Tag Archives: Festival of the Arts

Gonzo’s Top 5: Festival, food trucks, and lots of music

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By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

It’s Festival weekend!

And I’m so excited for the return of Festival of the Arts in downtown Grand Rapids. It’s one of the first major events I experienced when I moved to the area more than 30 years ago, and it showed me that West Michigan cares about the arts, and its children.

Plus, the food is great!

Obviously Festival will make it into my Top 5, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal.

What else makes my list? Read on.

Gonzo’s Top 5

Sunday Night Funnies’ Kingpin of Comedy starts June 5. (Courtesy)

5. Sunday Night Funnies – Spectrum Entertainment Complex

The return of the “Kingpin of Comedy” stand-up comedy competition begins Sunday, June 5, at the Spectrum Entertainment Complex. It will continue all summer (and fall), with the finals on Oct. 9. The winner of the competition will win $500 in cash, a Kingpin bowling pin trophy, a customized bowling shirt, and the opportunity to close at the Sunday Night Funnies LaughFest show in 2023. A presentation is planned with the mayor of Wyoming declaring the winner as “the funniest person in town.” Additional prizes also will be awarded from the Spectrum Entertainment Complex, Craig’s Cruisers, the Listening Room and Gilda’s Club’s LaughFest. At this weekend’s show, doors open at 7:30 p.m., followed by the show at 8:30 p.m.  Admission is free. The Spectrum Entertainment Complex is located at 5656 Clyde Park Ave. SW, in Wyoming. More details on the Sunday Night Funnies Facebook page.

Saladino Smise will be part at the Kentwood Food Truck. (supplied)

4. Kick-Off to Summer Food Truck Festival

It’s a beautiful weekend to experience 30 food trucks, live music, a beer tent and more at this year’s Food Truck Festival in Kentwood. Hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday (June 4)  at Kentwood City Hall and the Kent District Library – Richard L. Root/Kentwood Branch at 4950 Breton Rd. SE.

 

SCHEDULE
11:00am – 8:00pm  Food Trucks serving and Beer Tent open
11:00am-12:30pm  Downtown Authority
12:30 – 2:30pm  DJ Snax
2:30 – 4:00pm  MOLLY
4:00 – 6:00pm  DJ Snax
6:00 – 8:00pm  Azz-Izz Band

More details at https://www.kentwood.us/events_detail_T53_R88.php

Home Free performs June 5. (Supplied)

3. Concerts

Festival of the Arts is not the only thing going on this weekend in downtown Grand Rapids. Rock band Modest Mouse (“Float On”) performs at 7 p.m. Friday (June 3) at GLC Live at 20 Monroe. A few tickets remain starting at $50 general admission. More details at concerts.livenation.com. Also, American country a cappella group Home Free performs at 8 p.m. Sunday (June 5) at DeVos Performance Hall. The group competed in and won the fourth season of “The Sing-Off” on NBC-TV in 2013. Ticket information at devosperformancehall.com.

pxhere.com

2. Camp Greensky Music Festival 

It’s back! America’s favorite Bluegrass music festival led by Michigan’s own Greensky Bluegrass returns with a great lineup. Performances continue today and Saturday (June 3-4) at Shagbark Farm in Caledonia. The schedule includes:

FRIDAY

  • Dave Bruzza—12:30-1:30 p.m.
  • Luke Winslow King—2-3 p.m.
  • Wayword Sons—3:30-4:30 p.m.
    Peter Rowan—5-6:15 p.m.
  • Sammy Rae & the Friends—6:45-8:15 p.m.
  • Greensky Bluegrass—8:45-11:45 p.m.

SATURDAY

  • phoffman—12:30-1:30 p.m.
  • Jon Stickley Trio—1:45-2:45 p.m.
  • TK & the Holy Know Nothings—3-4 p.m.
  • Steve Kimock and Friends—4:35-5:45 p.m.
  • Little Feat—6:15-8:15 p.m.
  • Greensky Bluegrass—8:45-11:45 p.m.

More information at campgreensky.com.

1.Festival of the Arts

It’s known as one of the largest all-volunteer festivals in the country. And it’s a huge part of West Michigan culture. If you’re new to the area, this is the place to be for local acts such as youth ballet and rock bands to local charities raising money through ethnic food booths. It takes up several stages and food booths spread out on downtown streets to make it happen. Festival of the Arts has been known to bring in as many as 300,000 people over the course of three days (June 3-5). This year should be a return to those big crowds. Enjoy. More information at https://festivalgr.org/.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

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.

Virtual Arts Festival set to take place June 5 and 6

Entertainment, ,

By David Abbott
Festival of the Arts

David Abbott, Festival’s Executive Director

While we are not yet able to gather for concerts, go to the ballet, or walk through art galleries, Festival of the Arts and the other 20 cultural organizations that make up the Grand Rapids Arts Working Group are working together to host a Virtual Arts Festival. This special event will stream live on WOODTV.com 10 am-9 pm Friday, June 5, with an encore showing on Saturday, June 6 – the traditional weekend Festival of the Arts would take place in downtown Grand Rapids.

“Partnering with over twenty arts and culture organizations, the production/design team of Sidecar Studios and Well Design, and hundreds of artists and performers on the Virtual Arts Festival, showcases the collaborative spirit of our community,” says David Abbott, Executive Director of Festival of the Arts. “The recent restoration project of Alexander Calder’s La Grande Vitesse celebrates the restorative power of the arts for us all!“
 

This virtual event will highlight the Grand Rapids’ area local talent, including performing, visual, and culinary arts, along with performances from the Grand Rapids Symphony, Ebony Road Players, Grand Rapids Ballet, Opera Grand Rapids, the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, and more.
 

“People need the arts now more than ever as we begin to process this epidemic and move forward. The ingenuity of Festival of the Arts by creating this virtual event signals a wonderful opportunity for healing in our community,“ says Emilee Syrewicze, Executive Director of Opera Grand Rapids.
 

“It’s been a privilege for the Grand Rapids Symphony to serve as honorary co-chairs for Festival of the Arts this past year. Though it won’t be the same, we’re just as thrilled to share our gift of music with the community at the Virtual Arts Festival,” said President and CEO Mary Tuuk. “Music not only is one of our greatest joys, it’s one of our greatest sources of comfort in trying times. When we need it, we can count on music to nourish our soul and lift our spirits.”
 

Performers interested in submitting work for consideration may send a recorded video to festivalgr.org/virtual-art-festival by May 15th. Submissions must be original work or public domain to be considered.
 

Visual artists can upload a photo of artwork to fs22.formsite.com/festivalgr/mvn9edyis8/index to apply to be featured in the online Regional Arts Exhibition, which will be included in the streaming Virtual Arts Festival as well as housed on the Festival of the Arts website. Submissions must be received by midnight May 14th.
 

The 11-hour streaming event will culminate in a showcase presentation including Mayor Rosalyn Bliss and City Manager Mark Washington, leaders from Grand Rapids Arts Working Group organizations, and a performance from the Grand Rapids Symphony.

How the Calder impacted West Michigan focus on new WKTV program

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Alexander Calder’s “La Grande Vitesse” at night.

WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org


In 1969, the Grand Rapids area was the recipient of the first piece of Art in Public Places funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Fifty years later, SideCar Studios and ArtPeers came together to explore the impact that Alexander Calder’s “La Grande Vitesse” has had on the West Michigan community. The film premiered at the 2019 Festival of the Arts, a three-day celebration of the arts that takes place in downtown Grand Rapids. Festival can credit its foundation to the big red sculpture among other elements.

For those who might have missed the premier, or just want to see the film again, “The Great Swiftness” (which is what”La Grande Vitesse” translates to) will air on WKTV Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 2:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. WKTV is available in the communities of Wyoming, Kentwood and Gaines Township on Comcast Channel 25 and on AT&T U-verse Channel 99.

“You see it everywhere on street signs, city signs and on stationary,”  John VanderHaagen, director of communications at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.

The 17-minute film features an array of people from the Greater Grand Rapids community, from artists to familiar faces such as Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. The guests talk about Calder’s sculpture and the importance of art in general to a community like Grand Rapids. The interviews are mixed with old footage of when “La Grande Vitesse” was installed and dedicated, sprinkled with comments from Nancy Mulnix Tweddale, the leading organizer who helped to bring Calder’s piece to Grand Rapids. 

To check out more programming at WKTV, visit the wktvjournal.org and click the schedule tab at the top or read through the many stories about our community.

Three from Grand Rapids Symphony named honorary Festival of the Arts co-chairs

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Festival of the Arts is excited to announce its honorary co-chairs for the event’s 51st year – Grand Rapids Symphony’s President Mary Tuuk, Music Director Marcelo Lehninger, and Associate Conductor John Varineau. For the next year, the three will serve as ambassadors for the community-wide celebration of arts and culture that returns in June 2020.

Festival of the Arts unveiled the appointment on Friday, June 7, the first day of the three-day, showcase of art, music, dance and more, including a performance by the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony under conductor John Varineau.

The Grand Rapids Symphony’s leadership team follows the Grand Rapids Ballet’s Glenn Del Vecchio, Executive Director, and James Sofranko, Artistic Director, who served as honorary co-chairs for the 50th anniversary Festival of the Arts.

Marcelo Lehninger, the musical director of the Grand Rapids Symphony, on stage. (Grand Rapids Symphony)

The run up to Festival of the Arts 2020 coincides with the Grand Rapids Symphony’s 90th anniversary season in 2019-20.

“I’m thrilled to have Grand Rapids Symphony back for Festival of the Arts in 2020 and to have their leaders involved as honorary co-chairs,” said David Abbott, Executive Director for Festival of the Arts. “Festival remains grateful for the Youth Symphony for their continued performance and looks forward to the professional company joining in on the fun.”

“Marcelo is already formulating some surprises that we know will wow the community,” Abbott said.

Grand Rapids Symphony’s President Mary Tuuk (Grand Rapids Symphony)

Mary Tuuk, a Grand Rapids native and Calvin College graduate, joined the Grand Rapids Symphony as President and CEO earlier this year following a long career in banking for Fifth Third Bank and in retail for Meijer, Inc.

Marcelo Lehninger, a native of Brazil, is completing his third season as Music Director of the Grand Rapids Symphony. Last year, he led the Grand Rapids Symphony in its critically acclaimed return to New York City for a performance in Carnegie Hall.

John Varineau, who is in his 34th season on the conducting staff of the Grand Rapids Symphony, has served as conductor of the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony for the past 31 seasons.

“Festival of the Arts has a special place in our hearts as it does in yours as well,” Tuuk said. “Since childhood, I’ve known that, in Grand Rapids, summer in the city truly begins with Festival.”

Grand Rapids Symphony Associate Conduction John Varineau (Grand Rapids Symphony)

Fifty years ago, Alexander Calder’s 43-foot tall, 42-ton stabile, “La Grande Vitesse,” was installed in downtown Grand Rapids as the fledgling National Endowment for the Arts’ first work of public art. Former Congressman Gerald R. Ford, who later became 38th President of the United States, was instrumental in securing the $45,000 grant in 1967.

For its dedication on June 14, 1969, the Grand Rapids Symphony performed music by George Gershwin and Charles Ives, and the orchestra gave the premiere performance of a piece titled “Inaugural Fanfare” commissioned for the occasion by Aaron Copland.

The Grand Rapids Symphony or its musicians, performing as soloists or in smaller ensembles, have been a part of Festival of the Arts for most of the past five decades. Next year, musicians of the orchestra will perform in some capacity for the annual event that’s open for free to the entire community.

The Board of Directors of Festival of the Arts last year decided to follow a new process for honorary co-chairs beginning with Grand Rapids Ballet’s Del Vecchio and Sofranko. In order to re-connect with the arts institutions of the region, Festival is looking to select leaders from partnering arts institutions in future years. The honorary co-chairs will serve as ambassadors to the community encouraging engagement for the event and also serve as conduit to all the other arts institutions in the region for solicitation of performers and artists.

School News Network: Godwin Heights student takes top spot in poetry contest

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Godwin Heights Aliya Hall took first place in the undergraduate division for the 51st annual Dyer-Ives Poetry Contest. (School News Network)

By Charles Honey
School News Network


Aliya Hall loves the work of poets Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou and Chinaka Hodge. Their strong voices have served as inspiration for her as she’s dabbled in writing and spoken-word poetry.

“The first thing that ever inspired me to write poetry was seeing people that are my color doing it,” said Aliya, an incoming junior at Godwin Heights High School. She won first place for her poem “Hawk Island Girl,” in the high school through undergraduate division of the 51st annual Dyer-Ives Poetry Contest.

Hall, along with East Rockford Middle School eighth-grader Alissa Vezikov who won the kindergarten through eighth grade division, read her winning poem at the Grand Rapids Public Library during the 50th annual Festival of the Arts. In 2016, the Dyer-Ives Poetry Competition became a program of the Grand Rapids Public Library, funded by the GRPL Foundation–Dyer-Ives Foundation Poetry Fund.

For her winning piece, Hall won $125 and publication in Voices, issued by the Grand Rapids Public Library.

Tapping into Memories 

Hall’s winning poem, “Hawk Island Girl,” was inspired by the poem “to the notebook kid” by Eve Ewing, a Chicago-based writer. She tapped into her own memories of family visits to Hawk Island Park in Lansing, basing the girl in the poem on herself.

“It was my first time ever doing something like this. It was very emotional for me,” Hall said about reading her poem at the library. “Writing is everything to me. I put all that I can into my writing. My readers, I want them to pull whatever they can from it.”

Hall has attended the Grand Rapids Creative Youth Center, which offers after-school creative writing programming. Also, she was also one of two local students to attend the International Congress of Youth Voices, an experience she wrote about for School News Network. She is returning to the event, which connects students with accomplished writers, activists, and elected officials, as an alumna in August.

She hopes to attend Hampton University, in Virginia, and pursue journalism, creative writing and business.

For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.

WKTV volunteer work part of 2019 Festival Regional Arts Exhibition

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“Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye,” by Thomas Hegewald

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktvorg


As the Festival of the Arts brings to gear up, many WKTV regulars and readers might recognize a familiar name at this year’s regional art exhibition.

WKTV volunteer Thomas Hegewald had two pieces accepted into this year’s Festival of the Arts Regional Art Exhibition. The black and white photos are titled “Layers, Sound of Raasay” and “Old Man of Story, Isle of Skye.”

An artist reception is set for this Saturday, June 1, from 1 – 4 p.m .at the Fed Galleries at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University, located at 17 Pearl St. NW. The exhibition runs June 2 – 22. 

The show features artwork from artists living in Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Ottawa counties. 

In honor of this being the 50th Festival, there are two other Festival exhibitions: Comic/Anime/Graphic Novel Illustration Art at Madcap Coffee, 98 Monroe Center and “Bronzes of West Michigan” Photography Competition at the the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives, 87 Monroe Center. Both of these shows will have artists receptions from 6 — 7:30 p.m Wednesday, June 5.

The 50th Festival of the Arts opens Friday, June 7 and runs through Sunday, June 9. The three-day event features performances by local artists, craft and art tents, the art exhibitions, food booths, and this year, a food truck rally. 

For more information on Festival of the Arts, visit festivalgr.org. For a complete list of the artists at all three art exhibitions, click here.

“Layers, Sound of Raasay,” by Thomas Hegewald

Marking 50, Festival of the Arts reveals 2019 poster commemorating GR’s famous red sculpture

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The 2019 Festival of the Arts poster. Festival takes place June 7, 8, and 9.

WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

To commemorate its 50th year, Festival of the Arts is excited to announce renowned designer Stephen Frykholm as its 2019 poster artist. One of the longest running festivals in the state of Michigan, Festival of the Arts will hold its 50th celebration on June 7, 8, and 9 in downtown Grand Rapids.

“Steve was an obvious choice to create the 50th celebration poster,” said Festival of the Arts Executive Director David Abbott.” He is a luminary in the design community and we knew he would create something unique and compelling to commemorate this milestone event.”

Frykholm started his career at Herman Miller in 1970 as the company’s first graphic designer. In 1986 he received the Carl F. Frost Award, Herman Miller’s highest recognition for an employee. In 2007, AIGA, the professional association for design, awarded him an AIGA Fellow, and in 2010 he earned AIGA’s most prestigious award, the AIGA Medal. Steve has been recognized as an annual report design legend by Graphis magazine and he was acclaimed as an American design icon in the 50th anniversary issue of Communication Arts. He retired from Herman Miller in 2015.

“When David Abbott asked me if I would design the Festival of the Arts poster this year, I couldn’t say no, because it’s the 50th year of the festival. That’s a big deal!” Frykholm said. “It was also 50 years ago that the critically acclaimed Calder stabile was installed, and it is the epicenter of the festival. After reviewing all the former posters in the lower level of City Hall, I decided on my direction–the iconic Calder would be my focal point. The Grand River and the Native American mounds are also important city symbols, and I wanted to include them. The large poster I came up with is simple and direct in its design and typography with a blue sky for optimism. I hope it inspires people to start their summer–and perhaps a suntan–by attending the 50th Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts in June.”  

This year’s poster will be available for sale in the Festival Store and at the Gift Shop at the GRAM during Festival of the Arts. Both signed and unsigned versions will be available at different price points.
    

The Calder stabile, or La Grande Vitesse, was formally dedicated on June 14, 1969, and has since become the civic symbol of the City of Grand Rapids. Its installation inspired the first Festival of the Arts, a three-day community arts celebration held each year on the first full weekend in June. Festival began in 1970 and was originally sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids.

Festival started with two stages, some artwork and a few food booths. Today, the celebration covers much of downtown Grand Rapids with three performance stages, dozens of food booths, and endless art and activities for all ages. Now in its 50th year, Festival of the Arts is one of the longest running festivals in the State of Michigan.

GR Ballet’s SoFranko, Del Vecchio named Festival of the Arts’ first honorary co-chairs

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Grand Rapids Ballet Executive Director Glenn Del Vechicco, Festival of the Arts Executive Director David Abbott, and Grand Rapids Ballet Artist Director James SoFranko (Photo courtesy of Festival of the Arts)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanen@wktv.org

 

Fifty years ago, the Grand Rapids Ballet made its professional debut at the Festival of the Arts. In 2019, the state’s only professional ballet company will be helping to celebrate the event’s 50th anniversary with the company’s Artistic Director James SoFranko and Executive Director Glenn Del Vecchio serving as honorary co-chairs.

 

“I don’t know if everyone understands it but this was one of the first performances we ever did as a professional company, dancing at Festival,” said Del Vecchio during a recent news conference early announcing the honorary co-chairs. “So to to bring it full circle 50 years later and be a part of Festival 2019 is so exciting to us.”

 

Festival Executive Director David Abbot said having honorary co-chairs is a big change for the organization which has have community individuals represent the leadership of Festival over its 49-year history. 

 

“This year what we wanted to do in taking us into our next 50 years is always chose a pairing from a leading arts institution so that we can show the community that we are about collaboration in the arts and we are about partnering,” Abbot said.

 

Abbott said representatives from the Grand Rapids Ballet serving as honorary co-chairs seemed a natural fit given the organization’s history with Festival.

 

The 2019 Festival of the Arts will take place June 7, 8 and 9.

“They are leaders in the community for the arts and in the State of Michigan, this is the only professional ballet company,” Abbott said.

 

Festival of the Arts is a regional celebration of the arts that traditionally takes place the very first weekend in June. Next year it will be June 7, 8 and 9

 

“We are expanding back our Festival so it is on the full footprint of downtown Grand Rapids running from Calder Plaza all the way to Rosa Parks Circle,” Abbott said. “We will have six main stages as well as our five pop up stages that we had last year. So you are going to see performance and music in every corner of our Festival.”

 

And one of course, the Grand Rapids Ballet is already planning its performance for the 2019 Festival of the Arts.

 

“One of the things that we have always wanted to do is to bring a really high quality performance to Festival and so we are going to have our professional dancers dance at Festival, free to the public. It is going to be an unbelievable evening,” Del Vechicco said. 

 

Abbott said Festival of the Arts recently has revamped is website, festivalgr.org, with application process for performance, art sales, the regional arts exhibition, and food sales expected to begin in November. 

Summer Festivals in West Michigan

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By Jeremy Witt, West Michigan Tourist Association

 

With summer comes a slew of festivals in West Michigan, each entirely unique and memorable. We’re talking about festivals centered around food, beer, art, culture, and more throughout the next few months. With events taking place nearly every week throughout the summer, there’s always something right around the corner for you to experience with these West Michigan festivals.

June Festivals in West Michigan

The Festival of the Arts is a three-day community celebration in downtown Grand Rapids offering art, food, entertainment, and fun activities for all ages. This year’s event is June 1st to 3rd, and will continue the tradition of bringing together the Grand Rapids art community for a summer kick-off. Ongoing for over 40 years, the Festival of the Arts is one of the longest-running festivals in the state.

 

The Mecosta area is home to festivals throughout the summer. The Lilac Festival is a chance for families to come out and do something fun, as a hometown, family-friendly event from June 1st to 3rd. Return for a summer of festivals, including the Morley Celebration on the Pond, Remus Heritage Days, and Mecosta County Agricultural Fair.

 

The Charlevoix Craft Beer Festival is a celebration of Michigan craft beer, local food, and entertainment on Saturday, June 2nd. The aim of the festival is to provide patrons the opportunity to enjoy a varied selection of high-quality Michigan craft beer while mingling with friends at the beautiful waterside venue. Attendees are encouraged to venture out and explore downtown Charlevoix’s culinary and retail offerings prior to and after the event.

 

The band Moxie Strings is set to appear at Cogdal Vineyards in South Haven on Sunday, June 3rd for the Cogdal Vineyards Wine Lovers’ Festival. Attendees can expect a fun experience of high-energy, original, and traditional tunes performed on five-string fiddle and electric cello while enjoying a glass of delicious wine.

 

Plan a summer fun Girls’ Night Out with Divas Uncorked, the Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula Divas Uncorked event on Friday, June 8th. This evening is devoted entirely to women, wine, food, and fun. Enjoy wine and food pairings, giveaways, shopping, and pampering. Bring your entourage, relax, and be fabulous!

 

Whether you’re looking for a fun and easy family getaway or a big night out on the town with friends, Mt. Pleasant offers a little bit of everything. They have a wide variety of events this summer, kicking off with the Back to the Bricks car show on Friday, June 8th. The following day, craft beer enthusiasts gather for the Mt. Pleasant Craft Beer Festival, showcasing some of Michigan’s greatest brews. There won’t be a dull moment during your trip to Mt. Pleasant.

 

Feast of the Strawberry Moon is June 9th and 10th in Grand Haven. The event includes reenactments, a kids day, live entertainment, and more as they explore the middleground world that evolved between Europeans and the Native Americans in the Great Lakes Region during the pre-1800 fur trade era.

 

Grand Haven hosts some of West Michigan’s fan-favorite festivals every summer. The Spring Lake Heritage Festival is June 11th to 16th, and has family fun like no other. The following week is the Grand Haven Art Festival on June 23th and 24th. The event seeks to provide the community and visitors with a unique opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind art, directly from the artists.

 

Music, boating, arts, and culture are all happening in River Country. Some of the area’s most popular annual events include the Three Rivers Water Fest from June 14th to 16th and Sturgis Fest from June 23rd to 30th. More events include Covered Bridge Days and the Magic Get-Together later in the summer. They have a full event calendar on their website, so check that out if you need to fill your time in southwest Michigan!

 

The Michigan Maritime Museum presents the 37th Antique & Classic Boat Show on Saturday, June 16th, during Harborfest weekend in South Haven. This event celebrates all kinds of antique and classic small craft from power boats to paddle boats. Woodworkers and collectors alike will show their boats, demonstrations on boat building techniques will be featured, and toy boat building will be available for kids. The aim is to help perpetuate the building, restoration, and use of classic boats and small craft to give participants and the public an entertaining and informative learning experience.

 

Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids is pleased to present to you Founders Fest 2018: A Celebration of Beer and Music on Saturday, June 16th. In its 11th year, Founders Fest continues to marry the finest beer with the tastiest artists from around the country and the world.

 

Located at the scenic Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer, the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival brings together the members of the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail for a spectacular day in the sand on Saturday, June 16th. The festival will feature fantastic regional live music, food trucks, and local restaurants to pair with the world-class wines produced right in southwest Michigan.

 

Whitehall is home to the 40th Annual White Lake Area Arts & Crafts. The festival is expected to draw thousands of people this Father’s Day weekend on June 16th and 17th. Creative artists will participate in this very popular juried art show, and attendees can purchase a variety of hand-made art and crafts such as jewelry, wood furniture, birdhouses, ceramics, and more. A great lineup of musicians will entertain the crowds throughout the weekend.

 

The 9th Annual Traverse City Wine & Cider Festival is Saturday, June 24th. Come celebrate local wine, food, and culture. The festival brings together a true taste of the region with great wines, art, food trucks, and live musical entertainment all in one location!

 

Visit Lansing for the 19th Annual Common Ground Music Festival from June 28th to July 1st! See some of the best rock, pop, country, and hip-hop stars in the world take the stage in downtown Lansing along the Grand River in a setting unlike any other.

 

June in Battle Creek means it’s time for the Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival from June 28th to July 4th. Balloon launches or fly-ins take place every night (weather dependent) and air shows take place at noon.

 

The Soo Locks Engineers Weekend begins on Friday, June 29th in Sault Ste. Marie. This fun weekend offers exclusive access to some of the area’s historic and interesting attractions such as the Locks and the Cloverland Electric Hydroelectric Power Plant.

 

The 60th annual South Haven Art Fair hosted by the South Haven Center for the Arts is a two-day juried festival held one block from the Lake Michigan shore in picturesque Stanley Johnson Park on June 30th and July 1st. This year’s unique blend of talent includes works in acrylic, oil, watercolor, pastel, drawing, sculpture, photography, glass, wood, clay, and wearable art. Admission is free for this two-day event.

 

The National Cherry Festival brings people from all over the world to Traverse City for a week-long celebration surrounding the cherry. Not only that, it attracts people from all over Michigan, the five-county area, and even just across the street to participate in activities. Come celebrate the Cherry Capital of the World from June 30th to July 7th for another year of food, drink, entertainment, and tradition!

 

5 Local Things You Need to Know: Headlines for the week

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WKTV Staff

victoria@wktv.org

 

More than 1,700 students set to graduate from schools in Wyoming, Kentwood

More than 1,700 students will be graduating from high schools in Kentwood and Wyoming during the next couple of weeks. Go here for a breakdown of when some of the local graduation ceremonies are taking place.

 

Ford Airport leader welcomes Sen. Peters’ introduction of bill to fund airport security

The bill allows airports to use Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds on state of the art surveillance cameras in public areas such as baggage claims or pick up and drop off areas. Go here for the complete story.

 

 

Glue-in, souvlaki: Festival of the Arts is all about making memories

The VOICES vintage Airstream trailer, which is a a local and regional oral history project that collects, preserves and shares stories form everyday residents of West Michigan, will be at this year’s 49th Festival of the Arts, set for June 1, 2, and 3. The trailer will be there to collect stories from Festival volunteers and participants. Go here to read the story.

 

Evolution of Meijer Gardens summer concert series a bit of a surprising success

The venue and the mix of musical genres and audiences has not only been a success, the summer concert series has benefited Meijer Gardens on several levels: promotional, financial and patron inclusiveness. Click here to read the story.

 

Wyoming High School presents its spring Alpha Wolf 11 awards

Started in 2016, the Alpha Wolf 11 Champion of Character award recognizes six students each semester and one teacher each year for character and treating others by “being kind, compassionate, and gracious”. Read more here.

 

Glue-in, souvlaki: Festival of the Arts is all about making memories

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

“My first experiences with Festival was going down and making a big sculpture that I was very proud of in the glue-in section,” said Festival of the Arts’ new interim director David Abbottt. “And I remember my parents carrying it back home in the back of a station wagon and the amount of glue that was in the back of that station wagon. (A little smile.) It is certainly a memory.”

 

It is those types of memories that Festival of the Arts and the WKTV VOICES hope to capture during a new partnership designed to help the arts organization celebrate its upcoming 50th anniversary. The VOICES vintage Airstream trailer, which is a a local and regional oral history project that collects, preserves and shares stories form everyday residents of West Michigan, will be at this year’s 49th Festival of the Arts, set for June 1, 2, and 3. The trailer will be there to collect stories from Festival volunteers and participants.

 

David Abbott, Festival’s Interim Director

“We are hoping to capture the best memories people have of the event,” Abbott said.

 

Memories like a young boy’s first taste of the Greek favorite souvlaki. 

 

“Growing up I had never had the opportunity to try anything different, to try anything new,” Abbott said. “I remember that souvlaki that very first year that I had it.”

 

The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is one of the oldest non-profit food vendors at Festival, still providing souvlaki — usually seasoned grilled meat on a skewer served in a bun — at Festival, which for many has become a tradition. This year, the church will be joined by 18 other non-profit food vendors, many of which rely on Festival as their major funding source for the year.

 

“I have been a part of Festival for really all of my life, singing in high school, singing in church choirs, being at calder Plaza with the Gay Men’s Chorus. It’s been a fantastic ride and I am honored to be able to have this position to provide leadership.”

 

Abbott easily admits he is excited to be part of an organization that has offered so much to the community and largely has been organized and hosted by all volunteers. Abbott’s is the organization’s first employee. 

 

“For many of those [49] years we were known as the largest all-volunteer run festival in the United States of America and it really is because of Grand Rapids that we are able to do this year after year after year,” he said.

 

While Abbott is starting to think about the 50th Festival of the Arts, he is more focused on the upcoming 49th event set for June 1, 2, and 3 in downtown Grand Rapids and has been working with this year’s co-chairs Jessi Nix Gould and Missy Bush. The 49th Festival of the Arts encompasses Rosa Parks Circle, the plaza that is home to Calder’s La Grande Vitesse, and Kendall College of Ferris State University’s gallery on Pearl Street, where the Regional Arts Exhibit will be showcased.

 

And what is Abbott excited about for this year’s event?

 

“One of the co-chairs Jessi Nix Gould developed a partnership with the Grand Rapids Com-Con featuring comic book artists right in Rosa Parks Circle,” Abbott said. “They are going to be featuring a costume contest both on Friday and Saturday.”

 

Also this year, an anonymous donor came forward wanting to host a photo contest of the Sixth Street Bridge to celebrate the bridge’s history, Abbott said. One of the oldest bridges in the city, the Sixth Street Bridge was constructed in 1886 and was one of the first to cross the Grand River. 

 

For more about Festival, visit festivalgr.org.

WKTV Journal: May brings Farmers Markets, Memorial Day, and Festival

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May is full of some amazing things. Voters for Godfrey-Lee Public Schools pass a sinking millage for the district and the 28th Street Metro Cruise Dust-Off took place. The local farmers markets are preparing to open with Metro Health Farm Market underway and the Kentwood Farmers Market set to start in June.

 

Speaking of June, the 49th Annual Festival of the Arts is just around the corner on June 1, 2, and 3 in downtown Grand Rapids. A celebration of the arts, the event recently hired an interim director, David Abbott, who stopped by the station to talk about his story of Festival. Also stopping by was LocalFirst Marketing Manager Mieke Stoub who talks to us about how to search the LocalFirst directory to help with a range of needs from spring cleaning to lawn care.

Festival of the Arts: A look at the various volunteer opportunities

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

It was a desire to get her daughter more involved in the community, and for the opportunity for herself to give back, that had Becky Richard signing up to volunteer at Festival of the Arts’ face painting booth.

 

That was 13 years ago and Richard has gone on to co-chair face painting, serve as the 2016 Festival co-chair with Tim Jacobson, and is now the chair of volunteer recruitment for the organization.

 

Festival of the Arts Volunteer Recruitment Chair Becky Richards talks to Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

“I brought [my daughter] down and we talked to one of the the chairs of face painting and signed up to volunteer,” Richard said. “I’m so glad I did because its really like being a part of a big family.”

 

It takes a small village to put on the annual Festival of the Arts which marks its 49th year in 2018. The dates for the event which always happens the first weekend in June are June 1, 2, and 3 in downtown Grand Rapids.

 

“It takes over 500 slots just to fill our kids activities for the weekend,” Richard said, adding that kids activities includes face painting, kids paint-in, Mad Hatter, and Chalk the Walk. There also are many other volunteer opportunities beyond just kids activities such as stages, the Festival store, Festival Regional Arts, headquarters, production, and clean-up. Those operating the individual food booths are responsible for their own volunteers so the Festival organization does not handle volunteers for specific food booths, however; there is a food booth committee that does work with the various booths.

 

People are able to volunteer for what fits in their schedule, whether it be a couple of hours or all weekend. Volunteers have the opportunity just to help out or do what Richard did, and expand their role by co-chairing an activity. It really all depends on what the person wants to do, she said, adding it is just about getting involved and just having some fun.

 

Richard also noted that volunteering can look good on college applications and resumes since it teaches life skills such as cashiering, merchandising, organizing, and working with the public.

 

All ages are welcomed. Students under 18, should have parents’ permission. Groups are welcomed from service organizations to companies that encourage employees to do community outreach.

 

“The great thing about Festival is you don’t need any experience at all,” Richard said. “If you’ve never volunteered for a Festival before; if you’re not artsy; if you’ve never painted a face — it doesn’t matter. Just come down and have some fun. Really there is something for everyone.”

 

For more about Festival of the Arts or how to volunteer, visit festivalgr.org.

WKTV Journal: Smart 911, a visit from Bob O’Callaghan, and a call for Festival volunteers

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In this newscast , we join the City of Kentwood as officials and residents observe Martin Luther King Day with a special ceremony at the KDL Kentwood Branch and a food drive for its Little Free Pantry. Mayor Stephen Kepley talks about the city possibly expanding the pantry program.

 

The celebrations continued at Lee High School as the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools inducts three new members to its Hall of Fame.

 

Also, we head over to the Kent County Emergency Dispatch Center, where Emergency Communications Center Manager Matt Groesser talks to us about the Smart 911 program that was launched last year.

 

In studio, Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Bob O’Callaghan stops by to talk about the Chamber’s 2017 accomplishments, what’s up for 2018, and this year’s Chamber Award Winners.

 

Also Festival of the Arts Volunteer Chair Becky Richard comes to our studio to talk about the various volunteer opportunities available at the event which this year takes place June 1, 2, and 3 in Downtown Grand Rapids.

 

The WKTV Journal airs on WKTV Channel 25 Mondays at 9 p.m., Tuesdays at 7 p.m., and Fridays at 10 a.m.

 

 

ArtPrize winning artist creates poster for Festival of the Arts

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Artist Chris LaPorte at the unveiling of the 2018 Festival of the Arts poster.

Festival of the Arts co-chairs Melissa Bush and Jessi Nix Gould are excited to announce well-known artist Chris LaPorte as the 2018 Festival of the Arts poster artist.  In its 49th year in 2018, Festival is one of the longest running festivals in the state of Michigan and will be held June 1, 2 and 3 in downtown Grand Rapids.

 

“This year’s theme for Festival is celebrating the community through art, and Chris has really captured this in his work,” said Melissa Bush, 2018 Festival of the Arts Co-Chair. “Chris has been involved in the Regional Arts Exhibition for years, participates in Art on the Spot drawing caricatures and hosted an art class in his studio to help fundraise for Festival of the Arts.  He was an obvious choice for a poster artist.”

 

Chris LaPorte loves to draw and says drawing is always cool, no matter what your age or background. He has pursued drawing as a vocation his entire adult life, and has earned art degrees from Aquinas College, La Coste Ecole de Beaux Arts and the New York Academy of Art. He has taught drawing at GVSU, GRCC, Kendall College of Art and Design, and Aquinas College as well as educational institutions in New York and Michigan. He is also a past winner of ArtPrize, with his work “Calvary, American Officers, 1921” winning first-place in 2010.

 

Bush said she and her co-chair Jessi Nix Gould were looking for someone who represents the West Michigan community who had also been involved in Festival over the years.

 

“We are honored that Chris has created the artwork for this year’s poster,” said Jessi Nix Gould, 2018 Festival of the Arts Co-Chair. “His work perfectly embodies the event’s theme by representing the beautiful Grand Rapids city skyline, the movement of dancers in front of La Grande Vitesse and fun, playful colors indicating the spirit of festival.”

 

La Grande Vitesse was formally dedicated on June 14, 1969 and has since become the civic symbol that represents the City of Grand Rapids. The installation of the Calder inspired the first Festival of the Arts – a three-day community arts celebration to be held annually each year in June.  It began in 1970 and was originally sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids.

 

Festival started with two stages, some artwork and a few food booths.  Today, Festival of the Arts covers much of downtown Grand Rapids with three performance stages, dozens of food booths, and endless art and activities for all ages.  In its 49th year, Festival of the Arts is one of the longest running festivals in the State of Michigan.

Festival of the Arts to reveal 2018 poster this Thursday

Entertainment,
Festival of the Arts will reveal its 2018 poster artist at a meet-and-greet and poster reveal event Thursday, Jan. 25, at 9 a.m. at Grand Rapids City Hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW.
The 2018 Festival Co-Chairs Melissa Bush and Jessi Nix Gould said the event is open to public with friends and volunteers of Festival encouraged to stop by and meet this year’s artist and check out the 2018 poster.
Always held the first full weekend of June, this year’s event will run June 1, 2 and 3 in downtown Grand Rapids. This year marks the 49th annual Festival of the Arts, making it one of the longest running festivals in the state of Michigan.
Posters from previous years are all on display at City Hall and will be available for photos and video at the event.
 Visit http://festivalgr.org/ for more information.

Guitarist Tom Cutts was featured performer at Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series

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Tom Cutts

Tom Cutts has shared the stage with many leading artists such as Al Green, Shirley Caesar, Andre Crouch, James Cleveland, Marvin Sapp among others. He’s performed on various television, radio, and conference showcases across the U.S.A., including the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Dr. Bobby Jones Gospel Show and the Singsation Gospel show.

 

On June 22, he treated a Kentwood audience to his musical talent.

 

Cutts’s musical styling crosses into gospel, jazz, blues, R&B and rock. His concerts bring refreshing covers of many musical stands, and include surgical music penned in multiple genres.

 

In 2013, Cutts was the Midwest Regional champion of the Guitar Center “Battle of the Blues” contest. Since 2014, Cutts has increasingly expanded his musical resume by performing swing jazz with Big Band Nouveau of West Michigan. He’s performed in the Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts, Hastings Jazz Festival and the West Michigan Jazz Society “Monday Night Jazz Concert Series.”  Additionally, Cutts has performed with the Grand Rapids Symphony on a number of “Symphony with Soul” events. He also supports gospel and other musical groups performing in music festivals, churches and venues throughout the area.

 

Cutts comes from a musical family known for making a “joyful noise” with music that uplifts the spirit and stirs the soul. His first single “Sunday Morning Shuffle” was released in June 2016 and he currently is working on a full EP of original music. Supporters and fans can find him on Facebook at “Music By Tom Cutts.” Listeners are invited to enjoy the sweet sounds of “gospel-jazzy-blue” that are set upon The Rock.

Festival of the Arts makes it official: summer is here!

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The official start of summer – Festival of the Arts – kicks off in just a couple of weeks –June 2, 3, 4 – and there is already a buzz about some of the programs and partnerships for this year’s event.

 

“Festival embraces the tradition and sense of community ownership while at the same time recognizing the need for change and improvement, as long as the core values of the event are retained,” said Lisa Radeck, 2017 co-chair. “Each year, new activities and performers are added, new volunteers are sought, and we strive to empower new and alternative forms of artistic expression. As the community grows, we grow, together. The tradition continues by diversity and inclusion.”

 

One of the biggest changes is the revamping of the children’s activities and performances to create “Kids’ World” at Rosa Parks Circle stage during all three days of Festival.

 

Family favorite kids’ activities such as Mad Hatter will be joined with new activities from a host of local organizations. Some of the activities are: Sack Suppers with Kids Food Basket, design-a-diaper with Great Start Collaborative – First Steps, Camp Curious with the Grand Rapids Public Museum, animal visits with John Ball Zoo, hands-on health and proper nutrition projects with Ferris State University School of Pharmacy, and a dance and motion project with Grandville Avenue Arts. Sunday will be International Day with the Grand Rapids Sister Cities organization and Bethany Christian Services, providing a day of international arts and entertainment emphasizing “Kids from around the World.”

 

Friday stage performances at Rosa Parks Circle stage include the Gemini Brothers, Dilly Songs with Kevin Kammeraad, and Miranda of “The Miranda Show.” (Note this is not a park party event.) Saturday features Jim the Spoon Man, John Ball Zoo, Dilly Songs, and the Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities.

 

There are numerous other activities beyond Kids’ World and the stage performances. Everyone gets a chance to join in on hands-on participation fun with Adult Paint-In and Swingin’ Art, and returning for the first time since the late ’80s, Festival is bringing back block printing to the Printmaking Booth! Block printing will be on paper with blocks made by participants in past printmaking workshops or by using block letters to print your own name or favorite saying, and visitors can also participate in screen printing by bringing their own material or purchasing a plain white t-shirt in youth and adult sizes for sale at the booth.

 

The other popular Festival stages, Calder, City, and Outer Fringe will be open and hosting a wide variety of performances by artists from eight West Michigan counties represented at Festival. New this year is the Kendall Stage, located on Pearl Street between the Ferris State University’s Kendall College of Art and Design’s main building and the Kendall Galleries located in the Woodbridge N. Ferris Building.

 

“The Festival 2017 Regional Arts Committee is thrilled to be working with Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University,” said Regional Arts Co-Chair Fred Bivins. “Everyone there has been a pleasure to work with, and we feel like we’re coming home to the Fed Galleries in the former Federal Building, now the Woodbridge N. Ferris Building, as the show was there for many years when the building housed the Grand Rapids Art Museum and for several more when the City of Grand Rapids allowed us its use for the show.”

 

While the main Festival activities are always the first full weekend in June, the Festival Regional Arts Exhibition starts the celebration a few days earlier with its opening reception on May 31 from 5 – 8 p.m. The exhibition will be up from June 1 to July 15.

 

Each year, Festival invites a local artist or group of artists to carry the tradition forward in the design of a poster. The 2017 “Make it a Family Tradition” theme is reflected by the four artists who created this year’s poster. Their names are familiar to many in the region: author and illustrator Ryan Hipp; puppeteer, artist, and “Tomato Collection” author Kevin Kammeraad, Kammeraad’s son and artist Carlos, and retired Rockford High School art teacher Ken Vidro. They have made Festival of the Arts their own “family tradition” with the multi-generational poster collaboration. The artists are also longtime participants at Festival, for the last ten years their artwork has been featured in the Art Sales Tent, which is partly the reason the 2017 co-chairs Radeck and Merrie Pieri-Clark selected them to design this year’s colorful poster.

 

Visitors to Festival 2017 are encouraged to visit the Art Sales Tent where they will find favorites new and old, as several area artists and artisans will be on hand selling unique items and are happy to share information about their work.

 

Last but certainly not least, Festival continues the tradition of including the culinary arts in its mix, where year after year visitors experience flavors from around the world along the streets of downtown Grand Rapids. More than twenty-five food booths operated by non-profits will be offering a variety of items from the popular souvlaki sandwich to popcorn and much more. “We are excited to welcome a couple of new food offerings which includes tamales!” said Pieri-Clark.

 

Opening ceremonies will follow tradition, with the celebration kickoff at noon on Friday, June 2. New this year is a second ceremony on opening day for those coming later in the evening. The second ceremony will take place at 7:00 p.m. Friday.

 

For all the latest information about Festival of the Arts, including performance schedules, activities, and food booths, visit www.festivalgr.org or check out the organization’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/festivalGR.

Applications being accepted for the Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibiton

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Entries being accepted for the 2012 Regional Arts Exhibition.
Entries being accepted for the 2012 Regional Arts Exhibition.

There have been a few changes to this year’s Regional Arts Exhibition, which is part of the annual Festival of the Arts, a celebration of the arts community that runs the first full weekend in June in downtown Grand Rapids.

 

This year, organizers have announced they would only be accepting online registration from those interested in participating in the event. Artists may go to http://festivalgr.org/regional-arts to preregister. Printed entry forms will not be provided this year.

 

Entries will still have to be brought to the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, 2 W. Fulton St., May 12 – 14. According to Fred Bivins, the chair for the Regional Arts Exhibition, the change gives artists several options. Artists can  go to the website and print the labels that go on the back and pay online if they wish. If an artist does do that, the bar codes that are included for each work will minimize handling of works and reduce the number of hours volunteers have to put in to track every entry, Bivins said.

 

Artists can enter one, two, or three pieces through the online system and when he/she complete the simple form he/she will receive an email with the labels included as a pdf. Just print the sheet and affix the labels. Bivins did note that if an artist does bring in his/her works and has not preregistered, volunteers will go through the same process and print out the labels at that time, which will take a little more time than those who preregister.

 

Parking will be limited this year as the city of Grand Rapids has informed organizers it has leased most of the parking spaces in the gallery ramp located next to the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, where the exhibition will be this year. For that reason, Bivins said Festival will not be using the fourth floor ramp. Take in will be from UICA’s Commerce Avenue entrance. Meters will be hooded and there will be signs to direct people.

 

Because artwork will have to be transported through several doors and hallways this year, the size allowed has changed. Artists are encouraged to visit the website to check on what sizes are being accepted.

 

This year’s jurors are: 2-D, Matt Schenk, who was the Regional Arts recipient of the UICA’s annual solo award; 3-D, potter Rita Shields; and photography, Filippo Tagliati, an associate professor of photography and video at Grand Rapids Community College.

 

Here are the important dates.

Take In of Entries:

  • Thursday, May 12, noon – 5 p.m.
  • Friday, May 13, 4  – 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 14, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

 

Jurying, Saturday, May 14

Give back of non-selected Entries: 

  • Thursday, May 19, Noon – 5 pm
  • Friday, May 20, 4 pm – 7 pm
  • Saturday, May 21, 10 am – 2 pm

 

Hanging  Schedule – May 19 – May 27

 

Awards Selection – May 23 – May 26

 

Purchase Awards – May 25

 

Opening Reception – May 27

 

Closing Reception – June 26

 

Pick Up Selected entries after the show ends:

  • Sunday, June 26, 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. (after the Opening Reception)
  • Monday, June 27, noon – 5 p.m.

Festival of the Arts will take place June 3 – 5 in downtown Grand Rapids and along with the Regional Arts Exhibition, includes an array of activities with performances, a youth art exhibition, children and adult art activities and much more. Visit festivalgr.org for more information.