Tuesday nights in downtown Grand Rapids have been alive with the sounds of swing music and young people in colorful outfits for the last few years, but soon, that will all be changing. The successful swing dancing night has become a victim of its own success in a way, and has simply outgrown Rosa Parks Circle. 

Grand Rapids Original Swing Society founder Steve Zaagman announced on Tuesday night that the weekly event will be moved from Rosa Parks Circle to a yet-to-be determined indoor location. This announcement followed an incident on Tuesday, August 13th in which several fights broke out amongst high-school-aged on-lookers. GRPD stated that at least ten people were arrested.

In recent years, minor fights have been breaking out amongst on-lookers (not swing dancers), and that led to increased police presence. The Swing Society also ended up hiring private security to be on site every Tuesday night, but that proved to be too costly.

Zaagman told our friends at WZZM-13 that he hopes that moving the event indoors will squash the fights (because there will be less spectators) and the need for additional private security. Zaagman said that they may also start charging a small fee in order to keep away people who are only there to cause trouble.

 

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