7/5-6
Lakeshore Art Festival
Downtown Muskegon
July 5-6, free
lakeshoreartfestival.org
If you missed the Festival of the Arts in Grand Rapids in June, have no fear; the Lakeshore Art Festival will be happening for two days in Muskegon. This art festival features fine art, craft, artisan food, live entertainment and a section for kids to have a wonderful interactive experience. For the grown up in you, feel free to stop by the wine and craft beer garden. Along with this, the festival is teaming up with the DTE Energy Foundation to reduce waste at the festival but also to help properly recycle and compost. Stay local and stay green.
7/7-28
Summer of Brunch
GR Loves Food Trucks
Fulton Street Artisans Market
1145 E. Fulton St., Grand Rapids
Sundays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
facebook.com/gr8foodtrucks
It’s true, GR does love food trucks — who doesn’t! We also happen to love brunch, so why not combine the best of both worlds? Summer of Brunch brings all kinds of food trucks to the Fulton Street Artisans Market, offering all their usual fare alongside brunch specials. Grab some delicious food while browsing soap, candles, jewelry, paintings, clothes and much more from local artists.
7/9
Meanwhile Movie: Good Burger
Wealthy Theater
1130 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids
July 9, 8 p.m., $5+
grcmc.org/theatre
When competition arises between your little food joint and the big new corporate one, you do whatever you have to do. Good Burger is a cult classic comedy based on an All That sketch, which is just about as ’90s as it gets. It’s coming to Wealthy Theater’s weekly series, Meanwhile Movies, which features iconic films of all kinds. Come enjoy this classic, featuring Kenan and Kel, bound to make anyone laugh.
7/12
Movies on Monroe: Matilda and CrazyRich Asians
555 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
July 12, 6 p.m.-midnight, free
downtowngr.com
A childhood classic making us all wish we could move things with our minds and a newer film highlighting the life of the rich and beautiful are coming to the big screen on Monroe Avenue for a night. This summer series hosts movies in a big lot along the Grand River, along with plenty to do before the shows for all ages. For the kid-at-heart, you should kick off with some “zero-gravity games” or a magician performance. Or, if you want to perfectly understand one scene from Crazy Rich Asians, you can learn how to play Mah-Jong. Along with great pre-movie entertainment, feel free to kick back and relax by eating some food from seven great food trucks.
7/18
Andrew Bird ft. Madison Cunningham
Meijer Gardens
1000 E. Beltline Ave. NE, Grand Rapids
July 18, 6 p.m., $40+
meijergardens.org
Known for being a very talented multi-musician and multi-genre artist, the American indie-rock icon Andrew Bird is performing at Meijer Gardens. With more than 15 studio albums and many more singles released since his debut in 1996, he has more than enough folk music to fill out a beautiful night in the gardens. You’ll easily find yourself singing along with his plucky, violin-centric songs, as well as his special guest, Madison Cunningham.
Meijer Gardens Concert. Courtesy Photo
2019 Picnic in the Park
Wilcox Park
1570 Robinson Rd. SE, Grand Rapids
July 18, 4-9 p.m., free
With delicious food, hot air balloon rides and live entertainment, this picnic is easily one of the coolest you’ll ever attend. The 4th annual Picnic in the Park is back this year at Wilcox Park. If you’re looking for any reason to go, pilots will be inflating a grounded RE/MAX hot air balloon and for $1 you can go inside, with the proceeds benefiting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. If you’re feeling more adventurous, head up in one of the tethered balloons for $15. As for food, you can bring your own or pick some up from local vendors. There also will be caricatures, balloon animals, henna, face painting and more.
Goat Yoga
Mindful Vinyasa School of Yoga
4050 24th St., Dorr
July 18, 6:30 p.m., $15+
facebook.com/mindfulvinyasaschoolofyoga
No one can deny that goats are the hot new craze in recent years, and why wouldn’t they be? Those horns, those tongues, those goofy faces — they make the perfect yoga companion. While you might have a good laugh getting used to these simple animals bouncing around you, it's hard to go back to regular yoga once you’ve spent a session with the goats.
7/26
“Weird Al” Yankovic: The Strings Attached Tour
DeVos Performance Hall
303 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
July 26, 8 p.m., $65+
devosperformancehall.com
The classic and quirky “Weird Al” is making a stop in Grand Rapids to bring some laughs to your night. This event brings back the classic Al, as he returns with some original costumes, props and his original band. With a new twist, he also is performing with a full symphony orchestra, as well as many background singers. It’s musical parody like you’ve never heard or seen it before.
7/27
Mo Pop Festival 2019
West Riverfront Park
1801 W. Jefferson Ave., Detroit
July 27-28, $85+
mopopfestival.com
For the ultimate weekend, you should spend it with amazing singers and performers at one of the hottest festivals of the summer. The annual music festival is back with an amazing lineup, including Ella Mai, Vampire Weekend, King Princess, Tame Impala and more. Mo Pop also has food trucks, a free arcade tent, plenty of drinks and much more. If you’re looking for a great time with great tunes and a great view of the river, gather up your friends now and get tickets before they’re gone!
Made in Michigan Pop-Up Market
Downtown Market
435 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids
July 27, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., free
downtownmarketgr.com
There’s no better way to shop than local, so why not go all out on Michigan vendors? At the Downtown Market, you can dive in and shop Michigan-made art, food, artisan gifts and more. This is the place to be for one-of-a-kind gifts and home goods you can’t find anywhere else. Attending the event is free, but we suggest you bring your wallet considering all the amazing vendors.
The Color Run 5k
300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
July 27, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., $25+
thecolorrun.com
As OneRepublic sings, “This is life in color, today feels like no other.” When running the annual Color Run, you’re bound to feel the same. This vibrant and exciting 5k, also known as the “happiest 5,000 meters on the planet,” is for people of any age and skill level. While you may start with a lovely white shirt, at every kilometer mark, a new color is thrown your way. By the end of this race, you’re showcasing a rainbow. Afterward, feel free to join in the party, with music, dancing, photo ops, vendors and more.
Sir Mix-a-Lot
Bell’s Eccentric Cafe
355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., Kalamazoo
July 27, 8 p.m., $27+
bellsbeer.com/events/cafe
He likes big butts, he cannot lie and he’s coming back for another round in Kalamazoo this summer. Anthony Ray, better known as Sir Mix-a-Lot, is revisiting and reigniting his rap and hip-hop roots in the beautiful Bell’s Beer Garden. You’ll hear his classic hits like Baby Got Back, Posse on Broadway and Jump on It.
7/29
Nas
20 Monroe Live
11 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
July 29, 7 p.m., $45+
20monroelive.com
Known as one of the greats and born out of a house of jazz, rapper and songwriter Nas is making a sudden stop in Grand Rapids, with a quick detour from his co-headlining tour with Mary J. Blige. While her presence will be missed, this is a chance to see Nas in a slightly smaller venue, spitting verses like he has been for decades. His 1994 debut, Illmatic, launched Nas to fame and is still seen as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.
7/30
Tilian - The Skeptic Tour
The Intersection
133 Grandville Ave. SW, Grand Rapids
July 30, 6 p.m., $17+
sectionlive.com
The clean vocalist from the bands Dance Gavin Dance and Tides of Man is making his way north on The Skeptic Tour. Tilian is known for his flexibility in pursuing different genres of music throughout his career — from experimental and progressive rock to his catchy indie-pop bops, his songs are bound to get stuck in your head.
