What more can be written about Irish on Ionia (IOI) that has not already been said about the wildly popular and quite possibly the biggest St. Patty’s Day party in Michigan that invades downtown Grand Rapids each March by way of Barfly Events (Part of the family of downtown eateries of HopCat, Grand Rapid Brewing Company, and Stella’s). This popular event that is not for the weak of liver should you wish to imbibe in all the festivities that kick off at 7 a.m. and keep on cranking out hour after hour of programming until 10 p.m. Thought the day there are beer tents and two stages ...

Fresh from its Tuesday, March 13 San Francisco debut comes the traveling No Man's Land Film Festival two days later on March 15 to Wealthy Theatre. No Man’s Land Film Festival is an unapologetically, all-female adventure film festival with roots in the Rocky Mountains and is committed to showcasing, as well as connecting, women in pursuit of all things radical. No Man's Land Film Festival tweaks the lens of looking at our known history from a her-story perspective to the topics of adventure and progressive thinking in the hopes of motivating audiences around the county who will ...

More times than not, our childhood experiences will often inform who we become as adults. When looking back at the life of César E. Chávez, it is easy to see how his life on his family’s farm tending to the land as well as the animals would inform his steps as he grew into the man we celebrate today. Chávez’s path from childhood would take him to service in the Navy, but also to a role as a community organizer where he would go on to found the National Farm Worker Association. His work aimed to improve the working conditions of America’s farm workers ...

Last October, the Grand Rapids Islamic Masjid and Religious Institute on the city’s south side welcomed the public to their second open house. Having missed the first one, Rapid Growth’s Tommy Allen made sure to catch the fall event and boy, was he impressed by the level of openness as well as education built into this community-building event.  On Saturday the institute re-opens their doors for another event they are call “Know Your Muslim Neighbor.” As we the case last fall, the Islamic membership enthusiastically welcomes the community to bring family and friends ...

On the dawn of its eighth year, Gilda’s LaughFest—the nation’s first-ever community-wide festival of laughter—has made the blues of late-winter a bit lighter as the citizenry (and visitors) arrive to check out the massive programming of this 10-day event.  Uniquely created by the Grand Rapids Gilda’s Club in March 2011 as a way for the community to “celebrate laughter for the health of it,” the festival features some of the biggest names in stand-up as well as a host of up-and-comers to West Michigan. The festival looks at the many sides of laughter ...

Fans of Division Avenue’s (defunct) Reptile House and their locally famous dance parties have discovered a rebirth of their sound and a reason to shake it in public from a local DJ who is too young to recall those Jager-infused nights.  Vinyl Fetish's Joe Moon had just an idea when he started his Vinyl Fetish Thursdays at the Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill of a special night devoted to a niche form of music. He did so because, while Grand Rapids has plenty of places showcasing top of the charts dance tunes as well as plenty of niche retro-music nights, he felt there was a real ...

Over the last few years, many cities around the nation who value their citizenry and seek to modernize their community’s policing have been organizing around the guidelines that were released in 2015 by the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) 21st Century Policing Report. Grand Rapids has long recognized the role of community-policing and now more than ever the populace here recognizes the importance of healthy neighborhood relations. On Wednesday night, the public is invited to join other community members at the downtown Grand Rapids Public Library to learn what the City of Grand ...

Fresh from performing in Bushwick, NY on Friday, comes DJ act Soul Club to Grand Rapids this Saturday night for what promises to be the biggest dance party to invade the city this year at The Pyramid Scheme. Billed as Soul Clap & Dance Off because of DJ Jonathan Toubin’s contribution of his massive collection of 45s that are made up of 50s/60s rock’n’roll, soul, r+b, and Motown, this night’s event promises to be a beautiful and fun deep dive into early dance music culture. The night will also feature special appearances from Hollywood Makeout and Grand Rapids Soul ...

There are plenty of networking events in the city, but there is only one local happy hour that seeks to welcome a very special guest to our city, while at the same time will help instill excitement for the 4th annual Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit.  And while the Neighborhood Summit starts on Saturday at the downtown GVSU Pew Campus, Friday night is a kick off event at LINC Up to welcome the annual neighborhood event's keynote speaker Dr. Rasheda Weaver, Assistant Professor of Community Entrepreneurship, University of Vermont. From Dr. Weaver’s bio: She received a PhD in Public ...

Fans of bands like Phantogram, The Knife, and CHVRCHES are in luck this Friday night at Creston Brewery - the city’s only black-owned brewery - welcomes the newly created act, the Terrible Lovelies. Forming in late 2017 with members Shaneé Laurent, Marley Ferguson, and Joe Botwinski, the Terrible Lovelies offer a synth storm of electronic pop—a sound not really that big here since the Alexis (band) years. So here’s hoping that fans of this style of music will rise again so that we can enjoy the beautiful theatricality that often follows such acts. In addition to ...

With the ending of winter soon on our horizon, the itch for warmer weather often sends folks flying to warmer climates. But not every budget can handle a trip to warm, tropical-like places like Key West, so lucky for us there is the 13th annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition at Meijer Gardens. What started more than a decade ago as a chance to showcase the various exotic butterflies at The Gardens’ tropical conservatory has blossomed to become the nation’s largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition. Boosting more than 7000 beautifully colored ...

During ArtPrize 9, one of its best on record in my opinion, the topic of culture appropriation as it relates to race took center stage at a variety of venues or within the various works presented therein. And while the topic does not always have clear lines to those artists creating the works, there are moments within the public where those lines are clearly crossed. On Tuesday, Feb. 27, cultured.GR, the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives (GRAAMA), and Fountain Street Church invite artists and art fans to join them for a free, special double feature event with a panel ...

This city loves a good fundraiser but few rarely rise to the level of excitement like one planned for this Saturday night at a tiny bar within the North Monroe’s budding warehouse district.  Billed as “Hidden Gems,” this event seeks to raise awareness as well as your spirits (since it is the weekend after all) with a night of live bands, DJs, and art for the benefit of our local The Crescendo Foundation—a Grand Rapids nonprofit that provides affordable music lessons for kids ages eight to 16. For the low cost of $10 (remember, it is a fundraiser) you will be able to ...

For many years, when the tickets would go on sale for the annual Winter Beer Festival held each February at the Fifth Third Ballpark (parking lot), they would be sold within minutes of their release. You can imagine the heartbreak of beer fans from here and far away who wanted to make the trek to our beer-built city’s premier event devoted to the love and tastes of Michigan’s beer industry. Lucky for us that while the Saturday event still does sell out in record time, the event organizers have opened up Friday nights over the last few years for those who could not score a ticket ...

Over the last five years, a group of spoken word artists have been gathering downtown at Stella’s Lounge for a night of performances organized under the header “The Drunken Retort.” (2018 is their fifth anniversary.)  And while the team made up of AutoPilot, Rachel Gleason, and Fable the Poet have often used their Monday night platform to elevate this art form, locally inviting other poets to join them on the stage as guest performers, for The Drunken Retort’s Black History night on February 19, the star is you and your voice. This group of artists invite folks to come ...

The city is full of options each year that seek to celebrate the legacy and meaning of Black History Month. And while we have many choices, one organization, our downtown Grand Rapids Public Library, has a plethora of educational programming that flows throughout the month, offering a diverse array of topics and experiences. By far the library’s (and possibly the city’s) biggest event during Black History Month is its Taste of Soul Sunday, where they invite locals to come downtown and experience African American history and culture. What makes this year’s sensational ...

There has not been a more exciting moment for the superhero cinema genre than right now as the nation prepares for a game-changing new film. For if the numbers hold, then “Black Panther” will opens nationwide on February 16 as a true blockbuster. When folks started tracking the pre-sales of “Black Panther,” they were shocked that what was once forecasted as a $125 million opening has now logged in more than $150 million-plus in advance ticketing. But we could have seen this momentum coming after the teaser dropped a year ago and racked up an astonishing 89 million ...

Unlike anything else that you have experienced on our local theatrical stages comes Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour’s “White Rabbit Red Rabbit,” a fresh and rare production where every night is a new opportunity to experience something truly remarkable. First off, the production features a different guest star in the lead role each night and kicks off once the solo actor is handed a sealed script that they have not read or seen to perform cold for the audience. All this happens without the aid of all the usual trappings associated with theatre, with no director, no ...

It is hard to imagine a time without a home computer and a printer to produce the materials one needs to have your voice heard on a topic. But this is the realities of the era that would produce fierce pussy, a collective of queer women artists in New York City in 1991. Their "giving a care" drive in the face of a nation’s complacent silence as the raging AIDS epidemic was killing so many people sparked a new era of activism that feels very DIY by the standards of today’s tools. Because of their contributions, they were able to mobilize folks around LGBT rights, but also ...

As the city prepares to celebrate GR Beer Month, the Creston Brewery—the city’s only black owned brewery—continues to test their community-focused model in the heart of the Creston neighborhood with a special new event that places the focus on black women entrepreneurs. This day long event that stretches into late night is being called Black Girl Magic and is the brainchild of Bri Ross and Kyd Kane. These two powerful women have invited area Black women of our community to showcase their creations and services for all those who venture. In addition to checking out new ...

The timing of the annual Grammys Awards ceremony is always an exciting time because it means that we are just a few days away from our own local music awards show, The Jammies. Recognizing West Michigan's best albums and songs of 2017, the Jammies XIX, presented by WYCE 88.1 FM, used to be held on a weeknight until 2013 when the event took a huge leap under then station director Kevin Murphy’s leadership and vision. And to say the least, there has been no going back since this move brought so much fresh energy to the two stages it is held on Friday night. Now the awards show has ...

It is hard to imagine those days in 1987 when LaFontsee Galleries (then called The Underground Studio) opened in a tiny space on Grand Street in the middle of a neighborhood just east of Heritage Hill. Back then if you were looking to purchase art, you had to visit Eastown, the Amway Grand Hotel, or the mall. And even then, the costs to secure a work of art was out of reach for most of us who were looking to take down our Spencer Gifts’ Erté prints or posters we inherited from our college days or Believe in Music. Over time, proprietors Scott and Linda LaFontsee began to crack the ...

In a musical that vacillates between the worlds of could’ve, would’ve, and should’ve, “If/Then” is the latest production from Actors’ Theatre to hit Grand Rapids Community College’s Spectrum Theatre. The musical is actually made up of many stories following the character of Elizabeth as alternative versions of her life and possibilities play alongside each other, often flowing back and forth with tiny clues delivered via the lighting or through the use of eye glasses. (I guess Elizabeth develops poor sight in one version of herself or else the ...

Since the 1960s and the decades after, artist and band leader George Clinton has piloted his mother ship of acts from The Parliaments to Funkadelic to Parliament Funkadelic to the most recent P-Funk All Stars, who will roll in to Grand Rapids’ 20 Monroe Live. As a fan, I can say, at 76 years old, George Clinton doesn’t act his age on stage. He's a serious performer whose concerts’ length and energy would put other younger acts to shame for his mammoth sets filled with classic tunes from a canon of music that only a master could assemble over fifty years.  In fact, when ...

Last November on the banks of the Grand River’s westside, the Grand Rapids’ Ford Presidential Museum welcomed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame traveling exhibition, “Louder Than Words: Rock, Power, Politics,” with a lavish opening night complete with a tribute to the sounds of punk rock. Now Winter Punk Fest, a punk rock music event, is returning this weekend to the westside venue Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill. But don’t let this no frills venue with a old school moniker of a name fool you. This is a great venue to experience music, and for three days, punk acts ...

Modern cities are full of examples of weekend warriors who start out on a Friday with a task and then by Sunday present their solutions. Locally, this act often takes the form of young entrepreneurs assisting one another to deliver a viable startup business plan or a group of designers solving a problem for a local nonprofit. But for some time, groups within the arts scene of Grand Rapids have been doing this far longer. One such group, the Grand Rapids Film Festival (GRFF), champions collaborative filmmaking and exhibition but also—through its 36-hour Challenge— provide a working ...

Over the years, a lot of area eateries have attempted to create distinct experiences aimed at attracting guests to their establishment.  One area bar that has been committed to building an event within their space to attract the classically trained artist or the creatively inquisitive is Grand Rapids Brewing Company, whose Studio Night has been inviting audiences from downtown dwellers to the suburbanites to pop on down for a unique night of socializing at the city’s only organic brewery. For this next outing of Studio Night, GRBC is welcoming our local professional design chapter of ...

Reflecting on my many local live music experiences in the city of Grand Rapids, one such act, Cabildo, has secured more than one slot on my list of great performances. Counting on one hand, I can name many distinct live music experiences from Cabildo over the years that range from an early debut show at UICA on Sheldon Blvd., to a 2012 warehouse courtyard fundraiser/party under a canopy of stars, to their opening performances at LoveWins at the Rainbow Bridge. This local music act with a talented group of musicians from various backgrounds has won me and so many fans’ hearts over the ...

The history of Grand Rapids’ vinyl revival would not be complete without taking a moment to acknowledge the contributions of our local DJ scene. Grand Rapids Soul Club (GRSC) is one such group that has not just made a dent in our history through their contribution to our nightlife scene, but actually actively promotes the joys of soul music on vinyl. Over the last few years GRSC’s booking has solidified an ushering in of a new era of coolness here as they showcase internationally renown guest DJs with solid resumes. On Friday, our local GRSC crew made up of DJs Andrew ...

If you have driven by East Hills’ Richard App Gallery over the last week, then you know that while the cold, white stuff has been retreating, a new brilliance of color has entered your vision as the gallery prepares to welcome the work of Roger Bruinekool. Titled “The Refined Line,” Bruinekool’s latest exhibition is a visual delight for the eye with rich colors freely weaving across the surface in a playful and powerfully bold manner. Bruinekool, a graduate of the Kendall School of Design in 1957, has a wonderful history in our region over the decades, from being a ...

As anyone who has attended college as a freshman can testify, there are plenty of 101 level classes to consider. But a new “class” experience has arrived in downtown Muskegon and it is truly a 101 level experience unlike any other you have probably had in your life. For starters, “Buzzed Bard: Shakespeare 101” is different because it takes place at the stunningly beautiful 18th Amendment Spirits Co. in downtown Muskegon and is performed by the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company— Michigan’s only year-round, touring, professional Shakespeare company. This brand ...

This past week as we celebrated MLK day in West Michigan, I was able to steal away some free time to attend Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s latest production of “All The Way.” Set in November 1963 and a short time after President Kennedy’s assassination, “All The Way” is an incredibly complex, sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat look at the year that followed as the main character Lyndon B. Johnson is thrust into the presidency. In addition to the sudden shift of power and style of leadership, Johnson must attempt to navigate the choppy waters of D.C.’s power ...

Returning to the downtown branch of the Grand Rapids Public Library is the wildly successful History Detectives, who will use their time at this day-long event to explore various pockets of our city’s past. Entering its eleventh year, History Detectives features six distinct program topics shared over the course of a day. All of the talks are lecture style with visuals and an opportunity at the end of each presentation for a community Q&A session around the topic. The 2018 series includes these area of “sleuthing” for attendees: 9:30 a.m. Welcome to the Madison Square ...

Opening Friday until March 18, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA) will transform its first and lower floor to accommodate their newest exhibition, Enmeshed. Culled from the work of five artists, Enmeshed builds a solid group show that seeks to bridge the personal, the political, and the spiritual. Unifying these artists, whose professional resumes are as equally diverse as their bodies of work, is their shared unique connection to Michigan. Enmeshed artists, which include Tyanna J. Buie, Curt Ikens, Jillian Dickson Ludwig, Andromeda Schmidt, and Dana Freeman, will present a ...

For the 2018 MLK day celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, we present these four events for your consideration. 18th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast Steelcase Ballroom at DeVos Place, 303 Monroe NW, Jan. 15, 7:00 a.m. On Monday morning, you can join area business leaders at the The Urban League of West Michigan’s 18^th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast at DeVos Place. The theme of this year’s breakfast, presented by Premiere Title Sponsor Steelcase, is The Time Is Always Right To Do What’s Right. Expect to be seated with more ...

There are few musicians that I follow on Twitter and Tunde Olaniran is one of them. Besides the fact that we hail from the same hometown of Flint, he’s just a fascinating artist with a plethora of interesting takes on life and music.  Tunde Olaniran, who was described by Rolling Stone Magazine in 2015 as one of the 10 new artists you need to know, truly is an artists’ artist because of the care that goes into each of his concerts. With an electronic beat and lyrics richly alive with a social consciousness, Olaniran was described by Rolling Stone as “a self-sustaining ...

For those not willing to make the journey to the Wheatland Music Festival each September comes the Winter Wheat Festival—the perfect, bite sized portion-of-a-festival—in January to Grand Rapids’ Intersection Lounge. Continuing to build on Wheatland Music Festival’s 44 years of operation, the Winter Wheat Festival’s dynamite line up of acts are committed to the preservation and presentation of traditional music and arts. Folks who will venture out to the Intersection will be treated to a day-long festival with two stages packed with the best of our regions Cajun, ...

Typically one’s career does not take off as a result of being booted off the stage during an audition. But that is exactly what happened when Clownvis Presley attempted to woo the judges at the TV audition for America's Got Talent’s Season Five. From that moment on, Clownvis Presley, who is referred by the L.A. Weekly as "Better than the real Elvis,” became a stable on the alt comedy scene of Los Angeles. Known for his rowdy trifecta of talent that covers genres of comedy, song, and magic, Clownvis Presley arrives in Grand Rapids on Thursday, January 11 at Tip Top ...

While folks try to work the week after Christmas, at night you can be certain that they will still be blazing out in the city as they seek any one of the many watering holes that are sure to welcome your friends and family who might be visiting. But for those who are seeking something different to engage with others during the holiday week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, why not give your life the night off to flex your creativity by taking a class at Light Gallery + Studio on S. Division’s Avenue for the Arts. Many folks may already be familiar with the gallery’s ...

Time is running out for you to showcase your ugly sweater this Christmas and so on Sunday Christmas Eve night, you could wear it one more time while you attend any one of the numerous  candlelight services this Christmas Eve. Or you could roll the dice and take a chance that your beloved mess of acrylic (a.k.a. your ugly holiday sweater) is actually a true hidden winner.  To find out, drag your gay apparel down to The Apartment Lounge, who will be offering a special night of Happy Hour drink pricing until midnight as they hosting a Christmas Eve Ugly Sweater contest. The evening's ...

While others are dashing to get those last minute gifts, those who have been good at pacing themselves are in for a real treat this Christmas Eve. Founders, one of downtown's most popular destinations, welcomes Michigan’s Earthwork Music label artist Mark Lavengood for a special music showcase with friends joining him on stage. Lavengood is a Grand Rapids native with international touring cred and a body of work to back it up. Described best as an multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter, Lavengood is an emeritus member of Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys and known for his ...

It is hard to imagine that when director Frank Capra’s popular holiday film, “It's A Wonderful Life” made its debut in 1946 that it was actually a cinematic bomb. And this is despite all it had going for it including starring one of America’s biggest stars of this era, James Stewart. But over time as the film became part of the public domain in 1974 (thus freeing up its copyright and having to pay royalties), “It's A Wonderful Life” would become beloved through its free viewings on numerous TV stations over the years. This would last for many years ...

After two years of waiting, “The Last Jedi,” the newest and 8th installment of the popular George Lucas created “Star War” saga that began 40 years ago, arrives on the big screen. Since no advance screenings were available at press time, we can share that from the initial reviews starting to trickle out, this one is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Following in the footsteps of episode 7, “The Force Awakens,” in “The Last Jedi” you will experience another journey with familiar characters like Finn, Poe and Luke Skywalker, as they continue on their ...

While the city has no shortage of brew pubs offering something unique from great tap rooms, to award-winning pizza, to gaming nights, one neighborhood venue has managed to create something truly rich in their expansive, glass-walled space: a pub where you can enjoy a beer while building a connection to a vibrant community. This is the charm of the Creston Brewery, whose impressive first year has included some incredible nights of original programming in a space filled with local contemporary art. One area in which they excel is their commitment to the arts though the offering of their space ...

It is hard to believe that we are celebrating 10 years of the annual Santa Crawl. Each December, the Grand Rapids Bar Crawl (GRBC) hosts a special St. Nicholas edition of their popular pub-hop touring event, where attendees are encouraged to dress up like jolly ol’ St. Nicholas. What can only be described as part pub crawl/part pure live theatre, this annual GRBC event sets the stage for a night of memory-making as you and your friends tour bars and clubs throughout the city in a festive and fun themed event. Over the years, the GRBC has built solid relationships with area venues and ...

It is not just because it is fun to say out loud, but for the last 11 years, TUBACHRISTMAS audiences members can attest that this annual festive and unique holiday music-filled event arrives back in Grand Rapids for a stellar 12th time! Unlike other festivals that appear each year, TUBACHRISTMAS seems to attract an eclectic set of musicians and fans from all over the state who descend on the stage at Downtown Grand Rapids’ Fountain Street Church. One never knows who will be performing according to one local organizer and tuba player extraordinaire Karen Dunham, who has seen everything ...

Rock and roll is a powerful force for change with roots that stretch over time but also to those pockets where the human voice often struggles to be heard. One movement of rock and roll—punk—is a reaction to the status quo as it sought, through this music form, to have its point of view heard via the bands who perform it. And on Wednesday night, punk will be—for the first time in my memory—performed at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. This powerful form of music, showcased on Wednesday evening at ‘70s Punk Night, has always emanated from the subculture, ...

There is no greater joy in the city than to see artistic community-focussed groups advance. And one group this for nearly 10 years is our West Michigan Gay Men's Chorus, who now joins a long list of area choirs that celebrate the art of song via the performances they deliver to our region. It is nice to have so many options! On Sunday afternoon, take a stroll downtown to Fountain Street Church for the return of the festive and fun holiday musical showcase from our West Michigan Gay Men's Chorus. Prepare yourself for classics like “Jingle Bells” and “Silent ...

When one is thinking of the holidays, these thoughts often accompany a sense of dread. And with good reason. Amidst the family drama, the political talk (we all try to avoid), and the unexpected dietary matters that pop up at the dinner table more and more and without warning, is the recipe for disaster that we gladly show up for year after year. But what if we could let a little air out of this season with humor? Lucky for us seeking a little levity this year, Late Night Grand Rapids (LNGR), a local performance group in our city, is hosting “Stranger Tidings: A Holiday Sketch Revue ...

When we think of the advances to the culture of West Michigan, we often begin with those who have stepped forward to place their names on our buildings and street signs. But that is only a part of the advances made here over the years and, lucky for us, a new book that Rapid Growth covered in “Voices of the people: New book to showcase Grand Rapids' activist community” last spring is finally completed and is ready for release (and just in time for the holidays.) This anthology from various points of Grand Rapids' grassroots moments features area activists whose ...