Events, happenings and goings-on for the month of March, all over West Michigan!
3/4
Noodle Fest
Calder Plaza
March 4, 12-5 p.m.
Time for everyone’s favorite noodle festival! In partnership with the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Foundation, this World of Winter event offers 12 different bowls of noodles for just $6 each. Vote on your favorite bowl through donations to the foundation! It’s like a chili cookoff, but with tasteful noodles instead.
3/8
LaughFest
Grand Rapids
March 8-12
laughfestgr.org
With the state of today’s world, it’s good to set some time aside just for laughter. LaughFest brings some of the world’s funniest comedians to Grand Rapids, such as Tig Notaro, Pete Holmes, D.J. Demers, Daphnique Springs,and many moreIt’s only the best of the best, so you can walk into any show and leave with a healthy dose of the best medicine. Also check out the National Showcase, Best of the Midwest, Clean Comedy Showcase and more.
3/10
Larry the Cable Guy
Soaring Eagle Casino
6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd, Mount Pleasant
March 10, 8 p.m.
soaringeaglecasino.com
It’s time to get ‘er done with Larry the Cable Guy, multi-platinum recording artist, Grammy nominee, Billboard award winner and one of the top comedians in the country. Whether you love the Blue Collar Comedy Tour or just enjoy hearing his voice as Mater, this is your chance to see him.
3/12
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Chenery Auditorium
714 S. Westnedge, Kalamazoo
March 12, 4 p.m.
thegilmore.org
The Gilmore brings the greatest pianists in the world to West Michigan, and this is no exception. Composer and bandleader Maria Schneider’s Grammy-winning and Pulitzer Prize-finalist album Data Lords was described by the Pulitzers as “an enveloping musical landscape of light and shadow… reflecting the promise of a digital paradise contrasted by a concentration of power and the loss of privacy.” It was also named Jazz Album of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association and NPR. She will present selections from Data Lords with her 18-member jazz collective.
Dropkick Murphys St. Patrick’s Day Tour
GLC Live at 20 Monroe
March 12, 7 p.m.
glcliveat20monroe.com
The boys are back in town. After releasing their 12th studio album in 2022, This Machine Still Kills Fascists, Dropkick Murphys are ready to party and celebrate St. Paddy’s Day. You’ll want to show up for iconic songs like “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” and “The State of Massachusetts.”
3/13
Winery Dogs
DeVos Performance Hall
303 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
March 13, 7:30 p.m.
devosperformancehall.com
American rock supergroup the Winery Dogs are coming to Grand Rapids. The American rock supergroup is comprised of band members; Richie Kotzen (Poison), Billy Sheehan (Steve Lai, David Lee Roth) and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater). Following a seven-year break from the studio, The Winery Dogs are back in full force with their aptly named third album III. As III handily proves with each successive listen, just like a fine wine given the right amount of time to ferment and to breathe, The Winery Dogs keep on getting better and better with age.
3/14
Birds and Brews
Creston Brewery
1504 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids
March 14, 6 p.m.
saugatuckbrewing.com
It’s the 2nd Live Birds of Prey & Beer Show with the Outdoor Discovery Center at Creston Brewery. Get up close and personal with the raptors of the Outdoor Discovery Center in the Golden Age event space. You’ll see and learn about 5-6 different Birds of Prey and “pair” each bird’s personality with the characteristics of one of Creston’s beers (5oz for each pairing). You will also receive a welcome pint on your way in, just to get you comfortable while you wait for the show to start.
Cocktails 101: An Introduction to Better Drinks
Long Road Distillers
537 Leonard St. NW, Grand Rapids
March 14, 6:30 p.m.
Where better to learn how to make cocktails than at a distillery? And Long Road is one of the best, known for their memorable drinks that innovate on the classics. In this class, you’ll cover the basics of distillation, the components of a proper cocktail, and basic techniques to make better drinks at home.
3/15
Paws, Claws, and Corks
DeVos Place
303 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
March 15
hswestmi.org
Put your paws in the air and party with pets at the annual Paws, Claws, and Corks gala hosted by the Humane Society of West Michigan. Savor food and beverage from West Michigan while bidding on top-notch auction items. All proceeds go towards the Humane Society’s mission to promote the humane treatment and responsible care of animals in the community.
3/17
Emo Nite
The Intersection
133 Grandville Ave. SW, Grand Rapids
March 17, 9 p.m.
sectionlive.com
Sometimes the best way to get happy is to just feel everything, then let it all out while screaming along to emo and pop-punk music with a bunch of other sad people. It’s like a juice cleanse, except it actually works! Fall Out Boy, American Football, Paramore, My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday—they have it all.
3/18
Irish On Ionia
Downtown Grand Rapids
March 18, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
facebook.com/irishonionia
The all-day St. Patrick’s Day festival is back once again, and it’s turning 10 this year! Stretching on Ionia St. from Fulton to Oakes and on Weston from Ionia to Commerce, enjoy two entertainment stages, Irish bands, DJs, food trucks, heated tents, Irish & local beers, seasonal cocktails, bag pipes, Irish dance troops, and so much more!
3/20
Oberon Day
Bell’s Eccentric Café
355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., Kalamazoo
March 20, 10 a.m.
bellsbeer.com
Oberon Day is the official start of spring, to many Michiganders. It’s true in the literal sense, as the spring equinox is on March 20 this year, but also true on a spiritual level, as Oberon is the official local drink of warmer weather. This year, head to Bell’s Eccentric Café for a camp-themed Oberon Day, featuring live music from May Erlewine alongside other outdoor fun.
3/28
The Price Is Right Live
DeVos Performance Hall
303 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
March 28, 7:30 p.m.
devosperformancehall.com
The Price Is Right Live is the hit interactive stage show that gives eligible individuals the chance to hear their names called and “Come On Down” to win. Prizes may include appliances, vacations and possibly a new car! Play classic games just like on television’s longest running and most popular game show, from Plinko to Cliffhangers to The Big Wheel, and even the fabulous Showcase.
3/31
Protomartyr
The Pyramid Scheme
68 Commerce Dr. SW, Grand Rapids
March 31, 7 p.m.
pyramidschemebar.com
This Detroit post-punk, gothic rock band is riding high after releasing their fifth album in 2020, Ultimate Success Today. With heady lyrics and a powerful atmosphere “of universal reckoning,” Protomartyr is the band we need right now. See them live at Pyramid Scheme with Turn to Crime opening.
