Every story has a starting point. For Jon Wesley Convington’s film “Black Man,” it started when he was hired by the Muskegon Museum of Art to do a five-minute video loop featuring interviews of African-American males in the community to accompany the MMA’s 2018 – 2019 Winter exhibition “Sons: Seeing the Modern African American Male.”
“I started into the project and suddenly realized there was so much more,” Covington said. “Five minutes turned into 50 hours of film which became an hour and half documentary.”
That documentary, “Black Men,” will be screened Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, 2 W. Fulton St. Tickets are $5 for UICA members and $10 for non-members.
The film features interviews from 36 African-American males ages 21 – 91, who all hail from the West Michigan area. The men candidly discuss about loves, lives, losses, longings and their America.
“What amazed me was the transparency and the emotions,” Covington said of the film, adding the interviews are like nothing people have seen before.
Just from the four-and-half minute trailer, the intensity of these men’s stories can be felt. One interviewee laughs his way through a story as the tears roll down his face, another, you can feel his pain through a simple glance at the camera. And a third makes a profound statement that shows just how similar we all are in our wants and desires.
“We are in America and we all want the same thing for ourselves and our kids, and that’s opportunity.”
The final cut of “Black Men” was screened at the 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. program on Jan. 20 at the Muskegon Museum of Art. The film has been screened at several venues and featured at festivals, most recently the Pan African Film and Art Festival in Los Angeles and received awards from the Capital City Black Film Festival. The film is scheduled for a second Grand Rapids screening through Spectrum Health on March 19.
For more about the documentary “Black Men” and other showtimes, visit the Facebook page.
Jon Wesley Covington
About Jon Wesley Covington
Covington is a Muskegon native who now lives in the Cascade area. He is a filmmaker who has worked on a number of projects including the iparticipate campaign spearheaded by Michelle Obama. He also is the founder of the literacy initiative Men of Color Read, which has recently partnered with Kent District Library.
Raul Midón brings stunning guitar work and hypnotic vocals to his music, but he politely declines to step into any musical-genre box. (Courtesy of the artist)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Raul Midón, according to no-less a critic than the New York Times, is “a one-man band who turns a guitar into an orchestra and his voice into a chorus.” So while stunning guitar work and hypnotic vocals are the focal point of the singer-songwriter’s music, he politely declines to step into any musical-genre box.
So, he just happens to be scheduled as part of the St. Cecilia Music Center’s Acoustic Café folk series of concerts, with a debut appearance scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 27. Tickets are still available.
Raul Midón. (Courtesy of the artist)
“My only link to the folk genre is acoustic guitar,” Midón said to WKTV in a recent email conversation. “I’m a jazz trained singer songwriter guitarist with a black and Latin heritage. But I write and sing songs accompanied by acoustic guitar.”
His unclassifiable versatility is evidenced by his having released 10 studio albums as a solo artist, being dubbed “an eclectic adventurist” by People magazine, having collaborated with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Queen Latifah and Snoop Dogg, and contributed to the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s film “She Hate Me.”
And now, on his latest album, If You Really Want, released in September 2019 and arranged by Vince Mendoza, Midón’s voice and guitar blend with an actual orchestra — the equally diverse Metropole Orkest, a multiple Grammy winning ensemble orchestra based in the Netherlands often called a “hybrid orchestra” due to its ability to float between jazz, big band and symphony orchestra music.
But, Midón said to WKTV about the recording — and re-recording — of If You Really Want, the artist is a bit of a musical perfectionist and tinkerer.
“Once the ensemble parts were tracked, I took the recordings home, taking my time to re-cut the vocals and guitar so that they were as nuanced as possible,” he said in supplied material.
“In today’s climate, time is money, more than ever, unless it’s in the comfort of your own home studio,” Midón said to WKTV. “The budget did not allow for me to sing with the orchestra in the studio. But it’s a nice compromise, plus I have the skills to achieve that.”
Musical talent, musical editing skills and musical confidence, are clearly in abundance with Midón, despite the fact that he is blind — evidenced by the title of Midón’s 2017 release: Bad Ass and Blind.
And that blindness also does not stop him from being at home with a live audience, feeding off the unseen audience, in fact.
“Energy isn’t visible, so what would blindness matter,” he said to WKTV. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years or so, I can read an audience in my own way. Applause is just one way. But if you are in Japan, silence and attentiveness would be another.”
For more information on Raul Midón — and his new album, The Mirror, due out March 13 — visit his website at raulmidon.com.
Two other St. Cecilia Acoustic Café concerts remain for this season, both with tickets available, include Grammy-award winning folk/Americana singer and songwriter Marc Cohn — he of “Walking in Memphis” but so much more — returns to St. Cecilia on March 19.
Then Shawn Colvin returns for her second appearance at St. Cecilia, on May 19, performing her newly released album Steady On Acoustic in its entirety. Her original 1989 album Steady On became her first Grammy Award winning album.
Tickets for Raul Midón on Feb. 27 are $40 and $45 and can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Tickets can also be purchased online at scmc-online.org. A post-concert “Meet-the-artist” party with a cash bar will be offered to all ticket-holders giving the audience the opportunity to possibly meet Midón and obtain signed autographs of his CDs.
On Saturday, Feb. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m., the businesses of Grand Haven Main Street will be showcasing their favorite Nursery Rhymes during the tenth annual Frozen in Time. Frozen in Time is a window display competition, complete with live mannequins and an Oscar-style awards ceremony.
Many Main Street businesses will be participating, and each one will feature live, “frozen” mannequins depicting a scene from a favorite nursery rhyme. Three honorary judges will be choosing a “Jurors’ Choice” Award, and the public is invited to wander throughout the district, matching the nursery rhymes with the corresponding storefront on a special scorecard, and cast their vote for the “People’s Choice” Award.
The official Frozen in Time zone encompasses businesses along Washington Avenue from Harbor Drive to Beacon Blvd and 7th Street between Washington and Madison. Scorecards are available at all participating businesses.
Frozen in Time will end promptly at 4 p.m., followed by a special awards ceremony at 4:30 p.m. at the Tri-Cities Historical Museum, 200 Washington Avenue. The Jurors’ Choice and People’s Choice awards will be announced. The public is invited to come and meet the live mannequins and bring their completed scorecards to be entered into a drawing for cash and door prizes donated by sponsoring Main Street businesses. (You must be present to win.)
For more information about this event, visit downtownGH.com or follow us on Facebook at Grand Haven Main Street.
Lakeshore Restaurant Week, organized by the four Muskegon Cumulus Radio Stations of Muskegon, will run Feb. 21 through Feb. 29 and will feature 18 Muskegon area restaurants.
During the week, the these 18 restaurants will be offering discounted deals and specials to customers to promote the variety and quality of area eateries.
More restaurants may be added, according to Rich Berry, Director of Sales at the Cumulus-Muskegon radio stations who are putting on the event in conjunction with the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce.
“We are excited that the Lakeshore Restaurant Week is coming back to Muskegon,” said Berry. “This year we have a very nice representation of restaurants that are participating. By promoting the area’s restaurants, we believe the consumer will also benefit. There are plenty of places that people will love visiting.”
Lakeshore Restaurant Week participants may be offering customers a series of specialty menu items at discounted prices to attract customers to eat out and sample restaurants that they have not tried. The public is also encouraged to try entrées that they may never tried before.
“The idea is to make this time period fun for food lovers, and don’t we all fit into that category?” laughed Berry. “We want people to enjoy the variety of food establishments on the Lakeshore and have fun with this.”
Another popular Muskegon restaurant, Tootise’s Diner, located at 1125 W. Hackley Ave., is participating in the Lakeshore Restaurant Week. (Supplied)
Although it is called the Lakeshore Restaurant Week, in reality the “week” spans a ten day time period.
“We wanted to squeeze two full weekends into our time period,” Berry explained. “That’s better for everyone involved because there is more time to try different restaurants.
Lakeshore Restaurant Week details may be found at muskegonlakeshorerestaurantweek.com. Links can also be found on the various Muskegon Radio station websites.
Prepare for a fully immersive experience during the Concerts Under the Stars series at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM), featuring a night of smooth indie rock music, performed by Seth Beck on Thursday, Feb. 27. Sit back and experience the wonders of the cosmos alongside mesmerizing music.
Beck, who hails from Grand Rapids, is a singer and songwriter who specializes in indie rock. He creates music as a means of self-discovery by preserving memory with swaying melodies, while writing plain-stated songs that speak truth to innocent moments and the incense of love rooted in the body. Seth’s unique twist on the genre transforms the music into scenes of romantic optimism and complication, allowing listeners to become lost in the smooth, melodic sounds.
Beck’s performance will be accompanied by a live light show on the Chaffee Planetarium dome by visual artist Calvin Garvey. Calvin is pursuing a BFA in Visual Studies at Grand Valley University, with an emphasis in 3D computer animation, and enjoys engaging with listeners’ sense of wonder and awareness in relation to the complexities of the world through their art.
Concerts Under the Stars begins at 7:30 p.m., with Museum doors opening at 6:30 p.m. At each concert, performers will play two sets with a short intermission in between. Refreshments, beer and other beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets are $17, with reduced pricing of $12 for GRPM members. Tickets are available at grpm.org/planetarium, by calling 616-929-1700 or at the Museum’s front desk.
The 2020 Concerts Under the Stars series will conclude with a final concert on March 19.
Gunnar and the Grizzly Boys kick off the Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concert series.
Local country favorite Gunnar and the Grizzly Boys will be kicking off the popular 2020 Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concert series on June 11.
The series, presented by the LowellArts and the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, runs for 11 weeks from June 11 to Aug. 20. The series, designed to bring talent to the riverfront stage in downtown Lowell, features 11 local and regional performers. The program is a free, family-friendly outdoor concert on the Riverwalk Plaza each Thursday, all summer long.
The Harry Potter Film Concert Series returns to DeVos Performance Hall with “Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince” in Concert, the sixth film in the Harry Potter series. On Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22, Associate Conductor John Varineau conducts the Grand Rapids Symphonyin performing Nicholas Hooper’s incredible score live from “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”™while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen.
In 2016, CineConcerts and Warner Bros. Consumer Products announced the Harry Potter Film Concert Series, a global concert tour celebrating the Harry Potter films. Since the world premiere of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” in Concert in June 2016, more than 2.5 million fans have enjoyed this magical experience from J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, which is scheduled to include over 1,500 performances across more than 48 countries worldwide through 2020.
“When the Grand Rapids Symphony brought the Harry Potter Film Concert Series to town four years ago, we sold out three performances of ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ in Concert,” said Mary Tuuk, President and CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony. “Afterwards, the Symphony’s Facebook page lit up with comments from fans who said it was ‘absolutely phenomenal.’ We’re thrilled to be able to bring the Harry Potter Film Concert Series back to DeVos Performance Hall for the sixth time along with our fabulous Grand Rapids Symphony.”
As Lord Voldemort tightens his grip on both the Muggle and Wizarding Worldsä, Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing Harry for the battle fast approaching. Even as the showdown looms, romance blossoms for Harry, Ron, Hermione and their classmates. Love is in the air, but danger lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.
Any for a game of quidditch? “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” performed by the Grand Rapids Symphony Feb. 21 and 22. (Supplied)
Nominated for the 2010 Grammy Award, Nicholas Hooper returns to the Harry Potter series with this magical score that debuted at number twenty-nine on the Billboard 200 chart, thus making it the highest-charting soundtrack among all the six movie soundtracks released. Considered “emotionally churning” by Variety, Hooper’s score features soaring and unique motifs that could only represent the grandeur and scope of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.
Justin Freer, President of CineConcerts and Producer of The Harry Potter Film Concert Series explains, “The Harry Potter film series is a once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomenon that continues to delight millions of fans around the world. It is with great pleasure that we bring fans for the first time ever an opportunity to experience the award-winning music scores played live by a symphony orchestra, all while the beloved film is simultaneously projected onto the big screen. This is truly an unforgettable event.”
Brady Beaubien of CineConcerts and Concert Producer for The Harry Potter Film Concert Series added, “Harry Potter is synonymous with excitement around the world and we hope that by performing this incredible music with the full movie, audiences will enjoy returning to the Wizarding World.”
Tickets are now on sale via GRSymphony.org and 616-454-9451 ext. 4 for “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” in Concert with performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 and at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) just announced 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 Saturday, June 20.
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.
Tom Zaller, CEO of Imagine Exhibitions shared, “Imagine Exhibitions is proud to partner with Sean Kenney to bring the creative vision of Wild Connections to the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The messages in the exhibition about our connection to nature are beautifully presented and effectively weaved into the story in the hopes of inspiring visitors to think more about mankind’s impact on the greater world around us.”
Explore the beauty and wonder of Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks this summer. Tickets go on sale Spring 2020 and will be available at grpm.org or by calling 616-9291700. The GRPM will host an Opening Party for the exhibition on Saturday, June 20. Details at grpm.org.
A detail of a dragon by Sean Kenney. (Supplied)
Brick Built Exhibits Throughout West Michigan
In addition to Wild Connections at the GRPM, the John Ball Zoo will open the brick-built exhibition called BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise for the spring and summer, together creating a full experience for the community. The GRPM and John Ball Zoo will be partnering throughout the run of these exciting exhibitions. BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise features over 40 sculptures of endangered animals to not only entertain but also educate about the importance of the preservation of endangered species. Visit grpm.orgor jbzoo.org for further information.
“As two public organizations in West Michigan, we are pleased to partner with the John Ball Zoo to host these two similarly themed exhibitions this year,” said Dale Robertson, President and CEO of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “By partnering to bring this full experience to the community, using both of our locations, we are able to create an even deeper connection to the content.”
Nostalgia with all the trimmings will be on the menu at Journeyman Distillery’sFeb. 21 Chef’s Dinner.
For decades, The Strongbow Inn was a Northwest Indiana mainstay. Specialties like their blue cheese vinaigrette, house-baked dinner rolls and pastries, and (of course) turkey—expertly prepared in a variety of ways—were at the center of many family celebrations and traditions. The closing of the historic dining spot left a hole—not just in the Valparaiso dining scene, but in the hearts of many.
“It’s been wonderful to hear from the many people who have fond memories of times spent at Strongbow over the years,” said former owners, Nancy and Russ Adams. Those fond recollections, plus a lifetime’s worth of recipes and experience, encouraged the Adams’ to partner with friends Johanna and Bill Welter for a one-night-only Chef’s Dinner event at Journeyman Distillery.
Favorites including Turkey Schnitzel will be paired with demi-cocktails crafted with Journeyman’s acclaimed spirits for a dining experience sure to please. Hosts Nancy and Russ Adams will be on hand to share memories and thanks with old fans and new.
Tickets for Journeyman’s Feb. 21st Chef’s Dinner are $45 per person and include 4 courses with demi-cocktail pairings, plus gratuity. Details are available online at journeymandistillery.com/calendar.
The Michigan Maritime Museum’s Maritime Lecture Series, Shipwrecks & Lighthouses will feature Kate Heckner Ulrey, Community Engagement Coordinator and St. Joseph North Pier Lighthouses Tour Manager for the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center. Her presentation, “Altruistic Edifices: St. Joseph North Pier Lights” is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 19, from 6:30 pm-7:30 pm at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven.
The St. Joseph North Pier Lighthouses are a symbol of community, but did you know that the St. Joseph harbor has had a light since 1832? It is the second oldest site for a light on Lake Michigan. Learn how St. Joe went from the first lighthouse on the bluff to the two lighthouses that stand there today. Ulrey will examine the many phases of the lighthouses and the importance of maritime history in the development of the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor community. Over 7,000 people visited the St. Joseph lighthouses this summer and you can too through this engaging presentation featuring photos and discussion.
Ulrey is a former English teacher who enjoys the local history and has an appreciation for the lighthouse and those who kept the light. “Sharing the St. Joseph Lighthouses, their history and their importance has been a wonderful experience. A lighthouse is such a powerful visual of people caring for one another and respecting nature,” says Ulrey. Ulrey began volunteering for The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in 2015 when she was asked to be a guide on the Haunted St. Joseph tour. In 2016 the lighthouse opened to the public and she began volunteering there. In 2019 she was asked to manage tours as part of the museum’s staff. In addition to Ulrey, the lighthouse is run by a dedicated staff of volunteers who welcomed thousands of visitors last summer.
Admission is $8, $7 for seniors. There is no admission fee for Museum members. Museum doors will at 6:00 pm the evening of the lecture. The Museum is open regularly from Thursday-Saturday the month of February. See the Museum website for hours. For more information, contact the Museum at 269-637-8078 or visit michiganmaritimemuseum.org.
The Listening Room is attracting artists, plugged-in and unplugged, to Grand Rapids. (Supplied/Listening Room)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Its almost universal: music fans, and artists, love an intimate sound space, one where the audience truly becomes part of the music and the artist can make a visceral connection with the audience. Listening Room, one of Grand Rapids newest music houses, is rapidly becoming known as one of those music venues.
Listening Room, which opened late last year and is located at Studio Park at 123 Ionia Ave SW, has already build a reputation with local audiences as a “jazz club” in the classic style, a folk stage where an un-amplified guitar and voice can be heard and appreciated, a place where up-and-coming bands can fill the house as they hone their sonic skills.
The “Room” is also getting known by national touring acts as a place to unwind if not unplug from the impersonal stadium and festival stages, and get back in contact with the audience — Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Los Lobos and Loudon Wainwright III are only three scheduled examples.
The reasons for the venue’s buzz — with national acts and local audiences — are several fold, according to Quinn Mathews, general manager and talent buyer for the Listening Room.
Los Lobos an their acoustic tour line-up. (Supplied)
“We’re lucky to not only be situated between the cities of Detroit and Chicago, but situated between very well known venues on the east side of Michigan and in Chicago, for instance The Ark in Ann Arbor and City Winery in Chicago,” Mathews said to WKTV about his booking national acts.
“The artists agencies in Nashville, New York, Los Angeles have been sending talent around here for years. … Grand Rapids, as a city, is really growing and making national news. People are here, music fans are here, the artists and agents know it.”
While having national acts stopping by is great, Matthews is just as happy with the steady bookings of local acts … such as The Crane Wives on Feb. 28 and Mid Life Crisis on March 23, to name only two.
The Crane Wives (Facebook)
“This was extremely important to me, to have local, regional, national, and international talent. To have music 4 to 5 if not 6 to 7 nights a week,” he said. “Some nights are free or $5 or $10, some nights have international touring acts with tickets $40-$50. I wanted everyone to feel welcome, not to just book one style for one type of audience.
“There was a weekend a few weeks ago where Friday night was Hip Hop, Saturday night was Jazz, and Sunday night was local songwriters. … It was so great to see the place packed out each night with different people in our community.”
And, after all, a 200-seat venue known for as a music “listening room” is clearly focused on the audience experience.
“I think we’re in an interesting time with music in so many ways,” Matthews said. “The industry really changed in the early 2000’s, music became so easily accessible. Everyone listens to music all the time, it’s easy. You can listen for free within seconds. I always laugh in the grocery store walking around, there will be a kid, 12-years-old, with earbuds in listening to music on one aisle. The next aisle, a 85-year-old with earbuds in.
“Everyone is listening. The trick is do they attend concerts? Many more people are downloading and streaming music, but does that translate to ticket sales for live music? Sure Elton John and Bruce Springsteen sell out arenas, but who attends concerts in rock clubs, coffee shops, breweries, etc?
“I think whether I agree with it or not there seems to need to be another factor for folks to attend a concert. … We wanted to build a place that was comfortable, seated, nice atmosphere, like the old jazz clubs, servers bringing you bourbon, etc., a place that feels really great even before the music starts.”
For more information on all concerts at Listening Room, visit listeningroomGR.com or call 616-900-9500.
The Inn at Bay Harbor, located on Lake Michigan near Petoskey, is hosting a retreat-style weekend of dance, Feb. 21-23. Ideal for novices on the dance floor, this weekend offers the opportunity to learn Waltz, Rumba, and Swing from professional instructors, plus enjoy dinner and a show.
The Inn’s Arlington Ballroom serves as center stage for the weekend’s dance instruction. Friday evening features a welcome reception, followed by instruction from 6 to 7:30 pm. On Saturday morning, guests wake to a delicious breakfast before slipping on their dance shoes for four-hours of instruction with a break for lunch. The day concludes with an elaborate buffet dinner of Frenched chicken, braised beef short ribs, roasted fingerling potatoes, Canaroli risotto, Michigan root vegetables, asparagus, dinner rolls, teas and coffees, along with a performance by the instructors. Event goers can enjoy a leisurely breakfast on Sunday morning prior to departure. Additional dance lessons can also be scheduled on Sunday.
The Inn at Bay Harbor offers 113 newly renovated accommodations ranging from standard guest rooms to multi-bedroom suites. Guests of the resort can also enjoy a full-service spa, daily Afternoon Tea service, lakeside dining, outdoor hot tub, and shuttle service to explore the shops and eateries in the Village at Bay Harbor and Petoskey’s historic Gaslight District.
The weekend event, including two nights’ lodging, dance instruction, and meals starts at $682 for two guests. For more information or reservations, visit nnatbayharbor.com or call 866.759.3427 and use promo code SHO.
Leslie Odom Jr., the actor who originated the role of Aaron Burr in the Grammy Award-winning musical “Hamilton!” is just one of the highlights of the Grand Rapids Symphony upcoming 2020-21 season with the Classical Season being unveiled this week.
The Classical Season features a mix of popular music, world-class soloists, new music, new concert series and special events beginning in September 2020.
Highlights under Music Director Marcelo Lehninger includes performances of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, the most famous four notes in all of music, and Mozart’s Requiem, part of the climactic scenes of the 1984 film “Amadeus.” Popular music includes Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain,” the spooky music from Disney’s “Fantasia,” and Richard Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” the opening music used in Stanley Kuberick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Important soloists include superstar violinist (and fashionista) Sarah Chang, legendary Brazilian pianist Nelson Freire, and flamboyant organist Cameron Carpenter, the “Bad Boy of the Organ,” who designed and travels with his own custom instrument.
Flamboyant organist Cameron Carpenter, the “Bad Boy of the Organ,” performs with the Grand Rapids Symphony’s 2020-21 Classical Series. (Supplied)
Concert goers will experience a Sitar Concerto performed by a student of the great Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar, and the first major solo work for saxophone and orchestra that DeVos Hall has seen in 38 years.
A new series, “The Pianists,” will bring two artists who once were Gilmore Young Artists of the Gilmore Keyboard Festival in Kalamazoo and who now have flourishing careers.
New music includes the debut of “Immortal Beloved” by Grand Rapids’ own Alexander Miller, inspired by Beethoven’s written testament bidding farewell to the love of his life. The GRS also will premiere a new Double Concerto for Vibraphone and Marimba, one of five pieces of music that will feature soloists drawn from the ranks of the Grand Rapids Symphony’s accomplished musicians.
Season tickets went on sale Feb. 12. Season ticket holders will have the first chance to purchase tickets for the special event featuring Odom. Single tickets will be available at a later date. The 2020-21 Pops Series will be announced in March. The 2020 D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops Series was announced in January.
On Wednesday March 25, The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge, UK will perform the inaugural concert of the Andrew Larson Memorial Concert Series. This biennial series will benefit the music and ministry of the Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys.
Through the Andy Larson Memorial Fund, the Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys will collaborate with some of the world’s finest sacred artists. These special biennial programs will honor the life of Andy Larson, a former GRCMB Head Chorister who died in 2018, in a car accident at the age of 14.
Founded in the 1670s, the Choir of St John’s College is one of the finest collegiate choirs in the world, known for its rich, warm and distinctive sound; expressive interpretations; and ability to sing in a variety of styles. Directed by Andrew Nethsingha, the Choir will bring its trademark ‘St John’s Sound’ to audiences across the Atlantic, performing in Atlanta, Chicago, Grand Rapids, Seattle and San Francisco. This will be the Choir’s first visit to the USA since 2016.
• Tickets: www.grcmb.org • Location: Basilica of St. Adalbert 654 Davis Ave. NW, Grand Rapids 49504 • Date & Time: Wednesday, March 25 7 p.m. • Seating: Open seating within three reserved tiers: $20 – $35 – $50 • Additional Information • Email receipt must be presented at the door – printed or digital NOTE: you should receive your email tickets immediately after purchase – please check your spam or junk mail folders if you do not see them. They are sent from the email address hello@givelively.org • Arrive early for best seating within each section • Concert programming will be listed on the Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys website as soon as it is available. www.grcmb.org • Free Parking is available • Barrier-free and wheelchair accessible • Ticket proceeds benefit the Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! Find gift ideas, special events, dinners, and get-aways to treat your Valentine to a uniquely West Michigan experience.
Gift Ideas & Valentine’s Day Events
Need help finding a card for your Valentine? Kalamazoo’s Bell’s Brewery has you covered! Choose from 23 Bell’s Brewery inspired Beerentine e-cards to send digitally to someone special.
Join swing dance instructor Becky Biesiada at SE4SONS Gastropub inside the Muskegon Country Club for a series of three dance classes in February. This is a fun opportunity to learn something new! Don’t forget to check out SE4SONS Gastropub after class for great Happy Hour Deals. Call 231-755-3737 for reservations. Classes will be held 6 – 7 p.m. on Feb. 13, and 20. Cost is $85 per couple, $60 for individuals.
Head to Guardian Brewing in Saugatuck on Feb. 13 for Guardian Beer School: Galentine’s Day Beer, Cheese, and Chocolate Pairing.
On Thursday, Feb. 13, from 6 — 8 p.m., celebrate your Valentine and friends with Date Night: Pizza & Puzzles at the Muskegon Museum of Art. Bring your sweetheart or a friend for a relaxed night of pizza and puzzles in the galleries. Tickets include a table for puzzle building with your partner, pizza, and one free drink ticket for the cash bar. Puzzles are provided. The cost is $20 per person.
For special gifts, visit downtown Marshall. You’ll find flowers, wine, specialty shops to write love letters or memory books, and treats for your four-legged Valentine. Strawberries dipped in chocolate are a romantic treat, but what about pickles and chocolate, or chocolate-covered cheesecake jalapeno poppers? These unique treats and more await you in Marshall.
Valentine’s Day Weekend Dinners & Events
Enjoy a special Valentine’s Day menu at The Grove Restaurant at Gordon Beach Inn in Union Pier. Dinner is $80 per couple and includes butternut squash soup, mixed green salad, surf & turf featuring lobster tail and filet, parmesean risotto croquettes, chocolate dipped strawberries, and split of proseco. Reservations are requested, call 269-934-9700 to reserve your table.
Journeyman Distillery serves up an evening of cask-strength laughs on Valentine’s Day at Comedy on the Rocks, featuring award winning stand-up comedians and craft-cocktails with a view of their working stills at their Three Oaks distillery. Featuring Zako Ryan, headliner Amy Sumpter, and your host for the evening, Maxwell Tidey. Admission is $20 per person.
Cornwell’s Turkeyville will feature a Murder Mystery Dinner on Feb. 14 and 15. (Cornwall’s Turkeyville)
Cornwell’s Turkeyville in Marshall hosts a Murder Mystery Dinner: Get a Clue, Feb. 14 and 15, a fun and entertaining way to spend your Valentines’ weekend!
Spend Valentine’s Day at Vineyard 2121 in Benton Harbor with a candlelight dinner and wine pairing suggestions, live music, and dancing to your favorite romantic songs, Friday, February 14th, 6:00 pm-9:00 pm. Seating is limited and advanced tickets are suggested.
Airway Fun Center in Portage is hosting a Couples Cocktail Class inside their taproom February 14th at 6:00 pm. Guests will enjoy step by step instructions as they create three creative cocktails. Appetizers will be included in the cost of the class. Registration is $30 per person.
This Valentine’s Day, say “I love you” with a romantic dinner date at the historic W.K. Kellogg Manor House in Hickory Corners, overlooking beautiful Gull Lake. Enjoy a four-course dinner that will include grilled mojo sirloin steak or grilled salmon filet, both served with fresh pico de gallo, avocado, tortilla strips and Cotija cheese, coconut rice and fresh vegetables, and a dark chocolate ganache served with fresh fruit and whipped cream for dessert.
Crane’s Winery presents the 2020 Cider-Maker’s Dinner on Feb. 15, 6 – 9 p.m., at their restaurant in Fennville, showcasing West Michigan’s wonderful cider-making expertise with a six-course pairing dinner featuring dishes made from local ingredients in an “Upscale Cider Pub” theme. Courses include wild game and local cheese selections, creamy New England clam chowder, lemony kale caesar salad in a parmesan crisp bowl, spicy elk nachos, smoked chicken & waffles, and a specialty Crane’s dessert. Seating is very limited. Tickets are $65 per person (this includes tax and tip), available at eventbrite.com. Come show some love to the amazing food and drink West Michigan has to offer. Crane’s is a family owned, family run business that has been a treasured travel destination in West Michigan for decades. Nestled in the lush, rolling hills of the family’s fruit farms just minutes from Lake Michigan’s shore, at Crane’s Pie Pantry Restaurant & Winery you will take home with you an experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression. The Crane’s family of businesses can be found throughout the Lakeshore with locations in Fennville (farms, pie pantry and winery), Crane’s Wine and Cider in Saugatuck and Crane’s In The City in Holland.
The Grand Rapids Downtown Market will be hosting an ice sculpturing event Feb. 14 – 16.
Join the Grand Rapids Downtown MarketFeb. 14 — 16 and chill out with over ten ice sculptures under the Downtown Market Shed, part of the Grand Rapids World of Winter events. On Saturday, enjoy an outdoor bar while watching chainsaw masters perform ice sculpting demonstrations throughout the afternoon.
Michigan’s only professional ballet company, Grand Rapids Ballet, presents Eternal Desire, a “mixed-bill” program featuring five different stand-alone pieces, including three never-before-seen world premieres, Feb. 14 and 16 at the ballet’s Peter Martin Wege Theatre.
Enjoy live music, cookie classes, gourmet hand-dipped chocolates and treats, and a special Daddy-Daughter Dance when you visit the Holland Area for Valentine’s celebrations.
Beer lovers, head to Grand Haven’s sixth annual Craft Beer Crawl on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2 — 7 p.m. Enjoy craft beers from over a dozen Michigan Craft Breweries at participating venues on a casual Saturday afternoon in Downtown Grand Haven.
Join Lemon Creek Winery Grand Haven Tasting Room for Wine and Chocolate Pairings celebrating Love, Wine & Chocolate Month in February. Starting weekends in February, visit the Grand Haven Tasting Room Fridays through Sundays for these special pairings featuring chocolates and Lemon Creek Wines. This featured tasting will also be available on February 14th, so bring your special someone. Cost is $14 per person or two for $25. Ice wine tasting, chocolate dessert cups with your favorite wine, and specialty chocolates are also available. Groups of 10 or more should call ahead for reservations. Must be at least 21 years old for wine tastings. Hours are Fridays & Saturdays noon — 7 p.m. and Sundays noon — 5 p.m.
On Friday, Feb.14, from 5:30 –7:30 p.m., come to the Lakeshore Museum Center in Muskegon for a Valentine’s Day Friday Family Fun Night. Take the whole family on a date at the museum. Enjoy collecting Valentines from various museum creatures, create your own Valentine’s Day craft, and learn some love science. You’ll also get a Valentine’s Day treat to take home. The cost is $5. No RSVP is required.
Treat your sweetheart to performances around Muskegon over Valentine’s weekend, including live music from popular West Michigan bands or stand-up comedians. Find details to help plan your weekend at the Muskegon Community Calendar.
Saturday, Feb. 15, the Muskegon Luge & Adventure Sports Park presents “Parkas & Plates.” This is a fun night for couples and friends who want to hit the lighted cross country ski or snowshoe trails, enjoy some amazing food and beverages, and kick back to live acoustic music. It’s the perfect Valentine’s date night or just a fun night out with friends.
Whether you and your sweetheart are keen to cozy, romantic dinners by candlelight or something a bit more adventurous like skiing or sledding, the Mt. Pleasant area offers a variety of Valentine’s Day date spots. Plan your Valentine’s Day date with the Mt. Pleasant date guide. Looking for unique, one-of-a-kind Valentine’s Day gifts for that special someone? Check out the Mt. Pleasant gift guide to find the perfect gift for your sweetheart.
Hotel Frankfort is hosting a Valentine’s Day Five Course Dinner at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14. Dinner is $50 per person and includes brie en croute, crab cakes, caprese salade, choice of filet minot or shrimp scampi, salted carmel apple crisp, and wine samples especially paired for each course. Reservations are required, call 231-352-8090.
A romantic Valentines Day wine paired dinner awaits you at the Inn at Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay. The Valentine’s-themed menu will be curated with courses to be shared making for a truly amorous, wine-paired culinary experience. Tables are limited, so purchase your tickets today.
Surprise your sweetheart with the gift of adventure in the most pristine, northernmost-tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, an area of rugged beauty, ancient Lake Superior shorelines, and breathtaking terrain with Keweenaw Adventure Company in Copper Harbor. Cozy up in the Adventure Chalet and get out to explore by mountain bike and sea kayak.
Treat Your Valentine to a Special Getaway
South Haven has a gift for you when you stay at one of the area’s participating lodging properties between February and April 2020, including Lake Bluff Inn & Suites, and Baymont Inn & Suites. Receive two bottles of wine, a red and a white, two wine glasses, and corkscrew in a very nice, four bottle, insulated bag. Plus, coupons for free wine and beer tastings are included compliments of local breweries and Cogdal Vineyards. Don’t miss out on this fantastic Gift Bag Promotion, click here for participating lodging properties. From November 1st to May 15th, stay in one of the participating lodging properties and receive a free $25 Dine on Us card, then relax at one of South Haven’s top-ranked, participating restaurants, such as Taste, and enjoy the local cuisine.
Make it a weekend getaway at Maplewood Hotel in Saugatuck! Stay Friday night and get half-off Saturday night stay through Feb. 18. Book directly by calling 1-800-650-9790.
Plan a romantic, winter weekend getaway and experience the true joy of winter in West Michigan. From snowshoeing to ice fishing to indoor hot tubs, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Get the most out of your weekend getaway this winter by staying at one of Ludington’s top hotels. Stay Saturday night at the standard non-discounted rate and get Sunday night free! The Comfort Inn Ludington is the perfect balance of relaxation and fun. Call (231) 845-7004 to book your weekend getaway!
Amway Grand Plazain Grand Rapids is offering a Celebrate Romance package with overnight accommodations, complimentary bottle of sparkling wine or cider, and breakfast for two. Choose a romantic dinner for two at onsite restaurants, or a massage for two at Amway Grand Plaza Spa & Salon, or treat your special someone to the gift of relaxation with a certificate to the spa.
Celebrate a night of romance with overnight accommodations at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids. Elevate your evening with a bottle of wine or chocolate covered strawberries. Enjoy a special menu at Margaux or a massage for two at The Spa at JW.
Is your Valentine a fishing enthusiast? Treat them to a getaway at the Pere Marquette River Lodge in Baldwin, an Orvis-endorsed fly fishing outfitter, February 21st-23rd for Steelhead School. The school teaches the basics of fly fishing for steelhead and includes two nights lodging, breakfasts, lunches, and a half day guide trip for $405/person (based on double occupancy). For more, call the fly shop at 231-745-3972 or book your stay online.
Treat your Valentine to a getaway at Terrace Inn in Petoskey with a two night stay in a cottage room on Valentines weekend (Feb. 14 and 15) for $279. This package includes dinner for two and a Champagne split and a fabulous breakfast is also included each morning. Guests who just want to visit for dinner can enjoy a three course meal for just $39.95 per person and Nathan Towne will be performing in the dining room.
Indulge in sweeping views of Little Traverse Bay, a bottle of champagne, breakfast for two, and an evening in the hot tub or by the fireplace while being minutes away from Petoskey’s most romantic destinations. The Courtyard by Marriott Petoskey’sRomance Package is the perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day in Northern Michigan. Book your Romance Package today.
Love is in the air at Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire. Surprise someone special with a weekend getaway and enjoy the outdoors. Create a custom package, including spa treatments, lift tickets, or cross-country trail passes, to get away to a Northern Michigan resort that spans 5,000 acres.
Whether you’re planning a surprise trip or celebrating an anniversary, Mackinac Island’s romantic charm can be felt around every corner. Give the gift of Mackinac this Valentine’s Day with Mission Point Resort’s Island Romance package; A picturesque getaway for two in a setting of historic churches, garden gazebos, refreshing lake breezes, and turquoise blue waters. This package features two night’s accommodations, a wine and cheese welcome amenity, half-day bike rentals to explore Mackinac Island, tickets aboard a Sip N’ Sail boat cruise, a romantic dinner for two in Chianti, and much more! Experience the magic of Mackinac with the one you love this summer.
Escape to the Keweenaw Area and find special Valentine’s Day experiences and packages, including luxury lodging with flower bouquets and in-room champagne or a spa experience designed to rejuvenate your body and mind with hot and cold-water exposure. Find more Keweenaw lodging options and specials by visiting the Keweenaw Convention & Visitors Bureau.
There is a festival celebrating laughter and comedy (LaughFest) and a couple celebrating the arts (ArtPrize and Festival of the Arts). We even have WYCE’s celebration of local music (The Jammies).
So with so many local college and community theater organizations, it only makes sense that Grand Rapids has its own festival to celebrate theater.
Now in its eighth season, the Lake Effect Fringe Festival, better known as LEFF, returns to celebrate local theater by hosting an array of productions by several local theater companies.
“You are going to see works that are not produced in the larger theaters in town or works by local playwrights,” said Mary Beth Qullin, one of the organizers. “There is a lot of comedy or improv that goes on during the Festival. It is something different almost every weekend.”
In fact, starting Feb. 11 and running through Mar. 7. the calendar at the Dog Story Theatre, 7 Jefferson SE, is packed with a variety of shows, and Qullin said there is something for about everyone in the mix.
To kick off the 8thAnnual Festival, Fictional Friends Improv is performing a one-night only fundraising event “Throw $ at LEFF, Tuesday, Feb. 11, to help raise funds to cover the space rental fee for the remaining Festival participants. The event starts at 8 p.m.
The Fictional Friends Improv has a lineup of fan favorite games, some classics from the vault that haven’t been performed in years, and of course a few things that have never been performed for an audience, or performed at all for that matter.
Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company performs at LEFF Feb. 13 – 15 at Dog Story Theatre.
The rest of LEFF schedule is as follows:
Feb. 13 – 15: The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Co., Michigan’s only year-round touring Shakespeare Company, presents Oliver Goldsmith’s “She Stoops to Conquer.” This comedic farce follows the exploits of the Hardcastle family. Mr. Hardcastle wants his daughter Kate to marry eligible bachelor Charles Marlow. The problem is that Marlow is hopelessly intimidated by women. Mr. Hardcastle and Marlow’s father plan for the younger Marlow to visit the Hardcastle home, but because of the tricks of Hardcastle’s stepson Tony Lumpkin, young Marlow and his friend Hastings believe that Hardcastle’s house is an inn. Kate takes advantage of this deception to pose as a maid in the “inn” so that she can observe her potential mate without him knowing.
Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. Thursday’s performance is a fundraising event for the LEFF and is pay-what-you-can. Tickets are only available at the door on Thursday, Feb. 13, in $5 increments.Pigeon Creek is Michigan’s only year-round touring Shakespeare Company.
Feb. 20 – 21: The Brutal Sea presents its new full-length original play “Mangoyle!” Enter the crime-spattered Urchin District of Sinneapolis, where Mayor Sparromarten has created a living gargoyle to solve the critical mystery of his missing vacation photos. Meanwhile, a coven of punk-rock witches trade their protest signs for direct magical action, and lurking deep in the shadows — are those…gnomes? You won’t want to miss this wickedly hilarious show!
Show times are at 8 p.m. Thursday – Saturday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Thursday’s performance is a fundraising event for the LEFF and is pay-what-you-can. Tickets are only available at the door on Thursday, Feb. 20, in $5 increments. This show contains mature themes and language.
Feb. 27 – 29: Hole in the Wall Theatre Company, Grand Rapids’ only Commedia Troupe, presents “Naples’ Story: Welcome to the Neighborhood!”Inspired by a collection of Italian scenarios from the 1500s, “Naples Story” shows us how life’s little adventures take hold as we meet the residents of a small neighborhood in Naples.
The Hole in the Wall Theatre Company’s small cast will portray the entire neighborhood in 90 minutes of sketch-improv. Show times are 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Thursday’s performance is a fundraising event for the LEFF and is pay-what-you-can. Tickets are only available at the door on Thursday, Feb. 27, in $5 increments.
March 3: Grand Rapids’ Maggot Baby will screen its horrific movie “White Girl Wasted” along with the terrible “Lobster Cabin” and a few of their repugnant short films as a fundraising event for the Lake Effect Fringe Festival. “White Girl Wasted” began filming seven years ago, briefly appeared on YouTube, and then disappeared into Maggot Baby’s Box of Embarrassments. Have a laugh at this no-budget horror/comedy’s first public screening ever, featuring new footage and filmmakers in attendance. WARNING: This event is 18+ only. Show time is at 6 p.m.
March 5 and 6: Pyrus Calleryana presents “TV Program.” It’s late. A frightful howl pierces the silence of the night. Sleep escapes you. You have nowhere to turn. Nowhere… except the channels.
Join Pyrus Calleryana on a delightfully disturbing journey into the depths of a late night TV wormhole. Bizarre burlesque from beyond basic cable and more as-seen-on-TV weirdness than your remote control can handle. Don’t touch that dial! Mature Audiences only. Show time is 8 p.m.
March 7: Wrapping up this year’s LEFF is the 24-Hour Theatre: LEFF Edition.Five writers, five directors and all the actors we can muster! Five new short plays written, rehearsed and produced within a 24 hour period. Come see your favorite local actors, directors and writers produce some new plays!
Interested in Participating in the 24-Hour Theatre: LEFF Edition?
We are in need of actors! If you are interested, please message 24-Hour Theater with your email and preferred role. No experience needed.
Schedule: March 6, 8 p.m. – Writers begin writing at Little Space Studio, go as late as necessary (usually done by 2 or 3 a.m.) March 7, 8 a.m. – Directors called @ Dog Story Theater 9 a.m. – Actors called @ Dog Story Theater, rehearse throughout day 8 p.m. – Shows go live! Co-produced by Rachel Finan and Cody Colvin
The Lake Effect Fringe Festival seeks to highlight performer-focused theater in a non-traditional theater space, creating an intimate performance experience for audiences who can expect different seating configurations and differing levels of interaction with the performers at any given performance. All performances take place in the black box performance space of the Dog Story Theater, 7 Jefferson SE, Grand Rapids, 49503. Tickets for all events can be purchased in advance on the Dog Story Theater’s website: www.dogstorytheater.com, and are $15/adults and $10/students and seniors, plus Eventbrite fees.
The Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts (RRCA) is pleased to present an exhibition and lecture on Zakopane, Poland. “100 Years of Polish Independence: Zakopane 1918”is an exhibition of photographs from the archives of the Tatra Museum in Zakopane. It tells the unique story of the short-lived Republic of Zakopane, which was established in the concluding weeks of the First World War. The exhibit will run from Feb. 10 – March 27 with an opening reception and lecture on Saturday, Feb. 15, from 1 – 5 p.m. The University of Michigan lecturer and assistant director of undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan history department, Dr. Kate Wroblewski, will present a lecture at 2 p.m.
Situated in the scenic Tatra Mountains, in the 19th century, Zakopane attracted artists, writers, and intellectuals from Poland’s four corners. Together with the local inhabitants, they created a diverse and distinctive community that flourishes today. This exhibit will feature stunning archival photographs revealing the beauty, originality, and diversity of the mountain resort town and its inhabitants.
The University of Michigan Alumni Club of Greater Manistee-Ludington is providing support for the reception and in assisting with the transportation of the exhibit. “We are thrilled to introduce Zakopane to Manistee! We appreciate the support from the University of Michigan Alumni Club of Greater Manistee-Ludington in making this a reality,” said Xavier Verna, Executive Director of the RRCA. “We are working together to curate this photography exhibit with food, music, and the Polish community in our region. Two Slices will prepare Polish-inspired food, and music will be furnished by Virgil Baker and the Just for Fund Band.“
The lecture and exhibit are free and open to the public. Reserve your spot for the lecture at RamsdellTheatre.org/art-exhibits. The exhibit is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Enter through 1st Street to view it. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, February 15 from 1 – 5 p.m.
CCPS has curated the exhibit and organized public lectures in collaboration with the Tatra Museum, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in Warsaw, and Culture.pl as part of POLSKA 100, an international cultural program commemorating the centenary of Poland regaining Independence. It is financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland as part of the multi-year program NIEPODLEGŁA 2017-22.
The Gaylord Area Convention and Tourism Bureau is gearing up for the Michigan Snowmobile Festival, scheduled for Feb. 21-22. It’s “all outdoors” and it’s everything snowmobile. “Gaylord is one of the best snowmobile destinations in Michigan and we want to celebrate that,” said Paul Beachnau, Executive Director of the Gaylord Area Convention and Tourism Bureau.
This year’s festival has been revamped to a two-day event where snowmobilers can look forward to doing what they love most – riding othe Gaylord trail system! Dubbed “Michigan’s Richest Snowmobile Fun Run,” participants can pre-register online at gaylordmichigan.net or stop by the Tourism Bureau office located at 319 West Main Street Feb. 21 from noon – 6 p.m. or Saturday, Feb. 22 from 8 a.m. – noon. All registrants must pick up a packet during those hours and the first 100 to arrive will receive a free hat, courtesy of the Sled Shed.
The snowmobile fun run is a free event! Participants have two days to visit ten outstanding Gaylord area locations and drop a registration slip at each stop. While riders do not have to follow a certain route or stop at all locations, a guided ride will leave at 10:30 a.m. from the Tourism Bureau on Saturday. After making your rounds, the event will conclude on Saturday at the Eagles Hall at 515 South Wisconsin Ave., featuring live music with Straight Shooters, beverages, complementary food, prizes, and the $1,000 cash drawing. You must be present and at least 18 years old to win all prizes.
Downtown Holland has announced the return of its popular Girlfriends Weekend event, scheduled this year is for March 6 — 8. During this three-day event, women are invited to celebrate their friendships as they shop, wine, dine and indulge in Downtown Holland. Registration for the event is just $65 per person, which includes a swag bag stuffed with goodies, a coupon book full of savings to Downtown Holland shops and restaurants, fun hands-on activities and classes at participating merchants, the chance to win great giveaways, live music, a Sunday brunch buffet and more. A little over 200 spots remain available.
“Girlfriends Weekend was initially designed to help give our merchants a boost during a slower time of year,” said Downtown Holland Marketing Coordinator Kara de Alvare, “But it’s really grown into something much bigger than that. We have women who have been attending every year since our first Girlfriends Weekend in 2009 and we constantly hear how much this weekend means to the women that attend year after year. For so many women, Girlfriends Weekend provides a rare opportunity for them to relax, reconnect and recharge. And we’re honored to be able to provide that opportunity here in Downtown Holland.”
Girlfriends Weekend officially kicks off March 6. Beginning at 8 a.m. that morning, attendees can enjoy a complimentary mimosa at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel while checking in for the event and picking up their name badges, swag bags, Girlfriends Weekend brochure, event tickets and brunch voucher. Then from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., attendees are invited to attend the annual Ready, Set…Shop! event. During this open house-style event, attendees can enjoy complimentary refreshments at participating businesses while they get an early start on their shopping…or simply create their wish list for the rest of the weekend! At each participating store, women can also enter for a chance to win a $25 gift card of a gift valued at $25 or more.
On Friday night from 8 – 11 p.m., women are invited to Friday Night Live! As part of the event, Big Lake Brewing, the Curragh Irish Pub, Hops at 84 East, New Holland Brewing and Parrot’s Lounge will each feature live local music and Girlfriends Weekend drink specials for attendees. A cash bar will be available at each participating bar and restaurant.
Saturday, March 7 begins with a Breakfast and Fashion Show at the Holland Civic Center Place. This style show will highlight the latest spring collections of clothes, shoes, jewelry and other accessories that can only be found in the boutiques of Downtown Holland. While currently sold out, attendees can be placed on a waiting list to attend the show. Tickets are just $15 each with a Girlfriends Weekend registration. The rest of Saturday is free for attendees to shop ‘til they drop, wine and dine at a number of pubs and restaurants and indulge in manis, pedis, massages and more at 40 participating businesses.
Attendees can also participate in a number of free in-store activities, including mini makeovers, chair massages, food sampling and more. A number of classes will also be available for a small additional fee, including cooking demonstrations and cocktail-making classes, among others.
On Saturday night, Girlfriends Weekend will host a Rock The Red Carpet party at the Holland Civic Center Place, featuring a DJ and dancing, free photo booth, fun party favors and a cash bar. Attendees are encouraged to dress to impress! Tickets to Rock The Red Carpet are additional $10 each.
Girlfriends Weekend will conclude March 8 with a fabulous brunch buffet at Alpenrose Restaurant. Women will dine on a wide variety of breakfast and lunch entrées, soups, salads, desserts and more before heading out to make their last minute purchases and returning home. Brunch reservations must be made in advance when registering for Girlfriends Weekend.
While overnight accommodations are not included in the Girlfriends Weekend registration price, room blocks have been reserved at Downtown Holland hotels, including at the premier hotel sponsor, Courtyard Marriott. Room blocks are also available at the CityFlatsHotel and the Doubletree Hotel, just a 10-minute drive from Downtown Holland. Visit the hotel page on the Girlfriends Weekend website for details on how to make your reservation.
The documentary Maiden will be shown at The Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay on Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. to support Inland Seas Education Association’s(ISEA) Young Women in STEM program. A panel of women will follow the movie for a brief Q & A. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance at schoolship.org.
Maiden is a film about the first-ever, all-female crew to enter the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Race. As the young women competed in this male-dominated race, they overcame cultural, financial, and personal struggles which is the perfect backdrop for this fundraiser. “Past Young Women in STEM participants have shared with us how this program has been life-changing for them,” Fred Sitkins, ISEA Executive Director, stated. “They have more confidence or absolutely know they want to go into a STEM career after the program.”
Maggie Oudsema, a 2000 YWIS participant, credits the program and ISEA for confirming her career choice and helping her to obtain her current job with the Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) at Grand Valley State University. She has been a research assistant with AWRI since 2010 and has recently been studying microplastics in the Lake Michigan food web.
Panel participants include Paige McDowell, a former YWIS participant, and Lily Heyns, ISEA’s relief captain. Additional panel members will be announced on ISEA’s website. Paige will share her experience on a Young Women in STEM program and Lily will share what it is like being a woman in a male-dominated career field. Questions for the panel can be emailed to isea@schoolship.org prior to the event.
“This Maiden Fundraiser will allow young women to participate in our three-day Young Women in STEM program for just $300,” shared Troy DeShano, ISEA Fund Development Coordinator. Chemical Bank is sponsoring the event so all proceeds from ticket prices and donations will go directly toward the program. Program costs include lodging accommodations on the ship, food, research and sailing instruction, and professional crew.
On the YWIS programs, high school girls are introduced to careers in the freshwater and STEM fields as they sail to ports and islands around Lakes Michigan and Huron. In addition to sailing and research, they step out of their comfort zones, gain confidence, and confirm career paths. “All ISEA’s youth programs focus on helping to prepare our future scientists, mathematicians, designers, and engineers. They will be the future protectors of the Great Lakes and we are honored to be part of their learning experience,” explained Sitkins. Learn more about the YWIS program here.
The Bay Theatre is located at 214 N St Joseph Street in Suttons Bay, MI. Doors will open at 5:30 pm. Concessions will be available for purchase.
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.
Jazz night at the Listening Room with members of the Robin Connell Trio, from January 2020. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
After an opening-night sellout of local jazz with the Robin Connell Trio at the Listening Room, one of Grand Rapids newest music venues, Quinn Mathews, general manager of the venue, reportedly said “It looks like the Listening Room will be booking more jazz.”
Sweet music to local jazz fans, indeed.
The next date with the Robin Connell Trio — this time with guest multi-instrumentalist Ivan Akansiima — at Listening Room, a 200-seat venue located at Studio Park at 123 Ionia Ave SW, will be Thursday, Feb. 6.
“I’ve enjoyed all the opportunities I’ve had to play music with this marvelous person/musician,” Connell said of Akansiima, in supplied material. The “night of music that will include original tunes, jazz standards, Stevie Wonder, John Lennon, and African gems such as ‘Pata Pata’.”
Multi-instrumentalist Ivan Akansiima. (Supplied by the artist)
Akansiima, according to his website, is a mutt-instrumentalist, Christian faith worship leader, jazz musician, composer, arranger, producer, instructor, and researcher from Uganda East Africa. He holds a bachelors degree in music from Hope College and a masters degree in jazz studies from Western Michigan University. He has performed professionally for more than 15 years in 40 countries, but continues to actively play and participate in the local Michigan music scene.
My “music is rooted in Ugandan folk music traditions, Jazz, Gospel, classical, Caribbean, Afro fusion music, etc.,” he says in his website.
The jazz nights start at 7:30 p.m., with doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $12, with open seating, drinks available for purchase, and a parking garage attached — “So no outdoor hassle (park on 2nd floor to walk right in),” we are told.
We are also told the January jazz night turned away people at the door, so buy your tickets early or at-least arrive early.
Connell’s “house trio” will usually include Rob Hartman on bass and Keith Hall on the drums. Future guest artists include vocalist Mary Rademacher on March 7, Carl Cafagna on woodwinds on April 1, and the Paul Brewer septet on May 31.
For more information on the jazz series and all concerts at The Listening Room, visit listeningroomGR.com or call 616-900-9500. For more information on the show, visit here. For more info on Ivan Akansiima, visit ivanskansiima.com. For more information on Robin Connell, visit robinconnell.com.
Local musician Roger MacNaughton and friends will performed Sunday, Feb. 9, at 4 p.m. at the LowellArts, 223 W. Main St.
The group will perform songs from MacNaughton’s “Songs & Memories from Mackinaw Island,” which was composed by MacNaughton during an artist-in-residence in the summer of 2019.
Patrons can expect to see some familiar performers and at least one new musical friend. According to MacNaughton, “I’m essentially augmenting our instrumental trio called MacRaven & Mora (Susan Mora on violin; Steve VanRavenswaay, on cello, and MacNaughton on keyboard) by adding Charlie Hoats on fretless 6-string bass, and Tami Hjelm on vocals. I’m also excited to welcome Kyle Rasche, an extremely gifted singer/songwriter, who will sing ‘Mackinac, I’ve Come Home.’” Besides the residency pieces, the ensemble will also perform popular soft-rock selections specially arranged for the concert.
While listening to the music, patrons will have the opportunity to view the gallery’s current exhibit “The Art of Change,” an exhibition of art that raises awareness of current global issues of our time in an effort to provoke positive change.
Tickets for the perform are $16 at the door and $14 in advance. The Gallery Concert Series features 11 local and regional music groups and runs January through April. For more information, visit lowellartsmi.org.
Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek, the heart and soul of Whitney, in support of their late 2019 release Forever Turned Around, will visit Grand Rapids’ Fountain Street Church’s sanctuary for a concert Sunday, Feb. 16. (Supplied/Olivia Bee)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
You have to appreciate musicians who understand the power of falsetto, the right blend of songs to create and to cover, and the perfection of a venue with superb acoustics.
So there will be a lot to appreciate when Whitney, busy on the road in support of their late 2019 release Forever Turned Around, visit Grand Rapids’ Fountain Street Church’s sanctuary for a concert Sunday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m., with CHAI opening.
At the end of the busy tour schedule to end 2019 and begin 2020, bouncing from their Chicago home to the United Kingdom, and then from Miami to Montreal, the duo to could not have picked a more perfect place to end their current sojourn that the renown acoustic setting of Fountain Street.
The cover of Whitney’s late 2019 release Forever Turned Around.
Restlessness, in fact, is “at the heart of Whitney’s resonant and stunning sophomore album Forever Turned Around,” according to supplied material. “As Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek realized over the past three years, life can change drastically. Priorities shift, relationships evolve, home can become far away, and even when luck momentarily works out, there’s still that underlying search for something better.”
Following the success of their 2016 debut release, Light Upon The Lake, the pair have relied on their partnership as they hit the road for what, at times, seems like an endless tours across the world.
“Our friendship has kept us going even though so much has happened in the years since we started the band,” Ehrlich said in supplied material.
Whitney has long been a full-fledged band with keyboardist Malcolm Brown, rhythm guitarist Ziyad Asrar, guitarist Print Choteau, bassist Josiah Marshall, and trumpeter Will Miller backing them live.
But Ehrlich and Kakacek are the heart and soul of Whitney.
Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek, the heart and soul of Whitney, in support of their late 2019 release Forever Turned Around, will visit Grand Rapids’ Fountain Street Church’s sanctuary for a concert Sunday, Feb. 16. (Supplied/Olivia Bee)
Both in their mid-twenties, living through the usual life’s ups and downs, “they’ve found home through themselves, their romantic relationships, and their friends, (but) there’s an uneasiness that comes from stability — as evidenced by Ehrlich’s vocals on “Valleys (My Love)”: “There’s fire burning in the trees / Maybe life is the way it seems”.
In its 10 songs, Forever Turned Around allows Ehrlich and Kakacek to “skeptically yet masterfully navigate questions of mortality, doubt, love, and friendship in a grander scope than they’ve attempted before. It’s an album about partnership — romantic, familial and communal, but most importantly a love in friendship: the bonds between two best friends and creative partners and the joy and stress that comes with it.”
On “Used To Be Lonely”, Ehrlich sings: ‘Well it made no sense at all / Until you came along.”
Forever Turned Around came together over several sessions across the country and the world tour, with its earliest material written during tour dates in Lisbon, Portugal. Though Ehrlich is Whitney’s lead singing drummer while Kakacek is the lead guitarist, when writing, both transcend their roles to piece together each offering lyrically and compositionally, they state.
“The way it ends up working is one of us comes up with a basic idea for a song and the other person serves as the foil to complicate that idea. We ask, ‘What can we change to make it more interesting?’,” says Kakacek. “A big thing for us is our ability to take criticism. We’re always open to new ideas.”
After a session with producers Bradley Cook (Bon Iver, Hand Habits) and Jonathan Rado (Weyes Blood, Father John Misty) helped color in the arrangements, the album came together when they reunited with original rhythm guitarist Asrar in his basement Chicago studio — the same place where they hashed out much of Light Upon The Lake. With Asrar’s help, songs like “Song For Ty” and “Forever Turned Around” effortlessly came together. There, the band enlisted Chicago musicians Lia Kohl and OHMME’s Macie Stewart to provide strings throughout the record.
While you and I can make our own judgement on the band’s sound and soundness, the New York Times rather appropriately says of the music on Forever Turned Around: “In writing and arranging, they favor natural imagery and sun-dappled brass; their frontman, Julien Ehrlich, applies his weightless falsetto to musings on human connection, often sounding melancholy but never morose.”
But seeing them, hearing them, at Fountain Street Church will undoubtedly exceed all expectations.
Tickets are $30 ($35 at the door on the night of the concert). For more information on the show, produced in partnership with WYCE and The Pyramid Scheme, visit here.
Time is running out to enter the award-winning Lakeshore Art Festival. The deadline for fine art and craft exhibitors to apply is midnight Feb. 4. The Lakeshore Art Festival is taking place Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4. Applications can be found online at lakeshoreartfestival.org.
Lakeshore Art Festival has a “blind jury process.” Every year, a group of industry professionals, artists and crafters review each entry, not knowing who the applicant is (i.e. blind jury). Jurors rely solely on the images and body of work provided by the applicants and score each applicant based on standards of quality, uniqueness and handcrafted appeal.
Lakeshore Art Festival continues to rank in the Top 200 Best by the Sunshine Artist Magazine and as one of the Best Art Fairs in America by ArtFairCalendar.com. The Lakeshore Art Festival has also been recognized by the Grand Haven Tribune as People’s Choice Award: #1 Art Festival in West Michigan.
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Businesses interested in promoting their brand while supporting this locally and nationally recognized festival can contact Carla Flanders at artfest@muskegon.org. See what other sponsors are saying.
Joe Grimm, Sales Director at Betten Baker Honda commented, “This is one of our favorite local events to support! Year-after-year we continue to see a return on our investment in the way that customer exposure translates to sales.”
Fine artist and crafter exhibitors that would like more information or want to apply for the 2020 Lakeshore Art Festival can visit lakeshoreartfestival.org.
The Lakeshore Art Festival is a Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce Event
The Lakeshore Art Festival is always the first Friday and Saturday in July. The Lakeshore Art Festival 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. For more information visit lakeshoreartfestival.org
Seven-time Grammy Award-winner and Motown sensation Gladys Knight will perform at this year’s Tulip time Festival.
Knight is set to perform May 8 at 7 p.m. at the Central Wesleyan Auditorium, 446 W. 40th St., Holland. Tickets are $90 per person for premium seating and $75 per person for general seating.
Knight has had several number one hits in Pop, Gospel, R&B, and Adult Contemporary including “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “If I Were Your Woman,” “Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye),” “Best Thing to Ever Happen to Me,” and the number one hit “Midnight Train to Georgia.” In 1995, Knight earned her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the next year, Gladys Knight and The Pips were inducted into the Rock ’N’ Roll Hall of Fame. Gladys Knight and The Pips were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 1998 and in 2004, Knight received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual BET Awards ceremony.
For more information or tickets about the Knight concert or any of the other Tulip Time Festival performances and activities, visit www.tuliptime.com.
The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in Grand Rapids has received a $40,000 ArtWorks grant from The National Endowment for the Arts to support programming for its upcoming “A Beautiful Struggle” exhibition.
Running from Feb. 21 through June 14, “A Beautiful Struggle: Black Feminist Futurism” is an interdisciplinary contemporary art exhibition that explores the integration of Black feminist and Afrofuturist ideas.
Afrofuturism is a creative and cultural genre that examines perspectives of the African diaspora based in a communal reimagining of the past – as well as envisioned futures – while considering themes of identity, escapism, magical realism, and technology. Yet, Black feminism specifically focuses on the perspectives of those who are both Black and female. The relevancy of exploring visual representations of Afrofuturism from a Black feminist perspective rests in the understanding of the necessity to lay aside the historically exclusive nature of both Black nationalism and feminism; instead, promoting the intersectionality of Black womanhood.
Rather than focusing on an imagined existence as a form of escapism from oppression, marginalization, and invisibility, this exhibition dares to expound upon unique characteristics of Black womanhood and ways in which these characteristics can be emphasized. By highlighting Black women’s experiences, without blatant representations of oppression, Black women’s self-defined identities are centered, rather than explored in a responsive way.
Afrofuturism also allows for the constant dialogue of past, present, and future, and the dynamic nature of constantly changing creations. Therefore, this exhibition offers examinations of Black feminist empowerment without constraints of particular time periods. All aspects of time are considered simultaneously, reimagined through Black feminist lenses, and used as tools of empowerment.
Through this exhibition, artists negotiate re-imagined pasts, contemporary realities, and envisioned futures by corresponding to the necessity of elevating voices of the African diaspora community, with particular focus solely on the voices which have been most suppressed, those of Black women.
The Art Works funding category supports projects that focus on public engagement with, and access to, various forms of excellent art across the nation. An opening reception for “A Beautiful Struggle” is set for Feb. 21 from 5:30 – 9 p.m. at UICA, 61 Sheldon Blvd. SE. The event is free to UICA members and free with admission to non-members.
For more information about the exhibit or other UICA events and activities, visit UICA.org.
The deadline for the 34th Annual LowellArts West Michigan Art Competition is set for Feb. 1.
The annual competition highlights outstanding artwork by Lower West Michigan artists who live within a 25-county region. Artwork in any visual art media can be submitted by artists 18-years-old or older. Five cash awards totaling $2,500 are awarded.
Only original works completed in the last threee years and not previously exhibited at LowellArts are eligible. Commercial reproductions, including giclée prints, will not be accepted. Traditional print media, photography, and digital art should be from a limited edition. Two-dimensional entries may be no larger than 62 inches in any one direction, including the width of the frame. Three-dimensional entries must fit through a standard door frame and be no larger than 62 inches in any one direction. Only artwork easily handled by two people will be accepted.
Artists may submit one piece in any medium for consideration by the juror. Submit one image for two-dimensional pieces. For three-dimensional pieces, two images with different views of the same piece may be submitted. All entries must be submitted digitally through the www.callforentry.org (CaFÉ) website. There is no cost to register on CaFE, but it is required. Video entries may not be submitted. All submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. Feb. 1.
This year’s juror is Jim Nawara, who is a professor emeritus of painting and drawing in the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History at Wayne State University.
The exhibition will run from Feb. 29 – April 8 at the LowellArts, 223 W. Main St., Lowell.
Bach and Handel, two of the biggest composers who ever put quill to parchment, wrote music that, nearly 300 years later, still is well known and much loved.
Skeptical? Highlights of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 can be heard in the 1988 film Die Hard starring Bruce Willis and the 1997 film Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion with Mia Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow, not to mention in Boxing Helena (1993) and Hannibal (2001) among other films. Here’s the Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 on YouTube.
Excerpts from Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks is featured in the soundtracks of the 2003 film Johnny English starring Rowan Atkinson and the 2001 movie The Affair of the Necklace with Hilary Swank, along with A Smile Like Yours (1997) and, not surprisingly, The Madness of King George (1994). Here’s Music for the Royal Fireworks on YouTube.
Tickets start at $26 for the Great Eras series and $16 for Coffee Classics, available by calling the GRS ticket office at(616) 454-9451 ext. 4. Phone orders will be charged a $3 per ticket handling fee ($18 maximum per order). There are no fees for tickets purchased in person at the GRS ticket office at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across the street from Calder Plaza). Ticket office hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Tickets are available at the DeVos Place box office, weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
With destinations and events for novices and experienced artists alike, you can let your creative side explore West Michigan art galleries, museums, art centers, performing arts centers, and more.
Visit the events calendar for more art exhibitions and events.
There are more than 30 colorful paintings to see in Battle Creek that are part of the annual Color the Creek Festival in August. (Color the Creek)
Explore the Arts in South West Michigan
Whether you’re a theater buff, art connoisseur, or modern enthusiast, Greater Lansing has a gallery, festival, or museum to suit your taste. Find award-winning Broadway performances and thought-provoking works on display at area art museums and galleries. Greater Lansing also has multiple festivals throughout the year that celebrate the arts.
Go on a mural tour in Battle Creek. There are more than 30 colorful paintings to see, thanks to the annual Color the Creek Festival in August. From traditional graffiti to photo-realistic portraits, there’s something for everyone. Half of it is walkable in downtown Battle Creek, then you’ll need to hop in the car to get to others. They’re very popular as backdrops for portraits and Instagram. And while you are in the area, stop by the Art Center of Battle Creek, withexhibitions that highlight diverse subjects from traditional arts to contemporary visual art. Included in the annual schedule is the Michigan Artist Competition exhibition to showcase talented artists from around the state.
From performing arts to gallery art, concerts, and festivals, come experience Arts Alive in south central Michigan’s Coldwater Country. An area known for the vast outdoor recreation opportunities, trails, and more than 100 lakes also offers a variety of cultural experiences.
It is home to Tibbits Opera House: so much more than a theatre since 1882. Catch a performance during Tibbits Summer Theatre, a concert during the entertainment series, or spend an afternoon viewing the permanent Henry Clay Lewis art collection prominently displayed throughout the theatre. In addition, Tibbits also features a rotating themed art gallery with artwork submitted by local and regional artists. For a schedule of upcoming events, exhibits, and concerts in Coldwater Country follow Arts Alive-Coldwater on Facebook.
You’ll find fine art galleries, performing arts, and more in the Ludington area. From painting and pottery to sculpture and jewelry, Ludington hosts a variety of local, regional, and national talent throughout the year. Find exhibit and performance dates, as well as art classes, on the Pure Ludington events calendar.
Founded on a tradition of aesthetic excellence, the Muskegon Museum of Artis committed to fostering the life-long study and appreciation of the visual arts by strengthening, preserving, and exhibiting its collections; offering a wide range of traditional and contemporary exhibitions.
February 2020 marks the first year Tulip Time Festival’s annual First Bloem event opens its doors to the greater Holland Community. A celebration of the Visual Arts Series at Tulip Time, the reception serves as both a preview of the Quilt Show and new Dutch Dance Costume Exhibit, as well as the formal announcement of the 10th Annual Festival Artwork Competition Winner and Klompen Garden Public Art winner. Music, live art, cash bar, and yummy local bites will give locals a mid-winter opportunity to socialize and partake in this Tulip Time tradition. Tickets: $70 per person/$130 per couple and includes one drink ticket per person.
A vibrant arts center located in the heart of downtown Holland, the Holland Area Arts Councilplays a leadership role in enriching the cultural life of the lakeshore. The Holland Area Arts Council also offers a variety of art classes and workshops for children and adults throughout the year. Visit now through January 20th to see works created by Art for All (a program for adults with cognitive and physical disabilities) on display.
The Holland area is home to historic performance spaces, art galleries, and art events. Be sure to visit Holland’snewest free attraction, the Wizard of Oz Outdoor Exhibit featuring life-sized bronze statues of the Wizard of Oz characters. Located at the corner of 12th St & River Ave, on the north side of Herrick District Library, the permanent statues pay homage to L. Frank Baum, who is said to have written parts of the classic tale while staying at his family’s cottage just minutes from downtown. Holland holds an annual fine arts and crafts fair, Art in the Park, the first Saturday of August with up to 300 artists and artisans from surrounding states displaying and offering their work for sale.
The arts come to life in the Mecosta County area. With art centers, museums, and a sculpture tour of Big Rapids, art enthusiasts will find plenty to explore!
Experience artistry in every form in Mt. Pleasant. From canvas and sculptures at local galleries to learning more about American Indian culture and enjoying music or theatre performances at Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant thrives on art and culture.
The Ramsdell Center for the Arts is located in Mainstee and offers all kinds of exhibits, performances, and lectures.
Explore the Arts in North West Michigan
Michigan Legacy Art Park is located on the grounds of Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville, in densely wooded 30-acre preserve on 1.6 miles of hiking trails. The Art Park features over 50 sculptures, poetry stones, and an outdoor amphitheater. Each of the sculptures interprets, in its own way, a piece of Michigan’s history. The Art Park is open year-round from dawn to dusk, and is accessible by foot, cross-country skis or even snowshoes. Admission is $5 per adult. Kids ages 17 and under are free.
For all of its small-town charm, Traverse City possesses plenty of big-city sophistication, thanks in large part to its established and thriving arts community. The area is home to world-class performance stages that attract internationally acclaimed artists as well as special events like the National Writers Series, who hosts award-winning and New York Times Best Selling authors. The ever-changing exhibits at the Dennos Museum Center feature historical and contemporary work, and its permanent display of artwork by the Inuit people of the Canadian Arctic is one of the largest and most complete in the world. In addition to performing arts, the area is overflowing with fine artists–many of whom display their work at local shops, museums, and art fairs throughout the region.
Great Lakes Center for the Arts. located in Bay Harbor, offers year-round events across all genres—music, dance, theater, movies and film, intellectual dialogue, education—making it a regional and national performing arts destination. Enjoy a one-of-a-kind performance and extend your visit with a stay at Hotel Walloon, a four diamond luxury boutique hotel just 15 minutes away.
The Ramsdell Regional Arts Center is a vibrant regional center for cultural arts, education and community engagement in Manistee, where you’ll find performances, art exhibitions, lectures, and more. Their upcoming exhibition “100 Years of Polish Independence: Zakopane 1918” features over 30 photographs broken into three periods during the 400 hours of the Republic of Zakopane’s independence between October 31st and November 16th, 1918. The exhibit opens February 10th and runs through March 27th.
The annual Little Black Dress party and fashion show is returning to JW Marriott Grand Rapids on Saturday, Jan. 25. Hosted in the recently renovated International Ballroom, guests can mingle and dance the night away for a worthy cause, with proceeds benefitting Susan G. Komen Michigan.
Attend JW Marriott Grand Rapids’ annual Little Black Dress Party for an elegant evening of music, dancing and a fashion show with women’s clothing and accessories retailer Lee & Birch to benefit breast cancer awareness. Cocktail attire recommended.
WOODTV8’s Heather Walker will be the evening’s emcee and will be accompanied by DJ Composition.
Must be 21 or older to attend the event. General admission is complimentary and VIP sections are available for $500, with a portion of proceeds to be donated to Susan G. Komen Michigan. RSVP via Eventbrite.
Not many people would say they heard music as they read Supreme Court cases, but Derrick Wang easily admits he did.
“So, I am in law school, studying constitutional law,” said Wang during a 2016 TedX program. “I am also a composer. I have to read Supreme Court opinions, as one does, and I am reading case after case after Supreme Court case when suddenly I come upon the three magic words: Scalia J. dissenting.
“I realized that every time I read one of these deserting opinions, I would start to hear music: specially a rage aria about the constitution…Then I heard the counterpoint. The words of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”
Through these readings, Wang hit upon something else. “They disagreed on a number of issues, yet they were also very close friends.”
There friendship formed, according to OperaGR Executive Director Emilee Syrewicze, over their love of opera. So it makes sense that Wang would write a one-hour comedic opera about the two and their friendship titled “Scalia/Gingburg.”
Released this year for performance, OperaGR is one of just a handful of U.S. opera houses that will present “Scalia/Ginsburg.” The OperaGR performances are set for March 14 and 15.
Left, sitting, former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and left, standing, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. (Photo by Steve Petteway, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States)
“We had a couple of reasons of why we wanted to present this opera,” Syrewicze said during a recent phone interview. “The first is it is a one-hour comedic opera so for an audience that has had little or no exposure to opera, it is a nice introduction.
“The other reason is because Derrick wrote poplar themes into the show so if you are not an opera lover, you will enjoy it because of the familiarity of the music and themes. Infact, in one scene, he has the characters singing to the ‘Star Spangle Banner.’”
Based on and inspired by the writings of former Chief Justice Antonin Scalia and current Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the opera follows the the two as they discuss various constitutional law issues while trying to get Scalia out of jail for dissenting too much.
The opera will be perform 7:30 p.m March 14 and 2 p.m. March 15 at the Betty Van Andel Opera Center, 1320 E. Fulton St. Tickets are $50. Student tickets are $5 with a valid student I.D. For more information, visit operagr.org or call 616-451-2741.
Tulip Time Festival celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2019, but 2020 Is filled with more anniversary celebrations!
In 2019, Tulip Time painted the town orange for its 90th anniversary. In 2020, the celebrations continue for many of our events and collaborating organizations — anniversaries of 10, 20, 50, 60 and 100 years!
Festival Artwork 10th Anniversary – This year marks the 10th year of the Festival Artwork competition for the selection of the official Tulip Time poster. The annual poster started as a commissioned work before becoming a competition that invites area artists to create and submit their works. The 2020 winning artwork will be announced Feb. 6 at the First Bloem event (https://tuliptime.com/events/first-bloem).
The Texas Tenors 10th Anniversary Tour – The Texas Tenors, the most successful music group in the history of America’s Got Talent, celebrate 10 years of performing together this year. They have quickly become a festival favorite and are back again for their third appearance at the festival. They’ll perform May 6 (https://tuliptime.com/events/texas-tenors). Tickets are selling fast.
Tulip Time Quilt Show celebrates 20 years – The Tulip Time Quilt Show has long been a favorite of quilters and art lovers alike. Each year, the submittals are more fantastic as the art of quilting continues to evolve. The Quilt Show is now part of the new Visual Arts Series presented by Alpenrose Restaurant & Catering that debuts this year at the Holland Area Arts Council https://tuliptime.com/events/quilt-show.
This year’s Tulip Time Festival will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Alumni Dutch Dance. (Supplied)
Join the dance for the 50th Anniversary of Alumni Dutch Dance – One of Tulip Time’s most entertaining and colorful spectacles continues to be Dutch Dance — and in 2020, we celebrate a special anniversary of the Alumni Dutch Dance members. We would love to see faces of past and present dancers this year. Grab your friends and previous Dutch Dance group members to be a part of this fun year. A new Dutch Dance Exhibit is premiering this year as part of the Visual Arts Series. Be sure to check it out https://tuliptime.com/visual-arts-series.
The Grammy Award-winning Chanticleer performs with the Holland Chorale for the chorale’s 60th anniversary on May 1 at Tulip Time. (Chanticleer)
Holland Chorale 60th Anniversary – Celebrating this very special milestone, the Holland Chorale will share the stage with internationally renowned, Grammy award-winning, vocal ensemble Chanticleer. This is sure to be a spectacular night as the performance not only celebrates the Holland Chorale’s anniversary, but also Chanticleer’s 40th anniversary May 1 (https://tuliptime.com/events/holland-chorale).
Holland American Legion Band Centennial Celebration – The Holland American Legion Band celebrates 100 years with a special Tulip Time concert. The Band is the pride of the Holland Community and has entertained audiences both locally and around the world. This celebratory musical event is May 9 (https://tuliptime.com/events/alb-concert).
Experience Tulip Time at the 91st Festival, May 2 – 10. Detailed program and event information is available at www.tuliptime.com. Tickets for these and all other events can be purchased online at www.tuliptime.com, in person at the Tulip Time Festival Box Office located at 42 West 8th Street, Holland, Michigan, or by phone at 800-822-2770.
Fruition photographed in Lisbon, Portugal, in October 2019. Fruition is Jay Cobb Anderson, Kellen Asebroek, Jeff Leonard, Mimi Naja and Tyler Thompson (drums). (Supplied/Jay Blakesberg)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
Fruition, the seemingly always busy Portland, Oregon band traversing the country and making a local stop this weekend, is clearly also busy recording new material — including songs which showcase why they are selling out so many of their shows.
After releasing Wild As The Night in late 2019, the band this last week announced is new 7-song EP titled Broken at the Break of Day, recorded in between tour dates in Fruition drummer Tyler Thompson’s newly constructed home studio.
Songs from both releases will undoubtedly be on the set list Sunday, Jan. 26, as the band, with opener The Mighty Pines, visit Grand Rapids’ Pyramid Scheme, with doors open at 6 p.m. show. Tickets are still available, visit here for more information.
About the new release, the band says that, as with its other music, “this collection of songs won’t fit into one box.”
Broken At The Break Of Day’s lead single, “Dawn” is already climbing on the Billboard Americana Tracks chart as is the collection on the Americana Album chart. For a video of “Dawn” visit here.
Broken at the Break of Day shines a light on all five members of the band — Jay Cobb Anderson (electric guitar, vocals), Kellen Asebroek (piano, acoustic guitar vocals), Jeff Leonard (bass), Mimi Naja (mandolin, electric guitar, vocals) and Thompson (drums). But “the songwriting and the harmonies tie their diverse influences together,” the band says in promotional material.
“This process was the quickest the band had ever written and recorded the songs,” Thompson said in supplied material. “All the songs obviously fit either a ‘day’ or ‘night’ theme, but the whole rehearsing and recording process had to be done in about half the amount of time we were used to. That time limitation leant to us not overthinking things, playing instinctually — and all live — in the studio with very minimal overdubs. All the songs are very different, but I think the speedy process naturally created some sonic congruency.”
“From a visibility standpoint, being able to release more music more often — even if it is in smaller doses — is ideal in the new frontier of digital music that we have found ourselves smack dab in the middle of,” Asebroek said, also in supplied material. “It’s nice to be able to stay on people’s radar, in an age where people have instant access to the whole of music history at their fingertips. It’s also nice to put these out together on vinyl as a nod to the way things once were.”
The band’s history, so the supplied story goes, starts in 2008 when Anderson tagged along with Asebroek and Naja for an afternoon of busking in Portland. Drawing on their string-band influences early on, they released their debut album Hawthorne Hoedown that same year. Thompson joined the band in 2011, shortly after hearing the band members singing together in a friend’s attic. Leonard came on board in 2015.
Broken at the Break of Day is the band’s tenth release, including EPs and LPs.
Fruition has opened shows for the Wood Brothers, Greensky Bluegrass, and Jack Johnson, and appeared at festivals like Telluride Bluegrass, Bonnaroo, and DelFest.
Charlotte Potter (American, b. 1981), Pending (detail, 2014. Cameo engraved glass and metal, 156 x 360 x 96 inches. Courtesy of the Artist and Heller Gallery, New York.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) announced today its upcoming exhibition, A New State of Matter: Contemporary Glass which opens at the Museum on Jan. 25. The exhibition is on view until April 26 and features the work of 19 artists working in glass including Grand Rapids artist Norwood Viviano.
Each of the artists included in the exhibition use glass in innovative ways while presenting its metaphorical possibilities—connecting to broader cultural, environmental, political, and spiritual themes.
“We’re thrilled to present A New State of Matter: Contemporary Glass this season at GRAM,” said GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “As part of the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s ongoing commitment to providing a diverse array of fresh, stimulating exhibitions for our region, A New State of Matter is the first major exhibition of glass art in the Museum’s history, and reveals the beauty, mystery, and expressive power of this dynamic medium.”
The works in A New State of Matter examine the material and symbolic potential of glass in unique and revealing ways. For example, artists Charlotte Potter and April Surgent use the ancient process of cameo glass engraving to consider relationships in the age of social media and climate change, respectively. Jeffrey Stenbom utilizes cast glass to unveil the struggles facing the nation’s veterans. David Chatt, in a repetitive, labor-intensive process, covers found objects with thousands of miniscule glass beads to explore family and nostalgia. Amber Cowan repurposes American pressed glass to create her intricate installations that reference a bygone era.
“The talented artists in this exhibition are creating incredible artworks using a spectrum of glassmaking techniques, from ancient to present-day processes,” stated Chief Curator Ron Platt. “As the first exhibition at GRAM devoted to artists working with glass, I think our visitors will be amazed by the beautiful and fascinating forms that glass can take. As a material, glass is loaded with a variety of rich associations, making it a perfect vehicle for addressing a range of urgent personal and social issues.”
The exhibition features work by Grand Rapids artist Norwood Viviano, who fuses fine arts practice with data and research findings in geography, economics, and the social sciences to create environments in which sensuous beauty and topical information merge. Viviano, an associate professor at Grand Valley State University, was the subject of a solo GRAM exhibition in 2015, and his work has been shown and collected internationally. GRAM is excited to debut a brand-new sculpture by Viviano, Recasting Grand Rapids, as part of the exhibition. For this work, he combined elements of our city’s manufacturing past and present, fusing a wooden end table made in Grand Rapids in the 1940s with a current scale model of the city’s architectural landscape—all recast in clear glass. Viviano explains, “the fragility of glass serves as a metaphor for balance between time, efficiency, and the inability of manufacturing to change and meet future needs.”
Featured artists include: Dean Allison, David Chatt, Amber Cowan, Steffen Dam, Morgan Gilbreath, Tali Grinshpan, Etsuko Ichikawa, Patrick Martin, Rachel Moore, Whitney Nye, Charlotte Potter, Michael Rogers, Erica Rosenfeld, Mary Shaffer, Jeffrey Stenbom, April Surgent, Judy Tuwaletstiwa, Norwood Viviano, and Jeff Zimmer.
Charles P. Limbert (American, 1854–1923). Advertising Lamp, c. 1910. Slag glass on oak base, 19 x 24 x 16 inches. Grand Rapids Art Museum. Cummings, Frank and Ann Battistella Fund, Porter Foundation, 2004.18.
On view concurrently with A New State of Matter is Looking (at •into•through) Glass, an exhibition featuring paintings, sculpture, prints, photography and design objects from GRAM’s permanent collection. The exhibition has been assembled to explore glass as a material one can look at, into, and through. Works in the exhibition range from colorful still-life paintings to glass-shaded lamps and provide visitors with the opportunity to explore the variety and depth of objects in the collection.
In addition to the exhibitions, visitors can explore a range of related interactive and educational activities and materials, including artists’ video profiles, hands-on activities, and detailed information on many of the participating artists’ glassmaking techniques, including blowing, kiln-forming, casting, and flame-working.
A New State of Matter: Contemporary Glass has been organized by the Boise Art Museum. The exhibition is sponsored by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation with additional grant support from the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass. Lead support for GRAM’s exhibition is provided by the Wege Foundation. Lead Exhibition Society Support is provided by the Daniel & Pamella DeVos Foundation.
About the Grand Rapids Art Museum Connecting people through art, creativity, and design. Established in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, the art museum is internationally known for its distinguished design and LEED® Gold certified status. Established in 1910 as the Grand Rapids Art Association, GRAM has grown to include more than 5,000 works of art, including American and European 19th and 20th-century painting and sculpture and more than 3,000 works on paper. Embracing the city’s legacy as a leading center of design and manufacturing, GRAM has a growing collection in the area of design and modern craft.
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center artists visiting for the concert will be pianist and co-artistic director Wu Han, violinist Paul Huang, violist Matthew Lipman, and cellist Clive Greensmith. (Supplied)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The classic French music of Saint-Saëns, Fauré and Ravel. The masterful musicians of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The exquisite acoustics of the Royce Auditorium Performance Hall.
Sounds like a perfect night of “French Enchantment”.
St. Cecilia Music Center’s second chamber music series concert if the season, set for Thursday, Jan. 23, will begin and end with early works by Saint-Saëns and Fauré that “recreate the elegant atmosphere of 19-century Parisian salons,” according to supplied material. In between will be Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Cello, “written soon after World War I, where he used just two string instruments to produce a composition of unique, austere beauty.”
Lipman Matthew (Supplied/Jiyang Chen)
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center artists visiting for the concert will be pianist and co-artistic director Wu Han, violinist Paul Huang, violist Matthew Lipman, and cellist Clive Greensmith.
“We are truly excited about this unique concert, ‘French Enchantment’, with the Chamber Music Society, as they communicate, through music, the beauty of French history and culture,” St Cecilia executive director Cathy Holbrook said in supplied material. “The audience will experience four amazing artists performing French music within our intimate world-class Royce Auditorium Performance Hall.”
“French Enchantment” selections will include: Trio No. 1 in F major for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 18 (written 1863-1864) and composed by Camille Saint-Saëns; Sonata for Violin and Cello (written 1920-1922) and composed by Maurice Ravel; and Quartet No. 1 in C minor for Piano, Violin, Viola, and Cello, Op. 15 (written 1876-1879; Revised in 1883) and composed by Gabriel Fauré.
Ravel’s work, The Sonata for Violin and Cello, remains one of the most challenging, enigmatic, least-known, and fascinating of Ravel’s compositions.
“I believe that the sonata marks a turning point in my career,” Ravel said of the work. “Bareness is here driven to the extreme: restraint from harmonic charm; more and more emphatic reversion to the spirit of melody.”
The final Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center concert of the season will take place on April 30, with Wu Han and cellist David Finckel both returning to Grand Rapids to perform with violinist Arnaud Sussman and violist Paul Neubauer on a program titled “From Prague to Vienna” and featuring three composers who mentored and inspired each other: Brahms, Dvořák and Suk.
Tickets for the Jan. 23 chamber music concert are $45 and $40 and can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Tickets can also be purchased online at scmc-online.org. Ticket-holders are invited to a pre-concert artist talk at 7 p.m. prior to the 7:30 p.m. concert.
A post-concert “Meet-the-artist” party, with complimentary wine will also be offered to all ticket-holders giving the audience the opportunity to meet the artists in person and to obtain signed CDs of their releases.
