Since its public opening on April 20th, 1995, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has drawn visitors not only from west Michigan but from all over the world.
Its beautiful, varied gardens and world-class sculpture collection are enormously popular; in February of this year, USA Today named it the best sculpture park in the United States.
If that weren’t enough, Meijer Gardens curates a series of events throughout the year. August is a particularly packed month, including the Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens (FTBSCAMG for short), the Ayers Basement Systems Tuesday Evening Music Club events, Sunday Strings performances, and the last full month of Busted: Contemporary Sculpture Busts.
Eleven concerts will take place as part of the summer concert series; as of this writing, six of them have sold out. Taking place at the Frederik Meijer Gardens amphitheater (capacity: 1900), the shows allow for a relaxed, intimate experience with music in several genres. Guests sit, stand, eat, and drink; they see old friends and make new ones; and they hear great music in an intimate and beautiful venue as the sun begins to descend.
Genres represented this year will include classic rock (Cheap Trick), jam bands (The String Cheese Incident, Umphrey’s McGee), gospel (The War and Treaty), country and folk (Mary Chapin Carpenter, Maren Morris, Charley Crockett), rock (Cake, Train), pop (Andy Grammer), and indie-folk (Crane Wives). Often, these bands cross genre lines themselves; Umphrey’s McGee takes on jazz, reggae, funk, metal, and more.
“Diversity of lineup is very important and intentional,” John VanderHaagen, Director of Communications, said. “We want to appeal to different audiences with a wide variety of acts.”
Meijer Gardens aims for a mixture of veterans and acts new to the venue. “We try to have a third that are brand new, a third returning, and a third that’s a combo, in the case of co-headliners or opening acts,” VanderHaagen said.
The approach is working; the morning tickets went on sale, 85% sold. Thousands of concert goers look forward to ticket release day every year. “We’ve very, very grateful for the support of the community,” he said.
The venue remains popular with musicians, too. “Almost to a T, acts rave about the amphitheater. It’s not often acts this big get to play such intimate shows at such a world-class venue. They tell us we’re that circled date on their calendar.” They compliment the gardens themselves, the amphitheater, and the engaged, excited crowds.
While the Meijer Gardens series focuses on national and international acts, the Ayers Basement Systems Tuesday Evening Music Club brings in local and regional musicians and cultural organizations. Taking place every Tuesday in June, July, and August, these events help shine a spotlight on terrific local acts. Tickets are usually free with admission; exceptions are noted on the venue’s website.
On August 5th, soul-pop group August will perform, as will songwriter and mental health advocate Hannah Rose. Classmates back in 1969, Franklin Park will take the stage on August 12th, performing their signature mix of cover songs from The Beatles, the Byrds, and more. All-female power trio The Accidentals August 19th; while tickets are required for The Accidentals, they remain available as of this writing. Finally, on August 26th, Grand Rapids Ballet will perform a mixture of contemporary and classical work, including choreography set to music by Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and more.
Sunday Strings, started during the pandemic, is a series of intimate shows held indoors. Free with admission, the shows last about an hour; some guests choose to sit and listen to full shows, while others may listen to a section before exploring more of the gardens.
On August 3rd, Echoes of the Romantic and Beyond will be performed. Selections by Mendelssohn, Kapustine, and Auerbach will be played. Italian Serenade can be heard on August 10th and will include works by Tchaikovsky, Mozart, and Puccini. Chamber music is designed to be played by a small group of musicians in an intimate setting; the Huizenga Grand Room is the perfect place to hear it.
Finally, Busted: Contemporary Sculpture Busts is on display through September 21st. Gathering work by 21st century sculptors, it gathers together an extraordinary collection of accomplished, powerful, and even haunting works, works ranging from the sublime silliness of the Muppets to the deepest mysteries of the self.
On August 17th, a Meijer Gardens staff member will lead an all-ages event. After discussing the sculptures, the educator will run a surrealist art game in which participants help make a figure drawing one section at a time without having seen the previous addition.
“There’s something new every day,” VanderHaagen said. “And there’s always something we’re planning for the future. It’s just such a great place to work, surrounded by beauty and embraced by people across the world. To walk around and hear different languages being spoken—that’s pretty special.”
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
1000 E. Beltline Ave. NE, Grand Rapids
meijergardens.org
BUSTED - Contemporary Sculpture Busts: Through Sept. 21
Tuesday Evening Music Club: Tuesdays through August 26, 7-9 pm.
Sunday Strings:
August 3 - Echoes of the Romantic and Beyond
August 10 - Italian Serenade
Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens:
August 1 - The War And Treaty with Grand Rapids Symphony
August 3 - Train
August 7 - Mary Chapin Carpenter + Brandy Clark
August 11 - Cheap Trick (SOLD OUT)
August 14 - The String Cheese Incident (SOLD OUT)
August 17 - CAKE (SOLD OUT)
August 18 - Andy Grammer (SOLD OUT)
August 21 - Maren Morris
August 24 - Umphrey’s McGee
August 25 - Charley Crockett
August 28 - The Crane Wives
