Tag Archives: Pippin

Discover some of Kentwood’s restaurants in this year’s Taste of Kentwood

Participants check out the 2015 Taste of Kentwood event.
Participants check out the 2015 Taste of Kentwood event.

Every wonder what a Smash Burger tastes like? How about a sub from Boardwalk Subs? Or just curious about what food items Celebration! Cinema has to offer?

 

Thursday, March 3, area residents will have the opportunity to find out as the Kentwood Park and Recreation Department hosts its 15th Annual Taste of Kentwood at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE.

 

“It is a nice opportunity to sample several different offerings from various local places,” said Laura Barbrick, marketing and events coordinator for the City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation.

 

This year, about 13 restaurants from the Kentwood area will participate. Each restaurant brings in samples of some of its well-known food items. Participants sign up for one of the two sessions, 4:30 – 6 p.m. or 6:30 – 8 p.m., and during the session go from table-to-table trying the various foods.

 

“There will be a nice variety from soup, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, curry dishes and Mexican food,” Barbrick said. There are about 13 restaurants participating in this year’s event. Those restaurants include Peppino’s Grille and Pizzeria, Zoup!, Bloop Frozen Yogurt, Rak Thai, Pizza Ranch, Smash Burger, Jet’s Pizza, Potbelly, On the Border, Boardwalk Subs, Dave & Buster’s and Celebration! Cinema.

 

The annual event, which is marking its 15th year this year, is quite popular, bringing in about 500 people to the 2015 event, according to Barbrick. On average, Taste of Kentwood raises about $3,000 – this includes money from a silent auction – which is used to provide scholarships to programs at the City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation.

 

Tickets for the event are$5 in advance and $7 at the door. Children 5 & under are free. For more information or other City of Kentwood Park and Recreation programs, visit the department’s website.

Broadway Grand Rapids Ushers in Excitement With Its New Season

mike_dewittSinging, dancing, laughing, drama, and a whole lot of theater will be making its way to Broadway Grand Rapids for the theater’s new season! Five shows are lined up to start in September and finish up in June of 2016 and the positivity and excitement has been overwhelming.

“This season we’re offering a custom ‘4-pack’ of shows for those who don’t want to purchase all five,” explained Meghan Distel, the Director of Marketing for Broadway Grand Rapids, “but we have sold very little of the 4-packs as most people are choosing all five shows. That shows the excitement for all the shows we’re bringing in!”

What’s all the excitement about? Well, Broadway Grand Rapids is bringing in a lineup of award winning shows to Grand Rapids. Broadway Grand Rapids 2015-16 Season

  • Newsies (September 22-27)
  • Pippin (November 3-8)
  • Riverdance 20th Anniversary Tour (April 12-17, 2016)
  • The Phantom of the Opera (May 18-29, 2016)
  • The Book of Mormon (June 21-26, 2016)

Getting together a lineup of shows of that caliber takes some work. Broadway Grand Rapids works on putting the shows together for around 12-18 months before dates are finalized. There is a lot of back and forth that occurs with the timing and use of the Devos Performance Hall and how they line up with the shows themselves and their tour dates.

Sometimes, there can even be structural barriers to overcome.

Broadway Grand Rapids had a massive hurdle to clear in order to bring The Phantom of the Opera to DeVos Performance Hall. Phantom uses very large set pieces that need space in the back to work during the show. The DeVos Performance Hall doesn’t have that necessary space right now, but it will be by the time Phantom rolls into town!

The backstage area will be expanded, and certain aspects of the floor and ceiling are to be reconfigured as well, in order to accommodate the show. As they say, the show must go on! It will all be worth it when show time is here. The city is already buzzing with excitement about the new lineup.

If you’re interested in purchasing tickets for the upcoming season, visit broadwaygrandrapids.com.