 2 and under are free. John Ball Zoo members get a special benefit and can reserve tickets for a member’s only meet-and-greet from 8 – 9 a.m., also available online.
John Ball Zoo is located on Fulton Ave., one mile west of downtown Grand Rapids. For more information www.jbzoo.org or 616-336-4301.
Some of the performers at Mason Street Warehouse will perform music from some the company’s most popular productions. (Supplied/Mason Street Warehouse)
Tickets on now on sale for “Oh What a Night!”, a special performance from Mason Street Warehouse stage alumni at Saugatuck Center for the Arts.
Enjoy an evening with the stars, under the stars. A fabulous lineup of Mason Street Warehouse alumni performers shares the outdoor stage for this “best of” evening featuring hot songs from 17 years of past MSW productions.
You’ll groove to musical theater hits from Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Cabaret, Beehive, Mamma Mia, Kinky Boots and more. Plus there will be a cash bar as you “put your chair in a square” during this intimate performance that’s part of the Outdoor Concert Series.
Only 80 tickets are available at each performance.
Oh What a Night! features vocalists Kelly Carey, Marya Grandy, Joseph Anthony Byrd, and Ellie Frances plus musicians Tom Vendafreddo, Chris “Red” Blisset and Alex Hamel.
Looking for the perfect weekend road trip? Discover Greater Lansing! Nestled in the heart of Michigan, it’s the State Capitol and home to Michigan State University. Greater Lansing offers dozens of outdoor activities for all ages. Bike the 17-plus mile River Trail or paddle a kayak along the Grand River through the core of downtown Lansing. Hit the links for premier golf or try your hand at disc or foot golf. Dip your toes in the sand of the urban beach at Rotary Park, just steps from the State Capitol. The park offers access to the Lansing River Trail, a kayak/canoe livery, a fire pit, lighted forest and is the perfect spot for a picnic before exploring five other attractions within a five-block radius.
Absorb a kaleidoscope of colors as you stroll the 3.5-mile ART path with nearly 20 new art installations. REO Town and Old Town are charming and eclectic communities with artists enclaves showcasing street art and colorful murals. Add boutique shopping and delicious dining, and they are the perfect place to spend an afternoon.
Bringing the kids? Celebrate Potter Park Zoo’s 100th anniversary and see baby otter pups, kangaroo joeys, and a rare black rhino calf. Marry exercise and education as you experience the Planet Walk along the River Trail. Enjoy Little Hawk putting course, one of only a handful in the state that offers real grass, actual sand traps, and waterfalls. No swirling windmills on this course! Kids also enjoy the MSU 4-H Children’s Gardens and of course, the MSU Dairy Store for fresh ice cream.
Did you know Michigan State University is home to the oldest continuously operated garden of its type in the U.S.? Beal Gardens has over 2,700 species and is open to the public. The nature centers provide miles of trails and gardens for bird watching and up-close encounters with the outdoor world.
After all that activity you’ll be hungry! Grab a bite and dine alfresco at one of the numerous open-air patios. In addition to dozens of outdoor activities, area hotels have taken the Greater Lansing Safe Pledge to help keep you well. Love Lansing like a local! Book your weekend getaway at lansing.org.
S.S. Badger (Wikipedia/Madmaxmarchhare at English Wikipedia)
The S.S. Badger offers the largest, cross-lake passenger service on the Great Lakes and an authentic steamship experience. She is the largest car ferry ever to sail Lake Michigan, measuring 410 feet and weighing in at 6,650 tons displaced, and has provided a safe, fun, and reliable shortcut across the huge, inland sea for more than 60 years.
The S.S. Badger sails daily between Wisconsin and Michigan, from mid-May through mid-October. The relaxing four-hour, 60-mile cruise takes passengers, autos, RVs, tour buses, motorcycles, bicycles, and commercial trucks across Lake Michigan between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. While aboard the ship, you can enjoy many amenities including: outside deck areas, deli-style snack bar, buffet-style dining area, private staterooms, upper-deck lounge, aft-end lounge, video arcade, children’s playroom, gift shop/ship’s store, free quiet room/museum, two free TV lounges and a free movie lounge!
The S.S. Badger, known as the Queen of the Great Lakes, is a national treasure, offering a cruise experience that links us to an earlier time, when a sea voyage was the ultimate travel and vacation adventure. Blending tradition with innovation, the Badger affords a rare opportunity to take a step back into the past and take a journey that’s as important as the destination.
The Muskegon Museum of Art has reopened with “Shaping the Future, Celebrating the Past,” an exhibition that highlights and explores the various facets of its internationally recognized permanent collection in all of its galleries through the summer and fall of 2020. Each gallery in the museum features a different theme with displays of works representing various facets of the collection. Visitors will see the MMA’s most recognized masterworks along with more rarely seen objects that define over 100 years of collecting, begun in 1910.
The Shows
“GLASS: Treasures from the Permanent Collection” anchors the Shaping the Future, Celebrating the Past exhibition with a dramatic and colorful display of the MMA’s decade-spanning collection of studio glass in L.C. and Margaret Walker Gallery. Works by many of the artists that defined the studio glass movement, including Dale Chihuly, Harvey Littleton, and Marvin Lipofsky, join works made by today’s new masters. Collections of vintage Tiffany and Steuben lamps and glasswork and pieces from the pioneering days of contemporary studio glass give visitors a glimpse into the changing technologies and interests that have shaped the glass movement. GLASS also celebrates the legacy of C. Corcoran “Corky” Tuttle and her husband Robert Tuttle, who introduced the museum and its supporters to studio glass and helped guide collecting. Through Corky, the MMA has hosted internationally recognized glass artists Dante Marioni, Stephen Rolfe Powell, Benjamin Moore, Debora Moore, Sonja Blomdahl, Nancy Callan, and many others represented by our collection and featured in this show.
Rick Beck, The Bull, cast glass and steel, 2004 (Supplied/MMA)
“Pictures of the Best Kind” presents the MMA’s most recognized and renowned treasures in the Bettye Clark Cannon Gallery to showcase the strengths of the museum’s past and the ongoing acquisitions that build upon its legacy and shape its future. Since 1905, through funds donated by Charles H. Hackley and the gifts of benefactors that followed him, the museum has acquired works of art by contemporary and historic artists alike, bringing to West Michigan a wide array of artistic expression. Visitors will see artworks by famed artists such as Edward Hopper, John Steuart Curry, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Winslow Homer, James A. M. Whistler, Robert Henri, Reginald Marsh, Arthur B. Davies, John Sloan, Roger Brown, Elizabeth Catlett, Deborah Butterfield, and Hughie Lee-Smith.
“From Dürer to Rembrandt: Five Centuries of Art and Faith,” in the Theodore and Joan Operhall Gallery, displays works from the earliest days of printmaking in 15th-century Germany and 17th-century Holland that chronicle the significant influence of faith on the advancement of art. Prints by luminaries such as Albrecht Dürer, Martin Schongauer, Hendrik Goltzius, and Rembrandt are on display, along with Lucas Cranach the Elder’s portraits of Martin Luther and Katharina Van Bora and Joos van Cleve’s 16th-century St. Jerome in Penitence. Paintings by Dutch, German, and Swedish artists inspired by these traditions, portraying both secular and religious subject matter, are also on display.
“Graphic: 19th- and 20th-Century Prints and Watercolors” highlights some of the best works from the MMA’s extensive holdings of works on paper in the Theodore and Joan Operhall Gallery. This exhibition features the works of important artists and provides our guests with an overview of the history and innovations that characterize the field of printmaking from its golden age in late 19th- and early 20th-century Europe to the etchings, lithographs, woodcuts, and screen prints of today. Prints include those by Pablo Picasso, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, John Steuart Curry, Françoise Gilot, Alexander Calder, John Sloan, Isabel Bishop, and Mary Cassatt. Watercolors by Thomas Hart Benton and Charles Burchfield as well as those of contemporary Michigan and Midwest artists are also on display.
“The Artist’s Lens: 20th- and 21st-Century Photography,” in the Alcoa Foundation/Ernest and Marjorie Cooper Gallery, shows the important role photography has played in the MMA’s exhibition and collecting history. A selection of images that define the photography holdings are displayed, including pieces from the 1946 Muskegon Camera Club collection, iconic prints from renowned photographers, modern West Michigan subjects, and the works of contemporary artists from around the U.S. A selection of prints and ephemera from Edward Curtis’s photographic masterpiece The North American Indian is also featured.
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Japanese, 1839-1892) Hōjō Tokiyori Standing in Snow (From “Dai Nippon Meisho Kagami (Mirrors of Famous Commanders of Japan)”) Woodblock print on paper, 1878 (Supplied/MMA)
“The Arts of Japan,” in L.C. and Margaret Walker Gallery B, features pieces from our historic and modern Japanese print collection and examples of Japanese ceramics and highlights from the George Hilt Collection of Sumida ware, a rare group of objects made in pre-WWII Japan. World traveling residents of early 20th-century Muskegon returned from their journeys with art from around the world, most notably fine decorative objects from Japan and China. These pieces made their way into the museum’s collection, inspiring an interest in Japanese woodblock prints. In addition to a collection of vintage prints by masters such as Utagawa Hiroshige, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, and Utagawa Kunisada begun in the 1920s, the museum has acquired, by gift and purchase, prints by modern and contemporary Japanese artists.
“A Living Legacy: Modern and Contemporary Art,” in the Michael and Kay Olthoff/Thelma and Paul Wiener Gallery, highlights the MMA’s ongoing commitment to display and purchase work by living artists. The featured paintings and sculpture showcase a wide range of styles and inspirations, from abstraction to contemporary realism. Senior Curator Art Martin comments, “In continuing to collect contemporary pieces, the MMA is an active participant in an international conversation about art and art making, bringing new perspectives and voices to our audiences and keeping a living record of what moves and informs us as a culture.”
The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) has announced its reopening date with expanded safety measures. The Museum will welcome GRAM members for a soft opening beginning Saturday, July 25, followed by the public Saturday, Aug. 1.
“I’m thrilled to announce the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s reopening and welcome everyone back to our galleries,” commented GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “The well-being of our staff, volunteers, and guests remains our top priority, and we’re excited to reopen our doors with enhanced precautions and limited hours so our visitors can safely enjoy the transformational power of art.”
Grand Rapids Art Museum Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen, seen here talking to a visiting student, was excited to announce the reopening of the Grand Rapids Art Museum on Aug. 1. (Suppled)
Reopening Schedule:
Member Appreciation Soft Opening: July 25, 28, and 30
Saturdays: GRAM Members 10 a.m. – noon; Public 12 – 6 p.m.
Guests are encouraged to reserve advance timed tickets online and will receive a 10% discount for any online ticket purchases. A few of the new protocols for visitor experience following local and state guidelines include, but are not limited to:
Required face coverings for all staff, visitors and volunteers
Required temperature checks upon arrival of all staff, visitors and volunteers
Regular deep cleaning of the Museum and increased hand sanitization stations
Touch-free interactions at the Visitor Services desk
Controlling the number of visitors to provide proper distancing
Limited days and hours of operation
Visitors can enjoy access to the exhibitions A New State of Matter: Contemporary Glass and Useful Beauty: Design Highlights from the Permanent Collection, which have both been extended to give more visitors the chance to see the exhibitions. The exhibitions are on view through Oct. 4 and Nov. 1, respectively. A rotating presentation of works from GRAM’s Collection are also on view on all three levels. The Museum will not resume normal programming upon reopening in accordance with social distancing, but may offer select programs that can be done at a safe, contactless distance. Updated details will be available on GRAM’s website.
GRAM is committed to keeping the Museum accessible to visitors, especially as many are experiencing financial hardship during COVID-19. Thanks to the generous support of Meijer, guests are invited to enjoy free admission to the Museum on Meijer Free Tuesdays from noon – 6 p.m. and Thursday nights from 5 – 9 p.m. For those in our community who need to stay home, GRAM will continue to share free digital resources including artist interviews and talks, virtual tours, artmaking activities and more at artmuseumgr.org/MuseumFromHome.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that a Backyard Stargazing virtual meet-up from the GRPM’s Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium will be offered to GRPM members and the public on Thursday, July 23 at 4:30 p.m.
Virtual visitors will journey the depths of the universe, alongside the GRPM’s planetarium experts to learn about the upcoming Perseid meteor shower, tips and tricks on how to spot planets and constellations in the night sky and more.
“The planetarium is a large part of the GRPM experience,” said Kate Kocienski, the GRPM’s Vice President of Marketing and PR. “We are happy to offer affordable, educational programming during this time when we are unable to welcome visitors to the Chaffee Planetarium. In this program, visitors of all ages can enjoy learning about upcoming celestial events.”
Backyard Stargazing is free for GRPM members and only $2 (per link) for the general public. Capacity is limited; early registration is recommended. Only one ticket link is needed per household. Tickets can be reserved or purchased a grpm.org/Calendar.
Meet-ups are in webinar style held via Zoom, so attendees will be able to see the GRPM panelists, but not each other. A brief Q & A session will follow the presentation.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is now open and welcoming visitors. Explore three floors of core exhibitions, along with Bodies Revealed, extended through September 27. Limited capacity; advance ticketing is required. For additional details about the new GRPM visitor experience, visit grpm.org/the-grpms-new-visitor-experience/. At this time, the Chaffee Planetarium is temporarily closed. For updates, please visit grpm.org.
Following an announcement made mid-June, the Air Zoo reopened its doors to its members on June 29, kicking off a two-week members-only appreciation period. General admission to the public will resume on Monday, July 13, at 9 a.m. The Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Center staff and volunteers are excited to be putting months of preparation and planning, outlined in a 32-page document, referred to as the “Air Zoo Re-Entry Plan,” into action.
“This feels a little like what capsule re-entry from a space mission might” states Air Zoo President and CEO, Troy Thrash. “We spent countless hours navigating the turbulence created by COVID-19, exploring and developing virtual opportunities to engage with the community in a new way while analyzing, planning, researching and executing new policies, procedures and experiences to safely welcome back our community when the time, and trajectory, was right. It looks as though that time is now – and we are ready and excited to see our friends and neighbors back at the Air Zoo!”
The Air Zoo’s indoor amusement park rides, flight simulators, Missions Theater and several of the hands-on Flexhibits and KEVA stations are temporarily inaccessible for guest safety. The Air Zoo plans to reintroduce these experiences when they are deemed safe to do so. In the meantime, new exhibitions and enhancements to current exhibits are being deployed throughout the remainder of the year.
NEW PROCEDURES & POLICIES
The overall Air Zoo Experience will look a bit different to visitors, as a result of the requirements and recommendations handed down by the CDC as well as state and local governments. While both buildings will be open for guests, there are new hours, policies and procedures everyone is encouraged to review prior to visiting.
New Hours: The Air Zoo’s new hours are Monday-Saturday 9am-12:30pm and 1:30-5pm, and Sunday 1:30-5pm, to allow for deep cleaning and breaks for staff and volunteers.
Mondays are reserved for our region’s vulnerable populations, as outlined by the CDC.
Online ticketing is recommended, as capacity is limited for all timeslots, and available at airzoo.org.
Masks must be worn by all persons age 2 and up, at all times, while in the buildings.
Everyone who enters will have their temperature scanned, and anyone with a sustained temperature of 100.4 or higher will be asked to return another day.
Rides, flight simulators, the Missions Theater, and most hands-on activities will be temporarily inaccessible until state restrictions are lifted and the Air Zoo feels it is safe to reincorporate these activities.
The Kitty Hawk Café will be closed through the end of July (re-opening date TBA). Water and snacks are available through the Fly Buy Gift Shop.
Guests should be aware that the Air Zoo has gone to great lengths to implement safety measures internally as well; the safety of the Air Zoo staff, volunteers and guests is of the highest priority – always. All employees, volunteers and service staff are required to wear masks at all times while in shared areas of the building, and are subject to daily temperature and health screenings as well as check-in requirements for contact tracing purposes. Guests will find that queue lines, protective plexiglass barriers, new signage and other social distancing measures have been put into place, as well as increased cleaning and disinfecting of high-traffic areas and touchable interactives. Guests are asked to pre-purchase admission online and to consider using credit cards on-site to reduce exposure. The Air Zoo asks that anyone who is feeling under the weather, or has a family member that is ill, not visit. The Air Zoo’s Guest Experience team is happy to assist in moving tickets to another day or issuing a full refund.
The Air Zoo’s Flight Discovery Center also will open on July 13. (Supplied)
RESTORATION AND THE FLIGHT DISCOVERY CENTER
The Air Zoo’s Flight Discovery Center, located at 3101 E Milham Dr., will open to members, and the general public, on the same dates and times as the Flight Innovation Center. Air Zoo staff and volunteers are excited to be back at work in the Air Zoo’s nationally renowned restoration program where they are busy restoring two WWII planes that were rescued from the bottom of Lake Michigan to their former glory: an SBD-2P Dauntless dive bomber and an FM2 Wildcat.
Original plans, this summer, were to return the finished SBD-2P Dauntless dive bomber to Pearl Harbor in time for a commemorative 75th V-J Day anniversary celebration. Events and timelines have now shifted as a result of the pandemic and the completion and departure of the SBD will be determined and announced at a later date.
Visitors to the center will still have the opportunity to watch and interact with the restoration team at work as they paint and rebuild the two aircraft. Staff and volunteers were excited to get back and resume the painting of aircraft parts, which started just prior to shutdown in March. With the addition of their new state-of-the-art paint booth, guests will be able to see the team in action as they prime, paint and assemble the iconic dive bomber and FM-2 Wildcat.
VIRTUALLY CONNECTED
Virtual Summer Camps Big impacts are happening in new and inventive ways this year at the Air Zoo. Their highly skilled team of educators are celebrating a successful first week of Virtual Summer Camps and looking forward to the next nine weeks! In May the Air Zoo was met with a challenge and swiftly revamped its popular summer camp curriculum into programming that could be safe, impactful and enjoyable for children while affordable and easy-to-manage for parents, online. More than 200 campers have been registered to date for the Air Zoo’s new Virtual Summer Camps. Educators have been resetting curriculum, enhancing activities and creating outstanding experiences as they build lesson plans and camp kits for parents to pick up at the Air Zoo or have shipped directly to their home. Children from all over, including some from California, Mexico, Pennsylvania and Maryland, are registered for Air Zoo camps this summer. Going virtual with education programming has allowed Air Zoo educators to have an even larger impact than they had ever imagined.
“Going virtual for camps and library programs this summer has really helped us to build a strong foundation to expand our scholastic programs, specialized outreach initiatives and field trips, which may have to be conducted virtually this year” states Air Zoo Education Manager, Kathy Larsen. “We would love to become a valuable STEAM education resource for educators, throughout the world as they work to navigate the 2020-2021 school year and the challenges that COVID has posed.”
Camps are still available for kids K-12th grade and cost between $20-$65 each depending on duration and camp materials. Camp kits can also be shipped to campers for a small additional fee. Camp registration closes 14 days prior to camp so interested families are urged to sign up early.
Launchpad to Learning The Air Zoo was quick to launch its new online video center, Launchpad to Learning, on March 19th as they, along with thousands of other businesses, had to close their doors to the public. Since its launch, the Air Zoo has seen more than 40,000 visitors to the webpage, which now contains 55 videos and counting. Content ranges from science experiments and art projects to artifact briefs, story time and short museum tours. Guests will also find educational worksheets, coloring pages and other activities for families. Content is available at airzoo.org/launchpad-to-learning and is shared among the Air Zoo’s social media sites: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.
NEW EXHIBITS!
Alien Worlds and Androids While some of the typical experiences may feel limited – the Air Zoo is out-of-this-world excited to announce that their new permanent exhibit – Alien Worlds and Androids – is now open to the public! Some may remember this popular exhibit, spanning almost 5,000 feet, on temporary display in the summer of 2017.
Guests will join scientists in the search for alien life in, and beyond, our solar system as they explore nine different themed environments that immerse you in outer space discoveries and that explore the advances in technology that have led to increased speculation on the possibility of life beyond planet Earth. Hands-on (limited) experiments allow guests to manipulate variables of a particular environment to see how it affects the possibility for life and will have the opportunity to journey to Mars alongside NASA’s Rover robots, get up close with the robots made famous in movies such as Terminator, Alien and STAR WARS and learn about the everyday use of real androids right here on Earth.
Women in Air & Space To shatter prior sensibilities that might find a women’s exhibit relegated to a single area on the museum floor, the Air Zoo is designing its Women in Air & Space exhibit to be integrated throughout the campus. After all, the touch that women have had on aviation and space flight is woven throughout history. Co-founded by a Woman Aviation Service Pilot (WASP) and in an effort to further explore womens’ impacts on space and aviation history, the Air Zoo plans to illuminate the diverse and impactful contributions of women throughout both facilities. Amelia: Adventurous Aviatrix, will pave the way as it opens this summer.
Amelia: Adventurous Aviatrixis anall new exhibit that explores the adventures and legacy of Amelia Earhart. Planned for display in the Flight Innovation Center’s Golden Age of Flight gallery, the exhibit tells the story of a brave, bold woman who broke through barriers to make history in the sky. Guests will learn how Amelia went from a playful child born in Atchison, Kansas, in 1897 to an aviation and women’s empowerment icon and contributor.
The exhibit highlights such stories as Amelia’s healthcare passion, which found her nursing wounded World War I pilots, and how she honored her early feminist values by deliberately choosing a female flight instructor. Guests will get to know the man behind Amelia’s powerful publicity machine and count the pilot’s numerous achievements, such as becoming the first woman (and second person) to pilot an aircraft across the Atlantic and setting women’s world altitude, speed, and endurance records. They will learn about Amelia’s ultimate dream to fly around the world, meet flight navigator, Fred Noonan, who joined her on that mission, and consider the unsolved mystery that followed. A recreated historic scene—which depicts Amelia giving flying tips pint-size pilots—provides the centerpiece to this exhibit in the round.
Memories & Milestones: the Air Zoo Story This exhibit has been redesigned and is being installed at the Air Zoo’s Flight Discovery Center, rightfully, where it all began. Guests can explore the story of co-founders Sue and Pete Parish, and learn about the first objects that made up the Air Zoo collection. Peer into a scale model of the Flight Discovery Center and learn about the museum’s expansions. Recall the thrill of the Air Zoo’s High on Kalamazoo air shows, including the iconic cat flights, learn about the early days of their acclaimed Restoration Center and see how the Air Zoo first put the space into aerospace.
DEVELOPMENT UPDATES
In 2019, the Air Zoo was notified that they would be the proud recipient of one of the first F-117 Nighthawks released for public display at a non-government institution. The highly decorated Shaba (817) is scheduled to arrive in Kalamazoo in December of 2020! The Air Zoo is expected to be the first non-governmental facility in the country – and the only museum in the state of Michigan – to display an F-117. The Air Zoo is currently running a fundraising initiative called Get Shaba to help support the safe transport and restoration needed to get this magnificent aircraft out on the exhibit floor for all to enjoy. Those wanting more information can find it at airzoo.org/get-shaba.
The first time the “Wild Woman of the Harp” strutted onto the Grand Rapids Symphony’s stage, the audience was electrified.
Dressed in cowboy boots and a short leather mini skirt, long hair ribbons of maroon and turquoise streaming down her back, strapped into an electric harp, Deborah Henson-Conant had yet to play a note. But already the Grand Rapids Symphony and its audience knew something very special was about to happen.
Within a few years, Henson-Conant and the orchestra had recorded Invention & Alchemy, a compact disc and DVD that led the Grand Rapids Symphony to a Grammy nomination and national recognition for the TV special widely seen on PBS TV.
The Boston-based harpist, once described as the “love child of Andre Previn and Lucille Ball,” is back with the Grand Rapids Symphony for the virtual online premiere of Invention & Alchemy. The original 97-minute DVD, recorded live in DeVos Performance Hall, will premiere at 7 p.m. Friday, July 10, on YouTube, available only on an RSVP basis. Click here to RSVP for the fund-raising benefit for the Grand Rapids Symphony.
An encore premiere follows on Saturday, July 11, at 2 p.m. in theUnited States and internationally at 7 p.m. in the United Kingdom.
Streaming on demand will be available July 12-17 on YouTube. Go online and RSVP for access to the July 10 premiere and receive access to behind-the-scenes videos and online events.
Deborah Henson-Conant said she had a dream about making the PBS special. (Supplied/GRS)
Invention & Alchemy features original songs and stories by Henson-Conant, performed with conductor David Lockington leading the Grand Rapids Symphony, in a wide variety of musical genres.
“It was a fantasy of mine. I literally had a dream,” Henson-Conant recalled. “I dreamed I shrunk down and strapped on a harp and played it in front of a symphony orchestra.”
The DVD was recorded live in November 2005 in DeVos Performance Hall.
“When we started this project, we knew what we wanted to do, and then we had a list of dreams,” Henson-Conant said. “One was a PBS TV special and another was a Grammy nomination.”
In 2006, Invention & Alchemy became one of five CDs nominated in the category of Best Classical Crossover Album for the 49th annual Grammy Awards in February 2007.
“It was just so thrilling to be here and to have this project nominated,” Henson-Conant told The Grand Rapids Press in February 2007. “Just to get here has been amazing.”
But beginning a few weeks later, Invention & Alchemy was seen throughout the United States as a one-hour TV special. Over the next two years, it was seen on more than 70 PBS-TV stations from coast to coast.
“I got to do something that almost no composer-performer ever gets to do, which is to bring their work alive at that level of professionalism,” Henson-Conant said. “The level at which PBS was able to take it exactly as we created it and broadcast it all over the United States.”
Several Grand Rapids Symphony musicians and former musicians are featured soloists in the show, and the entire orchestra gets into the act for a costumed, sci-fi, mini-drama titled “Danger Zone.”
With Associate Conductor John Varineau on the podium, Lockington on cello joins Henson-Conant for a mesmerizing dialogue titled “996,” which Henson-Conant describes as the night that Scheherazade, from the classic story “A Thousand and One Nights,” finally melts the heart of the Sultan.
Grand Rapids philanthropist Peter Wege, who died in July 2014, was the primary underwriter of the $500,000 project. Henson-Conant was introduced to the former Steelcase, Inc., executive following her first performance in Grand Rapids.
Peter said to me, ‘What I saw out there on stage, I want the whole world to see,’” Henson-Conant recalled.
“I tell the story from the stage, often, that meeting Peter was my Cinderella story,” Henson-Conant said. “Part of what I loved about the project was that I felt it was something Peter and I were doing together. That as philanthropist and artist, we were bringing something to the world that alone neither of us could bring.”
Colonial Michilimackinac, a colonial fort and fur trading village on the shore of Lake Michigan in Mackinaw City, will host several events in the coming days in celebration of the 125th anniversary of Mackinac State Historic Parks.
“These three events allow us to share some new and exciting elements of Michilimackinac with visitors, including things like the Fire at Night that we’ve never done before,” said Craig Wilson, Curator of History for Mackinac State Historic Parks. “Even if someone has visited in the past, I would invite them to come back and see what’s new, not just with these special programs but with our regular activities and exhibits.”
First, on Thursday, July 9, Michilimackinac will host a Fire at Night, allowing guests to see Michilimackinac’s weapons fired as the sun sets. Staff, dressed as British soldiers, will fire a wall gun, mortar and cannon on the beach with the magnificent Mackinac Bridge as the backdrop. Guests can enter through the secondary entrance on Straits Avenue at 9:00 p.m., and the program will start at 9:30 p.m. This is a free event.
Michilimackinac at Work: Labor and Trades weekend takes place July 11-12 during regular hours at Colonial Michilimackinac. Michilimackinac was a hardworking community in the 18th century. Voyageurs, blacksmiths, laundresses, clerks, and soldiers all plied their trades at the fort, employing both skilled and unskilled labor. Join the interpretive staff as they demonstrate a variety of tasks that made up the world of work at Michilimackinac in the 18th century.
Regular admission to Colonial Michilimackinac includes all the special events included with the themed weekend. The schedule for the weekend includes:
10:00 a.m. – ‘For Want of a Smith:’ Blacksmithing at Michilimackinac Program
11:00 a.m. – Soap and Water: Laundresses at Work Program
12:00 p.m. – Musket Demonstration and Soldier’s Duties Program
1:00 p.m. – People of the Fur Trade Program
2:00 p.m. – At Work at Michilimackinac: Enslaved and Domestic Labor Program
3:00 p.m. – Artillery Drill
4:00 p.m. – ‘For Want of a Smith:’ Blacksmithing at Michilimackinac Program
5:00 p.m. – ‘She Was Very Generally Respected:’ Women at Michilimackinac Program
6:00 p.m. – People of the Fur Trade Program
6:30 p.m. – Musket Demonstration
Finally, on Wednesday, July 15, Michilimackinac will be host to its second “Hidden Histories” evening. Focusing on marriage and the British army, this program will explore the complexities of love, marriage, and long-distance relationships in the British military of the 18th century. The entrance for this event will be at the secondary entrance on Straits Avenue, and this is a free event.
Appropriate social distancing will take place during all events, and all guests are expected to wear masks inside buildings and when social distancing is impossible.
Mackinac State Historic Parks, a family of living history museums and parks in northern Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac, is an agency within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Its sites—which are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums—include Fort Mackinac, the Biddle House, The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum, Historic Downtown Mackinac, and Mackinac Island State Park on Mackinac Island, and Colonial Michilimackinac, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park and Michilimackinac State Park in Mackinaw City. Mackinac State Historic Parks is governed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, established in 1895 to protect, preserve and present the parks’ rich historic and natural resources for the education and recreation of future generations. Visitor information is available at (231) 436-4100 or on the web at www.mackinacparks.com.
Lakeshore Harvest Country is celebrating its 14th year as a Michigan agritourism trail by offering area residents and visitors an opportunity to come right to the farms and wineries in the West Michigan area.
The agritourism trail has seen an increase in the number of farms/wineries participating this year on its trail. They are all located between Saugatuck and South Haven along the Lake Michigan area. The farms and wineries come in all sizes and operated by families that have a love for what their doing. All of the members are now open. Due to Covid-19, they will also encourage you to please wear a mask and please practice social distancing.
The 2020 tour guide/map can be found at local businesses, tourism chambers and bureaus or you can download it on their website at www.lakeshoreharvestcountry.com. This tour guide provides what the members have to offer, locations, and hours of operation.
Beginning in July, there is a large variety of fruits, veggies, ciders, wines, cheeses, herbs, flowers, pottery, and more. Some of the farms also offer U-Pick blueberries, cherries, apples, raspberries and peaches. Kids can see farm animals such as chickens, ducks, goats, horses and cows. Other products for sale include pure honey and maple syrup, free-range eggs and much more. Call ahead to verify product availability and hours.
Looking for a little fun and adventure this growing season? There is an “Online” Farm Scavenger Hunt, July 1st to October 31st on their website. The Lakeshore Harvest Country’s Farm Scavenger Hunt will send you down country roads leading to some of the area’s most picturesque farms, not to mention some of the freshest locally grown fruits and vegetables around and you have an opportunity to win prizes.
Circle Theatre, Grand Rapids’ go-to destination for exceptional theatrical arts in an intimate setting, will be partnering with Paddock Place on July 8, at 7 p.m. to kickoff the Circle Summer Fundraising Concert Series.
Grab your picnic blanket and beach chairs and join Circle Theatre and the Grand Rapids community on the lawn at Paddock Place for the start of the Circle Summer Fundraising Concert Series. This outdoor, family-friendly concert will feature musical highlights from past Circle concerts performed by Circle performers.
Social distancing between groups is required, so feel free to spread out and enjoy the great summer weather. Tickets are $25 and all proceeds go directly to Circle Theatre.
Patrons will have the option to add a 3-course Paddock Place Picnic Basket to the purchase of their tickets for an additional $30. Paddock Picnic Baskets are recommend for two. After purchasing tickets patrons will choose their three courses from a small menu found at circletheatre.org/ picnicmenu. Course options include a starter, main dish, and dessert. Options range from Hummus, Red Skin Potato salad, Carolina Shredded Pork, Vegetarian Sushi, Fruit and Ganache, Brownie Bites, and more. Bottles of wine are also available as an add-on to picnic baskets.
Circle Theatre is committed to keeping the health and safety of their patrons, volunteers, performers, and staff their top priority. It is because of this, that the decision to postpone their 68th season was made. This extended intermission has left Circle Theatre with the task of raising $200,000 to cover costs during this time. With the support of the community, Circle Theatre has raised $75,000 to date.
Additional fundraising and pop-up concerts will take place throughout the summer both at Paddock Place as well as on the lawn at Circle Theatre – dates and details to be announced.
Other ways to support Circle Theatre include purchasing one-of-a-kind art from local artists, Circle Theatre merchandise, donating, and engaging with the Circle Virtual Event Series. Details regarding supporting Circle Theatre can be found at circletheatre.org.
For more information on Circle Summer Fundraising Concert and to purchase tickets, please call the box office at 616-456-6656or visit circletheatre.org.
Something us Michiganers know: you do not have to head to Napa Valley for some of the nation’s best wines, just head north to Traverse City.
Robert Brengman announced that his Rosé winning Best of Show in the most prestigious international competition provides once again Michigan is a world class wine producer.
“Napa Valley, get used to seeing Traverse Wine Coast in the same announcement on capturing crowns at wine competitions” Brengman said. He is the winemaker at Brengman Brothers Winery in Leelanau County, Mich.
The June 26 Rose´ judging at the prestigious American Fine Wine Competition in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, is by invitation only.
The Brengman Brothers Pinot Noir Dry Rosé from Crain Hill Vineyards Block 7 received the Best of Show in the Dry Rosé Category at The Rosé Competition 2020.
“Just being invited is an honor,” Brengman said. “Winning Best is the pinnacle.” He said this wine is a true Pinot Noir Dry Rosé from Crain Hill Vineyards Block 7.
The Rosé Competition 2020 received a total of 150 entries and the sixteen esteemed wine judges awarded 14 Double Gold Medals, 28 Gold Medals and 50 Silver Medals.
Under the auspices of the American Fine Wine Competition, the judges selected Brengman Brothers, Block 7 ($25), from Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan, as Best of Show in the Dry Rosé Category. This Pinot Noir from Crain Hill Vineyard hit all the right notes and captivated the assembled judges. Some of the comments made by the judges: Said Sarah Phillips, wine writer and educator at the Florida Wine Academy: “This Rosé has a fruity, expressive nose, good concentration, watermelon, peach… I want to drink it all day!” “It’s Singing!” Said Judge Zack Foley, Wine Director at the Boatyard, Ft. Lauderdale.
Many wineries from the Traverse Wine Coast region are invited and have progressively taken the top medals and higher scores in the past few years against a tough competition from the best national and international wineries.
“Soon it will not be necessary to mention Michigan after Leelanau Peninsula, just as California is no longer is required to be tagged onto Napa Valley,” Brengman said.
“Our terroir — the glacial soil, microclimate, weather pulse, peninsular mists and 45th Parallel location — all combine to produce some of the finest wines in the world.”
Brengman added that “recognition in international competition against top contenders is gratifying affirmation.”
This year judges delayed the Rose´ contest, which traditionally was in March after the general competition in January.
Krasl Art Center (KAC) has reopened its galleries and The Shop as of June 26. Policies for staff and guests are in place for the safety of all. KAC will operate under reduced hours and will announce opening of studios at a later date.
In the effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, KAC has adopted a Preparedness & Response Plan. KAC has adjusted office, gallery and shop hours of: Friday through Mondays: 11 AM – 5 PM; and open early at 9 AM on Saturdays. Krasl Art Center will be closed on July 4 in observance of Independence day.
In addition to a regimented cleaning schedule, all staff and persons who enter KAC must observe the following guidelines:
Use of face covering indoors is strictly required (Accommodations available for those who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons).
Wash or disinfect your hands upon entering the building, after using items touched by others, and when exiting the building.Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If unable to wash hands, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
A distance of no less than 6 feet must be maintained between people (both indoors and outdoors) who do not reside in the same household.
Guests will be required to sign in providing name, number in group and contact information.
No person-to-person contact such as shaking hands.
When sneezing or coughing, use the crook of your elbow or sneeze into a tissue, then dispose of the tissue.
Food and beverage consumption by guests is presently prohibited inside KAC buildings.
Do not touch your face, nose, and mouth, especially with unwashed hands.
KAC is thrilled to welcome the work of Charlie Brouwer whose sculptures have been installed at the corner of Pearl St. and along Lake Blvd. as part of a new outdoor exhibition: Human Interest: Four Figurative Sculptures, on view through Fall 2021.
Pieces by Charlie Brouwer have been installed for an outdoor exhibition.
Artist Charlie Brouwer brings to life poetry, whimsy and human emotion amidst the contemporary landscape through his figurative sculptures. He is an artist in search of the beautiful, true and good. These elements are evident in the four sculptures selected for this intimate outdoor exhibition, Human Interest: Four Figurative Sculptures, which draw upon childhood memories, rites of passage, and spirituality.
Brouwer and his wife Glenda live in Floyd County, Virginia. Living on 30 acres of land, they offer a mile-long sculpture trail to any who wish to make an appointment. It is his goal, especially in the current moment, that all enjoy the restorative qualities of art, the outdoors and contemplation. You can learn more about Brouwer’s work at krasl.org/art/exhibitions/
The indoor exhibitions, originally scheduled for March 13 through May 31 have been extended to August 31. Current exhibitions include Dex R. Jones: Storied Portraits in the main gallery and Barbara Cooper’s solo exhibition the artlab.
Influenced by the cultural richness of his Caribbean heritage and Pan-African studies, Dexter R. Jones unwaveringly removes the veil of self-conscious inhibition by eliminating preconceived notions of beauty. Instead, he masterfully reveals true splendor and regality, even amidst vulnerability. Jones relentlessly pushes the characterization of beauty not often seen.
Encompassing a mixture of texture, hues, flesh and heavy contrast in his editorial photography, his expertise in justly capturing women of vast shades is indicative of his strong matriarchal upbringing. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Jones works on artistic projects, editorial assignments, and creative collaborations in both photography and film. Storied Portraits is Jones’ first solo show outside of New York and features 20 images produced in large-scale, further enhancing the vibrancy, strength and appeal of his artwork.
Artworks on view during Dex R. Jones: Storied Portraits are available for purchase through The Shop at Krasl Art Center. View a complete list of artworks for sale with pricing by visiting krasl.org. To make a purchase or for additional information, please email giftshop@krasl.org.
In the artlab, Chicago-based sculptor Barbara Cooper uses wood, books and glue to create elegantly structured artworks. Using nature as her starting point, the artist is inspired by the stresses and obstacles nature confronts. These evolutions in growth and form provide the foundation to her stunning sculptures.
Both exhibitions are available virtually at krasl.org.
The Lakeshore Art Festival in partnership with the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce will honor the festival’s 2020 theme “The Art of Recycling” through the PADNOS Public Art Project. Lakeshore Art Festival 2020 was slated to take place July 3 and 4 in downtown Muskegon but was cancelled due to health concerns over COVID-19.
Lakeshore Art Festival and PADNOS, a regional recycler of metals, plastics, paper and electronics, have partnered to create an exhibition of four public sculptures in downtown Muskegon. A celebration to unveil the sculptures will take place at Olthoff Stage in downtown Muskegon on Wednesday, June 24 at 4:30 p.m. The sculptures will be prominently placed outdoors along Western Avenue until Fall 2020. All of the sculptures created for this unique exhibit have been constructed from at least 90% recycled materials donated by PADNOS.
“PADNOS is thrilled to be a partner on this project and help bring awareness of the power of recycling to the Muskegon community,” said Ben Irwin, President of PADNOS Muskegon Recycling. “This project supports our mission of community outreach and seeing possibility in expendability.”
Four artists were selected through a jurying process. The selected artists are Larry Sybesma, Chip Vander Wier, Sherri Balaskovitz and EA-Craftworks, which is comprised of four artists: Mark Schentzel, Alex Kallio, Tom Hutchins and Jack Cantu. Artists will receive a stipend to produce the public art piece and if chosen to be a permanent art display in downtown Muskegon, additional funds will be paid as the purchase price of the sculpture. Artists will also have the opportunity to sell their work.
Cindy Larsen, President of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce commented, “We are excited to still have a portion of Lakeshore Art Festival live on this year. This project will bring additional public art to the Muskegon Lakeshore community that both residents and visitors can enjoy this summer.”
The PADNOS Public Art Project is funded in conjunction with PADNOS, Quality Tool & Stamping, Clifford Buck Construction Company and through a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
About Lakeshore Art Festival
Lakeshore Art Festival is a project of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce and features a unique blend of 350+ fine art and craft exhibitors, street performers, specialty food booths, interactive art stations, children’s activities and so much more in beautiful Downtown Muskegon, Michigan. Local businesses interested in supporting this locally and nationally recognized festival through sponsorship can contact Lakeshore Art Festival at artfest@muskegon.org. For more information visit lakeshoreartfestival.org.
By Kerri VanDorp City of Zeeland, Events Coordinator
For ten years the Zeeland Zoom has taken place downtown Zeeland with loads of runners and spectators, our eleventh annual Zoom will be a bit different, but no less fun. The Zeeland Zoom 5k is going virtual this year, run or walk the 5k anytime from June 23 (the original Zoom date) through June 30. The event is free to register for, or you can purchase a Zeeland Zoom shirt for $15.
Last year’s Zeeland Zoom was a lot of fun with over 1,000 participants ZOOMING their way through the streets of Zeeland! A great event for competitors and families alike! Enjoy running through Zeeland’s historic downtown and neighborhoods on the official Zoom route, or make your own!
Participants can choose any 3.1-mile route that is best for them. The official Zoom route is: Main in front of the Post Office (155 E Main). Runners will head East on Main to Fairview; Fairview South to Lincoln; Lincoln West to Elm; Elm North to Central; Central East to Division; Division North to Main; Main West to Finish.
Zeeland Zoom shirts can be purchased during registration for $15. If you register before June 17 you can pick up your shirt if weather permits, outside of City Hall (21 South Elm Street) from 4pm to 6pm on June 22 or in case of in climate weather inside of City Hall. If you register after June 17, shirt pick up will take place at City Hall on July 2nd from 4 to 6 p.m.
West Michigan’s Gilmore Car Museum, in promotional material for its exhibit “The Negro Motorist Green Book”, retells an often-told story about travel for African-Americans in the United State’s deep south in the middle years of the 1900s.
In the spring of 1946, Jack Roosevelt Robinson, former multi-sport standout at UCLA and a U.S. Army veteran, and his bride of two weeks were flying from Los Angeles to Florida for baseball’s spring training season — twice along the route they were bumped from flights so their seats could be occupied by passengers with white skin.
Historic photo identifying restaurant as for “White Trade Only”. Location and date unknown. (Library of Congress)
During a stopover in New Orleans, they were not allowed to eat in the “whites only” airport restaurant. After arriving in Florida, the driver ordered them to sit in the back of the bus.
But the Robinsons, Jackie — soon to wear the Brooklyn Dodgers’ No. 42 on his back — and Rachel, were not alone. African-Americans faced discrimination in many aspects of life, including lodging, dining, when trying to find a drinking fountain or a restroom or even when trying to buy gasoline for their cars.
And that era is the backdrop of the Gilmore’s exhibit “The Negro Motorist Green Book” comes into the picture — an exhibit focused on the book series “The Negro Travelers’ Green Book”.
History of the Green Book
According to supplied information, Victor Hugo Green published “The Negro Travelers’ Green Book” with a listing of places — some commercial, some private homes — where dark-skinned people could stay and eat, where they could buy gas and even which towns to avoid for their own safety.
The 1954 Green Book. (Gilmore)
Green, an African-American mail carrier in New York City started the series in the mid-1930s and his company kept it going until passage of civil rights legislation in the 1960s.
Green and his wife were from Virginia and as they traveled to visit family, they encountered Jim Crow Era restrictions. He got the idea to start the series when a Jewish friend showed Green a guidebook used to avoid “gentile-only” establishments and Green started his Green Book. He enlisted mail carriers across the country to help him compile and update the listings.
Decades after the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment ended slavery, African Americans continued to suffer unequal treatment, especially in the Deep South. Jim Crow Laws discriminated against blacks in nearly every aspect of public life, including travel.
The Gilmore exhibit
While many people saw the Academy Award winning movie “Green Book”, visitors to the Gilmore Car Museum can now learn more about the book and its role in black travel in an exhibit which opened in 2014 and has since gained much praise.
The Gilmore Car Museum’s Green Book Diorama. (Gilmore)
David Lyon, automotive historian and author, recently pointed out that Gilmore’s display is likely “the only Green Book exhibit at an automobile museum in this country, and perhaps the world,” according to the Gilmore.
The exhibit includes the life-like museum figures of a mother and daughter and — the Gilmore being a car museum after all — a classic and restored two-tone 1948 Buick sedan parked at an Esso filing station. Information panels provide details, a large video plays interviews with African-Americans who experienced discrimination while traveling and a copy of the Spring 1956 edition of a Green Book is there for museum visitors to examine.
“It’s a story that had been pretty much forgotten,” Jay Follis, Gilmore museum curator, said in supplied material. “We’ve had a tremendous number of people seeing it and saying, ‘I’ve never heard of this.’”
There’s a reason the gas station in the Gilmore museum diorama has an Esso pump. Esso was a brand of John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company.
The 1942 Green Book. (Gilmore)
Follis explained that Esso had a program to help African-Americans buy and operate its service stations. Esso also provided offices and support for the staff that helped Green produce and publish his guides.
The Green Book diorama is one of two cultural exhibits that are a permanent part of the Gilmore museum’s display. The other — “The American Exodus” — focuses on the hardships of the Depression-era migration from the Midwestern “Dust Bowl” to the promised-land on the West Coast.
In addition to the Gilmore’s nearly 400 vehicles, many of them housed in historic buildings and re-created automobile dealerships, its 90-acre campus includes a vintage gasoline station and authentic 1941 Blue Moon Diner that serves lunch daily.
The Gilmore Car Museum is located at Hickory Corners, between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, for more information visit gilmorecarmusuem.org or call 269-671-5089.
The West Michigan Jazz Society is partnering with Amore Trattoria Italiana and Kaczmarski Hearing Services to present a “Jazz in the Park(ing Lot)” music festival on Friday, June 19, from 4-7 p.m.
Clif Metcalf Organ Trio (Supplied)
Jazz fans will be able to order one of Amore Trattoria Italiana’s dinners — and even a bottle of wine — for takeout with curbside service, while you wait in your car and hear live jazz in the parking lot.
“Since we cannot host our traditional Monday night summer series, ‘Jazz in the Park’, we will be sponsoring local musicians and jazz venues in West Michigan to host safe and socially distant outdoor concerts,” according to a WMJS statement.
The schedule of bands include GR Groove (4-5 p.m.), Clif Metcalf Organ Trio (5-6 p.m.), and In The Blue Jazz Ensemble (6-7 p.m.)
In The Blue Jazz Ensemble (Suppied)
“This event is going to be a great event, primarily focused on the music, but also it will be serving as our WMJS membership drive. We are encouraging attendees to purchase a meal from Amore, watch (and listen to the jazz) for a brief time slot while they enjoy their meal … and then to leave the event to allow for social distancing and to limit the size of the crowd.”
A portion of restaurant sales and musicians’ “earplugs” profit during the event will be donated back to WMJS from both Amore and Kaczmarski Hearing Services. Dr. Beckie Kaczmarski will be onsite for walk-up appointments and will be fitting for custom musicians’ earplugs, according to supplied material.
The event will also be live streamed from the WMJS Facebook page, if you are not comfortable with attending in person, according to the statement. A digital donation jar to show your support for WMJS is also available here securely through PayPal.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that it will officially reopen to the public beginning in July. From July 1 to July 3 the Museum will welcome its members, with the general public welcomed back on Monday, July 6.
The Museum will be extending the Bodies Revealed exhibition to Sunday, September 27, and has shifted Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks exhibition to open in November this year. Museum guests will need to purchase tickets in advance using the Museum’s online ticketing system to ensure contactless entry to the Museum upon arrival. Visitors may purchase tickets online at grpm.org.
“We look forward to welcoming our community back to our space after nearly four months of being closed,” said Dale Robertson, President & CEO of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “Our team has taken many steps and precautions to limit risks associated with COVID-19 transmission in our spaces. Visitors will see new procedures, including at the Museum’s entry, and throughout our exhibition spaces.”
“Bodies Revealed” will run through Sept. 27 at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Supplied)
Visitor Experience The GRPM visitor experience will look different in many ways, including capacity limits. While visitor favorites will continue, the Museum has temporarily removed high touch point areas and experiences. Touch screen and virtual reality experiences will not be available immediately following re-opening. Signage has been added for entrance into the Museum, as well as throughout the building to remind guests about maintaining a 6’ distance from other groups.
Cleaning efforts have been increased in accordance with health department suggestions and regulations. The GRPM has also added hand sanitizing stations and are implementing more frequent and detailed cleaning protocols to the already comprehensive cleaning schedule.
GRPM staff and guests will be asked to wear face masks, unless an individual is medically unable to tolerate a face covering. Locally-made face masks and hand sanitizer will be available for purchase at the Curiosity Shop.
The Museum will close for the Independence Day holiday on July 4 and Sunday, July 5 for cleaning. The general public will be welcomed back to the Museum with normal operating hours beginning Monday, July 6. The Museum Cafe will reopen on July 6 with pre-packaged snacks and beverages and capacity limits. The Curiosity Shop will also reopen on July 6, following retail guidelines with limited capacity.
Bodies Revealed Bodies Revealed features real, whole and partial body specimens that have been preserved through an innovative process, giving visitors the opportunity to view the complexity of their own organs and systems in a way that’s normally reserved for medical professionals. The exhibit features 10 full body specimens as well as over 100 organs and partial specimens. Bodies Revealed allows visitors to learn about their own bodies and ultimately, teaches the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Advance ticket purchases are recommended. Open through Sept. 27.
TOYS! The TOYS! exhibit will reopen when the Museum opens in July and will remain on display until mid-August. TOYS! is an interactive, multi-generation exhibition of toys and games to rekindle childhood memories and spark the creation of new ones. This GRPM original exhibit features toys and games from the Museum’s Collections and on loan from the community, allowing visitors to imagine, compete and create, while taking going on a journey of toys through generations. Through the design process of the exhibition, the Museum worked with several experts from the community making sure the design was as inclusive as possible so everyone visiting can enjoy it.
Wild Connections Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks, an award-winning and record-breaking exhibition that uses beautiful creations made from simple toy blocks to explore animal endangerment, the balance of ecosystems, and mankind’s relationship with nature, is opening Nov. 7. Produced by Imagine Exhibitions, Wild Connections depicts important topics that the New York artist, Sean Kenney, holds dear, from protecting an animals’ habitat, to planting a garden, or using a bike instead of a car. Wild Connections shows that just as LEGO® pieces interconnect, everything in nature is interconnected in a delicate balance. The narratives, along with the intricate displays, explore the importance of conservation, the balance of ecosystems, predator/prey relationships, as well as the relationships between humankind and the natural world. Most importantly, the exhibition allows visitors to appreciate both nature and the sculptures as something beautiful and inspires them to go home and create something wonderful themselves.
GRPM Digital Resources The Museum has a variety of fun, educational resources available online for free, at grpm.org/HomeMuseum. All ages can engage with Virtual Discovery Kits and online Collections Scavenger Hunts, as well as explore and curate their own digital exhibits on the Museum’s Collections database (grpmcollections.org), enjoy at-home experiments from the Museum’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/GRMuseum), coloring pages of artifacts, as well as tuning into see the Museum’s two live Lake Sturgeon! For more information visit grpm.org.
Chateau Chantal continues to provide exceptional experiences connecting local food and wine by offering an expanded schedule of Wine Dinners from their stunning facility on Old Mission Peninsula. New safety precautions have been established to keep staff and guests safe.
Further details for all items can be found online.
Summer Hours: Starting June 18, Chateau Chantal will be open 11am-8pm Thursday-Saturday and 11am-5pm Sunday-Wednesday. Reservations can be made online for wine by the glass and flights of 3 wines.
Jazz at Sunset: The Jeff Haas Trio kicks off their 27th summer season of Jazz at Sunset Thursday, July 2 7:00-9:30. This free live concert is offered every Thursday through August 29. Reservations required for wine by the glass/tables. Capacity limited.
Patio Unplugged: Starting June 18 and running Thursdays through September 24, various musical talents will perform from the expansive East Patio at Chateau Chantal from 5pm-7pm. No charge. Reservations can be made online for wine by the glass and flights of 3 wines.
Wine Dinners: This summer, Chateau Chantal’s Wine Dinners, are offered:
June 17 – June 27: Wed & Sat July 1 – Aug 31: Tues, Wed, Sat Sept – October: Wed, Thurs, Fri
A vineyard tour kicks off the evening at 6 p.m., with outdoor dinner seating at 6:30. The price is $89 per person including tax, tip and wines. Reservations are required at least a day in advance and can be made by calling 1-800-969-4009 or booking online at www.chateauchantal.com. Enjoy a beautifully paired multi-course meal prepared in-house by Chef Chris Mushall. Chris brings years of culinary experience and great finesse to the multiple courses, each of which is perfectly paired with a Chateau Chantal wine.
Jack Nicklaus is one of the most well known faces of the golf world, and he is currently scheduled to “visit the 19th hole” with local fans this fall as the West Michigan Sports Commission hosts An Evening with Jack Nicklaus.
Currently scheduled for Monday, Sept. 28, from 5-9 p.m., at the DeVos Place Convention Center’s Steelcase Ballroom, the West Michigan Sports Commission will allow the attendees to not only get to meet Nicklaus “but listen to the great stories of his life, as well as participate in a charity auction,” according to supplied material.
The proceeds of the auction will go to the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, American Dunes, and the West Michigan Sports Commission.
With over six decades of professional golf experience, and seemingly countless tournament and championship wins, Nicklaus is one of the greatest golfers to ever live. Not only is he a great golfer, he is also a philanthropist, good-will ambassador as well as an incredibly charitable person, according to supplied material. Nicklaus is involved in numerous children’s hospitals as well as creating several scholarship foundations.
The LowellArts Gallery has opened the new exhibit “Being + Wonder + Within” June 16 at its gallery located at 223 Main St., Lowell.
The exhibit, which runs through Aug. 15, combines the work of three groups of artists, each with a unique perspective on being human and how we exist as part of the world. One group of five artists will present “Ikigal: A reason of Being. Another group of five artists will present “Small Wonder/Nature, and a group of two artists present “between/within/among.”
The Gallery will be open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday – Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.
A maximum of 10 visitors will be allowed in the gallery. Gallery visitors will be required to follow social distancing guidelines such as keeping six feet apart and wearing a face mask.
One cannot walk through the current main building area of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and not take note of, pause to wonder about, the mysterious white-shrouded “Woman In Arm Chair”.
“Woman In Arm Chair” by George Segal. (William J Hebert)
Is she alive? Sleeping? Is she someone’s grandmother? Someone’s muse?
Such is the work of George Segal, one of the masters of Pop Art and so much more.
Meijer Gardens will now offer more clues into the master’s mind as the venue announced June 15 the opening this week of its highly-anticipated but delayed multi-media exhibition, “George Segal: Body Language” — a show which combines the artist’s sculptures side-by-side with a recent gift of prints from the Segal Foundation.
The exhibit, the announcement states, “explores Segal’s career and focuses on his remarkable versatility in representing body language across different media including plaster and various print techniques.”
The exhibition will open today, Tuesday, June 16, and will run through Jan. 3, 2021.
“Neysa” by George Segal. (Chuck Heiney)
“George Segal: Body Language” will span the career of Segal and focus on his “creative vision in representing body language across a variety of materials.” This is the first exhibition of Segal’s work at Meijer Gardens since 2004 and will be the first time that a selection of the gift of 32 prints, one sculpture and three wall reliefs from the Segal Foundation and Rena Segal will be on display.
“We are thrilled to share this selection of George Segal’s sculptures, reliefs and two-dimensional works with our guests,” Jochen Wierich, Meijer Gardens’ Curator of Sculpture & Sculpture Exhibitions, said in supplied material. “Segal’s exploration of the human body across different media continues to resonate. By showing the wide range of prints he made while also working on sculpture, we hope to add a new and largely unexplored dimension to this important 20th century artist.”
As detailed in the announcement, approximately 60 years ago, Segal “embraced a new working process that catapulted him to become one of the most recognized twentieth-century sculptors.”
During the summer of 1961, Segal was introduced to medical gauze bandages which he began to use as a primary material to cast plaster sculptures. The following year he was included in the legendary exhibition “The New Realists”, along with Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg and Jim Dine. In response to this group exhibition, the American media began to refer to the artists as a new movement: Pop Art.
“Girl in Bright Red Shirt” by George Segal. (Chuck Heiney)
“The George and Helen Segal Foundation is pleased to see Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park exhibit their collection of Segal works along with rarely seen prints,” Rena Segal, President of the George and Helen Segal Foundation, said in supplied material. “It is wonderful that his work will inspire new audiences.”
There will also be several special exhibition programs associated with the show. (Exhibition programs are drop-in and registration is not required. Please note, due to COVID-19, programming might change. Please visit MeijerGardens.org/Segal for a current list of exhibition programming.)
Among the special programs scheduled are:
— Sculpture Walk: Figures in the Gardens. Sunday, July 12, at 2 p.m. (Free with admission.) Amber Oudsema, curator of arts education, will lead an exploration pf the Sculpture Park during an hour-long walk, discussing sculptures that focus on the human figure. Learn about how artists investigate the human condition through the body.
— Lecture: Exploring Process — Printmaking. Sunday, Aug. 9, at 2 p.m. (Free with admission.) Mariel Versluis, working artist and chair of the printmaking program at Kendall College of Art and Design, will discuss the processes of printmaking. Topics will include why an artist might choose one printmaking process over the other, when to add color and which medium is her favorite.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is located at 1000 E Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids. For more information visit meijergardens.org.
Action Water Sports in partnership with Action Wake Park is pleased to announce their new summer camp called Camp Action. Learn water sports behind the boat and at Michigan’s only full size cable wakeboarding facility, Action Wake Park.
“We couldn’t be more excited to launch Camp Action,” Said Jerry Brouwer, Owner, Action Water Sports and Action Wake Park. “With the Covid-19 pandemic changing plans for all, we believe there is no better way to spend summer than out on the water participating in water sports.”
You can participate in Camp Action just for the day or for a full week. The following offerings are available:
● Surf Camp: a wakesurfing experience behind a new MasterCraft surf boat ● Wakeboard Camp: a wakeboarding experience behind a new MasterCraft boat ● Cable Park Camp: a water sports experience at Action Wake Park featuring one day behind a new MasterCraft boat
“Camp Action is perfect for beginners looking to learn or someone looking to fine tune their skills with professional coaching, Said Scot Ferwerda, Proshop Manager, Action Water Sports. “We worked hard to cater the camps for all ages and regardless of ability.”
Camp Action will take place locally in the Grand Rapids area on Reeds Lake. Camps begin at $75/day and start the week of June 11. All necessary gear is provided in addition to professional coaching.
Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA) invites the public to engage with water through their Going to the Water Summer Stewardship Series. Opportunities to connect with water include social distancing activities and events, a video series, a virtual fundraising water challenge, and programs aboard the ship. Every activity has a stewardship focus to encourage the protection of water.
“Research shows that being on, in, or near water has many benefits,” shared Fred Sitkins, ISEA Executive Director. “The purpose of this series is to engage people with water and, while they are there, take time to reflect on the experience.” Research referenced by Sitkins comes from the book Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols. In his book, Nichols shows how water can improve performance, increase calm, diminish anxiety, and increase professional success.
Two social distancing activities will take place in June. On June 18 at 10 a.m., families are invited to participate in an in-person Family Water Healer event. A story will be read about a little boy who overcomes his fear of water and participants will be asked to share their personal connection to water through written or visual expression. The event is free, but registration is required as space is limited. The second event is a self-guided Leelanau Trail Water Hunt. Participants walking or biking on the Leelanau Trail can look for answers to water-based clues. Once the clues are solved, a mystery word will be revealed.
In July, the Going to the Water Summer Stewardship Series includes To the Water Challenge, a virtual fundraising event where participants engage with water, reflect on their experience, and share on social media. People can boat, paddleboard, swim, scuba dive, relax, fish, meditate, or do any other activity that is on, in, or near water (e.g., lake, river, pond, fountain, etc.). Registered participants will receive ISEA multifunctional headwear and qualify for awards.
“We believe people care for the things they love,” explained Sitkins when describing the Going to the Water Video Series to be out in July. Local celebrities are being interviewed at the water locations they love and will talk about how they care for that water. “Through all the events in the Going to the Water Stewardship Series, we hope people make the connection that they need to protect the water resources they enjoy.”
ISEA public summer sailing programs aboard the schooner Inland Seas will begin in August. Capacity has been reduced by 50% to accommodate for social distancing and safety protocols will be in place for crew, instructors, and participants. Program content will continue to be the same as pre-COVID-19, but may be delivered slightly different. Tickets are on sale now.
“With the additional time people have by not attending festivals and events, we hope this Series encourages them to get on, in or near water,” said Stephanie Rustem, ISEA Program Coordinator.
Inland Seas Education Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Suttons Bay, Michigan, dedicated to STEM education on the Great Lakes. Its shipboard and shore-side education programs are designed to inspire people of all ages to provide for the long-term stewardship of the Great Lakes. ISEA offers programs to schools, groups, and the public. For further information, contact Inland Seas Education Association at (231) 271-3077 or on the web at www.schoolship.org.
When summer 2020 live music schedules were being made out early this year, one concert on many people’s “must buy” ticket list was Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s June 24 stop at Grand Rapids’ DeVos Performance Hall.
Not only does the alt-country/true country singer/songwriter extraordinaire and his tight band always bring it, they would be bringing along new music from his scheduled May release of Reunions.
Then came March and the pandemic and the spate of sometimes-good, sometimes-not “concerts from home” by every musical artist trying to keep their names and music in mind.
Still, while Isbell’s DeVos concert is a “postponement waiting to happen” at this point — Yes, websites still say you can buy tickets, but, no, it ain’t happening — Reunions was released as planned.
Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit’s Reunions album cover. (Supplied)
And intentionally or by fate, Isbell’s latest collection of music is bluntly reflective not only for our current times (of varying degrees of isolation and social unrest) but for our pending times (of more social unrest and political trials).
Even the album cover speaks of isolation.
And the first single off the release, “Be Afraid”, is a straight-ahead rocker that seems to speak directly to our trying times.
“We’ve been testing you … And you failed … To see how long that you could sit with the truth, but you bailed … I don’t think you even recognize the loss of control … I don’t think you even see it in yourself.”
Read that anyway you want. A fragile society and our place in it? A broken political system the we may have only one last chance to fix? A racial divide that each of us carry some blame for? You call it.
The artist on his music
Well before Mr. George Floyd’s killing and the ensuing social unrest, Isbell seemed to be speaking to issue: “I’m trying to encourage people to be themselves as loudly as possible,” Isbell said about “Be Afraid”. “I don’t know if I’m in any position to do that but I think if we’re going to make any progress as a society then people have to be brave enough to say what they feel.”
But Isbell, and his Reunions work with the 400 Unit, is much more than cryptic lyrics you can read into and a country/rock blur of music that often sounds like nothing else available on the download.
Following in the wake of his recent string of astoundingly accessible yet personal solo work after burning out with the Drive-by Truckers, starting with 2013’s Southeastern, either Isbell’s solo guitar sound or his Big Unit sound has carried him and his audience far. (From not selling out a Meijer Gardens summer concert to filling up the DeVos, for example.)
And while Reunions does revisit some old ghosts — personal trials, relationship failures, surviving at all costs — some of it sounds a bit bigger, a bit more stadium rock; but without losing the small-town perspective driven by a solitary voice and his guitar.
Jason Isbell. (Supplied/Alysse Gafkjen)
“I felt like we had made a statement with Southeastern, Something More Than Free, and The Nashville Sound. Those albums are looking at what happens post happy ending,” Isbell said in supplied material. “They’re saying “I survived—now what?” So I wanted to make something different. … This record probably gets closer to the music I actually like to listen to than anything I’ve done in the past.”
Reunions is Isbell’s seventh full-length studio album and the fourth released with his band, the 400 Unit, a tight, seasoned group which now also includes his wife and mother of his child, fiddler and singer Amanda Shires — yes, of recent fame by forming the country music supergroup “The Highwomen” alongside Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby. The new album also includes several special background vocals from special guests including David Crosby.
A tour of the track list of Reunions, similar to his other recent releases, finds Isbell sliding like a pedal steal riff from anthem rock to ballad to country love song to hymn. And rarely are they not worth the walk.
My favorites — outside of the in-your-face “Be Afraid” and personally introspectiveness of “It Gets Easier” — include the troubadour storytelling of “Overseas”, the gentle touch of “River” and “St. Peter’s Autograph”, and the twangy country sound of “Letting You Go”, which explores his newfound job of father.
“It was a challenge to write about something that is so important to me but that’s my wheelhouse,” Isbell said. “I like writing songs about things that could get maudlin, but pulling back before they do. … I feel like my job as a parent is not so much to protect as to prepare. I think it’s easier said than done because our instinct is to protect at all costs but I feel it more important to prepare her for the world. It’s hard to let them go.”
And Reunions is as much about a past that is still in the shadows as it is about working through the present and into the future.
“There are a lot of ghosts on this album,” Isbell said in supplied material. “Sometimes the songs are about the ghosts of people who aren’t around anymore, but they’re also about who I used to be, the ghost of myself. I found myself writing songs that I wanted to write fifteen years ago, but in those days, I hadn’t written enough songs to know how to do it yet. … In that sense it’s a reunion with the me I was back then.”
After getting Reunions, all we can do now is wait for better days and another summer concert season.
Reunions is available for download at the usual suspects, but please give some business to local record stores such as Grandville’s Corner Record Shop.
Muskegon Heritage Museum (MHM), an offshoot of the Muskegon Heritage Association, was “gifted” to the Lakeshore Museum Center (LMC) to ensure its long-term legacy after the retirement of Allan and Anne Dake, who have served as volunteer Directors of the Museum for 11 years.
‘Anne and I wanted to retire for a second time to enjoy life and travel, without the worry of the day-to-day operations of MHM,” said Allan Dake.
The Dakes and their team of 80 volunteers built an amazing soft touch museum filled with Muskegon’s industrial history and products made by Muskegon businesses. “MHM is a natural extension of LMC’s collection of Muskegon County’s history” said Annoesjka Soler, President of LMC. “The blending of assets makes both museums stronger.” This has been in the works for more than a year and became official June 2, 2020. The MHM building and its contents were deeded to the LMC by the Muskegon Heritage Association (MHA). It is hoped that the MHA will continue with its original focus on historical houses and buildings in Muskegon.
Treasures such as this coaster can be found at the Muskegon Heritage Museum. (Supplied)
LMC hired Kirk Bunke as site manager for MHM last fall. He transitioned into the day-to-day operations role and inventoried the collection of MHM. Kirk worked with Allan and Anne to ensure all facets of the MHM blend with the LMC. According to Allan and Anne, “We still plan to volunteer and interact with the many volunteers and visitors of MHM.”
The history of Muskegon’s industries and businesses is a rich legacy and a sense of pride in the community. The museum the volunteers built is another legacy of which we can all be proud. Despite COVID closures, guests will see new exhibits this year when the Museum is able to open for the season. Stay tuned to the website for opening dates.
As travel begins to re-open throughout West Michigan, people are looking for ways to explore the area safely this summer. For many, this includes options like staying closer to home, avoiding large crowds, and getting off the beaten path. This is a great season to explore some of West Michigan’s small towns, and discover the hidden gems they have to offer.
The West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) has put together a “Small Town Stay-cation Ideas” guide, which will lead you through close to 40 of these small towns throughout the area. Discover ice cream fresh from a local dairy, stay at your own beach-front rental, or explore the mom & pop shops downtown. West Michigan’s small towns have a lot to offer, and you’re encouraged to discover it for yourself!
“We’ve seen businesses, restaurants, and towns working very hard to ensure they’re able to offer a safe environment for visitors this summer,” said Courtney Sheffer, WMTA’s marketing director. “We want to encourage people to make themselves aware of, and to respect, new guidelines that destinations have in place when planning a visit. The sentiment that ‘we’re all in this together’ continues to hold true, especially as people start to travel, and plan visits to other towns and areas. It’s up to all of us to make smart choices and ensure a safe summer season for everyone, while at the same time supporting these local businesses which make West Michigan such a great destination to visit.”
The Small Town Stay-cation Ideas guide is organized for browsing by region, or via interactive map. “This summer is a great opportunity to re-discover the hidden gems that West Michigan has to offer, maybe even right in your own backyard!” says Sheffer.
In light of Governor Whitmer’s recent Executive Order, shops and restaurants in Downtown Holland look forward to welcoming customers in their doors beginning this week and next. Retailers have opened for customers (without requiring an appointment) beginning June 4, while most restaurants will open for dine-in service beginning Monday, June 8. A handful of restaurants have delayed their opening until later next week or the following week to put the final preparations in place to operate safely.
“Our business owners have been working extremely hard these past few weeks to ensure that the proper protocol is in place so customers can shop and dine safely within their businesses,” said Downtown Holland Marketing Coordinator Kara de Alvare. “They have been eagerly awaiting the Governor’s announcement allowing them to open their doors and they are so excited to begin welcoming customers once again. They also want to express their sincere appreciation to everyone who supported them while their doors were closed.”
Businesses will be implementing a number of safety protocols to protect their employees and customers from the spread of COVID-19. Among these are front door signage outlining safety precautions and occupancy restrictions, installing hand sanitizing stations, requiring employees and customers to wear masks, increasing the sanitizing of all surfaces and ensuring that customers practice safe social distancing of six feet at all times.
Per the Executive Order, retailers will be able to operate with 25% of their total occupancy, while restaurants will be limited to 50% occupancy. To help businesses navigate these new occupancy restrictions, Downtown Holland will be allowing retailers and restaurants to expand their business operations onto the sidewalk and into the parking spaces for the time being. Retailers will be allowed to display merchandise outside, while restaurants will be allowed to expand their current sidewalk café operations into the parking spaces in front of their business.
Customers that are not comfortable shopping in-store at this time are invited to visit www.shopdowntownholland.com shop online and place orders for delivery or curbside pick from their favorite retailers. Likewise, customers who prefer to dine at home can visit www.dinedowntownholland.com for a list of restaurants offering take-out services.
