“Animals are such agreeable friends — they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.”
George Eliot
On a roll
Only recently, Margo Price “was a country underdog just trying to keep enough gas in the tank to get to the next gig,” but by the end of 2016, she was one of the genre’s most celebrated new artists with gigs on late night television and at major festivals around the world. Don’t miss her performance at Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park this Thursday, Aug. 1st. The Dawes with Margo Price concert will start at 6:30pm (5:15pm gates open), with a $50 general admission ticket price. For more information and tickets visit meijergardens.org. Go here for the story.
Precious cargo
National Heat Stroke Prevention day is July 31, 2019, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reminding everyone to “look before you lock.” It takes just 10 minutes for a vehicle in the sun to heat up by 20 degrees and become potentially deadly for a child left locked in a car. Go here for the story.
Tick tock
If despite your best prevention efforts, a tick still attaches to you, there’s a right and a wrong way to remove ticks. Don’t use matches or the tip of a cigarette to burn off ticks. This could cause them to transmit bacteria more quickly. The correct way to remove a tick is to lift it gently with thin forceps or tweezers. Here are more tips.
Fun fact:
A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top. You’re welcome.
A video produced by the City of Kentwood and WKTV Community Media.
By City of Kentwood
The City of Kentwood will be bustling with block parties, neighborhood events and other activities on Tuesday, Aug. 6, as part of the community’s celebration of National Night Out.
Kentwood police officers, firefighters and City leaders will join residents at more than 20 gatherings planned for the annual community-building event, most of which will take place from 6 to 8 p.m.
National Night Out began in the 1980s with a goal to promote safer, better neighborhoods by uniting community members and police against neighborhood crimes. Every year, events are held nationwide on the first Tuesday in August to encourage citizens to turn their porch lights on and come out outside to meet their neighbors.
“National Night Out provides an opportunity to demonstrate how the City of Kentwood really is a community effort,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “The City’s entire leadership team is looking forward to celebrating the strong sense of community that exists in Kentwood and helping to promote the practice of neighbors caring for neighbors.”
The Kentwood Police Department has partnered with Woodland Mall to offer community members an up-close look at emergency vehicles both outside and throughout the mall from 3 to 5 p.m. Large emergency vehicles will be on display outside by Celebration! Cinema, while other vehicles will be placed throughout the mall for shoppers to learn about and explore. A table featuring Kentwood Police Department giveaways will be located in the Barnes and Nobles wing.
In addition, several public community-based events will be hosted from 6 to 8 p.m. and feature a variety of activities, including appearances from McGruff the Crime Dog. Locations of those events include:
Pentecostals Church, 2627 44th St. SE, will host a party featuring a bounce house, free meal, face painting, music, carnival games and other kids’ activities.
South United Methodist Church, 4500 S. Division Ave., will have free ice cream and hot dogs, a live band, door prizes and a small water slide for young children.
Faith Church, 1412 44th St. SE, will have food trucks and a live band.
“A strong alliance with law enforcement is necessary for fostering safer neighborhoods,” Police Chief Thomas Hillen said. “Members of our department enjoy any opportunity to connect with residents, but National Night Out in particular offers a great opportunity to build positive relationships and create open lines of communication.”
More information about National Night Out events in Kentwood is available at kentwood.us/NNO.
Say what you want about the alt/retro country music sounds of Margo Price, who will be opening for Dawes on the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park outdoor amphitheater stage Wednesday, July 31. But there is no doubt she is “All American Made”, both her music and her just delivered child.
Price comes to town with music from her outstanding 2016 release “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter” and her even better 2017 release “All American Made”. She also comes to the stage after giving birth to a daughter, Ramona Lynn Ivey, on June 4 — of this year.
That’s what I would call “American Made” tough.
Price and her husband, Jeremy Ivey, who plays guitar in Price’s band, have one other child, a boy born in 2010.
Margo Price. (Supplied by the artist)
Price was on the road both during and, as evidenced by her current tour schedule, soon after her latest pregnancy — last November she announced the pending addition to the family at a concert in Nashville: “I’ve been hiding something behind my guitar. We’re expecting a baby,” she says on her website.
What the singer/songwriter hasn’t been hiding is her great songs, including during her 2017 stop at St. Cecilia Music Center. (For a review of the concert, visit here.)
All American Made album cover
Her list of musical honors includes winning Americana Music Emerging Artist of the Year in 2016, the UK Americana International Song of the Year in 2017 for “Hands of Time” (from “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter”), 2018 Americana Music nominations for Artist of the Year and Album of the Year as well as a win for for Song of the Year for “A Little Pain” (from “All American Made”), and just this year, a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
And with a story like her’s, and a growing musical catalogue, I’d bet she is not done with that Grammy thing.
According to her official bio, in 2015, she “was a country underdog just trying to keep enough gas in the tank to get to the next gig,” but by the end of 2016, she was one of the genre’s most celebrated new artists with gigs on late night television and at major festivals around the world. And things are not slowing down, even if her music is growing.
Margo Price. (Supplied by the artist)
“People have started asking me, ‘Now that you’re having success, what are you going to write about?’” Price says in her bio. “A lot of what I wrote on my debut came out of my struggles in the music business, but we don’t have any shortage of material now. I’m just excited to finally have an audience and know that people are going to listen to our songs.”
With all due respect to Dawes, many people will be at Meijer Gardens to listen to her “American Made” songs — and maybe get a baby story or two.
Other remaining Meijer Gardens shows with original price tickets remaining include An Evening with the Beach Boys on Aug. 1, JJGrey and Mofro with Jonny Lang on Aug. 14, The Stray Cats on Aug. 15, Mandolin Orange — one of my early not-to-miss concerts — on Sept. 4, Dash Sultana on Sept. 8, The B-52s with ODM and Berlin on Sept. 11, and the season finale of Calexico and Iron & Wine on Sept. 18.
The Dawes with Margo Price concert will start at 6:30 p.m. (5:15 p.m. gates open), with a $50 general admission ticket price. For more information and tickets visit meijergardens.org .
For the first time in Grand Rapids, Bachelor fans become part of the search for love.
By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG
The most successful romance reality series in the history of television is coming to Grand Rapids to help you find love. TheBachelor Live on Stage official tour will be at SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall on Sunday, April 5, 2020, at 6pm.
The tour is the latest extension of the hit Bachelor franchise, which already includes The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise spin-offs, all produced by Warner Horizon Unscripted Television. The Bachelor television series, heading into its 24th season on ABC, airs in 31 countries around the world.
Hosted by The Bachelor fan favorite Ben Higgins, The Bachelor Live on Stage fits an entire season of Bachelor drama into one evening, giving members of the audience the opportunity to find love in their own community, complete with a rose ceremony.
“I am so pumped to host the Bachelor live tour,” said host Ben Higgins. “Bachelor Nation, or maybe I should say the whole Bachelor family, has brought me a ton of joy over the years.”
Tickets are on sale now! Tickets are available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster for all current pricing and availability.
Each stage show will introduce an eligible hometown bachelor to local ladies from the audience searching for a chance at love. And, for the first time ever, Bachelor Nation will have a say in the rose ceremony. Along with the audience, Ben will guide the bachelor in his journey to find love, from the first impression rose to group date challenges and the coveted one-on-ones. Watch it all unfold live on stage. If the leading lady accepts the final rose, the night could end with the start of a beautiful romance. The Bachelor Live on Stage has something for everyone, whether you’re looking to find love or just want to enjoy the drama of the evening.
For more information on The Bachelor Live on Stage, please go here.
Follow The Bachelor Live on Stage (#BachelorLiveOnStage, #BachelorLive, #BachelorOnStage) on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
On Aug. 17, 2019, the 21st Annual Mitchell’s Run Thru Rockford (MRTR), a 5K Run/Walk and Kids for Kids Fun Run, will take place in downtown Rockford. 100% of the race fees and pledges from this event are donated to Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD).
The race is named for Mitchell Peterson, who was was diagnosed with Duchenne shortly before his third birthday.
Courtesy MRTR
PPMD’s mission is to end Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal genetic disorder that slowly robs people of their muscle strength. Those with Duchenne are truly in a race against time as their muscles deteriorate further each day.
Duchenne is the most common muscular dystrophy in children. It is a progressive disorder that causes muscles to become weaker over time until it affects the whole body. Duchenne is not contagious. About one out of every 5,000 boys has Duchenne, and about 20,000 babies worldwide are born with it each year. Duchenne mostly affects boys and reaches across all races and cultures. Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) estimates that there are about 15,000 young men, as well as a few young women, living with Duchenne today in the United States.
Over the past 20 years, MRTR has included over 10,000 participants, 1,000 volunteers, and several thousand spectators, raising over $1,000,000. Mitchell’s Run Thru Rockford has been designated by Classic Race Management as “One of the Premier Running Events in West Michigan”.
When you join Mitchell’s Run thru Rockford, a Race to End Duchenne, you are supporting PPMD’s vital work in advancing research, care, and advocacy to help those with Duchenne live longer, stronger lives.
When: Saturday, Aug. 17
5K Run/Walk, 8:30am
Kids for Kids Run, 9:30am, (new in 2019, along with the Super Heroes, Princesses from Royal Arrivals will also run alongside the kids.)
The popular Brioso String Quartet will appear at the Street Performer Series in Downtown Holland tomorrow night from 6:30-8:30pm, performing songs from Bach to Bruno Mars.
Every Thursday night this summer, the sidewalks of Downtown Holland are filled with performing artists and groups from every background, including musicians, balloon twisters, jugglers, magicians, aerial acrobats, dancers, face painters and so much more! The Street Performer Series is free to attend and is sponsored by Gentex Corporation.
The Brioso String Quartet has been providing quality instrumental music in West Michigan for over 20 years. The quartet comprises violinists, Tammy Clark and Jennifer Tuinenga, with Laurie Van Ark on the viola and Ginger Vandenbrink on the cello. While regularly providing traditional string music at hundreds of wedding receptions and other private events, the quartet is well known for bringing a fun mix of both classical music and popular favorites to the Street Performer Series, delighting crowds with hits from the Beatles, popular Broadway tunes and more.
The concerts are free for the public and are located on 8th Street between Columbia and Pine Avenues; 8th Street will be closed to traffic for the event for crowd safety purposes.
Although the Series is free to attend, tipping the performers is highly encouraged. In addition to the exclusive event sponsor, Gentex Corporation, the Street Performer Series is also supported by the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs through the Holland Area Arts Council.
Information about individual performers is available here.
Head to the Henderson Castle Aug. 16 for an amazing dinner as well as a comedy and illusion show by world renowned magician, “The Illusionist” Tom Coverly.
Your entertainer for the evening is one of the most-requested, clean adult entertainers in America. He has performed live for nearly 3 million people, has been seen on TV (ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS), entertained numerous celebrities (including the entire cast of the Batman vs Superman movie) and has shared the stage with the biggest names in music like Skillet, Toby Mac, Korn, Pop Evil, Thompson Square, NF and Danny Gokey (of American Idol), just to name a few.
Get ready to laugh a lot and have your mind blown by magic tricks that you will never forget! For more information about The Illusionist, go to TomCoverly.com.
Multi-course dinner includes soup & salad, bread & butter, entree choice, and dessert du jour.
Shows are Aug. 16, 5:30-8:30pm or 2nd Show 7:30-10:30pm. Tickets $87.00/person available at hendersoncastle.com
Event tickets are non-refundable at time of purchase, and by purchasing tickets you agree to these terms. Event tickets will not be transferable within 48 hours of purchase. Events are sometimes held in our 3rd Floor Ballroom. Guests who may have difficulty walking up the stairs should contact the Castle in advance of ticket purchase. There is a set menu, however, we are able to make adjustments in advance. We will not take dinner orders during the event, so after you make reservations, please let us know of any dietary restrictions by calling the front desk at (269) 344-1827 or emailing us at info@hendersoncastle.com.
In the self-stated biography of Hannah Rose and the GravesTones, they say the band is “a bold foray into the funky, rhythmic refrains of a foregone era … a cross pollination of funk, blues, and rock ’n’ roll with soul” — emphasis on “SOUL”.
Hannah Rose and the GravesTones (Facebook)
And anybody who has heard lead singer and front-woman Hannah Rose Graves knows she knows how to wail with soul — emphasis on ‘WAIL”.
The GravesTones will be offering up the soul, with Hannah Rose doing some wailing, as the Grand Rapids group takes the stage of the City of Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series Thursday, July 18, at 7 p.m.
In addition to Hannah Rose, the band members include Adam Marth on guitar and vocals, Calvin Allen on drums, Clifton Metcalf on organ and various keyboards of choice, and Nuri Tett on bass.
For a video of Hannah Rose and the GravesTones playing the song “Take It Slow” from a 2018 gig at Meijer Gardens, visit here.
WKTV will be covering the concert, and almost all of Kentwood’s concerts, replaying it on our community television Channel 25 — check out the WKTV schedule here — and also available on-demand. The replay schedule for this concert is: Tuesday, June 25, at 9 p.m., and Saturday, June, 29, at about 12:30 p.m. (after a Wyoming community concert).
Concert-goers are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair, and may also bring their own beer or wine.
The remaining lineup for Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series is as follows:
July 25 — The Crane Wives, described by someone as “female-fronted, harmony-driven folk-rock”; lets just say West Michigan is lucky they are taking a local break from their busy summer tour schedule. For more information visit here.
Aug. 8 — Melophobix, with “Cage Free” being not only the title of their latest release but also their funky musical outlook. For more information visit here.
All concerts will begin at 7 p.m. and conclude around 8:30 p.m. on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, located at 4900 Breton Ave. SE.
Nu Blu, husband-and-wife duo Daniel and Carolyn Routh with their bandmates, will be making a stop at Lamar Park for Wyoming Concerts In The Park. (Supplied/The Band)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
As part of a busy summer touring schedule of the United States and Canada that includes several major bluegrass festival, but also a church or two and a pizza parlor, Nu Blu clearly believes in bringing new bluegrass to the people.
They also, it seems, believe in looking to the future, musically, while they pay respect to the past with their Americana/country sound.
Daniel and Carolyn Routh (Supplied/The Band)
Part of a long road trip, starting and ending at the band’s home in Siler City (that’s North Carolina, in case you’d like to know), husband-and-wife duo Daniel and Carolyn Routh, with their bandmates, will be making a stop at Lamar Park for Wyoming Concerts In The Park Tuesday, July 16.
“I love that we get to wake up someplace different every day,” Daniel Routh said in supplied material, about Nu Blu’s heavy road schedule. “We meet people from all over the country.”
In Wyoming, among the songs probably on the setlist at their local stop will be originals like “A Lot More Love” and “A Fool and Her Heart” — both off the band’s 2017 release “Vagabond” — as well as respectfully reworked covers of Country/Americana classics such as Waylon Jennings’ “Good Hearted Woman” and Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”.
They’ll likely play more off of “Vagabond”, but, to be honest, they had me at Dylan.
“We were playing this show and we just kinda decided we’d do ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.’,” Carolyn Routh said in supplied material. “We hadn’t rehearsed it; we hadn’t even played it together before. But we pulled it off that night, and the audience loved it.”
Above and beyond the musical skills of multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Daniel, the banjo playing of Zach McCracke, and the fiddle/mandolin work of Justin Harrison, there is something special about Carolyn’s vocals (not to say she can’t handle a bass!).
Hearing “Knockin’ …” and “Good Hearted Woman” sung by a woman is both unique and memorable, and Carolyn’s sound on “A Lot More Love” and “A Fool and Her Heart” brings comparisons to a young Dolly Parton — a comparison I’d not argue with.
All and all, “Vagabond” the band’s sixth full-length release “delivers a set of songs that range from the melancholy to the exuberant, and at every step they prove they’ve got a knack for finding their way into the deeper parts of you,” someone writes on the band’s website about the songs.
The band formed in 2003, centered around Carolyn and Daniel previous projects. Their constant traveling has also changed the way they make music.
“If anything, I feel like the road has made us a sunnier bunch. In past albums, we’ve tended to gravitate towards the songs that make you cry,” Carolyn said, “but on this one, there are a number of just happy, happy songs.”
Bottom line is two fold: Bluegrass is perfect for a hot summer night in Wyoming, and Nu Blu brings out the big guns with their bluegrass repertoire. And, while there are many great pickers in the genera these days, some say its the vocals that make great bluegrass, and led by Carolyn and Daniel, Nu Bu has the vocal chops as well.
As the Wyoming concert season winds down — with Boardman Brown on July 23, Daddyz Breakdown on July 30, and Shadows of the Night on Aug. 6 — WKTV will continue to cover the concerts and offer replays on our cable channels (see the cable channel schedule here) and WKTV On-demand.
So Nu Blu will be waiting, patiently, as they bring new bluegrass to the people.
The cover art of Andrew Bird’s latest release, “My Finest Work Yet”. (Supplied/The artist)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Maybe it is just clever marketing that the cover of Andrew Bird’s latest release, “My Finest Work Yet”, shows the enigmatic if not totally eccentric artiste doing his deadpan recreation of La Mort de Marat (The Death of Marat), Jacques-Louis David’s iconic 1793 painting of the failed French revolutionary leader Jean-Paul Marat lying stabbed to death in his bath.
But, you know, it would be just like the musical multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and whistler, and songwriter — not to mention Guggenheim Museum exhibit creator, TED Talks presenter and New York Times op-ed contributor — to be sending the not-so-subtle message that he cares little if his work lives or dies on the commercial stage.
There is no doubt, however, that Bird likes the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park outdoor amphitheater stage (and the audience reception he gets) as he will be making another visit July 18, with, surprisingly, tickets still available for a show with Madison Cunningham opening.
Andrew Bird (Supplied/Brandi Ediss)
Bird clearly plays a tune to his own beat, from his earliest collaborative work with the band Squirrel Nut Zippers in the late 1990s through his popular (for him) 2016 solo release “Are You Serious” — which he was touring in support of when he visited Meijer Gardens in 2017, and still relied upon last summer when he visited with the equally experimental Esperanza Spalding.
If you don’t already know him and his music, you probably heard but never knew Bird from the single “Capsized” from “Are Your Serious”. The recording has certainly stayed easily accessible on the top shelf of the CD racks around my house, and not just for the catchy, slightly popish “Capsized”.
Bird’s simple philosophy on music and commercial acceptance may be best conveyed by his statement about “Are You Serious”: “Here I am with my most unguarded, direct, relatable album to date. Go easy on me.”
On his new release, which undoubtedly will be heavily drawn upon at Meijer Gardens next week, he is still unguarded and direct, and maybe still trying to be a little more relatable.
Bird opens “My Finest Work Yet” with the sophisticated sly wit and easy sounds of “Sisyphus”, then takes a serious turn with the jazzy “Bloodless”, which sounds like an ode to Marat and/or a modern political statement — “I know it’s hard to be an optimist, when you trust least the ones who claim to have the answers … It’s an uncivil war, bloodless for now.”
My favorites off of “My Finest Work Yet”, however, at least on first listen, focus on Bird’s violin prowess, including the softly sweet “Archipelago”, the power pop of “Proxy War” and the forlorn, almost alt-country “Bellevue Bridge Club”.
Andrew Bird, artiste. (Supplied)
Bottom line is expect the unexpected from Bird and his high-flying imagination — which, when not making music, recently has been occupied with a series of site-specific improvisational short films and recordings called Echolocations, recorded in remote and acoustically interesting spaces: a Utah canyon, an abandoned seaside bunker, the middle of the Los Angeles River, and a reverberant stone-covered aqueduct in Lisbon.
I wonder if one of the recording was made in a bath tub?
The Andrew Bird with special guest Madison Cunningham concert will start at 6:30 p.m. (5:15 pm gates open), with a $45 general admission ticket price. For more information and tickets visit meijergardens.org .
Kick up your heels. Better yet, leave the heels at home.
The Grand Rapids Symphony celebrates the 25th anniversary of the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops by recreating its inaugural Picnic Pops concert July 11 and 12. Go here for the scoop on dates, music, and ticket options.
Celebrate the Dog Days of Summer at Downtown Market
Yippee! It’s Yappy Hour!
Join fellow dog lovers at the Downtown Market for Yappy Hour, on July 10, 17, 24 and 31 from 11am-1pm, to enjoy lunch outside with pups! Go here for more info.
A woman of her words
After teaching English and Journalism, Elizabeth Meyette retired and began a full-time writing career. An Amazon best-selling author, she has published six novels, her latest being 2018’s The Last Crossing. She has also published poetry and writes a blog called Meyette’s Musings. Read about Meyette here.
Fun fact:
189,819
The number of letters in the longest English word, the name of a protein. Go here to read it for yourself because honestly, we just don’t have the time and space. Its nickname is ‘titin’. Isn’t that cute?
How disappointing. Somehow we were expecting something a bit more grandiose.
The LowellArts Players presents GOING GOING GONE. Set in the press box of a major Los Angeles baseball stadium, this is a hilarious yet poignant new comedy from Emmy Award-winning writer (M*A*S*H*, Cheers, The Simpsons) (and 8-year host of popular radio show Dodger Talk), Ken Levine.
The performances are at LowellArts Gallery, 223 W Main St, Lowell, MI 49331 on July 26, 27, 28 (matinee), Aug. 2 and 3. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7pm, and the Sunday show is at 2pm. Tickets are $12 in advance, and $14 at the door. Advance tickets available at lowellartsmi.org or by calling 616-897-8545.
The play, presented in association with Public Domain, is a West Michigan premiere, and depicts four sports journalists who have life-changing experiences during the course of one game. The cast includes Brent Alles as Jim, Allison Kavanaugh as Shana, Chris Marsh as Dennis, and Ricardo Tavárez as Mason. In the world of baseball, the past is often more cherished than the present is the perfect subtext for this hilarious journey. The production is directed by Rob Freund.
Tribute band Rumours of Fleetwood Mac returns to North America in October and November 2019 to perform its ‘50th Anniversary Tour’ and will make a stop in Grand Rapids on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, at 8pm in SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall.
Channeling the spirit of Fleetwood Mac at their very best, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac offers a unique opportunity for fans, both old and new, to rediscover the songs and performances that have guaranteed Fleetwood Mac’s place as one of the most loved groups of all time. Personally endorsed by Fleetwood Mac founding member, Mick Fleetwood, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac is the ultimate tribute to one of rock and roll’s most remarkable groups.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, July 12 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster for all current pricing and availability.
WKTV Journal host Donna Kidner-Smith, left, and author Elizabeth Meyette. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
There are no shortage of Grand Rapids area authors with the dream of writing the next Great American Novel and it being a New York Time bestseller, or at the very least taking a shot at Amazon-like or self publishing. But where to start?
WKTV Journal invited into our studio a local author who started writing as a new career after an old-career retirement.
After teaching English and Journalism, Elizabeth Meyette retired and began a full-time writing career. An Amazon best-selling author, she has published six novels, her latest being 2018’s “The Last Crossing”. She has also published poetry and writes a blog called Meyette’s Musings.
As part of WKTV Journal’s June Newscast, she talks WKTV Journal host Donna Kidner-Smith about what is possible by joining local writing groups and other local writers’ resources, including a writers’ conference coming locally later this summer put on by the Grand Rapids Regional Writer’s Group.
(Shameless plug and full disclosure: I am a member of group.)
As far as the upcoming writer’s conference is concerned, “Finish and publish your book this year!” will be held Saturday, Aug. 10, at Byron Township Community Center, 2120 76th St. SW, Byron Center.
The event is designed to help authors both finish and publish their novels, short stories, poetry, and/or whatever.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park may have had to cancel its July 2 Tuesday Eventing Music Club’s show featuring Roosevelt Diggs and Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish due to pending storms, but the club will be back at it Tuesday, July 9, with Big Sherb and Paddlebots to begin a run of eight straight Tuesdays of concerts.
(We are told that Roosevelt Diggs and Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish show will be rescheduled for next summer.)
The Tuesday Evening Music Club brings local and regional musicians to the Amphitheater stage starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evenings throughout July and August.
The concerts are free to Meijer Gardens members and included with gardens regular admission, and they will feature with a diverse schedule of live bands and programming ranging from jazz to indie, rock to folk, and even ballet.
And, if you haven’t bee there yet, there is more to like off the stage as well.
The amphitheater has undergone significant expansion and improvement over the past two seasons, while maintaining the intimacy of the 1,900-seat venue. But a new concessions building has been added this season, with increased capacity for quicker food and beverage service, an improved point-of-sale system with quick chip technology to speed up purchases, as well as new restrooms.
The 2019 Tuesday Evening Music Club lineup includes:
Big Sherb and Paddlebots, July 9 at 7 p.m.
Matt Gabriel and Kari Lynch Band, July 16 at 7 p.m.
Boy From School and Manhattan, July 23 at 7 p.m.
Franklin Park and 6-Pak, July 30 at 7 p.m.
The Hip Pocket and Soul Syndicate, Aug. 6 at 7 p.m.
The River Rogues Jazz Band and Sam’s Swing Band, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m.
Grand Rapids Ballet, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. This program will employ a full company of dancers performing works by some of today’s most in-demand choreographers. A mix of classical and contemporary ballets, including Trey McIntyre’s Wild Sweet Love, featuring the music of Queen, Lou Reed, Felix Mendelssohn and many more.
Ralston & Friends, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. Local favorite Ralston Bowles shares the stage with friends and collaborators from the community and beyond.
For more information on concerts at Meijer Gardens, visit meijergardens.org.
When you think of Great Britain you might envision uniformed Bobbies, double decker buses and bagpipers — all of which will take part in this Sunday’s British Car Faire. (Gilmore Car Museum)
By Gilmore Car Museum
After celebrating America’s independence and uniqueness, the Gilmore Car Museum will welcome a friendly invasion of sorts by our European friends as the museum, located just north of Kalamazoo, plans special events on the weekend of July 6-7.
Saturday, July 6, will mark the eighth annual all-German car show at the museum followed on Sunday, July 7, by the 29th annual British Auto Faire.
Saturday is “Deutsche Marques”, which translates to German Makes, is a true all-German auto event — featuring cars such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes–Benz, Volkswagen, Porsche and others.
When Karl Benz applied for a patent in 1886 for his “vehicle with a gas engine,” little did he know that his invention — recognized as the world’s first automobile — would change world history. It wasn’t until 1893, seven years after Benz unveiled his invention to the world, that the Duryea brothers produced the first American built automobile. The Museum displays a Mercedes–Benz built recreation of that first auto in their main Pioneering Automotive Exhibit.
Sunday the arrival of European automobiles continues when the Gilmore Car Museum welcomes the ever-popular Mad Dogs and Englishmen British Auto Faire. Spectators can explore an authentic London Double Decker bus, ride in a 1935 London Taxi, and watch a uniformed British bobby direct traffic all before the afternoon tea and bagpipe music. This has long been the largest gathering of British-built vehicles, of all eras, from luxury models to sports cars and motorcycles, in the Midwest.
Guests will also be able to find their own British car to purchase in the For Sale Car Park, vote for their favorite show car, watch car games and discover the missing link needed to complete their restoration project in the large parts swap meet.
The featured brand of this year’s British show will be pre-1956 MGs, plus many fine examples from Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Austin, Aston-Martin, and Lotus, as well as Triumph, Singer and Land Rover will be displayed. Over 400 British-built cars and motorcycles are expected to take over the museum’s manicured show grounds.
The weekend’s events offer a unique opportunity to taste a bit of the automobiles and culture of Germany and Great Britain without a passport or the expense of traveling “across the pond.”
Spectator admission to either show is only $14 per person and includes visiting the entire Gilmore Car Museum campus and all exhibits — including the all-new truck exhibit at no extra charge, with those under 11 are free.
The Gilmore Car Museum — North America’s Largest Auto Museum — is located just 20 minutes northeast of Kalamazoo on M-43 and Hickory Road. You can learn more about the Museum and its events at GilmoreCarMuseum.org or call 269-671-5089 for more information.
Jump Around Fun Center’s Virtual Reality arcade in Ludington not only has fun & surreal 360-degree, fully immersive games for ages 7+, but also a collection of cool educational VR experiences that allow you to explore things like the solar system, underwater expeditions, and even how cells work within our bodies.
The gardens at the W.K. Kellogg Manor House (courtesy photo)
For 25 years the Keweenaw Adventure Company in Copper Harbor has been enacting ethical business practices that today are being defined on an international scale as sustainable and/or responsible tourism.
Immerse yourself in nature at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary in Augusta, where you can see waterfowl, game birds, songbirds, and birds of prey as you walk the picturesque trails around Wintergreen Lake. Visit the W.K. Kellogg Manor House and Estate to tour the cereal king’s grand former summer home and beautiful gardens and grounds. Built in the 1920s, this restored gem is a fantastic door to history.
While visiting Ludington, you will want to check out the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, which helps you discover the town’s rich maritime past.
Courtesy Sandcastles Children’s Museum
Kids can enter a world of exploration and learning when they discover the many exhibits and activities at Sandcastles Children’s Museum in Downtown Ludington. This summer’s events include Kindermusik, Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles, Robotic Legos and puppet shoes, just to name a few.
The Pump House Museum and Learning Center in Holland focuses on interpreting the histories of the resort communities which were built beginning in the 1880s around the western end of Lake Macatawa, about five miles west of downtown Holland. There are activities for youngsters, as well as a display of Big Red stories and illustrations created by area upper elementary school students.
Spending your vacation in the Mt. Pleasant Area? The Art Reach Center in Downtown Mt. Pleasant hosts events focused on the arts for all ages. The Chippewa River District Library (CRDL) hosts a variety of events each month, focusing on the subjects of arts, science, history and more.
Next time you’re visiting Saugatuck/Douglas, use their Saugatuck-Douglas history app on your phone to learn more about the historical sites/attractions in the area. It’s interactive, fun and educational all at the same time.
Courtesy Mecosta County Convention and Visitors Bureau
There’s lots of family fun educational entertainment in Mecosta County. The Big Rapids Community Library has resources for the community including books, computers, various events and programs year round as well as throughout the summer, including the Seed Library. For a more collaborative list of all the wonderful places to enjoy fun with your kids, check out the Mecosta County “Family Fun” brochure as well as other brochures such as “The Robert Barnum Art Tour” and the Ferris State University “Bulldawg Tour” all of which can be found here.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is coming to Holland. This free outdoor exhibit will be located just two blocks from Downtown Holland. In Centennial Park, thousands of annual plants will be used to create a 10’ X 12’ “open book” cover of this classic novel. The iconic yellow brick road will lead you to Herrick District Library where it continues through landscaped areas of colorful annuals and perennials.
The Outdoor Discovery Center in Holland is a non-profit outdoor education organization. Through its programs, demonstration areas and interpretive exhibits, the Center provides students and community members with up-close views of nature and learning opportunities about the West Michigan environment. The ODC Nature Preserve is a 130-acre preserve with almost 5 miles of trails that are open dawn to dusk.
Hemlock Crossing Park near Holland offers exhibits, a wildlife den with critters and educational activities, a wildlife viewing area, and much more.
Learn about farm animals and pet chickens, ducks, rabbits, sheep, goats, cows, and more at the Critter Barn in Zeeland. The Critter barn is open Monday through Saturday, from 10am-6pm.
Holland Museum (courtesy photo)
The best way to get acquainted with Holland is to take a crash course in its fascinating history. At the Holland Museum, you’ll learn about the arrival of the Dutch in 1847, their struggle for access to Lake Michigan, the devastating fire of 1871, and the amazing story of Holland’s rise from the ashes. Also on display is an extensive collection of Dutch fine and decorative arts, such as Delftware, silver, Dutch costumes and fine furniture. These artifacts tell the story of over 400 years of Dutch History.
Bring the kids to explore and learn at Raven Hill Discovery Center, which is located on 166 acres in Charlevoix County, nestled in a rural setting with pond, swamp, forest and fields. Let them explore the museum and animals as well as experience science and technology, history and the arts.
This summer, the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo is opening an engaging new exhibit, D-Day 75: En Route by Plane & Parachute. Learn how Allied forces made incredible sacrifices to bring an end to the terror of Nazism in Europe as the exhibit takes a dive deep into the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
Courtesy Mackinac Historic Parks
This summer, Journeyman Distillery in Three Oaks will offer free one-hour, Sunday morning chipping and putting lessons for children ages 7-15 on their 18-hole, Welter’s Folly course. PGA Professional Mike Laughner, will lead the classes for pint-sized putters. Pre-registration is required and class size is limited.
Step back in time with the Mackinac State Historic Parks at Fort Michilimacinac in Mackinaw City and Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island.
This summer, learn how to kneeboard, water ski, and wakeboard at Action Wake Park in Hudsonville.
One-time/special events
The Grand Rapids Public Museumwill be showing a special double feature of The Queen Light Show and Dark Side: The Light Show in the Chaffee Planetarium. Music enthusiasts will rock out to the music of Queen and Pink Floyd paired with stunning visuals on the planetarium dome. The Museum’s doors open at 6:30pm with the first show starting at 7pm.
Camps
Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean it’s time to stop learning. Marquette’s Northern Michigan University offers the perfect mix of education and exploration during its Environmental Science Camp. Paddle the AuTrain River to Lake Superior to monitor water quality issues. Learn about local minerals, techniques used to extract them, and how mining affects the environment and society.
Courtesy West Michigan Tourist Association
Looking for a more artistic approach to your education? Stop in to Artworks in Mecosta County throughout the summer to discover one of their various classes, including four different summer camps that can help your child release their inner Picasso.
The Holland Area Arts Council is presenting two new exhibits, ‘Riser’ and ‘Pauses’, with an opening reception on Friday, July 12th at 6pm. The exhibitions and reception are free and open to the public with light refreshments provided during the reception.
‘Riser’ is an exhibition by artist Michael Burmeister, owner and director of Button Gallery in Douglas, Michigan. This exhibition will feature both ceramic pieces and two-dimensional paintings. Burmeister uses his abstract art as a way to reflect the complexities of the natural landscape. His works will be available for purchase during this exhibition.
Courtesy Nuel Friend
‘Pauses’ is an exhibition by artist Nuel Friend. His large-scale paintings dominate the space as they explore the difficult-to-explain, yet inspirational aspects of life. Friend thoughtfully paints with oil in a contemporary style with dramatic movement. His works will also be available for purchase during this exhibition.
Explore ‘Riser’ in the Holland Area Arts Council’s Armstrong Gallery and ‘Pauses’ in the HAAC Padnos Gallery. Both exhibits are on display until Sept. 4.
The Holland Area Arts Council is a nonprofit organization working to educate, engage and challenge the community through the arts. The Arts Council is located at 150 East 8th Street. Call (616) 396-3278, email helpdesk@hollandarts.org or visit www.hollandarts.org for more information.
Leaving the things that are real behind … Toys, toys, toys in the attic.
Aerosmith
Take a trip to toy land
The Grand Rapids Public Museum TOYS! exhibit, with interactive experiences and games, is available throughout the Museum this summer. For the complete story, visit here.
Bre McCarthy, Lakeshore Art Festival marketing/entertainment coordinator, is clearly head over heels in love with artist Kelsey Montague’a mural. (Lakeshore Art Festival)
Be the butterfly
Muralist fans — actually art fans of any genre — have a new sight to see as the Lakeshore Art Festival recently unveil of a mural by internationally known “street artist” Kelsey Montague in downtown Muskegon. The mural will be permanently displayed on the east side of the Frauenthal Center building. The Lakeshore Art Festival will take place July 5-6. For the complete story, visit here.
A date with The Beths
Local explorers of what’s possibly next new on their alt/pop satellite radio channel of choice will get a chance to listen and check out New Zeeland’s The Beths when the band stops at Grand Rapids’ The Pyramid Scheme on Tuesday, July 2. For the complete story, visit here.
Fun fact:
Lorde
Who was the most listened New Zeeland musical artist (in 2017). (Source)
Life is a journey that must be traveled no matter how many bad roads and accommodations.
Oliver Goldsmith
Driving in Kentwood
In case you are wondering what is happening around East Paris Avenue … rehabilitation of Sparks Drive SE and Forest Hill Avenue SE from East Paris Avenue SE to Burton Street SE start on Monday, June 24 and is slated for completion in August. For the complete story, visit here.
Taking care of the kids
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus are two local efforts to support the youth of Kent County with the most basic of needs: proper nourishment and successful early childhood development. For the complete story, visit here.
Summer (fun) in full swing
Summer is officially in full swing with lots of activities taking place throughout Grand Rapids and the West Michigan area. Courtney Sheffer, from the West Michigan Tourist Association, recently stopped by the station to share some of the summer activities taking place. For the complete story, visit here.
Fun fact:
158 days
The average number of sunny days in Grand Rapids per year — don’t waste a single one! (Source)
The City of Kentwood is updating its long-range vision for growth, land use, development and open space conservation, known as the Master Plan, and is seeking public input on proposed changes through “Plan Kentwood,” a community engagement series.
The four community engagement opportunities are as follows:
Concerts and Conceptual Planning: June 27, 6:30-8 p.m. Kentwood City Hall (Breton Ave. SE)
Ice Pops and Planning: July 17, 5-7 p.m. Northeast Park (1900 Middleground Drive SE)
City Planning on the Mall: Aug. 6, 3-5 p.m. Woodland Mall (3195 28th St. SE)
Designing Division: Sept. 12, 4-6 p.m. Brann’s Steakhouse Parking Lot (4157 S. Division Ave.)
The Master Plan is an official public document adopted by the Kentwood Planning and City Commissions. The forward-looking development plan considers residents’ and property owners’ long-range goals and desires, as well as local, regional and market trends.
It consists of goals, policies and recommended actions to guide land use decision-making for Planning Commissioners and City Commissioners during the next 20 years.
The Plan is reviewed at least every five years but is modified and updated as deemed necessary by the City Commission. The most recent update was completed in 2012.
“We look forward to engaging with residents, businesses and property owners for community feedback as we plan for Kentwood’s future development,” said Community Development Director Terry Schweitzer. “The Planning Commission has been reviewing our current plan and identifying leading issues, trends and changes that have affected the community in the past seven years.
“The Master Plan update process is an important step in ensuring thoughtful consideration of our future growth.”
Hosted at City Hall, the first event will be held during the free summer concert featuring Blue Soul Express and include complimentary ice cream for participants. Discussions will focus on a 480-acre area referred to as Section 34, which is located between 52nd and 60th streets, the Princeton Estates Plat and Wing Avenue.
Planning Commissioners and City staff will be in a community booth at the concert from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to facilitate conversations and answer questions about development that has occurred in Section 34 since the last Master Plan update, as well as development that is currently in process and potential opportunities.
The second opportunity for public input, dubbed “Ice Pops and Planning,” will be offered from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17 at Northeast Park. Discussions will surround Section 13, which consists of 263 acres of open land between 28th and 36th streets, Patterson Avenue and East Paris Avenue. Residents will have the opportunity to help guide the future uses for the site.
Staff will be inside Woodland Mall at a table during National Night Out festivities from 3 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6 to gather input on the future planning of the 28th and 29th Street commercial corridor. The corridor consists of a wide range of development – from high-end boutiques, major regional malls and local retailers, to many national dining, service and product franchises. Public input gathered will focus on how to improve its effectiveness as a transportation corridor, and as a business and employment center.
The final event, “Designing Division,” will be hosted at Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12. Community members are encouraged to join for an evening of ice cream and discussions on the future of the Division Avenue corridor with the City of Kentwood, the City of Wyoming and the Division Avenue Business Association. Division Avenue is a key gateway corridor to both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, requiring cooperation between the two communities.
The objective of the update process is to plan for new population growth and redevelopment while protecting key environmental features, creating sustainable economic opportunities and providing public services.
“The Master Plan is not a law or ordinance, but rather a guide for decisions to support how growth and conservation will take place in the City,” Schweitzer said. “We welcome all community members to be a part of the conversation.”
More information about the Master Plan update is available at kentwood.us/PlanKentwood. Questions or comments may be directed to Community Development Director Terry Schweitzer at schweitzert@kentwood.us; 616.554.0710, or Economic Development Planner Lisa Golder at golderl@kentwood.us; 616.554.0709.
Gomulka is considered a living legend in the polka community, having developed a huge base of followers in the United States and Canada since he formed the Chicago Push in 1980. Nominated for 12 Grammy awards in the polka genre, he was inducted into the International Polka Music Hall of Fame & Museum in his hometown of Chicago in 2016.
“The Dozynki Polish Festival is the longest-running ethnic festival held in the city of Grand Rapids, and we wanted to celebrate our 40th year with a very special musical guest,” said society President Marilyn Lignell. “Lenny is bound to help draw what we expect will be the largest attendance ever for the festival.”
In past years, attendance has topped 15,000 people for the three days.
Incoming President Greg Rosloniec, who arranged for the band to play the event, said Gomulka has recorded on more than 100 albums and CDs and is the originator of the distinctive Chicago Push style that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
“Lenny has been playing at state fairs, polka festivals and resorts for decades – everywhere from the Wurstfest in Texas to the Ocean Beach Park Polka Days in Connecticut — so it’s a real honor to bring him to Grand Rapids,” Rosloniec said.
Admission is free to the Dozynki Polish Festival that will be held at Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center, from Aug. 23-25, and festival organizers stressed that there will be plenty of inexpensive parking in Parking Lot Areas 7, 8, and 9 for those who don’t mind a short walk. Lenny Golmuka & Chicago Push will be alternating on Friday and Saturday nights with two other well regarded polka bands, award-winning DynaBrass from Toledo, Ohio and Gerry Kaminski’s Polka Network in Grand Rapids.
Lignell said that the Dozynki Polish Festival has established a reputation for being a fun, family friendly event that showcases Polish culture, featuring a tent that explains the contributions of famous Polish/Americans, live music and a large dance area, a children’s tent, demonstration tent, and vendors offering Polish cuisine.
Fun activities during the festival include the paczki eating contest, crowning of the busia queen and a performance by the P.R.C.U.A. Malbork Dance Ensemble, a dance group for youth ages 3-18 that teaches traditional Polish folk dances with authentic garb.
The Dozynki Polish Festival is the major fundraiser for the Polish Heritage Society of Grand Rapids, a non-profit organization founded in 1963 to perpetuate and advance the Polish culture that has been so integral to metro Grand Rapids. Among a number of its activities, the society awards scholarships annually to students of Polish descent who attend Aquinas College, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids Community College, and Davenport University.
You got to love a blues/soul band whose lead singer has the nickname of ‘Sookie” and hits the stage with a self-described “rock solid rhythm section.”
And anybody who has heard and seen Blue Soul Express, — stopping by the Kentwood Summer Concert series Thursday, June 27, at 7 p.m. — knows there is a lot to love here.
Blue Soul Express, based out of Grand Rapids, “will take you on a journey through classic soul, R&B, funk and blues,” the band says on their Facebook page. Oh, and remember to “Bring your dancing shoes!”
The band is led by vocalist of Brenda “Sookie” Harris, guitarist Darryl Matthews, Mike Phelps on keyboards and vocals, and “a rock solid rhythm section” of bassist Mark Hicks and drummer Mark Jilbert.
WKTV will not be covering this concert due to a scheduling conflict but will be covering the remainder of Kentwood’s concerts, replaying it on our community television Channel 25 — check out the complete WKTV schedule here — and also available on-demand. The replay schedule for this concert is: Tuesday, June 25, at 9 p.m., and Saturday, June, 29, at about 12:30 p.m. (after a Wyoming community concert).
Concert-goers are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair, and may also bring their own beer or wine. And while you can bring your own picnic dinner, food trucks will be at each concert.
The series runs on select Thursday nights through August.
The remaining lineup for Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series is as follows:
July 18 — Hannah Rose and the GravesTones, serving up some funk, blues and rock n’ roll. If you’ve never seen them, let’s just say Hannah can wail. For more information visit here.
July 25 — The Crane Wives, described by someone as “female-fronted, harmony-driven folk-rock”; lets just say West Michigan is lucky they are taking a local break from their busy summer tour schedule. For more information visit here.
Aug. 1 — Brena, offering up oldies, top 40 hits, classic rock, R&B and country. For more information visit here.
Aug. 8 — Melophobix, with “Cage Free” being not only the title of their latest release but also their funky musical outlook. For more information visit here.
All concerts will begin at 7 p.m. and conclude around 8:30 p.m. on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, located at 4900 Breton Ave. SE.
Every car, and driver, has a story: What’s your’s? (Courtesy Bruce Carlson)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
WKTV Community Media has big plans for the 15th Annual Metro Cruise, hosted by the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce and scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23-24, and we need the public’s help for one aspect of our coverage.
We all have a great car story. At least it’s great to us and for our live coverage of the 28th Street MetroCruise this August, we would like to hear your story of growing up with cars; funny stories, sentimental stories; stories of great barn finds, restoration efforts that didn’t quite pan out and those that did.
Share a little bit of your story with us by sending us a selfie video of you telling you story, with the car in question either in the video or a separate photograph of the car. Please use our Dropbox site for the video. For more information on what we are looking for, see the samples later in this story or email Ken@wktv.org .
This is only one part of WKTV Community Media’s DreamWheels Metro Cruise coverage plans, highlighted by production of a 1-hour special live broadcast scheduled to air at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23.
“We encourage residents to come to 28th Street and be part of the fun,” said Tom Norton, general manager of WKTV Community Media. “But they can also be part of fun by viewing our live show, which will also be available in cable replays and on-demand, as well as following our complete online coverage of the event.”
The Metro Cruise is an annual event that “invites car lovers and enthusiasts to reminisce and commemorate the vehicles that have driven down 28th Street for decades,” according to supplied material. The event brings in more than $3 million in business to the 28th Street corridor over the course of two days, with more that 250,000 attendees at an event staffed solely by volunteers.
While they do not need to be this length or subject matter, here are three examples of stories we’d love to get from community contributors
Gene’s story:
1964 Ford Fairlane
My first car was a black 1964 Ford Fairlane 3-speed manual with a front seat that literally rusted away from the floorboard leaving it free to move at my command. This small fact was one I neglected to tell passengers for a very good reason. I was one of the first to own a car in high school, which meant classmates often looked to me for rides to and from school. At any given time during the commute I would take advantage of stop signs and have a little fun at their expense. Once the car had stopped, I would slowly put it in neutral and in with one quick push on the floor cause the seat to roll back ninety degrees. In that single, wonderfully comedic moment, we would find ourselves staring up at the car’s roof with our feet pointed out the front window. The reactions were worth the effort. Most of the women would scream while most men would utter an expletive not fit to print. Eventually all would break out in laughter making the effort a complete success. Of course, once you’ve done this to someone it was difficult to catch them a second time. After a month or so word had gotten out about my rolling front seat, so the stop-sign mischief soon came to an end. I had that car for two years and never fixed the problem and would occasionally get a new victim to have a little fun with.
Victoria’s story:
2001 Hyundai Elantra
Up until my current car, a 2006 Chevy Malibu, I had a preference for stick shifts. Something about feeling more like a participant in my daily travels, or some such nonsense. My car immediately prior was a 2001 Hyundai Elantra which, soon after purchase, lost all of its plastic hubcaps. I have long forgiven my current car for being an automatic — she has spiffy wheel rims that don’t fall off. But, I digress. On one trip to Ann Arbor for a 24-hour film competition, I had been alerted in advance that everyone’s car had to be parked a couple of blocks away because of the scarcity of parking. Upon arriving, I headed into the house to hand off my car key to one of the students for ‘valet parking.’ He disappeared, then quickly reappeared. “Uh, it’s a stick,” said he. The power of observation is especially strong in the young. “Yes,” replied I. “It is, indeed.” There were 10 of us. Not one of the nine younglings knew how to drive a stick.
Ken’s story:
1950s era Willys Jeep
Learning to drive a stick shift in 1969. When I was, like, 14 years old, my 20-something soon-to- be brother-in-law, probably trying to curry favor with my 18-year-old sister, invited me to go down to the Spokane River and ride dirt bikes with he and his buddies. My being totally uncoordinated with motorized machines of any kind, including how to use a clutch and gear shifter, he quickly realized the only thing I would do on a dirt bike was kill myself. So, he decided to hand over his 1950s era Willys Jeep pickup truck. He must have thought the slightly rusted military vehicle with a battled-tested 3-speed transmission, operated in flat dirt closed course, was the perfect place for me to learn how to drive a stick shift. I remember a lot of engines killed by improper cultch use and then a lot of grinding of gears, all ending with my driving around like a banshee and all the bikers desperately but successfully trying to stay out of my way.
It might be real easy, if you only catch a couple videos on YouTube, to pass off The Beths as a retro pop band in search of a good musical sound bite to chew on.
But there is something, when you listen to the New Zealand threesome/foursome led by singer and songwriter Elizabeth Stokes, that says — as a line from their latest release’s title track, “Future Me Hates Me” states and that kind of eats into your brain like a good ear worm — “There’s something about you, I wanna risk going through.”
There is something about their sound, neither too familiar nor too “working hard to be different”, that makes you listen to the tracks on 2018’s Future Me Hates Me and wonder what the band’s “future them” sound might be, how really special it could be.
Local explorers of what’s possibly next new on their alt/pop satellite radio channel of choice will get a chance to listen and check The Beths out when the band stops at Grand Rapids’ The Pyramid Scheme on Tuesday, July 2.
The local concert is part of a massive American tour this spring and summer — sandwiched between dates at a Chicago arts festival and clubs in Detroit and Toronto —that started with nights at SXSW (South by Southwest Music Festival) in March.
The Kiwis’ work at SXSW, at the same time of mass shootings at two Islamic mosques in Christchurch, New Zeeland, gives another hint that the band has the will-power to work hard and grow, emotionally and musically.
As was pointed out in a review in the Austin Chronicle by Libby Webster, “the music retained the strikingly tight performance of prior sets all week, but took on a mostly unspoken, raw somberness … It felt outrageous that a band should have to process the trauma of the day at a party, but The Beths persevered, poised and gutsy, closing out their SXSW remarkably brave.”
A little history, please
The main members of The Beths studied music at The University of Auckland, according to supplied material “resulting in a toolkit of deft instrumental chops and tricked-out arrangements that operate on a level rarely found in guitar-pop. The Beths’ guitarist and studio guru Jonathan Pearce … brings it all home with an approach that’s equal parts seasoned perfectionist and D.I.Y.”
“There’s a lot of sad sincerity in the lyrics” of Future Me Hates Me, Stokes says in supplied material. “That relies on the music having a light heart and sense of humor to keep it from being too earnest.”
In addition to Stokes on vocals and guitar, and Pearce on guitar and vocals, The Beths include Benjamin Sinclair on bass and vocals, and Tristan Deck on drums and vocals.
Future Me Hates Me is the band’s debut full-length release, with 2016’s EP Warm Blood befog that. On both is the song that most catches my ear: “Whatever”, which seems to sum up the band’s mood if not their expectations — and maybe what they think of American entertainment writers.
“You think I will buy whatever you say … Whatever, yeah, whatever … But now you’re getting me started.”
And what about that name? As far as I and Google can search, nothing on their website or on any wikis shed any light, so we’ll just have to ask.
For a video of The Beth’s “Uptown Girl”, visit here.
For more information on the show at The Pyramid Scheme, with doors open at 7 p.m. and Girl Friday opening, visit here.
First comes the meet-and-greet with council members and city officials. And then, the grand affair — the meeting proper — at 7pm. This past Monday marked the Wyoming City Council’s first summer outdoor meeting. Read all about it here.
The council meets every first and third Monday of the month at 7pm. The July “on the road” meeting will be July 15 at St. John Vianney Church, 4101 Clyde Park Ave. SW, and the August meeting is Aug. 19 at Aurora Pond Senior Living & Retirement Community, 2380 Aurora Pond Dr. SW. Beats being cooped up indoors.
You’re only young once
Hello West Michigan, West Michigan’s regional talent attraction and retention organization, will host its 6thannual Intern Connect conference on Wednesday, June 19, in Grand Rapids. The organization hopes to impart “essential skills” such as interpreting dress codes, navigating networking events, creating positive workplace communication and how to #adult to the more than 350 summer interns participating in the conference. More info here.
‘I could be a contender’
Recently, students and teachers gathered in the Kelloggsville High School auditorium for a time-honored tradition: signing day. The tables on the stage had logoed caps and contracts just waiting for signatures from high school seniors, ready to commit to a team for the coming year. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
142.18
The number of licks it takes to reach the center of a Tootsie Pop. You’re welcome.
Bre McCarthy, Lakeshore Art Festival marketing/entertainment coordinator, is clearly head over heels in love with artist Kelsey Montague’a mural. (Lakeshore Art Festival)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
Muralist fans — actually art fans of any genre — have a new sight to see as the Lakeshore Art Festival, in conjunction with the JCI Greater Muskegon, held a public unveiling of a mural by internationally known “street artist” Kelsey Montague in downtown Muskegon.
The artist, known for her winged murals, has about 77 similar works on display around the world, including one piece commissioned by singer/songwriter Taylor Swift and two pieces located in Michigan, one in Ann Arbor and another Detroit.
The mural will be permanently displayed on the east side of the Frauenthal Center building. The Lakeshore Art Festival will take place July 5-6.
Artist Kelsey Montague, middle, with to the right is Carla Flanders, Lakeshore Art Festival director, on right, and Danielle Conley, Lakeshore Art Festival Children’s Lane coordinator. (Lakeshore Art Festival)
Montague’s “pieces are inspirational, inclusive and uplifting,” Carla Flanders, Lakeshore Art Festival director, said in supplied material. “It’s a great message and a perfect fit for the Lakeshore Art Festival and for the Muskegon Lakeshore area … The Frauenthal Center stands as a symbol of a community that is deeply dedicated to the arts.”
According to supplied material, the transformation of the Muskegon Lakeshore community served as inspiration for this project. The visual elements inside the butterfly wings, a blue heron, black-eyed susan, water, lighthouse, and music notes bring attention to aspects of the Muskegon lakeshore.
The new mural by Kelsey Montague on the outside wall of Muskegon’s Frauenthal Center. (Lakeshore Art Festival)
“We are inspired by this uplifting project and the community collaboration behind it,” Eric Messing, Frauenthal Center executive director, said in supplied material. “This piece highlights and celebrates the vibrant transformation happening in our area, and the Frauenthal Center is thrilled to serve as home to a work of art that will spark conversation for our community and visitors alike.”
The Lakeshore Art Festival is always the first Friday and Saturday in July, and this year will feature more than 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.
BASE Hologram, the leading content developer, producer and distributor of concerts, theatricals and spectacles that combine holographic cinema and mixed reality with live entertainment, has announced North American tour dates for Roy Orbison & Buddy Holly: The Rock ’N’ Roll Dream Tour, a groundbreaking tour featuring the award-winning rock and roll legends, including a stop in Grand Rapids on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019, at 7:30pm in SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall.
Stemming from the success of BASE Hologram’s In Dreams: Roy Orbison in Concert tour that broke records across the globe in 2018, the company will bring Orbison and Holly together for an enthralling event that will see concurrent dates across North America, Europe, and UK. Eric Schaeffer (Million Dollar Quartet), who shepherded the In Dreams event, will return as the director.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, June 21 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability.
“When you look at the architects of the Rock and Roll era, the names that come to mind are Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly,” said Brian Becker, Chairman and CEO of BASE Hologram. “Both of these men weren’t just gifted musicians, but skillful innovators who helped influence others in game-changing ways.”
Accompanied by a live band and back-up singers, this cutting-edge, multi-media holographic performance and remastered audio will transport audiences back in time for an evening of Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly’s greatest hits on stage. “These men weren’t just one thing – they were artists in every sense of the word,” said BASE Hologram CEO of Production Marty Tudor.
“Like Roy, Buddy has a truly impressive songbook, and in many cases, audiences may not have realized he was the one behind so many hits. Part of the beauty of these productions is we get to share the legacy of these performers and remind people the full range of their talent.”
ESME’s exciting live music and dance production returns to Grand Rapids at Fountain Street Church featuring a unique ensemble that includes dancers of the Grand Rapids Ballet.
Original dance choreography is set to the music of Mozart, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Radiohead and interwoven together through a series of narrative twists. Swan Song takes an eclectic music program and re-imagines it as a demo reel of thematic vignettes, combining personal storytelling with the immediacy of live music and dance interaction to create an engaging concert experience that is part intimate, part cinematic, and wholly accessible to a diverse audience.
Don’t miss it: June 21, 7:30pm at Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
The Meijer State Games of Michigan kicks off the 2019 summer games with an Opening Ceremony on Friday, June 21, at Fifth Third Ballpark. (Supplied file photo/Meijer State Games)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The Meijer State Games of Michigan kicks off the 2019 summer games with an Opening Ceremony on Friday, June 21, at Fifth Third Ballpark. The games, to be held at various West Michigan locations focused on the Grand Rapids area, will run June 20-22.
The Opening Ceremony will be held at Fifth Third Ballpark, 4500 W. River Dr. NE Comstock Park. Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony will run 7:30-9 p.m.
1968 Olympic Gold Medalist Dick Fosbury will be the guest speaker at the opening ceremony. Fosbury is known to be the first to jump over the high bar backwards, creating the “Fosbury Flop.” Fosbury will also be lighting the cauldron to officially kick off the summer games.
The Meijer State Games of Michigan is an Olympic-style, multi-sport event, according to supplied material, “that welcomes athletes regardless of age or ability level. The games embody the values of participation, sportsmanship, and healthy living among the residents of Michigan.” Since 2010, Meijer State Games of Michigan has hosted more than 65,000 athletes, and has also contributed more than $25 million in estimated economic impact to cities throughout Michigan.
While the opening ceremony is in the evening, there will be events and entertainment starting in the morning hours beginning at 10 a.m., and will include a race-walking tutorial by Olympian Gary Morgan, ballpark games and an opportunity to run the bases on Fifth Third Ballpark. The Visser Family YMCA children’s camp will be participating in this year’s Olympic day events.
(Supplied file photo/Meijer State Games)
Throughout the ceremony a series of three ballpark games will be played on the field. Hoop helmet, human sandwich and bungee battle will be played. Teams for each game will be comprised of athletes participating in the summer games in a sport-versus-sport style competition.
A stunt trampoline show will utilize professional athletes, upbeat soundtracks and comedy in an elite performance of flips and trampoline tricks. The show will end with world-famous sky-high belly drops.
The athlete parade will begin at 7:30 p.m., as athletes represent their sports by parading into the stadium. Athletes will be led by Grand Marshall Dakota McLaren. McLaren is one of Michigan’s two athletes, sponsored by the Secchia family, chosen to participate in the 2019 State Games of America in Lynchburg, Va.
In addition to Fosbury, other Olympians in attendance at the opening ceremony will include race walker Gary Morgan, swimmer Pam Kruse and judo competitor Maje Omagbaluwaje.
Morgan competed in every US Olympic trial from 1984-2004 as a walker. He competed in the World Championships, World Cup, Pan American Games, and Goodwill Games. Morgan also competed in the men’s 20 kilometer walk for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
Kruse is a native of Miami, Florida and now resides here in Grand Rapids. At 18 she competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, where she received a silver medal for her performance in the women’s 800-meter freestyle.
Omagbaluwaje is a Nigerian judoka with a 6th degree black belt. He is a 3-time African Champion, 3-time USA National Champion, and has competed in 3 Olympic Games. Omagbaluwaje placed 7th at the 1987 World Championships and received a gold medal at the World Masters Championships in 2009.
Admission to the Opening Ceremony is $5 for those age nine and over. Parking will be $5. (All registered athletes get free admission to the opening ceremony.” To purchase a ticket to opening ceremony, please visit here.
For more information on the game’s sports and venues please visit here.
The Beatles’ classics, played by four local guys who “love these songs,” will be featured as That Beatles Thing take the stage to open to the City of Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series of free concerts on Thursday, June 20.
“Most like the Beatles; some have That Beatles Thing,” the band says of themselves. “That Beatles Thing plays the music of the Beatles. … Faithfully reproducing 150 songs from the Beatles catalog.”
WKTV will be covering the concert, and almost all of Kentwood’s concerts, replaying it on our community television Channel 25 — check out the complete WKTV schedule here — and also available on-demand. The replay schedule for this concert is: Tuesday, June 25, at 9 p.m., and Saturday, June, 29, at about 12:30 p.m. (after a Wyoming community concert).
That Beatles Thing. (Facebook)
According to the band’s website, “James Murphy started the band a couple of years ago. What it has evolved to now is really just about 4 guys who love these songs. We’re all passionate about the songs of the Fab 4, we’ve got ‘That Beatles Thing’.”
The band is Murphy singing most of the songs and playing guitar, Bill Van Ess singing and playing bass, Pete Bardolph singing and playing lead guitar and Fritz von Valtier singing, playing drums, and “shaking things.”
Concert-goers are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair, and may also bring their own beer or wine. And while you can bring your own picnic dinner, food trucks will be at each concert.
The series runs on select Thursday nights through August.
The remaining lineup for Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series is as follows:
June 27 — Blue Soul Express, delivering classic soul, R&B, funk and blues. If this is not perfect for a summer boogie party, nothing is. For more information visit here. (Note: due to a scheduling conflict, WKTV will not cover this concert.)
July 18 — Hannah Rose and the GravesTones, serving up some funk, blues and rock n’ roll. If you’ve never seen them, let’s just say Hannah can wail. For more information visit here.
July 25 — The Crane Wives, described by someone as “female-fronted, harmony-driven folk-rock”; lets just say West Michigan is lucky they are taking a local break from their busy summer tour schedule. For more information visit here.
Aug. 8 — Melophobix, with “Cage Free” being not only the title of their latest release but also their funky musical outlook. For more information visit here.
All concerts will begin at 7 p.m. and conclude around 8:30 p.m. on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, located at 4900 Breton Ave. SE.
Tickets for the hilarious actor/comedian go on sale Friday, June 14 at 10am
Charismatic actor and comedian Cedric ‘The Entertainer’is best known for his crowd-pleasing performances in hit films and television shows such as Barbershop, Be Cool, and Madagascar, and now he’s bringing his talents to Grand Rapids for a show at SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hallon Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at 8pm.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, June 14 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability.
Cedric’s universal appeal, versatility and tremendous career success spanning film, live performances and television have solidified his standing as one of the premier entertainers in the world. In July of 2018, Cedric received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Other notable accolades Cedric has been honored with are The AFTRA Award of ‘Excellence in Television Programming,’ the NAACP Image Award for ‘Outstanding Supporting Actor’ for The Proud Family, record-breaking four consecutive NAACP Image Awards for ‘Outstanding Supporting Actor’ for The Steve Harvey Show, and The Richard Pryor ‘Comic of the Year Award.’
On the big screen, the multi-talented funnyman has consistently co-starred alongside some of the most renowned film actors. He was most recently seen in the comedy features Why Him?, Barbershop: The Next Cut, Top Five, and many more. Additionally, Cedric has displayed tremendous voiceover talent in the beloved family features Disney’s Planes, Charlotte’s Web, Madagascar and various sequels. Currently, Cedric co-stars with Tracy Morgan and Tiffany Haddish in the new hit TBS comedy series, The Last OG., as well as The Neighborhood, a new TV comedy series on CBS.
As a philanthropist, Cedric founded The Cedric the Entertainer Charitable Foundation, which provides college scholarships and outreach programs to enhance the lives of inner-city youth and their families in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. The foundation has awarded hundreds of scholarships and countless incentives and plans to extend its reach to a national level.
Work this summer is either underway or will be shortly at City of Kentwood’s Veterans Memorial Park, the Kentwood Activities Center and at Old Farm Park. But the city is also looking even farther into the future with recent the formation of the Kentwood Parks, Trails and Recreation Advisory Committee.
“We are growing the parks and rec opportunities for our residents,” said Ed Kape, chairman of the Parks and Recreation Committee, and now chairman of the new advisory committee, which held its first meeting June 3.
“We are expanding and exploring other opportunities of what we can do to enhance the quality of life of our residents here in Kentwood,” Kape said to WKTV. “And it is not necessarily by games and things like that, it is by services we offer. It is by programs we offer them in the parks and rec building.”
Kape talked with WKTV in May about this season’s work and the new committee when he sat down for a WKTV Journal In Focus interview.
“Kentwood’s park system is near and dear to my heart,” Kape said, later, in supplied material. “Now we need to plan for the next 50 years and determine how we can continue to provide quality parks amenities for our community.”
The 21-member advisory committee includes broad community representation and is comprised of parks and recreation commissioners, City Commission’s AD HOC Strategic Planning Committee members, planning commissioners, residents and business owners.
The advisory committee was established to review and prioritize improvements to Kentwood’s parks, trails and recreational programming “to align with the needs of the community,” according to supplied material.
“The City Commission has asked residents to perform a needed and exciting review process,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “This level of community input is paramount to ensure detailed visionary planning is performed today to preserve Kentwood’s excellent quality of life over the next 50 years.”
The City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department oversees the city’s 14 parks and 6.5 miles of trails.
Major work at parks underway
At the Kentwood Activities Center work is underway to make the facility entrance more accessible and protective for the city’s seniors and others. (WKTV)
Summer 2019 improvements include work at the Veterans Memorial Park, where the city received a grant to “grow community engagement” for the park’s neighborhood and the city as a whole.
At the Kentwood Activities Center, a facility much used by seniors and residents of all ages, work is underway to make the facility entrance more accessible and protective for the city’s seniors.
One of the largest projects is at the Old Farm Park, where an entirely new building is being constructed with the aim for providing more amenities for family and group activities.
For more detailed information on the Kentwood Parks, Trails and Recreation Advisory Committee, see the story here.
More information about Kentwood’s 14 parks and 6.5 miles of trails is available online at kentwood.us/parks.
Members of the City of Kentwood’s community-based Parks, Trails and Recreation Advisory Committee. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)
By City of Kentwood
The City of Kentwood has assembled a community-based Parks, Trails and Recreation Advisory Committee to plan for the City’s future.
“The City Commission has asked residents to perform a needed and exciting review process,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “This level of community input is paramount to ensure detailed visionary planning is performed today to preserve Kentwood’s excellent quality of life over the next 50 years.”
The advisory committee, which held its first meeting on Monday, June 3, with 21 members, was established to review and prioritize improvements to Kentwood’s parks, trails and recreational programming to align with the needs of the community.
The advisory committee provides broad community representation and is comprised of Parks and Recreation commissioners, City Commission’s AD HOC Strategic Planning Committee members, Planning commissioners, residents and business owners.
During the group’s first meeting, Ed Kape, who currently serves on Planning Commission and as chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, was named chair of the new advisory committee. Dustin Moseley, a Parks and Recreation commissioner, was named vice chair.
“Kentwood’s park system is near and dear to my heart. Having been a part of the community for 28 years, I’ve seen how we have grown,” Kape said. “Now we need to plan for the next 50 years and determine how we can continue to provide quality parks amenities for our community. I’m excited to be involved in this process.”
Following are all advisory committee members:
Robert Coughlin, City commissioner (Strategic Planning Committee), Parks and Recreation commissioner Jessica Dennis, Tiffin University, community member Christopher Furner, Worksighted Inc., community member Mark Giles, Steelcase, community member Jill Gorkowski, Spectrum Health, community member Maurice Groce, City commissioner (Strategic Planning Committee) Olivia Jenison-Bailey, Parks and Recreation commissioner Karmen Johnson, Fifth Third Bank, community member Ed Kape, Parks and Recreation commissioner, Planning commissioner Stephen Kepley, City of Kentwood mayor, Strategic Planning Committee member Mimi Madden, Parks and Recreation commissioner Wallace Massie, Parks and Recreation commissioner Trent Meyer, Parks and Recreation commissioner David Moore, Parks and Recreation commissioner Dustin Moseley, Parks and Recreation commissioner Darius Quinn, Planning commissioner Laurie Sheldon, City of Kentwood treasurer Adam Shilling, YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, community member Kevin Small, Parks and Recreation commissioner Billy Smith, retired, community member Travis Tate, Dan Vos Construction Company, community member
The committee will hold approximately nine meetings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of every month. Over the course of those meetings, the group will review the Parks and Recreation Business Plan, Parks Master Plan and Non-Motorized Trail Plan and recommend an implementation and sustainable funding plan to the City Commission by December 2019.
Please contact Deputy City Administrator Mark Rambo at 616-554-0770 or via email at rambom@kentwood.us for more information about the advisory committee.
The City of Kentwood has a full day of activities planned for its annual Fourth of July Celebration, including a pancake breakfast, 5K race, parade, carnival and live music, leading up to fireworks at dusk.
“Kentwood’s Fourth of July celebration seems to grow and improve every year providing a great variety of activities the entire family can enjoy,” said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley. “We welcome our friends and neighbors to join us in Kentwood as we celebrate our nation’s independence.”
To start the day off right, a pancake breakfast will be offered at Kentwood Fire Station 1, 4775 Walma Ave. SE, a new location this year. The $5 breakfast will be served from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. and include pancakes and sausage. Kids who are five years old or younger may enjoy breakfast for free.
Also beginning at 7:30 a.m., racers of all ages will gather across from Fire Station 1 for registration and packet pick-up for the NN Mobile Solutions 5K Race & Fun Walk. The chip-timed race will begin 8:30 a.m., with the start and finish line on Walma Avenue SE near Kentwood City Hall at 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Using the same course route as last year, which can be viewed online, runners will loop through neighborhoods before coming back on the East West Trail to finish.
Hundreds of spectators along the race route are anticipated. For the safety of all participants, no baby strollers, roller skates, dogs or bicycles will be allowed on the course. Awards will be given for the overall fastest male and female racers; medals will be distributed at the finish line after results are posted.
Following the race will be the annual parade at 9:30 a.m. The parade route also remains the same as last year, starting at Crestwood Middle School, 2674 44th St. SE. The parade will travel south on Walma Avenue SE to Breton Road SE, turn west on 52nd Street SE and end at Challenger Elementary School.
Kentwood will host its best carnival yet with bigger rides than before from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at City Hall, another new location from years past. In addition to a variety of rides, the carnival will feature giant inflatables, games and other fun activities for kids. Individual tickets will cost $1 each. Wristbands will be available for $20. The number of tickets required for each attraction will vary.
City Hall will also host the evening celebration from 4 to 10 p.m. Community booths, a beer tent and food trucks will line the lawn behind City Hall. A variety of bands, including the BareNaked 90’s, Asamu Johnson and the Associates of the Blues and Main Street Dueling Pianos, will take the stage to perform live music leading up to the fireworks show at dusk. The fireworks will be viewable from City Hall and surrounding areas.
Shortly before the fireworks go off, sections of Breton Avenue and Walma Avenue near City Hall will be temporarily closed to allow pedestrians to safely cross the street and view the show. Those sections will then be reopened about 30 minutes after the finale. If guests who are parked at City Hall or the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch need to leave while the road closures are in effect, they can either turn left onto Walma and take the roundabout out to Breton heading north, or turn left out of the library’s parking lot onto Breton heading south. The Kentwood Police Department and volunteers will be on hand to help direct traffic.
Kentwood Parks and Recreation is seeking volunteers for the Fourth of July Celebration. Those interested are encouraged to visit here or call 616-656-5270 to sign up. More information about Independence Day activities in Kentwood can be found at kentwood.us/july4.
