Tag Archives: entertainment

Two sisters share the stories of haunted Michigan

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Great Lakes, Local Entertainment, Local History, Travel, , ,

By Wayne Thomas
Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters

While dinning at a restaurant called The Whitney in Detroit, Beverlee Rydel took a photo that remains unexplained. The paranormal possibilities of this photo fueled a passion that lead to a 12-year crusade, often traveling tens of thousands of miles per year across Michigan to research paranormal activity. Rydel and her sister Kathleen Tedsen shared the adventure as they bravely ventured into a world of the unknown.

This paranormal pilgrimage and their tedious historical research culminated in Rydel and Tedsen becoming the award winning authors of “Haunted Travels of Michigan.” This three book series is a unique book and website interactive experience. Each story has its own “Secret Room” offering audio, video, and behind the scene colored photos online, where evidence can be reviewed. Rydel and Tedsen included several of Michigan’s top paranormal investigating teams at many of the haunted locations. Their common goal was to separate fact from fiction when it comes to ghost stories, urban legends, folklore, and myth. 

Beverlee Rydel

Honorably, if the authors were investigating a location and “no ghostly activity was identified,” they made it clear, “didn’t turn up any paranormal evidence,” and were not afraid to say “no ghosts” here at this time. Hunting ghosts can be a hazardous hobby with inherent risks and real dangers and is not recommended for amateurs. The serious side of the supernatural is explored as Rydell and Tedsen detail accounts of demons and deliverance. Deliverance is needed when obsession nears possession and can be defined as an exorcism.

Rydel and Tedsen followed their highly successful “Haunted Travels of Michigan” book series with their final book, a collaboration titled “Stepping Into Darkness.” Gone but never to be forgotten, Rydel passed away before the book was completed. Tedsen completed the project with chapter one covering Eloise Psychiatric Hospital, considered to be one of Michigan’s top ten most haunted sites. The author’s special connection introduces the reader to “Mark” a patient at the hospital. The personal insights are astonishingly detailed and descriptive.

Kathleen Tedsen

Another chapter is titled, “Lost Boy of Mackinac Island.” In this story the sisters put together clues from the previous year and are able to encourage the spirit of a young boy to cross over to the other side. Channeling peace to the living and the dead is the ultimate goal of ghost hunters. According to Rydel and Tedsen, “Something does exist out there…Something that can’t be explained…Something paranormal.”

Disclaimer: Since my last article on Mackinac Island, I interviewed Todd Clements and he no longer supports the details of “The Drowning Pool” story.  

Superheroes take over John Ball Zoo this Thursday

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, ,
Superhero Day is Thursday, April 8, at the John Ball Zoo. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superhero Day at John Ball Zoo! Come dressed as your favorite superhero and meet amazing superheroes in-person on Thursday, April 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 

Zoo guests can meet the rotating group of superheroes including Black Panther, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, Star Lord, Thor, Black Widow and more. 

Guests can also discover themed animal enrichment and signs at animal habitats showcasing animal superpowers. Plus, they can enjoy Superhero-themed concessions like Hulk Floss, Spidey Slush, and a Captain America Freezy. 

Superhero Day meet-and-greet is included in regular admission. Along with meeting superheroes, guests can also see the Zoo’s BRICKLIVE Supersized! toy brick exhibition, along with the triplet red panda cubs, and the Canada lynx kitten.

 

John Ball Zoo notes that the superhero meet-and-greet will be different this year. Instead of individual photo opportunities with each character, guests will have the opportunity to meet and take photos with a group of superheroes on the beautiful Bissell Tree House deck. For the safety of the superheroes and guests, these magical interactions will be from a safe social distance.

There are a limited number of guest tickets available for Superhero Day. The Zoo recommends reserving timed entry tickets online prior to arrival. This will ensure a guest’s entry as the Zoo cannot guarantee tickets will be available for walk-up ticket purchases. This includes the special early entry for John Ball Zoo members who can meet the superheroes an hour before the Zoo opens to everyone.

 

Spring Zoo admission is $12 for adults, $10 for children (3-12) and seniors, and children 2 and under are free.

 

John Ball Zoo notes they are following the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services that require masks from all guests over the age of 5, both indoors and outdoors.

John Ball Zoo is located on Fulton Ave., one mile west of downtown Grand Rapids. For more information www.jbzoo.org or (616)-336-4301. 

Public Museum, Hope Network offer sensory friendly museum night

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , ,
The streetcar at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (Supplied)

By Kate Kocienski
Grand Rapids Public Museum

In recognition of World Autism Awareness Day, the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Hope Network invite visitors affected by autism and other sensory processing needs to visit for a Sensory Friendly Museum Night on Thursday, April 22, from 5:30 until 8 p.m. held at the GRPM.

The Museum will adapt sounds, lighting and activities within the current exhibits to create a low-sensory experience for the evening. Visitors can add an experience to see Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks, as well as a visit to the Chaffee Planetarium to view the GRPM created show, Subatomic: Detecting the Unseen, in which the lighting and sound will be adapted. This Planetarium show will play at 6 p.m.

One in every sixty-eight children are on the Autism spectrum, with another child being diagnosed every 20 minutes. Hope Network has been at the forefront of autism treatment since opening its first Center For Autism in Kentwood in 2011, which was Michigan’s first all-inclusive treatment center. Hope Network now has five Centers For Autism across the state, all of which use Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy and comprehensive clinical services to empower those with autism to overcome challenges to achieve their highest level of independence.

“Hope Network has long been committed to positively impacting the lives of children and families affected by autism,” said Phil Weaver, Hope Network President and CEO. “We are honored to sponsor this event which allows families the opportunity to enjoy a fun night out to enjoy all that the Grand Rapids Public Museum has to offer.”

The West Michigan Habitats at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Supplied)

“The Museum strives to create inclusive experiences for all visitors, including being both physically and cognitively accessible,” said Dale Robertson, President & CEO of the GRPM. “We are pleased to partner with Hope Network again to allow families to explore the Museum in a low sensory environment, and to take part in our Subatomic Planetarium show which was designed for audiences with sensory processing challenges.” 

The GRPM partners with KultureCity to improve the Museum’s experience for guests with a variety of sensory processing needs. A limited amount of sensory bags containing fidget tools, noise canceling headphones and other resources are available for checkout at the Museum’s front desk.

Pre-registration for the Sensory Friendly Museum Night is required; visit grpm.org to sign up. To add Wild Connections or the Subatomic Planetarium show, use the “continue shopping” feature and find Wild Connections under the Admission tab and Subatomic under the Planetarium tab. For additional information, please visit grpm.org. 

Follow the yellow brick road to Tibbits Opera House

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , ,
Judy Garland as Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz.” (MGM Studios)

By Adrienne Brown-Reasner
West Michigan Tourist Association

Iconic glittery red shoes, Judy Garland’s famous rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and the classic story down the yellow brick road will fill Tibbits’ big screen on April 10 at 4 p.m. when the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz” is presented as part of the Community-Sponsored Programming.

Starring Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley and Margaret Hamilton, the film favorite is based on the 1900 American novel by L. Frank Baum. Rated PG, this movie is fun for the entire family. After a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy and her dog Toto are swept away to the magical and vibrant land of Oz. In order to find their way back home, they must embark on a journey to the Emerald City to see the Wizard of Oz. On their way there, they befriend a Scarecrow who longs for a brain, a Tin Man who desires a heart, and a Cowardly Lion who seeks courage. The group is hopeful that the ‘Great Oz’ will be able to fulfill their wishes. Not far behind them is the Wicked Witch of the West, who is out for revenge after Dorothy’s house fell on and killed her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East.

Sponsored by the Tibbits Opera House Endowment – Children’s Programming Fund, this screening is the fourth installment of Community-Sponsored Programming. For those who have always wanted to see a certain movie on the big screen or have their band play on the historic stage, Tibbits is still offering the opportunity for community members to plan and sponsor their own public performance at a fraction of the normal rental price.

The theatre doors, general admission seating, and concession sales for “The Wizard of Oz” begin at 3:30pm with donations at the door. Due to current restrictions, seating for all events is limited and masks are required upon entering and when moving about the theatre.

For more information or to purchase tickets for upcoming events, visit Tibbits.org, stop in at Tibbits business offices at 93 W. Chicago St., Coldwater, or call 517.278.6029. The historic Tibbits Opera House is located at 14 S. Hanchett St., Coldwater.

Walloon Lake hosts year-long Hemingway celebration

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, ,
Ernest Hemingway’s cottage located on Walloon Lake. (Public Domain)

By Adrienne Reasner-Brown
West Michigan Tourist Association

A year’s worth of activities, special events and activities focused on northern Michigan and one-time summer resident Ernest Hemingway is planned for the Village of Walloon Lake throughout 2021. Walloon Lake is nestled between Boyne City and Petoskey just off US-131 in Charlevoix and Emmet Counties.

The first large program is Walloon Lake Reads: The Nick Adams Stories which kicks off on Thursday, April 1 and runs through mid-May. A Hemingway Birthday Celebration is also planned for Wednesday, July 21 (Ernest was born on this date in 1899) with a handful of family-friendly events. Labor Day weekend, September 3-6, will be the primary Hemingway Homecoming featuring the unveiling of historical installations downtown focused on Hemingway as well as other aspects of the village’s development and growth at the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth century – like early rail travel, hotels and resorts, boating and more.

Various businesses in town, specifically Hotel Walloon, Walloon Lake Inn and Barrel Back Restaurant, are showcasing various foods and beverages throughout the year in honor of Hemingway’s passion for such things. Themed lodging packages will also focus on activities that the Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winning author enjoyed – like fly fishing.

Ernest Hemingway was just three months old when he made his first trip from his hometown of Oak Park, IL to Walloon Lake where his parents – Clarence and Grace (Hall) – had purchased property along the North Shore. Ernest spent time every summer until 1922 at the family’s beloved Windemere cottage there, the simple cottage still owned by descendants today. The woods and waters in and around Walloon Lake shaped Hemingway’s life in many ways and it was a place he always held dear to his heart. It was here that his 1972 posthumously published book, The Nick Adams Stories, is primarily set.

The Village of Walloon Lake has also launched a website at WalloonLakeMi.com to provide information to locals and visitors alike throughout the year and beyond. An official Village Facebook page also provides regular updates and historical tidbits at Facebook.com/WalloonLakeMi.

Public Museum announces spring break activities

Entertainment, Local Entertainment,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Part of the spring break fun at the Grand Rapids Public Museum will be the food truck ART:Caribean Fusion Cuisine.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) has announced its spring break plans which will include live science shows, intriguing exhibits and planetarium shows, as well as festive food experience featuring a food truck from ART: Caribbean Fusion Cuisine along with an assortment of beverages and beer from City Built Brewing Company.

“For families enjoying a staycation for Spring Break or for those visiting Grand Rapids, the Museum offers a family fun-filled experience with exciting exhibits, science shows and more to keep kids learning while having fun,” said Kate Kocienski, the GRPM’s Vice President of Marketing & PR. “Our offerings cater to visitors of all ages and we’re eager to welcome everyone to the Museum to enjoy engaging activities in a low-risk environment.” 

Explore larger-than-life sculptures made with more than 2 million LEGO® bricks in Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks to learn about animal endangerment, the balance of ecosystems, and mankind’s relationship with nature. This exhibition, produced by Imagine Exhibitions, depicts important topics that artist Sean Kenney holds dear, from protecting an animals’ habitat, to planting a garden, or using a bike instead of a car. Wild Connections further shows that just as LEGO® pieces interconnect, everything in nature is interconnected in a delicate balance. The narratives, along with the intricate displays, also explore the importance of conservation, the balance of ecosystems, predator/prey relationships, as well as the relationships between humankind and the natural world. This exhibition is open for a limited time. Tickets to Wild Connections must be purchased with general admission to the Museum.

“Bee” in “Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGOs” at the Grand Rapids Public Museum through May 2. (Supplied)

Additionally with general admission, analyze fossils from the last Ice Age in the Under the Arctic exhibit to learn about permafrost, as well as the people and the animals that live in this area, experience historic Grand Rapids made with LEGO® bricks and journey through three floors of core exhibits, with visitors favorites, West Michigan Habitats and the Streets of Old Grand Rapids. Advance ticket purchase required; early ticket purchase is recommended, as tickets will sell out given capacity limits. Visit grpm.org to purchase tickets.

The Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium’s spring break shows will take place four times a day and include: Incoming!, Under Starlit Skies, Escher’s Universe, One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure and The Queen Light Show From Mercury to Mars. Planetarium shows are $4 with general admission to the Museum, $2 for Museum members, and $5 for planetarium only. Visit grpm.org/Planetarium for a complete list of showtimes and descriptions.

 

Visitors are required to reserve advance tickets at grpm.org for quick, easy access into the Museum during Spring Break. Kent County residents receive reduced admission to the GRPM, thanks to the passing of a Kent County millage in 2016, including free general admission for Kent County children 17 and under! Kent County adults and seniors receive reduced pricing as well as free parking.

GRPM’s Camp Curious Program returns this summer

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, ,

By Grand Rapids Public Museum


The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced that its Camp Curious summer programs are now open for registration. The Museum will offer in-person, small group camps, as well as virtual Digital Discovery sessions for kids to explore the wonders of science, history, culture and more.

Kids pre-K through 12th grade will use the Museum as a learning lab through a variety of camp offerings, beginning June 14 and are available through mid-August, 2021.

  

“We’re excited to offer a mixture of in person camps as well as Digital Discovery sessions to the community this year,” said Rob Schuitema, the GRPM’s Director of Public Programs. “Both opportunities will provide students with the tools and guidance they need to have fun while learning and making genuine connections to the curriculum and the Museum. As always, our team is thrilled to share their expertise and enthusiasm for science, history and culture with the next cohort of curious minds this summer.”

 

Camp Curious offers single day or multiple day camps and are available by the grade level students will be entering in the fall. Popular camps include Slimy Science, Fossil Hunters, Dream it, Build it with LEGO® Bricks and Young Wizards Academy. New, in-person camps this year include River Critters, Adaptations & Pollinators, Fun Tech and River Explorers.

Digital Discovery Sessions encourage campers to explore and investigate through hands-on experiments and activities, while using common items in their homes as well as artifacts and specimens in the GRPM’s digital Collections. New this year, Stargazers gives students the opportunity to explore the wonders of the universe by learning how to navigate Stellarium, an open-source software that will bring the power of the planetarium to their home. Other virtual offerings include Slimy Science, Time Travelers, Dream it, Build it with LEGO® Bricks, Wizards Academy and the Grand Photo Project.

Digital Discovery sessions will require access to the internet and the use of a device to watch presentations and receive daily instructions. These sessions will utilize the virtual platform SeeSaw, with most activities taking place off-line. Digital Discovery sessions are designed for campers to do projects independently; the Museum recommends that parents of young children (1st – 3rd grade) be present. Digital Discovery session supplies include common items from around your home, and can be interchangeable based on what campers have access to. Recommended lists can be found at grpm.org/EduClasses.

Pricing for camps vary, starting as low as $35 for single day, in person camps and $40 for multi-day Digital Discovery sessions, with discounts available for Museum members. For more information on Camp Curious and Digital Discovery Sessions and to register today, visit grpm.org/Educlasses. Early registration is highly recommended, as camps will sell out. 

Art Hop returns to Downtown Kalamazoo outdoors in April

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo (ACGK) is excited to announce the return of in-person Art Hop in downtown Kalamazoo on Friday, April 2, from 6 to 8 p.m. This free outdoor event will feature local artists and downtown businesses showcased in booths along Bates Alley and the South Kalamazoo Mall.

After a year of virtual Art Hops, the Arts Council is looking forward to bringing the community together in a safe, socially-distanced outdoor space. Guests can grab drinks within the Downtown Social District to sip, stroll, and enjoy locally made art. DJ Todd Brown will be providing live music entertainment. The event will follow all COVID-19 guidelines in compliance with the state of Michigan.

The Arts Council’s Programs Director, Bianca Washington-Ciungan, announced, “I am so excited to safely return to an in-person Art Hop. I am grateful that we have been able to present a virtual option successfully, but there’s nothing like being able to support our artists and businesses in a face-to-face fashion.”

Participating businesses include Honor Credit Union, Fuze Kitchen and Bar, Green Top Tavern, Kalamazoo Candle Company, V & A Bootery, Cherri’s Chocol’art, Colors & Cocktails, and MRC ArtWorks. Local artists that will be showing their work in-person include Kevin Hamman, Alexa Karabin, Jonathan Wijnberg, and Amy Lou Gieschen as well as many more.

For those who are not able to attend in-person, the Arts Council’s website will have a virtual gallery featuring work by local artists, and a three-part artist spotlight interview series with Alexa Karabin, Linda Rzoska, and Pam Kirkham. Additionally, the Stulberg International String Competition will be livestreaming its virtual Bravo! concert at 7 p.m. The Arts Council is also celebrating the launch of its new Art Hop app, allowing the event to go paperless just in time for Earth Day. The app serves as a guide to all things Art Hop and can be downloaded as a shortcut icon through any smartphone web browser at www.kalamazooarthop.org. Art Hop would not be possible without the support of the ACGK’s generous program sponsors, LKF Marketing, Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs, Dorothy U Dalton Foundation, Marvin and Rosalie Okun Foundation, KalBlue, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, D.L. Gallivan Office Solutions, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Snapshots: Weekend Roundup

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Animals are born who they are, accept it and that is that. They live with greater peace than people do.

American Novelist Gregory Maquire

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The Bornean neon blue-legged tarantula fits into the palm of a hand but in the “BRICKLIVE Supersized!,” it towers at 12 feet tall. (Supplied)

Time to Supersize

And no, we are not talking McDonald’s. This weekend the John Ball Zoo officially opens for its 2021 season, which will feature the exhibit “BRICKLIVE Supersized!” In the exhibit, more than 30 sculptures have been created using more than two million bricks. The sculptures of some of the world’s smallest animals which have been magnified more than 30 times to create 12-foot pieces. The exhibit is full of fun and information. To get a timed ticket, visit www.jbzoo.org/visitandtickets.

Trailblazing

The weather is iffy on Saturday, but should be pretty nice on Sunday, which means you could hit one of the many trails at any of the local parks. There is the Paul Henry Trail, which runs from 44th Street and Kalamazoo Avenue south to 60th Street and Wing Avenue, or the East West Trail, which runs east from Division Avenue and 50th Street to Kalamazoo Avenue. There is also the Kent Trails which winds its way through the City of Wyoming as well as the Fred Meijer M-6 Trail located near Metro Health. Of course, many of the local parks feature trails and nature paths such as Kentwood’s Paris Park and Wyoming’s Buck Creek Nature Preserve.

Museum Touring

Have you visited the Grand Rapids Public Museum or the Grand Rapids Art Museum lately? The Grand Rapids Public Museum is open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and features an array of exhibits including “Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections made with Lego Bricks.” For more information, visit www.grpm.org. The Grand Rapids Art Museum is open noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and is featuring the work of Grand Rapids native Mathias Alten along with arts and craft pieces and hero portraits created by Detroit artists. Visit www.artmuseumgr.org for more information.

Where are all the wolverines?

While Michigan is the Wolverine State there are actually no wolverines, outside of capitative that is, that live in the state. The last known Michigan wolverine is stuffed and in a private collection. It was killed in 1860. According to Michigan State University zoologist Rollin Baker, there may have been wolverines in the state as late as the 1900s, but most of what he found was hearsay. Some believe that wolverines, which most are living in the far mountains of Canada, were never populous in Michigan but rather a name given to the white settlers by Native Americans because they were gobbling up all the Michigan land. The animal was strongly disliked by the Native Americans because it often feeds on dead animals and humans.

This season it’s ‘go big or go home’ at the John Ball Zoo

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , , ,
The Bornean neon blue-legged tarantula fits into the palm of a hand but in the “BRICKLIVE Supersized!,” it towers at 12 feet tall. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

After last year’s successful run of the “BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise” — despite a pandemic — the John Ball Zoo will have what some might consider a part two with tis “BRICKLIVE Supersized!” exhibition.

Opening this Saturday when the Zoo officials kicks off its season, “BRICKLIVE Supersized!” will feature more than 30 sculptures created with nearly two million toy bricks. The sculptures supersize some of nature’s smallest and mightiest creatures.

For example, the small and new Bornean neon blue-legged tarantula is a recently discovered species in nature that fits in the palm of a hand, but with “BRICKLIVE Supersized!,” it is magnified 84 times, standing 12 feet tall.

 

The brightly-colored common kingfisher, which is small and territorial in real life, is magnified more than 30 times to a towering 11 feet tall toy brick sculpture. (Supplied)

From the small and stinky honey badger to the small and highly venomous blue-ringed octopus, all creatures have been chosen for their colorful appearance in nature, unusual natural abilities, and because they can be magnified to an eye-popping size.

 

As guests make their way through John Ball Zoo, they will discover more about these often misunderstood creatures, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, insects, mammals, and marine species that are truly small and mighty in nature.

 

Each sculpture will have educational signage featuring facts about where the animal lives in the world, what they eat, and their real-life size, along with how magnified the sculpture is, how many toy bricks were used, the amount of time and the number of builders it took to create.

 

“BRICKLIVE Supersized!” will be on display at John Ball Zoo through Sept. 26 and is included with general admission.

Admission prices for the Zoo’s spring season is $10 for seniors and children (ages 3-12) and $12 per adult. Children aged 2 and under are free. Spring hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

To reserve timed entry tickets and for more information, visit John Ball Zoo’s website at www.jbzoo.org/visitandtickets. If you have any questions, call 616-336-4300 or email info@jbzoo.org. 

The beauty of the blue-ringed octopus, which is the world’s smallest and highly venomous octopus, can be seen in the BRICKLIVE “Supersized!” exhibit at John Ball Zoo. (Supplied)

Once again, the butterflies are blooming at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, ,

By Nathan Slauer
WKTV Community Volunteer

“There are thousands of butterflies from all around the world flying right here in Grand Rapids,” said Horticulturalist Laurel Gaut.

 

The theme of the 2021 butterfly exhibition is “Into the Glass House.” A glass container known as a Wardian case provides the viewer with a close up look at specimens. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

Visitors tour through the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory, a 15,000-square-foot space filled with tropical plants, vibrant foliage, and a balmy atmosphere.

More than 60 species of butterflies reside within the space. More than 1,000 pupae are shipped to the Meijer Gardens weekly from as far away as Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Philippines, and Kenya.

 

The theme of the 2021 butterfly exhibition is “Into the Glass House.” A glass container known as a Wardian case provides the viewer with a close up look at specimens.

The exhibit runs through April 30. Members can attend the exhibit for free, while students and children receive a discount. For more information about the butterfly exhibition, visit www.meijergardens.org

South Haven HarborFest 2021 has been cancelled

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The South Haven HarborFest has made the announcement that the 2021 event has been cancelled.

According to a press release, after an enormous amount of thought, including discussions with community leaders, the decision was made to cancel this year’s event.

“While trends in terms of the COVID infection rates are encouraging and regional vaccination programs are ramping up, we feel there are still too many unknowns and uncertainties with the ever changing restrictions and guidelines to allow us to proceed forward in safety hosting our wonderful event,” according to a press release from the committee.

The South Haven HarborFest usually takes place in June. The committee said it is working on the 2022 event.

Opening day for John Ball March 27, tickets on sale soon

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , ,
Ready to meet you: Rose, Ruby, and Willow. (Supplied/John Ball Zoo)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Rose, Ruby and Willow are ready to meet their adorning fans which will be soon as the John Ball Zoo prepares for its opening day, March 27.

The zoo’s season officially kicks off at 9 a.m. that day with admission tickets going on sale starting this Friday, March 12, for opening day, through April 11.

The red panda triplets, Rose, Ruby, and Willow, are three of the most anticipated animals for guests to see this season, according to zoo officials. Born June 25, 2020, the three were growing and bonding behind the scenes last season and were out of the view of guests. The three are now romping and playing outside for everyone to enjoy along with their parents, Wyatt and Wasabi.

Also making a debut is Yoshi, a Canadian lynx born last May. While Yoshi may not look like a kitten anymore, she still has the same playful and energetic spirit that makes her a guest favorite.

Guest favorite Yosi, a Canadian Lynx, will be making an appearance during opening day. (Supplied/John Ball Zoo)

Many of the John Ball Zo’s animals are active and playful in the cool spring weather, while others prefer to stay inside until warmer temperatures arrive. There are a number of viewing opportunities for guest in the Aquarium, Natural Teasures, Frog’s buildings, and the chimpanzees in their day room.

Also on opening day, John Ball Zoo will offer a sneak peek into the SUPERSIZED exhibition. This exhibition supersizes nature’s small and mighty. From sneaky predators such as the fearless honey badger to the venomous blue-ringed octopus, the more than 30 toy brick sculptures are featured because of their colorful appearance in nature, unusual natural ability, and because they can be magnified to an eye-popping size.

John Ball Zoo will be operating at a limited guest capacity. Guests should reserve an online timed-entry ticket to secure their visit time. Tickets will be available at the zoo but immediate entry is not guaranteed. Spring hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Following the regulations of the State of Michigan and the Centers for Disease Control, all guess ages 5 and older will be required to wear a mask at all times and everywhere in John Ball Zoo, including outdoor spaces. Guests may remove their mask temporarily to eat or drink when at a safe distance from others.

 

Social distancing will be encouraged and additional hand washing and sanitizing stations will be available along with cashless transactions and monitoring the number of guests inside buildings.

To reserve timed entry tickets and for more information, visit John Ball Zoo’s website at www.jbzoo.org/visitandtickets. For questions, call 616-336-4300 or email info@jbzoo.org.

You heard correct! Circle Theatre is hosting auditions for its summer productions

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Calling all actors! Circle Theatre is hosting virtual auditions for three summer productions. (WKTV)

Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Auditions. It was a word we thought we would never hear again, yet today Circle Theater announced it would hold auditions for its summer season.

 

“We are thrilled to be able to finally welcome back our wonderful community of actors, said Circle Theatre Executive and Artistic Director Lynne Brown-Tepper. “We are excited to hold auditions again after so many months of the Theatre being dark. We know that everyone is looking forward to doing what we all love in the place that we all love.

“After all, the Grand Rapids theater community is more that just a community — It’s a family and we have been waiting for this time, when we can all be together again.”

Through March 14, Circle Theatre will be hosting virtual auditions for three of its upcoming productions, ‘The Gin Game” and ‘Always…Patsy Cline.” These two will be Circle On the Lawn productions with the shows being performed on a stage set up on the Circle Theatre lawn. 

Virtual auditions for “Cabaret”” will take place through March 28. In July, Circle Theatre will move back into its main stage with “Cabaret.”

“While we are disappointed that we will not be able to produce the first three originally planned productions, we are thrilled to be able to offer some new opportunities for performers of a variety of ages, with an emphasis on casting performers of color,” Tepper said.

“The Gin Game,” the winner of the 1978 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, brings audiences along for a game of wits, as Weller Martin and Fonsia Dorsey meet on the porch of their nursing home and strike up a friendship. Weller teaches Fonsia how to play gin rummy and they share stories of their lives. That is until Fonsia keeps winning every hand and the gin games become a battleground.

“Always…Patsy Cline” is a tribute to the legendary country singer who died at the age of 30 in a plane crash in 1963. The story is based on Cline’s real-life friendship with one of her fans, Louise Seger.

Winner of 12 Tony Awards, “Cabaret” is one of the most recognized musicals in the world. The story, set in 1931 Berlin, focuses on the nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub and revolves around American writer Cliff Bradshaw and his relationship with cabaret performer Sally Bowles.

For more information and details regarding the virtual auditions, visit circletheatre.org/auditions. 

The ghosts of summer: hauntings at Mackinac Island

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By Wayne Thomas
Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters

It’s been said, “No man is an island” but they probably haven’t met Mackinac Island’s haunted historian expert Todd Clements. Clements authored “Haunts of Mackinac: Ghost Stories, Legends & Tragic Tales of Mackinac Island,” and followed it with his second book where he added “The Next Chapter” to the title.

Author Todd Clements

“Haunts of Mackinac” is also the name of Clements’ nightly Haunted History Tours on the island. These 90-minute guided tours start in May and run until late October. It’s about an hour walk ending at Mission Point. It’s family and pet friendly and is filled with ghost stories and tragic tales of the islands history.

Clements” books offer pictures, descriptions, actual addresses, and maps to the islands’ haunted locations. Each ghost story location is provided with a “Haunting & Ghosts Activity Scale” to measure the level of intensity or strength of activity, the regularity or frequency of activity, and the time scale or most recent activity. Either, one, two, or three stars, with 3 stars being the most recent, most intense, and most frequent. Several locations received three stars in all three categories on the list of most haunted, including: Mission Point Resort, Rifle Range Trails, Fort Mackinac, St. Cloud Dormitory, and Pine Cottage & Chateau Lorraine. 

The Grand Hotel has been rumored to be a “hot spot” for paranormal activity with an “Evil Entity,” a black mass with glowing red eyes. Other haunts have a ghost playing piano man wearing a top hat and a woman in Victorian clothing roaming the halls and getting into beds. The Drowning Pool has a tragic story of seven women/witches, who as a test to determine if they were witches, had rocks tied to their feet and were thrown into the pool to see if they would float. They sank and drowned. Visitors say they see these seven women floating and splashing in the Drowning Pool. Mission Point has its resident ghost, “Harvey” who either died of a suicide or was murdered, “Harvey” likes to pinch and poke people.

 

Todd Clements’ book “Haunts of Mackinac: Ghost Stories, Legends & Tragic Tales of Mackinac Island”

Mackinac Island is a perfect storm for paranormal activity. The surrounding water currents create electrical magnetic fields which ghost are able to use to help them manifest as apparitions. The huge limestone cliffs can store residual energies created during wars and play back these tragic events as ghost activity. Combine these factors with the history of some of the oldest residential and private homes in Michigan and you have the catalyst for paranormal calamity.

Clements was the guest on the eighth episode of Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters Podcast and we featured him on Cryptic Frequencies episode 12.  

Festival is returning, Mason Street prepares for its season

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Several popular summer events have announced that they will return this summer such as Grand Rapids’ Festival of the Arts. Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ Mason Street Warehouse also has announced it summer season.

But first, we start with an event in March.

“Bee” in “Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGOs” at the Grand Rapids Public Museum through May 2. (Supplied)

Grand Rapids Public Museum

Artist Sean Kenney of the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s current exhibit “Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO Bricks” will be the guest speaker during a March 14 GRPM Facebook live presentation.

The 1 p.m. event will feature Kenney sharing his experience as a professional artist working with LEGO bricks, a behind-the-scenes tour of his studio space and will conclude with Kenny answering questions submitted by viewers in real time.

“I look forward to meeting with members of the GRPM community, and sharing my thoughts on the process of how we bring these sculptures to life,” Kenney said.

“Wild Connections,” featuring several LEGO sculptures created by Kenney, will run through May 2.

The 2021Festival of the Arts will feature Plein Air performances June 4 – 6. (Supplied)

Festival of the Arts

In February, Festival of the Arts announced it would return this June with a different format.

Plein Air will take place June 4 – 6 and will feature artists creating landscape portraits as well as musicians performing throughout the city. Participants are encouraged to pick up their favorite food item from one of the many area restaurants and then come to one of the social zones featuring an artist. The regional art show will be virtual.

In the fall, Festival of the Arts will partner with ArtPrize to host a stage at Calder along with the Festival’s artisan market, featuring local artists and their works. The fall event will take place Sept. 17 – 19.

Saugatuck Center for the Arts announces its summer season. (Supplied)

Saugatuck Center for the Arts

Saugatuck Center for the Arts announced there will be live theater this summer at Mason Street Warehouse.

“Last summer’s outdoor concerts and films were a fantastic dress rehearsal for this summer,” said SCA Executive Director Kristin Armstrong. “So we converted our parking lot into a flexible, multi-purpose plaza. We’re now able to host theatre, concerts, markets, classes, special events — and still park on it when needed. Guest will have a fresher, much lovelier experience in the reimagined space.”

Stamm noted that the outdoor plaza stage is smaller than the indoor theater stage. This year guests will see original sets, unique lighting design, and bold costumes during all of the shows. Live musicians will accompany the musical productions.

Three productions will be staged at the renovated outdoor plaza with participants encouraged to bring their own chairs. The season starts June 30 with “Shout! The Mod Musical.” “Dixie’s Tupperware Party” is in July and “Just Too Big! Songs from Broadway Blockbusters” is in August. There will be two Cabaret-series shows, “The Big Red Show!” Sept. 4 and The Best Bad Idea Sept. 16.

 

For more information visit sc4a.org.

Calling all artists: Area institutions prepare for summer exhibits

Entertainment, Local Entertainment,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

After almost a year of limited exhibitions and other art showcases, several local and regional art institutions have announced upcoming exhibits with a call to local, regional and national artists to participate.

Deadlines are fast approaching for all of these, so if you are interested, move quickly to get an application in.

UICA’s first exhibit will be in July. (Supplied)

UICA

The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts will host its first exhibit in its new space at 17 Pearl St. NW. Currently, UICA is accepting submissions for the “Whereabouts: the Influence of Place and Space.”

The exhibit will focus on three parts of the building, the lobby, the corridor, and the display cases. Artists are encouraged to create a dialog between the architecture of the building and work. For the cases, artists are encouraged to draw inspiration from the visual storytelling of department store window displays and dioramas. For specific guidelines, visit www.ucia.org.

Deadline for submissions is March 7 with artists being notified of acceptance by March 19.

 

Tulip Time’s Artisan Market will be virtual this year. (Supplied)

Tulip Time

This year, Tulip Time will be hosting a Virtual Artisan Market from April 24 – May 9. The decision was made to support the directives by the Centers for Disease control and State of Michigan, and with guidance from the Ottawa County Health Department.

Artists will have the opportunity get their items in front of thousands of people as the market will be featured on the Tulip Time website, Facebook and Instagram.

Artists interested in participating need to apply by Feb. 28. Those accepted will be notified by March 5. The booth fee is a $100 and must be paid by March 18. For more information, visit https://tuliptime.com/artisanmarket.

Ramsdell has a call to artists for its upcoming “Soul Sisters” exhibit. (Supplied)

Soul Sisters

With the success of its Stay Safe Face Mask Project and exhibit, Mainstee’s Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts has announced it will continue engaging local and regional artists with the exhibit “Soul Sisters.”

Curated by regional artists Lynn Willams and Mary Wahr, “Soul Sisters” is open to anyone how identifies as a woman.

“A soul sister is someone who accepts you — al of you. Let’s be united in our art” is the theme of the show, according to Wahr.

Entires are due by March 5. Up to two pieces of art can be submitted for a $20 fee. The exhibit launches on March 12 and runs through April 16. For more information, visit www.RamdellTheatre.org/SoutSisters-Exhibit.

The Lakeshore Art Festival will be June 26 and 27. (Supplied)

Lakeshore Art Festival

Muskegon’s Lakeshore Art Festival is accepting applications through Feb. 28 for its juried fine art and craft fair. The 2021 event will take place June 26 and 27 and brings in around 60,000 people featuring more than 300 fine art and craft exhibitors, 20 food vendors, children’s activities, street performers and art installations in downtown Muskegon.

To apply, visit www.lakeshorefestival.org. There is a $35 non-refundable application fee.

Snapshots: Closing out February

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, , ,

You can’t go back and change the beginning but you can start where you are and change the ending.

Author C.S. Lewis
The Lakeshore Art Festival will be June 26 and 27. (Supplied)

Calling all artists

Several local and regional art organizations are preparing for summer exhibits and now is the time to apply to be in them. Some of the organizations are Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Lakeshore Art Festival, and Ramsdell Center for the Arts. For more, click here.

Ansel Adams (American, 1902-1984), “Half Dome, Merced River, Winter from The Photographs of Yosemite Suite” (Silverprint photograph, 1938. Gift of the Friends of Art, 1989)

Marking a 100 years

The Muskegon Museum of Art is celebrating 100th anniversary of the Friends of Art, an independent non-profit organization established in 1921 that promotes the study of art and supports the museum. The museum, located in downtown Muskegon, is featuring two exhibits “Friends of Art: 100 Years” features almost 30 artworks donated by the “Friends” to the museum and “Ansel Adams: The Photographs of Yosemite Suite” which features 24 iconic images taken in the 1940s of Yosemite National Park. Both exhibits run through the beginning of May.


(Photo from Pxhere.com)

Plan your summer

The West Michigan Tourist Association announced it will be hosting a series of virtual travel expos for area residents to explore different travel options. The series starts March 8 with a golf expo, followed by a March 22 women and family expo, and wraps up April 5 with a travel expo. Or residents can just snag one of the WMTA’s tour guides to get an early start on planning their summer adventures. Visit wmta.org.


The Eben Ice Caves in Hiawatha National Forest

The Frozen Caves of Michigan

Kentucky may have the Mammoth Caves, but Michigan has ice caves — specifically the Eben Ice Caves, also known as the River Rock Canyon Ice Caves. About 20 miles south of Munsing, Michigan, in the upper peninsula, the ice caves form every winter. Basically, it is the water seeping from the rock above that freezes into sheets of ice, forming the “cave” between them and the cliff. The entire area is less than 50 yards long but it brings visitors all over to see this marvelous miracle in nature that is only found in Michigan.

Wyoming City Council paves the way for food trucks in the city

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

At Monday night’s City Council meeting, the council approved the last measure to allow food truck vendors in the city along with paving the way for a bike trail along Plaster Creek and the city’s Spring Carnival.

In an unanimous decision, the council approved a new fee structure for food truck vendors to operate within the city. The new fee is $300.

“I have had a conversation with a food vendor outside the city,” said Council member John Fitzgerald. “I can tell you that there is excitement about the opportunity to come into the city of Wyoming which I thought was spectacular.”

Fitzgerald said he was asked if a food truck would be able to use its approved inspection from another city, which City Planner Nicole Hofert said yes.

“This helps as they are only going through the process onetime and streamlining it so it all follows the same code,” Hofert said, adding that the fee was structured in consideration of whether a full inspection or review was needed.

 

Plaster Creek Trail

The City Council unanimously supported the construction of a Plaster Creek Trail along the south side of Plaster Creek Boulevard from Division Avenue to Buchanan Avenue. The project is estimated to be around $604,000, with a portion of the expense for a retaining wall that will be needed. Once constructed, trail users will go under Division Avenue following Plaster Creek. The trail also will provided sidewalk to the Kroc Center and The Rapid bus stop.

The council approval was need for the city to seek a $385,000 Transportation Alternative Grant for the construction, which is scheduled for 2022.


Spring Carnival

The city is planning its Spring Carnival with the Council unanimously approving waiving the city fees for the event which is scheduled for April 23 – May 2 at Lamar Park.

Mayor Jack Poll noted that the city has waived the fees since the city’s Park and Recreations Department has sponsored the event and the funds raised are used to provide scholarships and operations support for the department programs and community grants, and funds for the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance. 


Appointments

Alexander Fera was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Commission and LeighAnn TeBos was appointed to the Community Enrichment Commission.

Live, local theater may be taking place as early as April

Local Entertainment, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Who would have guessed it would have taken more than a year for local theater to return? Not these actors. (WKTV)

After almost a year since the lights in area theaters went dark, there is a glimmer of hope that the stages may soon be filled with actors, antics and song.

Both Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and Circle Theatre have announced upcoming productions starting as early as April along with Coldwater’s Tibbits Opera House announcing that it too will host the Tibbits Young Audiences’ spring musical “The Nifty Fifties” and have a summer theater schedule.

There are other companies, such as Broadway Grand Rapids, which have made the announcement that its 2020-2021 season has been moved to the 2021-2022 season. Actors Theatre Grand Rapids has productions listed but dates have not been announced. 

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

Last month, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre announced the Ten for All Festival, a playwriting contest that will feature original 10-minute plays from local playwrights.

“We are thrilled to present this unique festival as we move back toward in-person performance in 2021,” said Grand Rapids Civic Theatre executive and Artistic Director Bruce Tinker. “We are taking advantage of this unique opportunity to open our stage to the many talented playwrights we have right here in West Michigan.”

Submissions are open from now until Feb. 26. From those submission, 12 semi-finalists will be selected, three each from four categories: comedy, drama, youth, and wildcard. During the semi-finals, which will take place March 18 – 21, the 12 selected will be featured in Zoom readings and scored by celebrity judges from around the community. The top-scoring play in each of the four categories will move on to the finals and be publicly performed on stage at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre the week of April 9 – 11.

The finalists will be performed back-to-back as one hour-long program at the Meijer Majestic Theater. Audience members will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite piece and one play will receive the honor of Audience Choice. Cash prizes are being offered for the Audience Choice winner, finalists, and semifinalists.

“West Michigan is home to so many truly gifted artists and playwrights,” said Civic’s Associated Director Allyson Paris. “We are eager to lend their voices a platform and to open our space to them. Our community is the core of our mission, and this is a unique opportunity for us to showcase that.”

Details on submissions and future contest information is available at www.grct.org/tenforall.

Circle Theatre kicks off its season with a series of concert performances. (Supplied)

Circle Theatre

Last fall, Circle Theater announced its plans to host its 69th Main Stage season. The company’s season will kick off with live concert performances in May that will run throughout the summer and fall. 

“Right now we are hopeful that we will be able to open our first production,” said Circle Theatre Executive and Artists Director Lynne Brown Tepper, “even if it is with reduced capacity. However, as is the case with the other area arts organizations, we will adapt as necessary with any restrictions that may occur at or around that time.”

John Kander’s 1966 musical “Cabaret” will be added to Main Stage season running from July 15 – 31. Set in 1931 Berlin during the waning days of the Weimar Republic as the Nazis are rising to power, the musical focuses on the hedonistic nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub and revolves around American writer Cliff Bradshaw’s relations with English cabaret performer Sally Bowles.

Next up will be Michael Frayn’s farce “Nosies Off,” which follows the backstage antics as the actors and crew put on a performance. “Noises Off” runs Aug. 12 – 28.

In September will be the iconic musical “Hair,” which follows the hippie counterculture and sexual revolution of the late 1960s. One of the musical’s most famous numbers is “Age of Aquarius.” “Hair” is Sept. 9 – 25.

Also in September will be the Annual Season Party, “American Graffiti: In Concert, which will be Sept. 12.

Virtual concert and performance opportunities are available. All performances are at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center, 1703 Robinson Ave. SE. Tickets and membership packages are on sale. For more information, visit circletheatre.org.

Tibbits Opera House

Tibbits will offer a spring youth performance and a summer theater program. (Supplied)

Tibbits Opera House will host its youth spring musical “The Nifty Fifties” April 23 – 25 at its facility, 14 S. Hanchett St., Coldwater.

The Tibbits Summer Theater will take place at The Ponds event pavilion in Coldwater. The location, according to Tibbits Opera House officials, will provide social distancing and mask-wearing while offering an outdoor venue. 

“If we are outside again, we wanted to capitalize on the beautiful setting and choose shows that fit well in that setting, and if we are able, can just as easily move back to the theatre,” said Artistic Director Peter Riopelle.

 

The summer line-up for Tibbits is “The Best of Broadway,” June 16 – 23; “The Fantasticks, June 30 – July 7; “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, July 14 – 23; and “On Golden Pond,” July 29 – Aug. 6.

For more information, call 517-278-6029 and tibbits.org. 

Snapshots: Things to do this weekend

3-bottom, Area Education, Education, Local Entertainment, Local History, , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

Martin Luther King, Jr.


Pretty Lights

The wintery fun continues downtown with the exhibit “Ice Luminaries” running this weekend only, Jan. 29 – Feb. 2. The exhibit features 10 giant icicles with lights frozen in the center that will light the way along the Gillett Bridge located near Ah-Nab-Awen Park. While out and about, make sure to check out the other exhibits such as HYBYCOZO,” a series of large-scale installations and artworks that investigate geometric exploration and patterns through light, shadow, and perception, located at Ah-Nab-Awen Park. For more, click here.


Strike!

WKTV is presenting high school bowling this winter as part of its sports coverage. Hosted by WKTV volunteer Bill Rinderknecht, the WKTV Sports Connection recently sat down with the coaches of the East Kentwood bowling teams to talk about winter sports during the pandemic and the opportunity to have a bowling season. WKTV will be covering another bowling match this Monday, Feb. 1, at 3 p.m.


Got a Second?

We are suppose to be getting a snowstorm on Sunday, which means you might have some downtime. If so, the Kent ISD Board of Education is asking community members for their input on Kent ISD’s next superintendent. The 14-question survey, which takes about 10 minutes to complete, asks participants to rank skills, character and education traits in determining what qualities would make a good superintendent. Surveys must be turned in by Jan. 31.


William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse on Detroit’s Belle Isle Park. (Wikipedia/Public Domain)

Fun Fact

Michigan has the distinction of the state with the most lighthouses and perhaps one of the most unique is the William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse, which is made entirely of George marble. Located on Detroit’s Belle Isle, the marble was selected because the builders knew that it would have to withstand Michigan weather. The 58-foot structure has a 47-foot shaft with a bronze light at the top that still functions today. It was completed in 1930 at the cost of about $100,000. William Livingstone was a prominent Detroit resident who was best known for his shipping accomplishments on the Great Lakes, including the creation of a deep-water channel in the lower Detroit River which became known as the Livingstone Channel. For a peek inside the lighthouse, click here.

LowellArts gives audience peek into the music scene during COVID

Entertainment, Local Entertainment,
The Ryne Experience newest album “The Onion”

By Lorain Smalligan
LowellArts

LowellArts announces the debut of a new music program for 2021 – Featured Artist Series: Connecting You with the People Behind the Music – that offers audiences a personal, insider’s view into the current music scene from the perspective of West Michigan’s talented performers. The new program features one artist each month on the LowellArts website. Each Featured Artist of the Month consists of an in depth live-recorded video interview with the artist, an artist profile, and links to past performances. The program series will launch its first feature on Monday, Feb. 1, with Ryne Clarke of The Ryne Experience, who just released a new album called “The Onion Tree.”

The LowellArts Music Committee created this program as a way to support the local music community during the pandemic and beyond. Designed to further the LowellArts mission of connecting artists and audiences, this new series will give West Michigan listeners a chance to meet the people behind the music who have performed at LowellArts events.

Criteria for selecting performers for the series is that the artists must have previously entertained audiences at a past LowellArts event such as a LowellArts Gallery Concert, a Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concert, or at the LowellArts Fallasburg Arts Festival. Artists that participate in the program will be eligible to sell CD’s, albums, and digital downloads in the LowellArts gallery as part of a soon-to-be established Gallery Music Store and On-line Store.

The interviewer will ask the artist to talk about a variety of topics such as: how the break from performing due to the pandemic has affected them; how music has changed since they first started performing or recording; and/or how they feel the relationship between artist and listener is evolving in the age of digital streaming services. The interviewer will also invite the artist to perform a song, live for the video interview.

In addition to the Featured Artist of the Month being highlighted on the LowellArts website and social media outlets, the vision is to reach a wider audience by collaborating with media partners. LowellArts is seeking media partners who, upon making a formal commitment, will have the rights to re-publish the content of the feature including; the video interview, article text, photos, pre-pandemic performance video links, and links to the artist website and merchandise. Please contact LowellArts at 616-897-8545 or lorain@lowellartsmi.org if you are interested in becoming a media partner.

More information: www.lowellartsmi.org/featured-artist-of-the-month

Public Museum displays large-scale work by three local artists

Entertainment, ,
“Black Lives Matter” by Jalexia Stoutmyre. (Supplied)

By Kate Kocienski
Grand Rapids Public Museum

The Grand Rapids Public Museum is now featuring a new exhibit, Windows GR, three large-scale art pieces created by local artists of color.



Originally part of the Windows GR project, the three pieces of artwork are now a part of the GRPM’s permanent Collections and will be on display on the second floor of the Museum.

“I Can’t Breathe” by Guillermo Sotelo. (Supplied)

The Museum purchased the three pieces from Grand Rapids artists: Jalexia Stoutmyre, DeVante Barnes and Guillermo Sotelo, that were created specifically for the Windows GR project. On May 30, 2020, a peaceful protest in support of Black Lives Matter was held in downtown Grand Rapids, in response to the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, 2020. Following the protest, riots broke out causing damage to vehicles and buildings. As a result, Windows GR was created, in collaboration with Lions & Rabbits Center for the Arts and a special group of creatives, to use the plywood-covered windows as blank canvases, allowing artists to paint pieces to speak out against systemic racism as well as provide a new platform for black and brown artists’ work to be seen and appreciated. Many artists worked collaboratively in this community activation project to paint the boarded up windows of businesses throughout downtown Grand Rapids over the summer of 2020.

“The protests and riots that took place in Grand Rapids this past summer are part of the history of the city. It is the privilege and place of the GRPM to preserve the stories of our community,” said GRPM President and CEO Dale Robertson. “To that end, these local artists’ statements speak to us on the ideals of justice, of systemic racism, and on racial reckoning. They represent and memorialize the community response to the destruction to our downtown which occurred at first light the following day. The Museum is pleased to be able to host these works, and connect with the community in this way.”

“Urban Funeral” by DeVante Barnes (Supplied)

“As a museum, we believe in the importance of building a collection to share stories that reflect the diversity of our community,” said Alex Forist, the GRPM’s Chief Curator. “Sharing the truth about history isn’t always going to be easy, but it’s important that we tell stories as accurately and completely as possible in order to preserve pieces from this moment in time for future generations. By purchasing these pieces, the Museum is honored to assist with amplifying the voices of black and brown artists in our community.”

The artifacts can also be explored on the Museum’s online Collections database, available at grpmcollections.org. This exhibit will be included with general admission. 

Tibbits announces auditions for ‘The Nifty Fifties’

Entertainment, ,
Tibbits Young Audiences will host auditions Feb. 8 and 9. (Supplied)

By Adrienne Brown-Reasner
West Michigan Tourist Association

Tibbits Young Audiences will move forward with its spring musical, “The Nifty Fifties”to be presented April 23-25 and will hold auditions for the show at 5 p.m. Feb. 8 and 9 at Tibbits Opera House.

After being forced to cancel last year’s production of “The Secret Garden” the week before opening, the TYA team is excited to get the students back on stage. “The Nifty Fifties” by Tim Kelly with music and lyrics by Bill Francoeur is a funny, top-tapping tribute to the 1950s. It tells the story of Gracie Stanley, who has gotten herself into hot water by promising to deliver her distant cousin, rock star Ziggy Springer, for the high school dance.  When Ziggy is unavailable she and her friends decide to fake his appearance. The story takes some turns and features memorable characters include a singing soda jerk, a snooty rival, a “totally square” building owner, a paranoid brother, a beatnik gang and its “bad dude” leader.

Auditions are open to any student in sixth through eighth grades. Students should bring a current, non-returnable photo, their completed audition form, and be accompanied by a parent or guardian; no additional guests will be allowed.  Students must project through their mask for the audition. They will be asked to introduce themselves from stage, read parts from the script, sing a familiar children’s song, and follow some simple choreography.

Audition forms and the part of the script the auditionees will be reading will be available online at Tibbits.org. Rehearsals will begin Feb 15, 2021 and will be held Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-6:30; not all roles meet all days. Rehearsals will be in small groups to allow for social distancing and masks will be required. The show will be presented April 23 and 24 at 7 p.m. and April 25 at 2 p.m. at Tibbits.

“The Nifty Fifties” will be directed by Julia Littley and produced by Tirsha Odisher with musical direction by Jayne Lillis. This productionis generously sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Coldwater. Students involved will learn characterization, blocking, costuming, makeup and all aspects of a stage production. Due to current restrictions, several adaptations have been made including reducing the size of the cast to 25 students in order to maintain social distancing.  While the TYA program usually casts 50 students from grades 4-8, because of the limited cast size this production will be limited to older students in sixth through eighth grades.

According to Littley, “We are giving this opportunity to the older students since we are limited to half of what we normally cast. It was a difficult decision and we understand it might be disappointing to our younger students, but rest assured we will open this opportunity back up to those in grades 4-5 as soon as we are able, hopefully by the fall production.”

Tibbits Young Audiences offers programs both for and by area youth to develop their interest in the arts. Two shows yearly, a non-musical in the fall and a musical in the spring, provide students an enjoyable introduction to the world of theatre. By putting on a show, they learn teamwork, discipline, theatre skills, self confidence and an appreciation for the arts.

Auditions will be held at Tibbits Opera House, 14 South Hanchett Street, Coldwater, Mich. Students need only attend one time. Masks are required inside the theatre. For more information call 517.278.6029 or visit Tibbits.org.

Snowmen invade Grand Haven as part of fun February event

Entertainment, ,
Grand Haven Main Street hosts a Build a Snowman contest Feb. 13 – 20. (Photo from Pxhere)

By Vicki Ellis
Grand Haven Main Street

Grand Haven Main Street invites the community to Build a Snowman on Main Street! Snowmen on Main Street is a new event created by Grand Haven Main Street’s promotions committee that showcases the talents of Snowman building at its finest throughout the Main Street District.

Snowmen on Main Street is a new community contest that allows you to express your snowman making talents without using snow (they do have a snowmelt system, after all)! You may enter individually or as a team. Your snowman can be made out of any type of material, though it will be displayed outside, so use weather resistant materials where possible. Your snowman can be 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional. What you create is up to you. Each snowman that is delivered to Grand Haven Main Street on February 10 will be attached to the light posts up & down Washington Avenue (Harbor to Beacon) and along 7th (Washington to Beacon).

“We are ecstatic to be welcoming a new winter event in 2021, Snowmen on Main. Community driven events like these are what bonds our local communities together and drives our Main Street businesses forward,” Grand Haven Main Street Executive Director Jeremy Swiftney stated. “Grab your materials, you and your team, get creative, and stop by to enjoy the historic main street district as the year round destination our community needs.”

The competition will begin on Saturday, Feb. 13, and run through Saturday, Feb. 20. The community is invited to come to Grand Haven Main Street throughout the week and vote for their favorite snowman.

There will be a first place Juried Award and a first place People’s Choice Award – each will win a trophy and bragging rights.

Grand Haven Main Street presents Snowmen on Main Street so…


– Choose your team

– Pick up, complete & return the registration form* by Feb. 1

– Create your vision

– Build your snowman

– Deliver your snowman to GHMS no later than 2/10 (519 Washington Avenue 9am—12noon)

*Registration is posted on Facebook and www.ghdowntown.com

Michigan trees identification program hosted by Kellogg Bird Sanctuary

Entertainment,

By Cara Barnes

Dr. Danielle Zoellner, Idle Awhile Farm

W.K. Kellogg Biological Station

Develop the skill to identify trees in their winter form from the warmth of your living room this winter. Join Dr. Danielle Zoellner of Idle Awhile Farm & Forage and the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary online next month to learn to identify common Michigan trees and shrubs using growth form, bark, buds and twigs.

The Winter Twig Identification workshop is set for 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, and will be held on Zoom. Participants are encouraged to bring any twigs with buds on them to identify during the workshop. Register by Saturday, Feb. 9, for the link to access the meeting.

  

The cost of participation is $15 for Sanctuary members, and $20 for non-members. Participants may opt to buy the recommended text, “Winter Tree Finder: A Manual for Identifying Deciduous Trees in Winter,” by May T. Watts, which is available for purchase online.

 

The Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, open during all four seasons, is a perfect place to practice newfound identification skills. The Sanctuary is located at 12685 East C Ave., one mile north of M-89 and just west of 40th Street. To learn more, visit birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu. Direct questions to birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu or 269-671-2510. 

Fifth annual ‘Roger That!’ celebration will be virtual

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Roger B. Chaffee Photo courtesy of the Grand Rapids Public Museum

By Kate Kocienski
Grand Rapids Public Museum

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Grand Valley State University announced today that the annual Roger That! conference and event is returning on Friday, Feb. 19, and Saturday, Feb. 20. Roger That! celebrates space exploration and the life of Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee, with a multi-day virtual experience, hosted by both organizations. 

“The Museum is thrilled to partner with GVSU for the fifth year to celebrate the life of Roger B. Chaffee and space exploration through a series of free public events,” said Rob Schuitema, the GRPM’s Director of Public Programs. “Although the celebration is virtual this year, attendees are going to be fully engaged and intrigued by the incredible lineup of guest speakers and presentations that address space, science, art and more.”

GVSU will host a virtual academic conference consisting of a diverse lineup of panelists including meteor scientists, engineers, artists, experts on virtual reality, physicists, space collection curators and astronauts. Registration required. For more information on GVSU’s guest lecture lineup, schedule and to register, visit gvsu.edu/rogerthat.

Roger Chaffee died with his fellow astronauts in a training exercise. (Grand Rapids Public Museum)

“Going virtual has allowed us to include speakers from around the country and around the world (Australia and Vatican City) and will also allow conference participants to tune in from everywhere,” said Deana Weibel, event co-organizer and GVSU professor of anthropology. “For instance, we have a visual effects panel composed of Hugo, Emmy and Oscar awardees. Since this year’s event is virtual, we felt it was important to include discussion from members of an industry that helps take us where we can’t be.”

Public events hosted as part of Roger That! include a livestream of a 1925 sci-fi silent film “Our Heavenly Bodies,” accompanied by the acoustics of the GRPM’s Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ; a webinar led by Dr. Brent Bos, who is a West Michigan native and NASA scientist; and a science fiction panel discussion featuring Hollywood special effects artists. To learn more about public presentations taking place as part of Roger That! visit grpm.org/RogerThat.

Public Virtual Events

 

The GRPM will kick off its public celebration on Friday, February 19 at 7:30 p.m. with a special virtual presentation of the 1925 sci-fi German silent film, “Our Heavenly Bodies,” accompanied by the dynamic sounds of the 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ. This performance will be live streamed from the GRPM’s Meijer Theater and will be available to watch via a Zoom link. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance due to limited spots. Tickets are available by visiting grpm.org/RogerThat.

On Saturday, Feb. 20, at noon Dr. Brent Bos, West Michigan native, senior research physicist at NASA Goddard Flight Center, and camera operator of the OSIRIS-REx asteroid mission, will host a webinar titled Bombshells at Bennu: Revelations from NASA’s First Asteroid Sample Return Mission. This webinar will be live streamed from the GRPM’s Meijer Theater and will be available to watch via a Zoom link. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance due to limited spots. Tickets are available by visiting grpm.org/RogerThat.

The celebration will conclude with a panel discussion, Art and Special Effects in Science Fiction, on February 20, starting at 3 p.m. The panel will be led by four Hollywood special effects artists: Vincent Di Fate, Ron Miller, Robert Skotak and Rick Sternbach. This group of artists have produced Oscar, Emmy and Hugo winning achievements, and will discuss the role of art in science fiction, while focusing on the introduction of special effects in silent films. The panelists will reflect on Friday’s silent film of “Our Heavenly Bodies” as well as share their own stories, experiences and artwork. Q and A will follow. The panel discussion will be available to watch via a Zoom link. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance due to limited spots. Register at gvsu.edu/rogerthat.

Visitors are encouraged to continue celebrating space exploration by visiting the GRPM’s Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium, which features a new show Incoming! that explores asteroids, comets and meteors. A live show, created by the GRPM, will accompany the movie portion of Incoming! in partnership with NASA scientist Brent Bos. In addition to the show, the GRPM also partnered with Brent Bos and created a set of new interactive experiences outside of the Chaffee Planetarium. These include a lunar crater station, meteors under a microscope and a meteor pinball machine.

 

The Planetarium lobby also features an exhibit with Roger B. Chaffee related artifacts that tell a detailed story of his life.

The GRPM is open during regular business hours with capacity limits. Advance tickets are required for entry. Planetarium lobby interactives and displays are included with general admission. Planetarium shows are an additional cost and can be purchased at grpm.org/planetarium.

Roger B. Chaffee and the Apollo Tragedy

 

On Jan. 27, 1967, tragedy struck NASA’s Apollo program when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States extravehicular activity during the Gemini program; and Grand Rapids Native Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first spaceflight, died in this tragic accident. The Grand Rapids Public Museum renamed its planetarium to the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium the same year. The Planetarium was originally opened in 1994 and has gone through renovations to provide the best experience for Planetarium visitors.

Roger B. Chaffee, born in Grand Rapids, MI, was an American naval officer and aviator, aeronautical engineer, and NASA astronaut in the Apollo program.

Holiday lights in Holland to stay up until March

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,

By Kara de Alvare
Downtown Holland

Downtown Holland‘s holiday lights will remain up all winter long to help bring some much-needed light to the community after a difficult year. The lights will remain up until March so they can be enjoyed by Downtown Holland customers, along with numerous walkers and runners who like to take advantage of Downtown Holland’s snowmelt system all winter long.

“We made the decision to leave the lights up because we recognized that the community could use a little light during these long winter days,” said Downtown Development Authority Coordinator Amy Sasamoto. “We invite everyone to Downtown Holland to stroll the brightly lit streets. We hope it’s a gift that helps lift everyone’s spirits!”

The holiday lights in Downtown Holland are installed and maintained by Chips Ground Cover, a local Holland business, and are paid for the City’s Downtown Development Authority. No general taxpayer funds are used for the project. The DDA is funded by a 1.6 mil tax levy paid annually by properties located within the DDA boundaries.

Public Museum to host virtual backyard stargazing program

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Chaffee Planetarium experts will be on hand for a virtual Backyard Stargazing meet-up Feb. 4. (Supplied).

By Kate Kocienski
Grand Rapids Public Museum

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that a Backyard Stargazing virtual meet-up will be offered to the public on Thursday, Feb. 4 at 6 p.m.

Virtual visitors will journey to the depths of the universe, alongside the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium experts and local astronomer, James Van Prooyen, to learn how radio waves help inform astronomers about a variety of celestial objects including meteor showers, pulsars, gamma ray bursts and more.

“We’re excited to continue offering virtual programs to bring the planetarium experience directly to the homes of people who love science and space exploration,” said Dr. Stephanie Ogren, the GRPM’s Vice President of Science & Education. “We intentionally select program topics to fit the interests of all ages, and work to create engaging environments for families to participate in together.”

 

Backyard Stargazing Meetups are only $2 for GRPM members and $4 for the general public. One ticket link is needed per household. Capacity is limited; early registration is recommended. Tickets can be reserved or purchased at grpm.org/Calendar. 

Meet-ups are in webinar style held via Zoom, so attendees will be able to see the GRPM panelists, but not each other. A brief Q & A session will follow the presentation. 

The GRPM is open and welcoming visitors. Explore three floors of core exhibitions, along with Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks and Under the Arctic, open through spring 2021. Limited capacity; advance ticketing is required. For additional details about the new GRPM visitor experience, visit grpm.org/the-grpms-new-visitor-experience/. For updates, please visit grpm.org. 

Meijer Gardens hosts soft opening of new welcome center

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,

By John VanderHaagen
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has announced the soft opening of the new Welcome Center to the public on Jan. 11 at 9 a.m. The 69,000 square-foot building greatly enhances the arrival, admission and orientation experience for guests. The Welcome Center features contemporary sculpture as well as horticultural elements throughout.

Please note: The Jan. 11 opening is a soft opening, and not all areas of the building will be open and accessible until fall of 2021. Additional information will be sent regarding the Opening Celebration and Dedication.

“The magnificent new Welcome Center is made possible by the generosity of Fred & Lena Meijer, the extended Meijer family and hundreds of individuals, companies and foundations,” said President & CEO David Hooker. “The Welcome Center was created in response to an unprecedented embrace of our mission as reflected in our attendance, membership and donor base growth…Our architects, artists and garden designers have created a place to experience our mission that is truly world-class.”

Located at the beginning of the journey into the 158-acre main campus, the Welcome Center complements the glass architectural lines of the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory and serves as a place for guests to comfortably purchase tickets or a membership, view an orientation film and receive information about their visit. The design ties together the many parts of Meijer Gardens into a coherent and understandable whole and serves to welcome everyone who enters.

The Welcome Center is comprised of two levels, the Main Level and the lower Courtyard Level. Main Level exterior and interior highlights include an expanded and relocated Peter C. and Emajean Cook Entryway, PNC Portico, expanded and relocated Ram’s Garden, Daniel and Pamella DeVos Ticketing Center, expanded coat room and restrooms, a Mobility Center for complimentary wheelchairs and electric carts, O-A-K Theater and the Garden Pavilion, featuring horticultural displays and the new sculpture titled Utopia by the Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. The Garden Pavilion is scheduled to open later this year. Courtyard Level highlights include an expanded and relocated Peter M. Wege Library, archives and storage, Lievense Indoor Eating Area and a Courtyard Level garden named Mimi’s Garden, featuring a glass enclosed sunken garden that is naturally lit from above.

The new Welcome Center and recently completed Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater and related facilities were designed by architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien.

In addition to horticultural details throughout, the Welcome Center will feature prominent works of Contemporary sculpture by celebrated international artists: Jaume Plensa, George Segal, Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, El Anatsui, Kenneth Snelson, Alexander Calder and Marshall Fredericks, whose work first caught the eye of Fred Meijer and began his passion for collecting sculpture. Part of the permanent sculpture collection, the placement of these pieces and horticultural elements reflects the greater Meijer Gardens mission as evidenced throughout the Gardens & Sculpture Park.  The exterior and Frey Foundation Plaza leading into the Welcome Center will feature sculpture by Marshall Fredericks, Tony Cregg, Manuel Neri and Henri Laurens.

Boyne Highlands Resort offers enchanted trail full of lights

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,

By Erin Ernst
Boyen Highlands Resort

 Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs, Michigan, has opened a new winter attraction, The Enchanted Trail.

 

“The Enchanted Trail offers a magical experience for all ages,” says Mike Chumbler, Boyne Highlands Resort’s president and general manager. “It’s a really serene and peaceful walk culminating at a beautifully designed yurt where beverages are served, and guests can gather round a bonfire, before journeying back.”

The trail totals two miles roundtrip, and features the twinkling of hundreds of lights strewn throughout the path.  Guests can opt to walk, or snowshoe the trail with snowshoes available for rent. Tickets are $15 per person, and The Enchanted Trail is open on weekends and holidays with departures from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Hot chocolate and s’mores are included. A cash bar is available and beverage tickets can be purchased in advance for the event.

Reservations are required and can be made online at boynehighlands.com.

Social distancing should be practiced on the trail and face masks are required inside the yurt and anytime six feet cannot be maintained from other parties.

For complete event information, lodging reservations, or more information about Boyne Highlands Resort, please visit boynehighlands.com or call 866.759.3530.

Grass River Natural Area hosts annual race this weekend

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By Betsy Willis
Grass River Natural Area

Grass River Shiver takes places this weekend. (Grass River Natural Area)

Put on your snowshoes and run or walk through the beautiful snow-covered Grass River Natural Area this weekend, Jan. 9 and 10, at the Grass River Shiver, a fundraiser for the education programs at GRNA. This snowshoe race in northern Michigan is only a short distance from Traverse City. A prize is awarded to overall male and female 5K/10K winners. Walkers are welcome.

Registration includes:
– a one-of-a-kind race on a marked course on beautiful trails through wetlands and woods
– a soup voucher for a free soup lunch to-go from Short’s Brewing Co.
– after-race snacks and refreshments
– 1st place prize is awarded to one overall male and female for the 5K and 10k
-Some Grass River swag – a GRNA neck gaiter/buff for each runner/walker!

This year the Shiver event has been changed to a hybrid format to meet distancing protocols. ​Run or walk at your convenience on Saturday or Sunday. See the event schedule for more details.

Weekend Event Schedule

Saturday, Jan. 9 and Sunday, Jan. 10:
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – The Grass River Center will be open and staffed for six hours on Saturday and Sunday. The Center is heated with restrooms. GRNA is asking that only one group/household comes indoors at a time. The course is available from dawn to dusk.

An official clock will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning for those that would like an official clocked time to run their race, but you can run the course any time Saturday or Sunday at your convenience and clock your time. Upload your time results on the GRNA webpage after you finish. Also, upload any photos you took at or during the race! Race times must be submitted by midnight Sunday night, January 10th. You can pick up your race materials at the Grass River Center before or after you race.

Go to www.grassriver.org to register.

Snapshots: Holiday music and more

Citizen Journalism, , ,

Santa Claus is anyone who loves another and seeks to make them happy; who gives himself by thought or word or deed in every gift that he bestows.

Edwin Osgood Grover, American publisher and educator, 1870 – 1965



By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org


Carillonneur, Julianne Vanden Wyngaard (Photo courtesy of GVSU)

Do you hear what I hear?

The annual GVSU Christmas Eve Carillon Concert will take place at 9:30 p.m. at the Pew Campus, 401 W. Fulton St., downtown Grand Rapids. Patrons are invited to drive-up and park in one of the lots near the carillon and listen to the performance by Carillonneur Julianne Vanden Wyngaard. The concert is free.


Chaffee Planetarium will present “Let It Snow” through Jan. 3, 2021. (Photo Courtesy of Grand Rapids Public Museum)

Look to the stars

The Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium at the Grand Rapids Public Museum has reopened and is featuring three different shows: “Let It Snow,” “Under Starlit Skies,” “Ice World,” and “Incoming!” which is narrated by “Star Trek’s” George Takei. For a full Chaffee Planetarium show schedule, visit grpm.org/planetarium. Also, the Public Museum will be open throughout the holidays. Visit grpm.org for the museum’s holiday schedule.


Bah-Humbug!

Get into the holiday spirit with the classic Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” currently being presented by the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. The company is live streaming the performance through Broadway On Demand through Dec. 31. Tickets are $9.99 for individuals and $24.99 for families. For more information, visit grct.org.


Fun Fact: Bells in Space

In 1965, “Jingle Bells” became the first song broadcast from space when the astronauts aboard Gemini 6 decided to play a prank on Mission Control and performed the song on a harmonica and actual jingle bells they had smuggled on board. Another fun fact about the song is that was originally composed as a Thanksgiving song by James Lord Pierport who premiered the piece as “One Horse Sleigh” at his church’s Thanksgiving performance.

Chaffee Planetarium set to reopen Dec. 22

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Chaffee Planetarium will present “Let It Snow” through Jan. 3, 2021. (Photo Courtesy of Grand Rapids Public Museum)

By Christie Bender
Grand Rapids Public Museum

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium will reopen and welcome visitors on a limited capacity basis starting on Tuesday, Dec. 22.

Visitors to the Chaffee Planetarium can relax, recline and visit the galaxy, constellations, far away planets, learn about asteroids and much more! All of the shows feature the latest Digistar projection technology and immersive surround sound for an unbelievably rich and realistic experience.

The Chaffee Planetarium will host multiple shows per week with enough time in between for a thorough cleaning. The schedule beginning this week will include the holiday show, Let it Snow, as well as the popular show Incoming!, Under Starlit Skies and Ice Worlds.

Let it Snow
This special holiday show features a new variety of festive classics from Frank Sinatra and Chuck Berry to Burl Ives and Brenda Lee, and includes a stunning multimedia finale by the Trans Siberian Orchestra. The soundtrack is visually enhanced with thematic animation, laser imagery and special effects. Let it Snowwill run through Jan. 3, 2021. 

George Takei’s “Incoming!” at the Chaffee Planetarium. (Photo courtesy of Grand Rapids Public Museum)

Incoming!
Narrated by George Takei, Incoming! explores asteroids, comets and meteors. California Academy of Sciences developed cutting-edge visualizations based on real-time data from current NASA missions to show audiences the dynamic story of our Solar System. A live show was created by the GRPM to accompany the movie portion of Incoming! in partnership with NASA scientist Dr. Brent Bos, who is currently studying asteroids and grew up in West Michigan.

Ice Worlds
The delicate balance between ice, water and the existence of life has been a topic of scientific inquiry for generations. In travels to the Arctic and Antarctic regions of our planet, viewers will examine the ecosystems that exist and thrive there and learn how their survival is connected with our own. Beyond Earth, see how the existence of ice shapes the landscape and the natural systems on other planets and moons in our solar system.

 

Under Starlit Skies – LIVE Presentation
Join a live presenter to explore the wonders of the winter night sky. Learn tips and tricks that will help you find planets and constellations from your own backyard. Fly to the far reaches of the solar system to get a closer look at planets, moons and more.

For a full Chaffee Planetarium show schedule, visit grpm.org/planetarium. Planetarium tickets are $2 for Museum members, $4 each with general admission to the Museum, and $5 each for planetarium only tickets. Limited capacity; advance ticketing is required and can be purchased at grpm.org.

 

The GRPM is open and welcoming visitors. Explore three floors of core exhibitions, along with Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks and Under the Arctic. Limited capacity; advance ticketing is required. For additional details about the GRPM’s visitor experience, visit grpm.org/the-grpms-new-visitor-experience/. The Museum will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. For updates, please visit grpm.org. 

Manistee celebrates the holidays with special statute

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The Lamplighter by Tyler and Ashley Voorhees (Supplied)

By Xavier Verna
Ramsdell Theatre

The Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts (RRCA) partners with artists Tyler and Ashley Voorhees (Glenn, Michigan) to present The Lamplighter. This stunning sculpture will be on display through Jan. 4, next to the Christmas tree in downtown Manistee. The Lamplighter is an interactive sculpture for people to enjoy safely and yet, encourage togetherness.

The Lamplighter harks back to the early days when the streets of most towns and cities were lit by gas lamps. By means of long poles, ladders, and even tall bikes, these lamps had to be lit each night as dusk turned to darkness. Lamplighters provided not only light but also safety in their communities. More than just a job, these harbingers of light represent a way of life: illuminating darkness.

The Lamplighter sculpture is constructed with dozens of antiquated tools and man-made artifacts in a grand gesture to this humble worker of the past. You are invited to pedal the stationary bikes surrounding the sculpture to generate light.  This illumination is a nod to the light that we all carry within us. The Lamplighter symbolizes a collective connection to spread that light.

In a year of adaptation, artists Tyler and Ashley Voorhees have had to find new avenues to connect with patrons as their typical schedule of art festivals was upended by COVID-19. The Lamplighter sculpture was originally scheduled to be debuted at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. After that event was added to the endless list of canceled events, the Voorhees duo searched out a new venue to unveil the sculpture. Xavier Verna, Executive Director of the RRCA, answered the call, and the stage was set for this momentous month-long exhibition.

The exhibition will run from through Jan. 4.  This sculpture is supported by patrons of the arts, Arts Midwest, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, National Endowment for the Arts, The City of Manistee, and presented by the Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts.