GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Officials hope to bring back some vibrancy to Grand Rapids the rest of the year, with dozens of special events authorized between April and December by the City Commission.
The move comes as the city continues to vaccinate its population and anticipates progress toward normalcy, according to a news release Monday.
About 50 events per month throughout the summer have been authorized as of Monday morning.
They include races and fun runs, Tuesday night swing dancing, Chalk It Up, the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Festival, Grand Rapids African American Art and Music Festival, LMCU Bridge Run, Eastown Bizarre Bazaar, Armed Forces Thanksgiving, ArtPrize and more.
“It is exciting to see the return of the events and activities that make Grand Rapids vibrant,” Mayor Rosalynn Bliss said. “With vaccinations and overall safety awareness on the rise, bringing our community together through these events will be a much-needed step towards rebuilding our local economy and city life.”
All authorized events will still need to follow state executive and emergency orders and an Emergency Action Plan that details the organizer’s plans to mitigate measures.
The City Commission also approved a special event permit for Riverbank Events on July 3, which will host the Family Fireworks Event at 10 p.m. July 3 at Ah-Nab-Awen Park and the Gillett Bridge.
See the full list of authorized special events here.
