Good Morning Grand Rapids!

Good morning Grand Rapids! The beginning of the World of Winter festival is definitely this week’s biggest story, but there’s a ton of great music, interesting workshops, and opportunities to eat delicious food coming out, too.

Let’s get into it!

📰 This Week’s Grand Stories

❄️ Welcome World of Winter: World of Winter, the largest winter festival in Western Michigan, begins this week in Grand Rapids.

🦁 Lions Bus Visits Grand Rapids: Last week, the Detroit Lions bus made a pit stop in Grand Rapids.

🎊 Introducing Two Dozen Businesses: WoodTV recently ran a feature spotlighting 24 new businesses that have opened in West Michigan in 2024.

🎲 Casino Coming To An End: After more than 13 years of planning and deliberation, the plan to build a casino in Grand Rapids may be close to coming to an end.

👩‍👩‍👧‍👧 Exceptional Sisters: Two Grand Rapids sisters were honored with the 2025 Giant Business Award.

🎵 Shows & Concerts -

📔 Music in the Stacks - Nap Party: The next installment of the Grand Rapids Public Library’s Music in the Stacks series will feature Nap Party on January 16. 7 - 8 PM. free.

🎷 Free Show Friday: Vespa (Indie/Sax!): Speciation Cellar’s Free Show Fridays continues on January 17 with the sax-driven sounds of Vespa. 9 - 11 PM.

👨‍🎤 Justin Bieber Night: The Beeb is coming! Justin Bieber Night is taking over GLC Live on July 17.

👯 Silent Disco: Groove the night away beneath the stars without blowing out your eardrums when the Silent Disco comes to Calder Plaza on January 18.

🎸 Americana Sundays: An Afternoon with Ben Traverse: Art Rat Gallery’s Americana Sundays series continues with folksinger and storyteller Ben Traverse on January 19. $20

👗 Drag Is Art: Y2K Trivia Night, Throwbacks & Drag Magic! Experience a night of Y2K magic at General Wood Shop on January 19. $20

🎸 Warped Band: The ultimate tribute to the Warped Tour is coming to The Stache at The Intersection on January 19.

❄️ Winter Jam: Experience the many different shapes of contemporary Christian music when Winter Jam comes to Van Andel Arena on January 19. $15/suggested donation.

🤠 Kelsea Ballerini: Come to Van Andel Arena on January 21 for a night of red hot country music with Kelsea Ballerini!

📽️ Film & Freedom: A Documentary + Discussion on Human Trafficking: Learn about the horrors of human trafficking with a special documentary screening followed by a discussion at Wealthy Theatre on January 22.

🎯Sports and Hobbies

🍷 Winter Wine & Charcuterie Workshop: Learn to make the pairings of your dreams with this special winter wine and charcuterie workshop at Spruced Studio on January 15. $85.

🍷 Big Bottle Wine Dinner: On January 16, pair a gourmet 3-course dinner from Wolfgang Punk with enormous bottles of rare wines. The Kitchen by Wolfgang Punk, $98. 6 - 8 PM.

🎨 Drop-In Craft Help: Need help with your craft project? Come to Bead & Powwow Supply on January 16. $15

👗 Winter Fashion Show: Re-invigorate your wardrobe with a winter fashion show, hosted on the iconic Gillett Bridge on January 17. 7 - 8:30 PM. Free.

🧱 Bricks & Minifigs’ 2-Year Anniversary: Celebrate the 2-year anniversary of Grand Rapids’ favorite lego shop on January 18.

🐕️ Paint Your Pet: Learn how to immortalize your best friends with this pet painting workshop at Spruced Studio on January 18. $50

🌵 Sips & Succulents: Bring a bit of warmth to your weekend with an evening of creating succulent arrangements while drinking delicious wine. January 18, Spruced Studio. $28 - 48.

🧘‍♀️ Snowga: Combine health and wellness in new and unexpected ways with a morning of yoga, running, or walking, followed by hot beverages. January 19, 9 - 11 AM

🥘 The Candied Yam’s 7th Annual MLK Day of Service: Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day in a way that counts, by giving back to your community. January 20, 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM.

🍷 West Michigan Food & Beverage Awards: Celebrate the best food and drink West Michigan has to offer at JW Marriott Grand Rapids on January 20.

🍎 Cider Pairing Dinner at Vander Mill: Learn how to make unusual pairings at the Vander Mill on January 22, by pairing gourmet food dinner with various ciders. $75

⛄️ Walking In A Winter Wonderland

4.8 million guests visited the World of Winter Festival last year.

😎 Ongoing Stuff That’s Pretty Cool

• On Fridays, Rebounderz Park is hosting their Parents Night series, where parents can enjoy a night on the town with a night of fun and affordable childcare.

🎵 Music

• Pyramid Scheme, as usual, has a show every night this upcoming week. Tickets are typically $10 and many of the shows are for all ages.

• Turnstiles hosts an open mic every Thursday except the last.

• They also have bans on Fridays and Saturdays

• Fulton Street Pub hosts karaoke every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday

• They also have shows every Sunday and Wednesday

• Speciation Cellars hosts a free show every Friday!

• There’s jazz at Noto’s every Saturday.

• Greyline Free Music Series is running from September 10 through the New Year at Greyline Brewing Co.

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👨‍💼 Highlighting New Businesses

Cellar Bird Books has opened at 415 Bridge St. near US-131.

Big Mini Putt Club just opened their first Grand Rapids location.

The Main Event, a family event center with everything from billiards to bowling alleys, has opened at Woodland Mall in Kentwood.

We Rock The Spectrum, a sensory-friendly gym for kids on the spectrum, had their grand opening recently.