Good Morning Grand Rapids!

Halloween is upon us! It’s spooky how much good stuff there is to get into this week!

Let’s get into it! 🧥 

📰 This Week’s Grand Stories

☕ Wildroast Lands on Monroe Center: Fresh signage is up at 61 Monroe Center St. NW, which means the Grandville-based roaster is almost ready to pour at its second Grand Rapids location. Expect house-roasted beans, specialty lattes with house-made syrups, plus sandwiches and pastries in the former Elegance Wigs storefront. No opening date has been announced yet.

🌮 MeXo Earns Mexico’s Seal of Approval: Chef Oscar Moreno’s downtown spot has been awarded Mexico’s Sello M, an official international quality seal recognizing authentic recipes, ingredients and traditional techniques like house-made nixtamal tortillas. That makes MeXo the only Michigan restaurant to carry the distinction.

🍷 Grand Vin Uncorks a New Home: After five years on Ionia Ave., the family-run boutique wine shop plans to move to the historic Ledyard Block at 125 Ottawa Ave. NW, adding a 20-seat wine bar and a few sidewalk bistro tables. The Planning Commission takes up the request on Nov. 12.

🤖 GVSU Levels Up Downtown: Grand Valley leaders, students and community members gathered to celebrate the next phase of the Blue Dot Ecosystem, the university’s $166 million push to prep students for an AI-driven job market. The plan includes a new Blue Dot Innovation Lab built onto the Eberhard Center, additional degree programs and a WGVU studio, with construction starting soon and wrapping up in 2029.

🔔 Red Kettles Ring Back In: The Salvation Army kicks off its holiday fundraising season on Friday, Nov. 13, at 5 p.m. with a Red Kettle Kickoff at Rosa Parks Circle, featuring live music, refreshments, and the reveal of this year’s kettle goal and honorary chair. More than 2,700 Angel Tree applications have already been started in Kent County, and with last year’s toy reserves wiped out, the goal is to grow from 220 to 250 host sites. Businesses and volunteers can sign up at sakentcounty.org.

📆 This Week’s Grand Events

Wednesday, October 28

The Longest Johns - Elevation - The Ends of the Earth Tour, with support TBA. All ages. $34.90 / 7 PM doors, 8 PM show

Between Worlds: Where Memory Lives - DeVos Place Convention Center - A juried exhibition inspired by Día de los Muertos, exploring memory, ancestry, identity, family, loss, and celebration through art. On display October 9–November 21, 2026. Check the event page for visiting hours and admission.

Black Cat Yoga with Cats! - Meant for Movement - Enjoy a beginner-friendly, slow-flow yoga class alongside adoptable cats from Second Chance Cats. Meet feline friends, stretch, breathe, and enter a giveaway. Two sessions; check the event page for times and prices.

Fall Fest & Corn Maze at Ed Dunneback & Girls - Ed Dunneback & Girls - Celebrate autumn with a fall festival and corn maze at this local farm. Check the event page for hours, admission, and activities.

Ghosts of the Grand: A Paranormal Indoor Walking Tour - Amway Grand Plaza - Explore the historic hotel's haunted halls and eerie rooms while discovering local ghost stories, paranormal legends, and hidden history. Check the event page for times and ticket prices.

Brush Studio Paint & Sip: Fencepost Florals - Brush Studio - Paint a floral fencepost design at this downtown Grand Rapids class. Customize the colors and add a Halloween ghost or two. $30 / Check the event page for the start time

Thursday, October 29

American Aquarium - Elevation - Live performance with support TBA. All ages. $35.40–$54.40 / 7 PM doors, 7:30 PM show

Chris Webby: Webby's Arcade Tour - The Intersection - Chris Webby performs with support from Dizzy Wright, Fangz, and Otis Julius. All ages. $42 / 7 PM doors, 8 PM show

Blue October: The Foiled 20th Anniversary World Tour - GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Blue October celebrates the 20th anniversary of Foiled with a special world tour performance. Tickets from $52.50 / 7 PM

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center: Dvořák, Debussy, and Chaminade - St. Cecilia Music Center - Discover piano trios by Cécile Chaminade, Claude Debussy, and Antonín Dvořák, celebrating the composers' distinctive contributions to chamber music. $45–$60 / 7:30–9 PM

Haggis X-1 Featuring Members of Enter the Haggis - Midtown - Enjoy an energetic night of Celtic-inspired rock and folk, blending traditional influences with contemporary musical sounds. $30–$40 / 7–11 PM

Friday, October 30

Gasolina Halloween Party (18+) - GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Celebrate Halloween with a late-night party for ages 18 and older. Tickets from $28 / 9 PM

Dancin' With the Devil: Halloween Party at The Pyramid Scheme - The Pyramid Scheme - Betka-Pope Productions hosts a Halloween party featuring music, costumes, dancing, and dark surprises. $20 / 8 PM–midnight

Just Wicked: 'Til Death Do Us Part - JW Marriott Grand Rapids - A Halloween-themed nightlife event with music, dancing, and spooky festivities. $20 advance general admission, $25 day-of general admission, $750 R.I.P. Section / 9 PM–1 AM

Noche de Banda Featuring Banda Recoditos & Banda Machos - The Intersection - Enjoy an energetic night of regional Mexican music, featuring lively banda rhythms and popular hits from Banda Recoditos and Banda Machos. $79.65–$91.15 / 8 PM doors, 9 PM show

Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert Live-to-Film - DeVos Performance Hall - Watch Tim Burton's Halloween classic on the big screen as the Grand Rapids Symphony performs Danny Elfman's score live. $22–$110; additional fees may apply / 7:30 PM

Saturday, October 31

All Hallows Eve Gathering: Mullein Intention Torches - Gathered Botanicals - Create a traditional-inspired mullein torch using local botanicals in this hands-on workshop celebrating the plant's folklore of protection, courage, guidance, and light against darkness. Check the event page for time and price.

Armentality's Enchanted Masquerade - Armentality Movement Arts Center - Step beyond the veil at this Halloween dance party for adventurous adults, featuring spooky fun dancing with Laura Armenta and an afternoon of mystery, movement, and magic. Check the event page for time and admission.

Autumn Weekends at Meijer Gardens - Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park - Celebrate the fall harvest with live music, seasonal food and beverages, and daytime activities for all ages. Explore the gardens, enjoy seasonal flavors, and take part in activities inspired by harvest traditions. Check the event page for hours and admission.

Daft Disko: A French House & Disco Halloween - Elevation at The Intersection - GBH Events presents a Halloween party celebrating French house and disco music. 21+. Check the event page for doors, showtime, and ticket prices.

Crow's Hold Halloween Event - Crow's Hold - Spend Halloween shopping local vendors, enjoying food, trick-or-treating, designing a custom screen-printed item, getting a flash tattoo, and taking spooky photos. Costumes encouraged. Check the event page for hours and prices.

Día de los Muertos with DJ Money Mike - Chicago Beef Joint - Celebrate Día de los Muertos with DJ Money Mike at Chicago Beef Joint. Check the venue's website for details and admission. 8 PM–1 AM

Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert Live-to-Film - DeVos Performance Hall - Watch Tim Burton's Halloween classic on the big screen as the Grand Rapids Symphony performs Danny Elfman's Grammy-winning score live to the film. Rated PG. $22–$110; additional fees may apply / 7:30 PM

Sunday, November 1

Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics - 1130 Wealthy Street Southeast - Experience a live, multisensory Candlelight concert featuring Halloween classics in an atmospheric setting. $16 / 8:45–10 PM

Merchants and Makers Holiday Market at Fulton Street Market! - Fulton Street Farmers Market - Shop handmade gifts, artisan goods, and seasonal finds while supporting local merchants and makers. $3 for adults, free for kids / 10 AM–4 PM

🎃 Celebrating Halloween!

Did you know that kids in Grand Rapids used to play tricks on trolley drivers by pulling down the trolley pole and then running away before the driver could get out?

📅 Add to Your Calendar

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: The Greatest Show on Earth – Van Andel Arena – The Greatest Show on Earth returns to Grand Rapids with superhuman feats, spectacular performances, and an adrenaline-charged musical mashup featuring country star Maddox Batson. – October 29–November 1, 2026 / Times vary / Prices vary

Gabriel Iglesias: The 1976 Tour – Van Andel Arena – One of America's most popular stand-up comedians brings his large-scale touring show to Grand Rapids. – November 13, 2026 / 8:00 PM / Prices vary

CHRISTKINDL MARKT 2026 – Grand Rapids Downtown Market – Grand Rapids’ fourth annual Christkindl Markt brings an authentic European-inspired Christmas village to the Downtown Market with more than 60 artisan food and gift vendors, holiday entertainment, family activities, and seasonal drinks. – November 18–December 24, 2026 / Times vary / Prices vary

ENLIGHTEN Presented by PNC Bank – Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park – Explore a transformed Meijer Gardens illuminated by spectacular light installations, music, interactive experiences, and a one-mile outdoor trail, followed by the beloved Christmas & Holiday Traditions display. – November 23, 2026–January 10, 2027 / 5:30–10:00 PM / $32 adults, $24 seniors and students, $16 children 3–13, free under 2