There are lots of excellent opportunities for family fun in West Michigan this weekend. First and foremost, today (Friday, July 31st) marks the 18th birthday for a special part of the downtown Grand Rapids culture: the Children’s Museum. The museum is celebrating by throwing a massive birthday party for itself, and everyone is invited.
Running from 10 am to 2 pm today, this special event features a massive celebration, including a street fair on the temporarily closed Sheldon Avenue. The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum Birthday Street Party will be animal-themed. That means this awesome, free fun time for kids and families will include the chance to make your own animal-themed masks, as well as bubble snakes, fish-themed bean bag toss games, snow cones, free temporary animal tattoos, and a bug matching game, as well as many more opportunities for fun.
This is especially wonderful for members of the community who can't afford to pay the admission to the museum itself. Much of what will be available at The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum Birthday Street Party will be parts of existing interior exhibits in the museum. It should be noted, however, that admission to the museum today is not free, and those who wish to go inside the building will be expected to pay the normal admission price.
The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum has been in operation since July 31st, 1997, and today is officially the start of the eighteenth year of operation for this educational, hands-on institution. If you're looking for something to do with the kids today, this is a great chance to enjoy downtown and some free fun at the same time.
If The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum Birthday Street Party doesn't sound interesting, or if there are no children that need to be entertained in your household (or the children are older, for that matter), then make plans to enjoy the Coast Guard Festival, which has been running since July 24th and will be finishing up for this year over the weekend, with August 2nd being the last day of the festival.
The Coast Guard Festival is an annual event, hosted in Grand Haven, Michigan, and boasting a massive turn-out of veterans and site-seers every year. The estimated attendance is roughly 350,000 people annually, and this year promises to be a fun and exciting event for all interested in attending. There's plenty to do and see at the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival, including free tours of various ships in Escanaba Park, a carnival with rides and traditional carnival foods on Washington Ave. from Harbor Dr. to 3rd St. (with $20 ride-all-you-want wristbands available for the die hard adrenaline junkies and those with enthusiastic children), a craft fair tomorrow in Central Park, and the Meijer Grand Parade tomorrow, beginning at 11:45 am. Tomorrow will also feature a Tina Turner impersonator performing at 8 pm and a fireworks extravaganza beginning when dark falls.
As always, the West Michigan area has plenty to offer the busy and socially-minded residents of the region. There are a lot of fun things going on in Grand Rapids and Grand Haven this weekend, so get out and explore.