Tag Archives: things to do in Greater Grand Rapids Area

Grand Rapids Beer Joints Hoppin' in Feb

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Winter Beer Festival

Sat. Feb 28, 2009  Noon – 5PM

White Caps Ball Park Comstock Park MI

Have you ever dreamed of drinking craft beers fresh from the brewers casks?

Would you enjoy tasting new brews and rubbing elbows with other beer

enthusiasts?  Well, set your calendars for Feb 28th in Grand Rapids, MI

Tickets are $ 35.00 which includes 12 drink tickets. Tickets are available at the following locations:

Whitecaps box office in Comstock Park
Rochester Mills Beer Co. in Rochester
Olde Peninsula Brewpub in Kalamazoo
Dragonmead Microbrewery in Warren
Old Hat Brewery in Lawton
Original Gravity Brewing in Milan
New Holland Brewing in Holland
The Livery in Benton Harbor
Walldorff Brewpub in Hastings
Kuhnhenn Brewing in Warren
Liberty Street Brewing in Plymouth
Sherwood Brewing in Shelby Township
Grizzly Peak in Ann Arbor
Schmohz Brewing in Grand Rapids
Siciliano’s Market in Grand Rapids
Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti
Arbor Brewing in Ann Arbor
Old Chicago Restaurant in Grand Rapids
Pauly’s Party Store in Lowell
Billy’s Lounge in Grand Rapids
Meanwhile Bar in Grand Rapids
Atwater Block Brewery in Detroit
HopCat in Grand Rapids

Here’s a few links to wet your whistle…..

Michigan Brewer’s Guild

 Beer Advocates

Grilling with Beer

Dress for the weather, this is an outside event.

 

Grand Rapids Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty

Copyright 2009 All rights reserved

January Series 2009 by Calvin ~ Free Lectures

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Calvin College is presenting their 22nd January Series – a liberal education

for the local community. Featuring world class speakers on topical subjects to

enlighten and educate our community.  This effort is underwritten by local

businesses and charities.  The 2009 line up of speakers can be seen here.

This year they are promoting new remote locations for viewing, which are

here in Western Michigan, but also locations all over the country and in

Canada.

Calvin College also offers The Archives online. You can listen to speakers

for the past 11 years in the comfort of your home.

It is not too late to catch a lecture. There are 7 speakers left on this year’s

agenda, including Christine Brennan, female sports columnist for USA

Today and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most

Influential People.

These are two speakers we plan on hearing in person.

Grand Rapids  Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty

Copyright 2009 ~ All rights reserved

Reading at the Zoo Saturday, January 10th ?

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As bizarre as this sounds, that is exactly what is being promoted

by the Kent District Library’s One Book One County Reading

Program for Saturday, January 10th.

The book that will be chosen for this year’s program will be unveiled

at the John Ball Park Zoo’s Aquarium building at 11:00 am.

Besides announcing the new book for this year, the zoo staff will

give tours and presentations, and the zoo will be free from

11:00 until 2:00 pm for visitors.

Winter isn’t the usual time you think about going to the zoo, but

lots of animals are more active in the winter months, such as

the tigers, who have warm coats and like cooler weather.  

Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate ~ Five Star Real Estate

Copyright 2009 ~ All rights reserved

Wm Seidman Talk hosted by GVSU Alumni

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We had an interesting start to our day. We had a sit down talk with William Seidman,

commentator for CNBC, former FDIC chairman, and Grand Rapids native son. 

 Well, we were sitting in the audience with about 200 other Grand Rapidians while Bill

told us how he believes we got into this financial crisis.  He was scheduled to talk about

 which candidate would be the best one for our financial times.  With all that has

happened in the last few weeks, his advice was sage and to the point.

                   Check out their financial advisors.

Neither candidate is a businessman or financial expert, so they will be getting lots

 of advice.  Try to find out who is advising them and vote for the one whom you

considered to be well advised.  He also said we are in uncharted waters with this

whole mess. It will take some original thinking to get us out. And we need to come

 out of the “PANIC STAGE” we are in now.

We caught a few minutes of Bill’s Talk at the GVSU downtown campus that you can

 see on this short video:

 

Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate ~ Five Star Real Estate

Copyright 2008  ~ All rights reserved

 

Grand Rapids Mi Fall Rose Show at Frederick Meijer Gardens

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Want to smell the Roses? The public is invited to the Grand Valley

 Rose Society’s Fall Show & Judging at the Frederick Meijer Gardens

 & Sculpture Park – August 30-31, 2008.

The Show will be open from 1-5 pm both Saturday and Sunday on

the lower level of the Fredercik Meijer Gardens building. There is no

charge for admission to the Rose Show but admission to

Frederick Meijers Gardens & Sculpture Park is still required.

Greetings Rose in Blossom

Greetings Rose in Blossom

 

A class in Fragrance will be offered at 11 am – 5 pm on Saturday.

Visitors may take part by voting for “Most Fragrant Rose” during

that time period.

If you have a prize rose that you would like others to see, entries

are accepted 7-10 am  Saturday. August 30th.  There are 56 categories,

 including 5 just for novice exhibitors.

This is the opportunity you have been waiting for – ” to smell the roses ”

 

 Copyright  2008 Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate – Five Star Real Estate

photo of Greetings Rose by Bonnie Westbrook

Free Summer Concerts ~ John Collins Park ~ East Grand rapids MI

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Summer and outdoor concerts just seem to go together. If you haven’t

attended one yet this summer, time to remedy that.  Tuesday Night Free

Summer Concerts at John Collins Park in East Grand Rapids might

be just what you were looking for. 

Pack a light supper or buy one there, just dig out the lawn chairs  and

spend an evening listening to music.

Ahhh, summertime and the livin’ is easy…

 

Summer Daisies

Summer Daisies

 

 

                                                                                        

Tuesday August 5 – Jeff Large

 Local artist who has a far ranging style that is

 not specific to any one genre but plays from

 the heart.         www.jefflarge.com

 

Tuesday August 19 – Wonderland Jazz Ensemble 

 Five experienced musicians that are drawn together to

 pursue a traditional jazz blended with original compositions

 and innovative arrangements. 

 http://cdbaby/cd/wonderland jazz

 

 Place: John Collins Park on Reeds Lake, East Grand Rapids 

Time: 7 pm

Concerts will be canceled if weather is inclement.

Sponsored by City of East Grand Rapids & United Bank of Michigan

Free Movie Nights ~ John Collins Park, East Grand Rapids Michigan

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Friday Night !! – Free Movies!! – John Collins Park- East Grand Rapids MI

 Friday night is free movie night at John Collins Park in East Grand Rapids

 this summer.  The city of East Grand Rapids will be showing family rated

movies on a huge drive in movie screen at sundown.  The 2008 Movies

 in the Park is sponsored by Macatawa Bank. Bring your lawn chairs or a

 blanket for the show.  There will be a popcorn machine and an ice cream

 wagon available if you get the munchies.

 

Jed's SMALL serving of popcorn by psd.

 

 

The movies scheduled:

Friday August 1 – The Game Plan

Friday August 15 – Cars

Friday August 29 – National Treasure

*List of movies may change due to availability

http://www.flickr.com/photos/psd/53316358/

 

Grand Rapids Michigan ~ Silver Maple Music Festival ~ Fifth Third Ball Park Aug 2, 2008

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Saturday, August 2nd, 2008 in Grand Rapids, Michigan:

The weather is supposed to be warm and sunny.

BORED?????

What ya Gonna Do??

Get yourself a ticket for the Silver Maple Music Festival!

One day, Seven Bands

at Fifth Third Ball Park, Comstock Park, Michigan

Kids under 12 are free and the gates open at 11 am.

Festivities start at Noon. Tickets are $40 and available

through the West Michigan Whitecaps website

Bands Featured are:

Aphrodesia
Big Leg Mama
Greensky Bluegrass
The Milroys
Donna the Buffalo
The Ragbirds
Railroad Earth
For details, see Silver Maple Music Festival

Monday Blues? Remedy = Free Concerts at John Ball Park

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Are you having those Monday Blues? One of the best ways to cure them

would be to  take your lawn chairs, picnic goodies, and get yourself

down to the John Ball Zoo on Monday nights from June 16th to

August 11 2008 in Grand Rapids, MI.

The West Michigan Jazz Society is spreading the love with free concerts

on Monday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.

The lineup for this summer is:

June 16 – The Truth in Jazz Orchestra

June 23 – Noel Webley and the Jazz People

June 30 – New Orleans Nouveau – Mark Kahnny Sextet ~

New flavored  Dixie

July 7    – Chicago vocalist Petra Van Nuys with her Trio

July 14   – The Mellow Marshes – Randy on drums, Arno on tenor sax

July 21 – The Fred Knapp Trio with Dave Proulx at piano & vocals

July 28    – Evidence – Michael Doyle Quintet – Latin Swing

Aug 4     – Mary Rademacher & Rick Reuther with The Hagens

– vocalists

Aug 11 – Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra led by Tim Froncek,

Steve Talaga on keys

**Concerts are free ~ the hat is passed for a good will offering

to help defray costs.

If you would like further information about Grand Rapids

Homes, please contact your neighborhood specialist,

Terry@TerryWestbrook.com,

toll free at 1-888-240-1968 ext 1 Terry Westbrook.com

Terry Westbrook – Westbrook Realty

Copyright 2008  All rights reserved

Free Summer Concerts 2008 ~ Lowell Showboat ~ Lowell, MI

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Lowell is a pretty little city on the Flat River just east of Ada and

Grand Rapids.

In fact, it takes us about twenty minutes to drive there, which we do quite

often. There are  several little places to get a bite to eat and they have the

 lowest prices for movie tickets in the area, but that  is another blog. 

  Lowell ShowBoat Sizzling Summer  Concert Series.

Every Thursday night this summer, there is a free concert

from 7 to 9pm ~ Riverwalk in Lowell on the Showboat stage. 

 The concerts are wheelchair accessible, free parking, there is bleacher

 seating or bring your own chair.  The Flat River Grill is offering food

and a cash bar, as well as other vendors along the Riverwalk plaza.          

 

This is the entertainment calendar for this summer:

JUNE 26th –  Blue Moon –

 A Swing Style Blues Band from Kalamazoo

 www.bluemoonbluesband.com

July 3rd – Voices of Freedom (Patriotic Americana)

& Rapid City Swing Band (Big Band)

 Voices of Freedom is an 8 part accapella vocal group

www.voicesoffreedom.org

 Rapid City Swing Band is a local group of musicians

who play an eclectic mix of big band  to patriotic favorites 

  www.harkup.com

July 10th – Bronk Bros. Band – Billed as a “Rockin’ Hillbilly Extravaganza” –

 A blend of classic country, new country, classic rock, and modern rock -not

your Grandpa’s  country music. www.thebronkbros.com

July 17th – blue number nine – A Mix of Funk, Rock, Soul, & Jazz –

 Jersey City group led by Stephanie Seskin, award-winning songwriter and

granddaughter of Fred Skerrit.    www.bluenumbernine.com

July 24th – Ginny Dusseau with Truth in Jazz Orchestra ( Jazz,Swing) 

 A local group of premier veteran jazz musicians who accompany well known

big band vocalist, Ginny Dusseau.     www.ginnydusseauau.com  

July 31st – Argentucky Blues – a local trio that have joined forces to play

 the blues, their way.                www.argentuckyblues.com

Aug 7th-No Concert At Riverwalk because of Kent County 4-H Fair

  Free concert by Black Canyon Bluegrass & The Patchwork Band

   Kent County Fairgrounds – The Stage Tent – 6:30 – 8:30 pm

     225 S Hudson Lowell, MI          www.wmbma.org 

Aug 14th – Natchez Trace – (Classic Rock)  Natchez Trace is the

Acoustic Classic Rock Band that was known and loved back in the 1970’s.

 After a 10 year hiatus, original member, Ronn Burke has teamed back up

with veteran member, Steve Damstra, and new member Robin Spring.  

   www.natcheztrace.us

Aug 21st – Branded – (Country) This local Cedar Springs band plays

90% current country with a little classic rock thrown in.  Their local

popularity guaranteed them the final stage show for the season.

www.brandedband.com

 

 

With this inspiring lineup of local and national talent, we hope to catch

a few concerts in Lowell this summer.  Hope to see you there!!

 

If you would like further information about Grand Rapids,

Ada or Lowell Homes, please contact your neighborhood

specialist, Terry@TerryWestbrook.com,

 toll free at 1-888-240-1968 ext 0  Terry Westbrook.com 

 

 Westbrook Realty ~ Grand Rapids Real Estate

 – Copyright 2008 

 All rights reserved