Days and nights filled with art and music. What more could a child want? Oh, some early holiday festivities with good old Santa. It's never too soon to start sucking up...
Pixar in Concert
DeVos Performance Hall
303 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
Nov 8-10, show times at 3 and 8 p.m.
Starting at $18
grsymphony.org, (616) 454-9451
Experience the joy of Pixar's most beloved characters and memorable scores while viewing stunning HD, widescreen images with the orchestra performing the music live at DeVos Performance Hall with conductor John Varineau. "I think it's a magical experience," said Marcella Dover, senior marketing manager with the Symphony. "It's a multi-sensory experience with images on the widescreen. The music kind of engulfs you." Covering a wide range of ages such as children, students, adults and families, this creative and cultured event offers plenty of musical inspirations including jazz and pop. Children will find it fun to see their favorite characters again and parents will revel in a little live music from the community's own orchestra. Clips from Pixar's 13 animated films (including Toy Story, Finding Nemo, WALL-E and UP) show your children the real craft in live music and how it relates to their favorite movies.
Santa's Workshop
Grand Rapids Public Library's Main Library
111 Library St. NE, Grand Rapids
Nov. 23, 10:30 a.m-1 p.m. (after Santa Claus parade)
Free
grpl.org, (616) 988-5400
It's only fitting that immediately following the Santa Claus parade is Santa's Workshop, where kiddos can regain warmth and blood flow to their fingers via craft making. Warm up with some hot chocolate at the Grand Rapids Public Library's Main branch and kick off some of those early holiday hankerings with hands-on fun. "This family event is a great way to warm up for the holidays to continue the good cheer you'll find at the parade," says Kristen Krueger-Corrado, marketing and communications manager for GRPL. Both Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand for a meet and greet. There are also photo opportunities and a story time segment from Mrs. Claus followed by sugar cookie decorating with the ol' gal. Things stir up even more with a performance from the Edelweiss Choir as they sing songs from The Sound of Music — a little promotion for the play showing at the Civic Theatre. Enter a drawing for a chance to win a family four-pack to see the show. Word is this free event also offers up free parking in the library's lot and crafts will be going on "the whole time" — because in a perfect world, they should.
WMCAT Teen Art Exhibition
West Michigan Center for Arts & Technology
98 East Fulton St., Suite 202, Grand Rapids
Dec. 12, 5:30 p.m.
Free
wmcat.org, (616) 454-7004
The teen arts program over at West Michigan Center for Arts & Technology is "totes cool," as teens would say. In a nutshell, it's all about teens creating something while creating themselves. Students select/are placed on a team for the school year and each team (we're talking Photography, Illustration/Painting, App Design, 3-D Design, Graphic Design and Fashion Design) is led by a professional artist mentoring up to 12 tweens. "It's a creative outlet but it's stuff they want to do," said Development and Communications Manager Amy Knape. "It's a cool space where they can come and know it's their space. It's a fun, respectful place of empowerment." Keeping kids engaged in their community using professional technology and learning a variety of amazing skills in a team environment with professional artists is not only a way to keep high school students busy but helps the younger generation to make deeper connections with peers and their community, which "translates to academic success." Think all this sounds good? Make a point to take your teens to the December exhibition featuring work from all the teams. This student art show has an enriching back story and will be a great point of reference to talk about art, community and where teens fit into that scene. Make a point to come out and see all the fun, hard work and future of today's young mindset.
Holiday Open House
Downtown Holland
Nov. 23, 6-9 p.m.
Free
holland.org, (616) 796-1210
Downtown Holland hosts a holiday open house filled with comfort and joy for those looking to celebrate early. Stroll the decorated streets of downtown and listen to singing carolers and view the shops decorated outside and inside with new holiday merchandise. Event organizers are looking to provide a tent with cookies and hot chocolate along with the sights and smells of roasted chestnuts too. "People come and sample and we go through thousands of them," said Kara de Alvare, Downtown Holland's interim marketing coordinator. Oh, and of course Santa is strutting around passing out candy canes and good cheer.
