New Grand Rapids Welcome Center gets hungry guests out of the cold

A brand new enclosure called The Welcome Center by City Built Brewing Company in the Monroe North neighborhood has made its debut. 

This public space for dining and drinking is partially enclosed by a tent and includes seats, tables and a heating mechanism to keep guests warm and toasty. There is also an outdoor seating area available for those who are willing to face the cold.

Tables for The Welcome Center are on a first-come, first-serve basis and guests are required to wear masks when not seated at their table. 

Grand Rapids celebrates Valentine’s Day with billboards, screens around town

A new project spanning the month of February has led to love-themed billboards and screens popping up across Grand Rapids. 

The project, titled “Elevated Love Language,” was created by Grand Rapids Poet Laureate Kyd Kane and uses billboards to display short poetic expressions about love by local artists. 

Some of the artists featured are previous Grand Rapids Poet Laureate Fable The Poet, Sprout, Lady Ace Boogie and more.

Poetry is featured on billboard posters peppered throughout town and also featured on the WOOD TV 8 ticker at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the ticker at The Bob and 20 Monroe Live, and on the screen at Studio Park. 

Valent-ICE, interactive sculptures are latest World of Winter installments in Grand Rapids

There are now over 80 professionally carved Valent-ICE sculptures placed throughout Downtown Grand Rapids for the public to view and enjoy. 

Some of the sculptures feature Star Wars stormtrooper masks, a gumball machine, the cityscape of Grand Rapids, and the list goes on. 

A digital map can be found to locate all of the ice sculptures at WorldOfWinterGR.com

The Lamplighter sculpture is also now available at 555 Monroe. 

This art installation is an interactive display powered solely by the viewer. Visitors must sit on the stationary bikes placed around the piece and start pedaling to power the sculpture and become part of the art themselves. 

GV Campus Activities Board is set to hold a virtual open mic night

The Grand Valley State University Campus Activities Board (CAB) will be hosting a virtual Open-Mic Night where students are welcome to showcase their music, dancing, poetry, comedy, acting or other talents. 

Throughout the night there will also be special performances featuring the members of Anchored in Poetry and other student organizations. 

Students are welcome to enjoy the night as a performer or a viewer. The Zoom link can be found when students RSVP on LakerLink.