Bookstores are back! Not that they ever vanished entirely, but Grand Rapids seems to now have more than I’ve experienced in 34 years of life here. We’ve recently seen small indie shops like Cellar Bird Books, Pages & Grapes and Black Dog open doors, and they’re doing quite well, while longtime institutions like Schuler Books expanded their Okemos location.

• Books
• Bookstores
• Indie Bookstores
• Schuler Books
• Cellar Bird Books

The Grand Rapids Lantern Festival is returning to John Ball Zoo, promising to be another unforgettable experience with hundreds of lanterns lighting up the night, offering an immersive, enchanting atmosphere. Hundreds of thousands of visitors have experienced the magic of the Grand Rapids Lantern Festival, featuring a one-mile tour through John Ball Zoo through handcrafted Asian lantern displays.

• John Ball Zoo
• Festivals

Social media superstars, podcasters, and viral video influencers Catherine Belknap and Natalie Telfer, aka Cat and Nat, are best known for telling their #MOMTRUTHS. So trust them when they say that their live show will be “The Night of Your Life.”

• Miller Auditorium
• comedy
• Cat and Nat

New year, new adventures! West Michigan is teeming with things to do, see, sip, and savor in 2025. Whether you’re plunging into winter festivals, toasting summer sunsets on the lakeshore, or diving into the dynamic arts scene, the year ahead is practically begging you to explore—and we’re here to help you make your bucket list.

• Things to Do
• Winter

Every year, the World of Winter takes over downtown Grand Rapids, bringing life and color to the city during the season’s doldrums. Thanks to Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., dozens of light-based art pieces and sculptures pop up around the city, along with activities, events and live performances. The best part: Just about everything in World of Winter is free.

• DGRI
• Downtown Grand Rapids
• World of Winter

Get Out is your monthly guide to what's great in the great outdoors. As the leader of a recreation group, I feel a lot of responsibility, and subsequent worry, for how an event I schedule turns out. Too much, I’m sure, but that’s probably a story for a different kind of publication, like maybe Psychology Today. 

• Get Out
• Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park
• Tiny Digs Lakeshore

Oh, hey. Did you or someone you know get engaged over the holiday season? Now that the celebrating has settled, it’s time to start planning. We gathered experts to talk everything wedding and find out what they had to say about the soon-to-be wed’s biggest questions!

• Weddings
• Cheney Place
• Kangaroo Kitchen
• Music Host Entertainment
• Modern Day Collective
• The Wild Phern
• Magnolia Bridal

Planning a wedding day in West Michigan? You’ll want the crème de la crème of local vendors and suppliers to make it truly unforgettable. From stunning venues and delicious caterers to chic bridal shops and trendy mobile bars, the options are nearly endless. 

• Lifestyle
• Weddings

After the last school bell of the year rings on Friday, December 20, many families will be turning their attention from homework and extracurricular activities to the more relaxed pace of winter break, which, for most, runs until classes resume on January 6. Sure, lazing around in matching jammies may sound pretty appealing, but, presumably, there is only so much leisure to be had before cabin fever kicks in.

• Frederik Meijer Gardens  & Sculpture Park
• Winter
• Winter Break

The holidays have arrived in West Michigan and there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate. Whether you’re looking for a local artist market to buy unique gifts for loved ones; concerts putting Christmas music and other holiday hits in the spotlight; spectacular annual shows that are local traditions; meals to enjoy together; brilliant holiday light displays; or just about anything else, we’ve got you covered.

• Holidays
• Enlighten
• Christkindl