Another weekend, another amazing cultural festival taking over downtown Grand Rapids! If you live in West Michigan, you already know what a diverse melting pot our community is. If you're considering the area for a home or investment location, the cultural activities that take place are a great example of the thriving culture of our area.
Beginning today, the Calder Plaza will host the annual Hispanic Festival, which is free and open to the public. There will be plenty of interesting, unique vendors of both goods/gifts and food available from 11:30 am to 11:30 pm on Friday and Saturday and from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Sunday. There are unique attractions each day, with plenty of family-friendly fun to go around! Today, for example, the John Ball Zoo is bringing its monarch butterflies and an exhibit discussing their annual flight across the country to winter in Mexico from 11:30 to 2:00 pm. There may be a few other animals visiting too! There will also be Hispanic culture and heritage artifacts on display from 11:30 am to 7:00 pm, courtesy of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. There will also be hands-on crafts!
On Saturday, the artifacts will be on display again. There will also be arts and craft opportunities and breakdancing instruction provided by the students from Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities. There will be a chance to sign up for library cards and peruse English and Spanish library offerings, as well as a Veggie Van on site selling fresh produce. Other events include a presentation on the folklore of St. Francis Xavier, live music, and of course, dancing. There will be different musical styles featured at different times throughout the weekend. A schedule is available here. Featured styles include cumbia, rock, salsa, mariachi, marimba, and bachata.
After you've taken some time to enjoy the varied and amazing Hispanic cultures that are part of the greater Grand Rapids community, you may want to head north toward Riverside Park, where the Grand Valley American Indian Lodge is putting on its 54th Annual Pow Wow celebrating Native American culture. Most of Grand Rapids proper was originally Native American territory, and indeed, the city and its suburbs were once treaty lands officially recognized as Native territory by the federal government, according to the 1836 Treaty of Washington. These days, all that realistically remains of the strong Native American influence in the downtown area are the Hopewell Mounds at Ah-Nab-Awen Park.
To celebrate Native American culture and learn more about it, head to Riverside Park on Saturday or Sunday, where there will be drumming, traditional singing, dancing, crafts, and food. This is not a dog-friendly event, and organizers ask attendees to leave pets at home. Parking and admission are free.
Cultural events, like the Hispanic Festival and the 54th Annual Pow Wow by the Grand Valley American Indian Lodge, are part of what make this area a great place to raise a family and own property. If you're considering moving to the area or upgrading to a new home in West Michigan, be sure to call Pyxis Realty today to get the hands-on, experienced help you deserve!