Drive through The Christmas Lite Show at Fifth Third Ballpark – more than one million lights and 50 animated displays over a two-mile course. Nov. 25-Jan. 2.
Go dashing through the snow-covered streets of downtown Grand Rapids on a horse-drawn carriage – Classic Carriage and Common Gentry Carriage Company offer Friday and Saturday evening rides.
See A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play on stage at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, complete with theatrical lights and sound, projections, live music – and plenty of social distancing for the cast and audience. Date TBD.
Mark your calendar for artisan markets and neighborhood shopping celebrations:
• A Season of Shop Hop, Thurs, Fri & Sat, Dec 3-24
• Holly Jolly Ada Village Passport, Dec 4-5
• Saugatuck Outdoor Holiday Market, Dec. 5
• Christmas Fair at Coopersville Farm Museum, Dec. 12
• Holiday Market at The Goei Center, Dec. 12
Visit Downtown Market Grand Rapids for Holiday Home Favorites, when merchants offer specials inspired by traditional holiday foods. Nov. 15-22.
Pick up gourmet gifts along the Grand Rapids Food Trail, gifts for beer lovers on the Beer City Ale Trail and gifts from local brands at GrandRapidsStore.com.
Skiing more your style? You can tackle 21 downhill runs at Cannonsburg Ski Area, just 20 minutes from downtown. Bittersweet Ski Resort (20 runs) and Mulligan’s Hollow (six runs) are 30 minutes or so away. All three offer excellent cross-country trails, as do numerous close-by parks and nature areas.
Cannonsburg is also a favorite with snowboarders, thanks to a terrain park filled with 80+ jibs and jumps. Bittersweet and Mulligan’s Hollow are also popular snowboarding spots.
Want to take the kids sledding? Our favorite fun (and free) sledding locations include Richmond Park, Belknap Park, Johnson Park and Cascade Township Park.
If you love fat tire biking, you’ll love the groomed trails at Cannonsburg Ski Area, Indian Trails Fat Bike Park and the Merrell Trail in Rockford.
Ice fishing is a major pastime here – grab your auger and head to one our many inlands lakes and river bayous.
You can ice skate in the heart of downtown at Rosa Parks Circle, which opens early December, weather permitting. COVID-19 precautions are in effect.
Bring the kids for Winter-Time Walks at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park – this outdoor discovery walks let young ones investigate the Children’s Garden in new ways.
Dynamic Variation:
Make Memories with Indoor Fun
If you prefer a warm and cozy approach to winter, plan a visit to one of the great indoor spots featured below. By state order, capacity is limited at indoor venues, so you may have to purchase tickets or make reservations in advance – check venue websites. Remember to wear masks and stay at least 6’ away from anyone not in your household.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has issued a three-week epidemic order: Pause to Save Lives, in effect through December 8. Under this order, entertainment venues and recreational facilities must be closed. Museums and libraries may remain open but guest counts are limited to no more than 30% of capacity. Please check individual websites for details.
Check out these great ideas for indoor exploration, entertainment, activity and enlightenment.
See Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made With LEGO® Bricks at Grand Rapids Public Museum – beautiful works of art that explore animal endangerment, the balance of ecosystems and mankind’s relationship with nature. Under the Arctic: Digging into Permafrost, which includes a 30-foot-long Alaskan permafrost tunnel replica, is also on display at GRPM.
Don’t miss Mathias J. Alten: An Enduring Legacy at Grand Rapids Art Museum – it features paintings and works from one of the city’s most esteemed and beloved figures as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth.
George Segal: Body Language is on display at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park through January 3 – it’s an amazing collection of work from one of the most recognized 20th century sculptors.
Make a memory that will last forever – bring your crew and enjoy a drive-in movie at Celebration Cinema! North & IMAX theatre. Price includes one car of 6 moviegoers!
Get Culture Pass GR to save on admission prices to some of the area’s top attractions – it’s just $20 through the end of December!
Experience the Winter Season
Shopping
Two 100-store malls, an outlet mall, and unique neighborhood shops.
Outdoor Recreation
Explore skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing in winter's wonderland.
Events This Month
Find out what's happening this month in Grand Rapids!
Grand Rapids Public Museum
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Virtual Events
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Food and Dining
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Events & Activities
A Season of Shop Hop
Dec 3 - Dec 24, 2020
This year, Uptown celebrates Local, with a Shop Hop that will last the season. With public health in mind, we welcome you to a full month of shopping local, with special outdoor surprises and delights on the first three Thursdays of December. It's a Season of Shop Hop
Archery Tag Academy
Dec 22, 2020
Location: BattleGR Tactical Games
Archery Tag Academy Tuesday Dec 22nd 10am - 2:30pm. Includes slice of pizza and pop. Extra slice of pizza is $2. We will go over tacticals of the game and skills training. This is a perfect class before starting with our Leagues.
Christmas Lite Show 2020
Nov 25 - Jan 2, 2021
While many things are different this year, the family tradition of driving through the Christmas Lite Show will be the same. To keep you and our staff safe, we are focusing on making the drive-through show the best it can be. November 25 thru Jan 2 | Sunday-Thursday 5:30 - 9:30 P.M., Friday-Saturday 5:30 - 10:00 P.M.
George Segal: Body Language
Jun 16 - Jan 3, 2021
Location: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
George Segal: Body Language will revisit the career of George Segal and focus on his creative vision in representing body language across a variety of materials. This is the first exhibition of Segal’s work at Meijer Gardens since 2004 and will be the first time that a selection of the gift of 32 prints, one sculpture and three wall reliefs from…
Hand and Machine in Harmony: Regional Arts & Crafts
Oct 24 - Jan 23, 2021
Location: Grand Rapids Art Museum
This exhibition will be presented in two parts: West Michigan (October 24, 2020-January 23, 2021) The Midwest (February 13-April 24, 2021) At the turn of the 20th century, Grand Rapids was a city dominated by the furniture industry. In 1903 it was home to ten thousand skilled woodworkers who worked in forty furniture and home décor factories. Its…
Holiday Displays
Dec 10 - Jan 10, 2021
Location: Grand Rapids Public Museum
Explore displays for the holidays including the historic Grand Rapids moving LEGO? brick display, the Herpolsheimer’s Child Passenger Train, various scavenger hunts throughout the building, along with holiday decor, three floors of core exhibits and the temporary exhibit, Under the Arctic, all for the cost of general admission. Sean Kenney’s Wild…
Ice Skating at Rosa Parks Circle 20-21
Nov 23 - Feb 21, 2021
Location: Rosa Parks Circle
Admission to the Rosa Parks Circle ice rink is $2. Skate rental is included with admission. The rink is open seven days a week. The following protocols will be in place to reduce public health risk amid COVID-19: All visitors and skaters must wear face coverings and maintain six feet of physical distancing from others A maximum of 25 skaters will…
LowellArts Artist Market
Oct 30 - Jan 23, 2021
Location: LowellArts
LowellArts Artist Market Open October 30 to January 23 At LowellArts, 223 W Main St, Lowell, MI 49331 The LowellArts Artist Market features giftable fine art and fine craft works by Michigan artists. The gallery space is transformed into a retail setting with unique, one-of-a-kind items available for sale at a range of price points. The annual…
Mathias J. Alten: An Enduring Legacy
Oct 24 - Apr 24, 2021
Location: Grand Rapids Art Museum
Painter Mathias J. Alten is one of Grand Rapids’ most esteemed and beloved figures. In the early to mid-20th century, Alten was nationally recognized for his landscapes, still lifes, and portraits that drew on traditional European painting as well as more contemporary styles, like Impressionism. Alten emigrated from Germany to Michigan as a young…
Metro Health Christmas & Holiday Traditions
Nov 24 - Jan 3, 2021
Location: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Excitement surrounds this time of year as the annual Metro Health Christmas & Holiday Traditions exhibition brings the glow of over 300,000 colorful lights, strolling carolers, visits from Santa, rooftop reindeer and 46 international trees and displays. Ring in the season with our most beloved winter exhibition. Honoring holiday cultures around…
Virtual Santa
Nov 24 - Dec 22, 2020
Location: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Virtual Santa visits will be offered on the Tuesday nights (starting November 24) before Christmas from 5-8 pm. These interactive visits with Santa will occur in the Hauenstein and Pfeiffer Event Rooms, located off of the main BISSELL Corridor.
Virtual Santa at The Grand Rapids Public Museum
Nov 16 - Dec 22, 2020
Location: Virtual
New this year, enjoy a family-fun experience with the Grand Rapids Santa virtually! Santa can visit families virtually through a LIVE Zoom chat or downloadable video message to the kids or entire family. Santa will be making Zoom calls to families at a pre-scheduled time, or families have the option to receive a downloadable customized video…
Winter Time Walks
Dec 1 - Jan 2, 2021
Location: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Winter in the Children’s Garden can be chilly, but fun! Bundle up and join us on an outdoor discovery walk to investigate the Children’s Garden in new ways. Preschoolers: Tuesdays and Wednesdays; Family and Friends: Saturdays
Winter Wonderland Display in Ada
Dec 18 - Jan 31, 2021
Location: Ada
The village of Ada is set to debut a holiday Winter Wonderland display, featuring safe, family-friendly activities this weekend. More than 25,000 lights have been installed throughout the village, many of them on the 30 Fraser fir trees lining Ada Drive. Life-size grapevine reindeer also have been placed in the area to complete the display, which…
Hills & Stairs
Dec 24, 2020
Location: Founders Brewing Company
If you're new to the group, come join us! We meet in front of Founders Brewing Co. EVERY Wednesday evening at 6:30pm (no matter what the weather is like). Here's what we do: 6:30 PM meet at Founders Brewing Co. (just inside the front door during colder weather out front during warmer days) -Head North on Grandville to Fulton. -Then head up (East)…
Memory Lane Train- Christmas Lite Show
Dec 7 - Jan 2, 2021
Location: Fifth Third Ballpark
MEMORY LANE TRAIN Experience the Christmas Lite Show in a whole new way on the Memory Lane Train! Enjoy nearly two miles, over two million lights with more than 50 animated displays, many lighted tunnels and more! Price and Details Price ($60) is per row, which seats 4 adults comfortably (small children may sit on laps for free). There are 3 rows…
Parade of Lights
Dec 24, 2020
Location: Magnify Church-Northview
FREE parade event in Northview this Christmas Eve! Guests stay warm in their vehicles watching colorful floats decorated with Christmas lights drive through. Holiday music, live & exciting performances plus giveaways! This hosted event will broadcast to each car using a live radio feed.
JDUB New Years Eve House Party
Dec 31, 2020
Location: JW Marriott Grand Rapids
Your party, our house — enjoy a personalized party space, amazing food and drinks, butler service (yes, please!), hotel rooms, and the luxury of leaving the prep and clean up to us! For more details contact our team at jwgrinfo@ahchospitality.com.
Virtual Offerings: Cozy Tales for Chilly Days
Jan 5 - Feb 23, 2021
For 2021 Cozy Tales will go virtual via the Meijer Gardens Facebook page! The theme for this year is art. We hope you can join us for this popular story time, best for ages 2-5.
Adult Open Studio
Jan 14, 2021
Location: Artists Creating Together - ACT Studio
Come for a night of creativity at ACT! Participants will have access to ACT art supplies to create their own masterpiece! Along with this, there will be planned crafts for those who prefer a bit more guidance. Open Studio allows creative art exploration in multiple art media. Access to a wide variety of art supplies to create paintings, drawings,…
Winter Family Day
Feb 13, 2021
Location: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Bundle up for an outdoor adventure in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden. Join us for an afternoon of wintry fun for all ages! We’ll have plenty of hot chocolate to keep you warm and loads of activities to keep you busy: Observe a sculptor transform a block of ice into an amazing piece of ice art. Add your touch to a Children’s Garden collaborative…
Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Festival '21
Jun 12, 2021
Location: Calder Plaza
SAVE THE DATE, for year three of the Grand Rapids Asian Pacific Festival! This family-friendly event is a celebration of all things Asian-Pacific and will feature Asian-Pacific food, drinks, and performances. FREE to attend. Everyone is welcome! Sponsorship opportunities, Performers, volunteers, vendors please email: Hello@grasianfestival.com…
Grand Rapids Polish Festival
Aug 27 - Aug 29, 2021
Location: Rosa Parks Circle
Polish Festival celebrating Polish culture and heritage through traditional Polish food, beer, music, cultural tents, Polish vendors, food demos, children activities and FREE to attend. This event is open to the public to enjoy and celebrate our rich history and culture.
An Art of Changes: Jasper Johns Prints, 1960–2018
Oct 2 - Jan 2, 2022
Location: Grand Rapids Art Museum
When American artist Jasper Johns’ paintings of flags and targets were first exhibited in 1958, they brought him instant acclaim and established him as a critical link between Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art. Over the following 60 years, Johns (American, b. 1930) has continued to fascinate viewers with his beautiful and complex paintings,…
Ideas for a winter getaway!
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