Looking for some fun for “Thirsty Thursday” this week? Well, maybe you should head on down to Grand Rapids' sprawling riverside park, Ah-Nab-Awen Park, where a beer and film festival will be taking place. The event, entitled the Clips Beer & Film Tour is sponsored by New Belgium Brewing Company, a craft brewery located in Colorado. This year marks the sixth time that this event has been held here in Grand Rapids, and plenty of people are already very excited for this year's Clips Beer & Film Tour. The tour will be hitting a total of 20 cities across the nation this year, and Grand Rapids is always happy to host this enjoyable event.

On June 11^th, (this Thursday), Ah-Nab-Awen Park will likely be packed with microbrew fans vying to sample the seventeen craft beers on tap. The Clips Beer & Film Tour will also feature 20 independent short films (projected onto a massive inflatable screen in the park).

The beers, all of which are New Belgium brews, will include Cocoa Mole, Film Noir Imperial Milk Stout (which is only available at Clips events), La Folie, Pear Ginger Beer, Rampant Imperial IPA, Skinny Dip, Somersault, Transatlantique Kriek, Trippel, 1554, Blue Paddle, Fat Tire, Ranger IPA, Shift, Slow Ride Session IPA, Snapshot Wheat and the world debut of Hop Tart from the Hop Kitchen Series.

The event is being billed as family-friendly (as well as dog-friendly), so state-issued identification will be required of those who wish to buy one of the amazing beers on tap at this event. Three ounce sampler cup tokens will cost $1.50 each, while twelve ounce cup tokens will cost $6 each. Attendees are encouraged bring a short lawn chair or a blanket to sit on while watching the films. Those more interested in which independent shorts will be showing than beer can watch a trailer featuring the film selections to be shown this year.

One of the best things about the Clips Beer & Film Tour is the fact that 100% of the profits from the beer sales will go to help the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycling Coalition, whose Facebook page can be visited here.  There is also a Facebook page for the event itself  where readers can RSVP and get additional information about this awesome annual event that helps makes Grand Rapids “Beer City, USA.”

The “doors” open at 8:30 pm and the film screenings will start at 10 pm. Food trucks from A Moveable Feast and Gettin' Fresh  will be onsite to provide event goers with delicious, fresh food. There will also be several bikes available via a raffle, with ticket proceeds going to support the Room to Ride campaign. The Room to Ride Campaign is working to ensure there are 100 miles of bike lanes in the Grand Rapids area by the end of 2015, which is an excellent cause, sure to make West Michigan more attractive to environmentally-conscious people.

This Saturday, June 13^th, 2015, there will be plenty of reason to get out of the city and head somewhere else (other than the beach), provided by Art in the Park in Hudsonville! If you are looking for something family-friendly, free, relaxing, and unique to do early in the day this Saturday, the 7^th Annual Art in the Park event is likely just what you're in search of for a fun family Saturday!

This year's Art in the Park event will feature fifty arts and crafts vendors, (which seems obvious because this is an arts and crafts fair), as well as food vendors including food trucks, ensuring a quick snack or even lunch is only a short line away while you're admiring the products make by local artisans. There is no admission fee to enter the Art in the Park event, which is being help at the Hudsonville Veteran's Park, so even families with a gaggle of children can enjoy a low-cost cultural experience. Veteran's Park is located at 3275 Central Blvd, Hudsonville, MI 49426, for those unfamiliar with the area or using a GPS navigator or app to locate the event.

Unlike many arts and crafts fairs, the Art in the Park event has strict guidelines preventing the sale of any manufactured or catalog-based products. This means that visitors won't be dealing with numerous tables hawking Avon, Tupperware or anything similar. Only hand-crafted, homemade, and original items are admitted for sale, and vendors must apply with descriptions of everything they will be selling, ensuring a wide variety of interesting items will be available for perusal. It's always a good idea to visit your bank or credit union's ATM on the way to the event. While many vendors do accept credit cards and some accept personal checks, cash is always the easiest way to ensure you don't miss out on purchasing the find of a lifetime.

While the large number of arts and crafts vendors should be a draw unto itself, there are many other exciting things happening throughout the day at Art in the Park. For starters, some artists will be providing live demonstrations of their skills, which will surely spark the creativity of some who attend. There will also be a children's play area, ensuring that the younger visitors to Art in the Park will have some hands-on fun! There will also be free entertainment throughout the show.

Readers can visit the official website for the Hudsonville Area Arts Council's Art in the Park by clicking here. There is also a Facebook events page for this year's Art in the Park, but not an official page for the recurring event itself. The Hudsonville Area Arts Council, which is responsible for organizing and putting on the event every year does have an a Facebook page, which readers can visit by clicking here.

This year's 7^th Annual Art in the Park in Hudsonville will run from 9am to 3pm at Veteran's Park. With free admission, live entertainment, a special children's area, and over 50 vendors, including food trucks, it's a great way for people to spend their Saturday morning or early afternoon.

This upcoming Monday, June 8^th, is the first day of the ever-popular Berlin Fair. Located at the Berlin Fairgrounds, this annual fair is one of the best-loved events in West Michigan and a summer staple. First organized in 1855, The Berlin Fair has been held for 160 years now, and it is considered the longest running fair in the state of Michigan. Despite the fact that the township has long since renamed itself as Marne, the Berlin Fair retains its original name, and its popularity only grows each year.

There are attractions and events for people of all ages, interests, and backgrounds. There are a number of food vendors, many of whom return every year, including the Lamont Christian School's grilled chicken and all the tasty treats like elephant ears that one associates with fairs.

Admission for adults to the fairgrounds is $3 per person, and children 10 and under are free. That admission fee covers several attractions, including the Whispering Pines Mobile Zoo, the Great Lakes Timber Show, and the Barnyard Express.

The Whispering Pines Mobile Zoo is the largest traveling animal exhibit in the state of Michigan. There are exotic animals, over forty species of various reptiles, a walk-in aviary with birds of many colors, and camel rides available. It is always a hit with children, and many adults may enjoy meeting some unusal animals face-to-face as well.

The Great Lakes Timber Show is a Lumberjack show that features many unusual displays of strength and prowess. These include modified chainsawing, ax throwing, wood chopping, crosscut sawing, log rolling, and hainshaw carving, all with a healthy dose of family-friendly humor thrown in for good measure.

The Barnyard Express is a favorite with the little ones. It features a bevvy of barnyard animals and large educational posters explaining how most food comes from a farm. It complements another staple of the Berlin Fair: the local 4H judged competition, where little farmers-in-training will present animals, ranging from bunnies to feeder calves for judging and eventual sale.

There will be a carnival present, with a variety of fun rides, including a carousel, a Ferris wheel, the crowd favorite Tilt-A-Whirl and many others. Wrist bands that allow purchasers to ride to their heart's content are available for $18 on weekdays and $20 on the weekend. On Thursday, June 11^th, the carnival will have a special Disability Awareness Day, where carnival rides for special needs individuals only will run from noon until 2 pm. RSVP tickets are required for those wishing to participate.

For adults looking for a little more grown-up fun, there will also be a bingo tent and an adult beverage tent, with daily happy hours from 5-7 pm with $1 beers and $2 alternative drinks. There will also be a “Berlin Belt” MMA fight on Thursday, June 11^th, with tickets costing $15.

Three-day passes to the carnival are available online at the website of Elliott's Amusements, the company providing the rides. Readers can follow the Berlin Fair on Facebook for $2 coupons off carnival admission and updates about other exciting contests.  There are a host of other events, and many other special days planned for this year's Berlin Fair. If you're looking for some family fun over the next week, consider taking a trip west of Grand Rapids!

If the cool weather that's been rolling through this spring and early summer has left you less than motivated to get out to the beach, you're in luck! Downtown Grand Rapids will be hosting the Sun of a Beach Festival, wherein attendees get to listen to a Jimmy Buffet cover band on a man-made beach in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. If you're looking for a quick, memorable mini-vacation right here in West Michigan, the Sun of a Beach Festival this Friday may be exactly what you're looking for!

The promoters are saying that they will be turning downtown into Margaritaville (that's a Jimmy Buffet reference for those too young to get it) for one day only. They will be bringing in sand, music, and vendors, and Mother Nature will hopefully provide plenty of sun! The two bands slated to perform at the Sun of a Beach Festival are Parrots of the Caribbean, a Jimmy Buffet tribute band, and ZBTB, a Zac Brown Tribute Band.

Food and drink vendors will be in attendance as well, so remember to bring state issued identification to ensure access to the tasty, cool drinks everyone will be sipping. One of the featured items, a new line of sparkling alcoholic beverages called Palm Breeze, is also a sponsor of the event. Given that their flavors are Pineapple Mandarin Orange and Ruby Red Grapefruit, these little boozy drinks will surely be a hit at a Jimmy Buffet and beach-themed party, such as Sun of a Beach.

The Sun of a Beach Festival is scheduled to take place this Friday, June 5^th, 2015, in the parking lot of the 50 Monroe Ave building. The parking lot is going to be covered in sand, brought in by a cavalcade of trucks. Attendees are encouraged to bring beach chair and blankets, but not beach umbrellas. Event goes will get to enjoy sand, sun, and delicious drinks while listening to some incredible, upbeat music right in the heart of the city.

Tickets for the Sun of a Beach Festival are available for pre-sale now, at $10 per ticket. They can be purchased via Ticketleap. Those who pre-purchase their tickets instead of buying one on Friday will get a free alcoholic beverage included in their ticket price. Readers who are interested but can not attend the festival this year can also like Sun of a Beach Festival on Facebook to get updates in their social media feed about future cities hosting this unique and fun event. 

If you enjoy tropical destinations, Jimmy Buffet music, or just need an excuse to break out the flip-flops while enjoying the Grand Rapids nightlife, Sun of a Beach is probably just want the proverbial doctor ordered! The gates open at 6 pm, and organizers are encouraging people to arrive early to ensure a great spot on the beach/parking lot. The party will last until 10 pm, at which point there are still plenty of other entertainment options in Downtown Grand Rapids. Tickets are available online and at the event on Friday (unless they sell out).

The summer theatre season is in full swing in West Michigan. Last Friday night was the opening night of the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre's run of Avenue Q, and today Broadway Grand Rapids will perform the first official showing of Kinky Boots, a Tony-award winning musical that most people agree is both humorous and heartwarming. Kinky Boots is a musical about embracing who you are, even if it means that you stick out a bit. The songs for the musical were written by Cyndi Lauper, which is a perfect fit for the theme of the show. The book was written by Harry Fierstein and is based on a 2005 movie of the same name, which is based on a true story.

Kinky Boots tells the story of Charlie Prince, who inherits a struggling shoe factory from his father. They make high quality and high cost dress shoes for men, and the market is rapidly dwindling. Desperate for a way to save the family business, Charlie discovers help in the least expected place: a local drag queen and cabaret performer named Lola. After seeing Lola perform, Charlie is inspired to create shoes for performers like Lola, who have a man's physique but perform in feminine attire. With help from the female staff at the factory, who can see Lola' promise, Lola and Charlie begin working to design an entire, new line of kinky boots in time for a big show in Milan while overcoming resistance to Lola's presence in the factory.

While some of the themes, such as gender identity, are more adult, the show overall is considered to the PG, meaning that supervised and older children could enjoy this show with their family. The opening show is tonight, and given the level of promotion for this show, it promises to be one of the must-see events of the summer here in West Michigan.

For those who aren't familiar with the organization, Broadway Grand Rapids has been bringing Broadway-quality performances of musical theatre favorites to Grand Rapids for twenty-eight years. They host these shows at the DeVos Performing Arts Center in downtown Grand Rapids, and have brought major shows such as Wicked in the past. After the run of Kinky Boots, Broadway Grand Rapids will be offering Newsies later this year and The Book of Mormon next year.   

The run of Kinky Boots is from today, June 2^nd, to Sunday, June 7^th, and there are still tickets available for most shows, starting at $30 per ticket and going up to $86.25 per seat. There are 7:30 pm shows on June 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, with 8 pm shows on the 5^th and 6^th.. There is also a 2 pm showing on Saturday, June 6^th, and Sunday will have performances at 1 pm and 6:30 pm.     

Tickets are available for sale on the TicketMaster website, though seats for the performances are selling quickly! If you have some free time this week, an excursion downtown to check out one of the most popular musical productions of the last decade would certainly be a worthy way to spend it!

Don't let the posters with adorable puppets confuse you; despite many similarities in format, Avenue Q is definitely not Seasame Street. This hilarious musical play is definitely geared to an adult audience, so find a babysitter before you head into Grand Rapids to enjoy the most recent offering at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.

While many people associate the Civic Theatre with family-friendly productions, the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre prides itself on presenting a wide range of theatrical content. This year alone, the shows being offered range from very family-friendly plays such as Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day to this run of Avenue  Q, which is a far cry from child-oriented.

Avenue Q is a wild, hilarious musical play, written by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, based on the book written by Jeff Whitty. It actually won what theatre buffs call the Tony Triple Crown: Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book in 2004. The play has had a long tenure in the Big Apple, and it has a strong fan base. Like Seasame Street, the cast is a combination of three human actors and eleven puppets. The story follows a recent college graduate, named Princeton, as he ventures out into the real world in New York City. He ends up living in a small apartment on Avenue Q, where he meets a cast of strange and funny characters and learns a lot about life.

Some of the songs from this popular show include "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist" and the universally popular "The Internet is for Porn." This play is not for those who are easily offended and is certainly not appropriate for small children. For those who can enjoy some subversive humor about sex, alcohol, and growing up, however, Avenue Q will likely be an enjoyable and memorable experience. And yes, be forewarned, that there is not only a sexy song and dance number featuring a supporting puppet character, there is also a sex scene involving two of the main puppet characters. Those easily offended may not enjoy Avenue Q, but those who aren't will likely find the risque humor and cultural insight delightful. There's little question that the songs are catchy and the overall story is one of personal growth and finding one's place in a vast, confusing world.

Its run at the Civic Theatre officially begins tonight (May 29th, 2015) with a showtime of 7:30 pm. There will also be 7:30 pm evening shows on May30th, June 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th. There are also daytime shows on Sundays, which begin at 2:00 pm. Sunday shows will be performed on May 31st, June 7th, and June 14th. Tickets range in cost from $18-$33 per seat, and there were still tickets available for tonight's opening show at the time that this post was published. Tickets can be purchased via Facebook or via the Civic Theatre's website. Leave the kids at home, and come ready to laugh at some ridiculous puppet antics.

Today is the opening night of the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre's presentation of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. This children's musical is based on the well-loved children's book by the same name. The lyrics were actually written by Judith Viorst, who authored the book, ensuring that the musical does this childhood favorite justice.

For those not familiar with the book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, it is the story of a boy whose day starts off bad and quickly gets worse. When he wakes up, he finds that there is chewing gum in his hair. When he gets to school, not only does his best friend no longer want to be best friends but he discovers to his horror that his mother has forgotten to pack his dessert, making him want to move to Australia! It continues downhill from there in a comedic and relatable fashion, helping children understand that bad days happen to all kinds of people and that there's always tomorrow to look forward to when a day is going poorly.

The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre puts on a wide variety of plays and musicals every year, from Death of a Salesman to Fiddler on the Roof. Later this year, the Civic will be putting on the comedic puppet show Avenue Q, proving that they can do everything from children's musicals to decidedly un-kid-friendly comedy shows. There's been a lot of anticipation for Alexander, including shows for local schools earlier this week. The show will run for several weeks, with showings on April 24^th (tonight) at 7:30 pm, the 25^th at 2:00 and 7:30 pm, the 26^th at 2:00 pm, the 30^th at 7:30 pm, May 1^st at 7:30 pm, May 2^nd at 2:00 and 7:30 pm, and a final show on Sunday, May 3^rd at 2:00 pm.

Like all the shows at the Civic, the cast is primarily pulled from the West Michigan community, though there are occassionally professional actors who take part in the shows as well. In the case of Alexander, that means that ten different young children with dreams of acting have had the opportunity to be a credited member of a civic theatre production, something truly amazing for local aspiring thespians.

The first show premieres tonight, Friday April 24^th, 2015, at 7:30 pm, and there were still tickets available at the time of this blog's publication. They are $16 for the general public, less for those who are season members of the Civic. You can purchase them by clicking here. This show will be one that will have kids (and parents and anyone else who loves a child) laughing and smiling.

Several of the most exciting and interesting attractions in the Greater Grand Rapids area are undoubtedly at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. Located at 1000 East Beltline on the northeast side of Grand Rapids, this hidden gem is the sort of botanical garden that you'd expect to find in a major metropolis.

The indoor gardens are impressive; parts of the tropical conservancy stand over five stories tall. There are arid gardens nearby, nestled neatly next to a room full of carnivorous plants and a tea garden. The tropical greenhouse is where, late every winter, the butterflies “bloom,” and the nation's largest temporary butterfly exhibit enchants people of all ages. The halls are themselves a work of art; look closely at the support beams and tiles while walking inside, as attention was paid to every detail in the construction of this facility. Not only are parts of the interior adorned with glass art by Dale Chihuly, the inside of the main building also boasts a library, gift shop, cafe, and several rooms with varying exhibits and educational information about the art and flowers being shown at the Gardens.

Just beyond the glass walls of the conservancy, there's a manicured lawn and sprawling play area known as the Children's Gardens, where the little ones can run off some steam after patiently walking and not touching anything while inside the building. There are water tables in the shape of the Great Lakes, a massive tree house, and plenty of other enchanting features to keep kids of all ages occupied. Beyond that, walking trails offer a beautiful view of second-growth forest and wetlands before bringing visitors to a farmhouse, complete with an activity barn and garden. This year, just beyond the farm, a new exhibit based on Japanese Gardens has opened. There is an exhibit of Japanese artifacts and art inside the main building to complement the opening of these new gardens.

There is art outside, as well. There is the famous replica of Da Vinci's horse on display, as well as the newest major exterior exhibit, Ai Weiwei's Iron Tree. The individual pieces of the tree were cast in China and based on real trees, resulting in an end piece that is realistic and surreal at the same time. A host of other statues, that run the gamut from kid-friendly to abstract are scattered across the carefully landscaped terrain.

While the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park are famous for hosting a summer concert series in their amphitheater that has drawn acts including The Beach Boys and Melissa Etheridge, they are also regularly hosts to horticultural shows, such as bonsai tree exhibits and bloom and flower competitions. These competitions encourage the local community to explore horticulture as a hobby. The Gardens are a unique feature of Grand Rapids that unquestionably enrich the lives of many throughout the community and are certainly worth a visit.

UPDATE: This home has a sale pending, after only five days on the market!

Fresh on the market, 1935 Newark Avenue in Southeast Grand Rapids is an excellent starter home for a family or a great place for a single professional to call home. Located close to everything, from schools and parks to a plethora of prominent area employers, this two bedroom, one bathroom home has all the amenities you would expect from new construction in the suburbs right in the city itself!

Nestled on a large city lot of 0.16 acres (50' by 140') with a spacious unattached two car garage, this quaint and homey ranch has been updated to ensure the comfort of all who live there and visit. From low maintenance vinyl siding and a newer roof and furnace to never-before-used appliances, this home has it all! The electrical systems have been updated, and the water heater and flooring were recently updated as well. This home is truly turn-key and ready to move into!

The living room boasts new carpet and enough natural light to ensure everyone naturally gravitates to the space. Around the corner, the kitchen has been brought into the 21^th century with stainless steel appliances, a gleaming two-stall sink, cupboards galore, and a beautiful countertop perfect for preparing years of family dinners. There's even a brand new tile backsplash. The adjoining dining area is cozy and sure to be the site of innumerable delicious meals!

Each of the bedrooms has its own closet and plenty of room to relax. Much like the kitchen, the nearby bathroom has recently been completely redone, including a beautiful tile shower and vanity. The basement offers plenty of storage and washer/dryer hookups, ready to go. All 880 square feet of this home are charming, warm, and well-arranged.

At an asking price of only $69,900, this home won't on the market for long. Call Pyxis Realty today to schedule a showing: 616-247-7801 If you would like to see more photos of this lovely home, click here for the full listing!