One of the challenges of any long-term special event that returns year after year to a city is how to keep it fresh for the attendees. For the organizers of the Eastown StreetFair, this is easy as their 2012 upgrades in Uptown’s most funky neighborhood are spot-on with something for everyone.
The 39th Eastown StreetFair held in one of the city's oldest and most vibrant neighborhoods knows it holds a special space in our city and organizers have taken great measured steps to ensure its unique charm and DIY culture is still evident in their annual street celebration.
The vendors that line the streets are made up of the restaurants, specialty shops, and art galleries of Eastown.
And great items are just waiting to be discovered, like my discovery of the debut album by 80s band Bow Wow Wow for only a buck.
One bonus is that two of Grand Rapids' food trucks, What The Truck and The Silver Spork, will join the other food vendors in a street meat (and faux meat) extravaganza. While the city cannot decide how these mobile restaurants fit in our culture, your stomach will delight at their addition to this year’s festival.
Other bonus activities will be expanded and multi-location kids' activity centers, roving street performers, the annual Yesterdog Eastown Dog Down contest and even a Comprenew drop off station like they host in June of each year where you can drop off your old or used electronic devices so they can be recycled safely back into the environment.
The best part of this festival is the ability to showcase our local musical talent. The lineup this year includes: Nick Stevenson, Kent County String Band, Skeetown Stylee, The Bangups, Flashing Blue Lights, King Crabapple, Life Size Ghost, Spitting Image, PotatoeBabies, Wallace Collective, Potato Moon, Thirsty Perch, Donald Kinsey, Jes Kramer and La Famiglia, allbefore everyone 21 or older ends up at Billy’s for Revival (80s night).
And should you not wish to spend the entire day in Eastown (but you can), feel free to wander via car, bike or bus to downtown for the return of Hoptoberfest on Ionia Avenue (between Weston and Cherry Street) where 10,000 people are expected to be dancing in the street in celebration of all things beer to the sounds of Dumpstaphunk (New Orleans), Fishbone, Otis, Funktion, The Ark Band, Sophistafunk, and Grand Rapids Soul Club on the decks.
As we stare down the end of this fantastic summer festival season, Springsteen said it best, “Baby, out in the street I just feel all right / Meet me out in the street, little girl, tonight / Meet me out in the street.”
Admission: Free
More Info