Grand Rapids Festival Of The Arts This Weekend

Grand Rapids Festival Of The Arts is a long standing tradition in this city. It brings out huge crowds of people, rain or shine, to check out the art, listen to the music, and of course, eat the food. This year's Festival is this coming weekend, June 3rd through the 5th!

The Festival provides entertainment and art for all ages. You can peruse the art in the art tents, check out the Regional Art displayed at the GRAM (for FREE), and check out all of the stages for dozens of different performers. The kids can take part in the Kids' Paint In, Chalk The Walk, Face painting and a myriad of other kids' activities. This year, unlike years prior, there will be kids' events set up not only down near Calder Plaza, but also right in front of the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

Stop by and visit Channel 957 on Friday from 8am until 6pm on Friday, at the corner of Lyon and Ottawa! Sabrina will be there broadcasting live from 10 until 3! Pick up your Friends With Benefits Bonus Code and register to win a four pack of tickets to Michigan's Adventure and a $250 gift card to Double JJ Resort!

Check out some of the top things to see at Festival, below, and see the full schedule by clicking here!

Top six “new at Festival 2011”

• Regional Art Exhibition at Grand Rapids Art Museum
• Site:Lab, corner of Fulton and Division
• Story time with Grand Rapids Public Library, in front of Grand Rapids Art Museum
• Dyer-Ives poetry reading at Schuler Books, on Fountain off Ottawa
• Story Kettle project/StorySpinners (see schedule for details)

Top six best-sellers in the Art Sales Tent:

• Alynn Guerra, block prints and paintings
• Steven Heyser-Honig, photography
• Robyn Kane, fine silver jewelry
• Eva Melles, jewelry
• Sarah Roemer, pop tab accessories
• Jonathan Shuff, photography

Top six favorite performers (with 2011 performance day/time):

• Conklin Ceili Band – Saturday, June 4, 9:15pm Calder Stage
• The Rockit King – Saturday, June 4, 9:15pm City Stage
• Kent Philharmonia Orchestra – Friday, June 3, 8:15pm Calder Stage
• School of the Grand Rapids Ballet – Saturday, June 4, 12:30pm Calder Stage
• Bethel Pentecostal Choir – Sunday, June 5, 5:30pm Calder Stage
• Lazy Blue Tunas – Sunday, June 5, 2:30pm Clock Tower Stage

Most creative performer name:

Yard Sale Underwear, Saturday, June 4, Clock Tower 3:30pm

Most creative performer description:

Three-Eyed Fish, Friday, June 3, 3:30pm Calder – “Mystique and wonderment we’re known for”

Top six most popular food booths:

• This is Fellowship Ministries, barbecue
• Northview Athletic Boosters, elephant ears
• Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Greek souvlaki
• Kenowa Hills Instrumental Music Boosters, grilled shrimp
• Central Christian Church, chocolate waffle sundae
• Our Lady of Lavang Church, Vietnamese chicken skewers

Top six most popular Festival art activities:

• Kids’ Paint-In
• Glue-In
• Adult Paint-In
• Printmaking
• Face Painting
• Chalk the Walk