Celebrate West Michigan!

Flea market will operate on Tuesday and Wednesdays and the Farmers' market will operate on Wednesdays. Come check out all the great deals and support your local farmers while you’re here!

Whether it’s a winter ski holiday, a spring wildflower hike or a relaxing weekend of wine tasting, casino gaming and shopping, the many pleasures of Michigan’s delightful Grand Traverse region just became even more affordable.

For winter sports enthusiasts, the packages include deep discounts on lift tickets, ski lessons and equipment, trail passes and snowmobile rentals. There are also great deals at some of the area’s best restaurants and special discounts on shopping, spa treatments, movies, wine tastings and other entertainment – and each adult guest receives $10 in free play at either of the area’s two casinos.

4 for $40 - Get four lift tickets for $40! Available from 9 am - 4:30 pm on Schuss Mountain.

• Jan. 4,11,25
• Feb 1,8,22
• March 1,8,15

 Two for the price of one lift tickets, rentals, cross country rentals and adult group lessons.   For more information and a complete listing of our winter events visit our website calendar.

• Jan. 5, 12, 19
• Feb. 2, 9, 23
• March 2, 9, 16

$5 Lift Tickets from 5-9pm. Ski & Snowboard Rentals $12 from 5 pm - 9 pm, $20 from 9 am - 5 pm. Tubing is $5/per hour from 4 - 9 pm, Ski all day (9 am - 5 pm) for only $10.

• Jan. 6,13,20,27
• Feb. 3, 10,17,24
• March 3,10,17
   
  For more information and a complete listing of our winter events visit our website calendar.

Friends & Family Thursday - The more tickets you buy as a group, the less they are! Day lift tickets start at $20 each, night lift tickets start at $12 each, rental specials and more!

• Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28
• Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25
• March 4, 11, 18

For more information and a complete listing of our winter events visit our website calendar.

From 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. EVERY FRIDAY Cascade Winery will host the "create your own" pasta bar which is a great way to begin a nice relaxing weekend!  
 
The event is $8 per person (this week your first glass of wine is included in the $8) and $3 per glass of wine thereafter.  

Friday Nights at GRAM will celebrate the Centennial by introducing GRAM Conversations: 100 Years of Inspired Art Dialogue. Art inspires art, and the Grand Rapids Art Museum asks the question “What inspires you?” GRAM invites the community to join the conversation and contribute their voice, their creativity, and also their works of art inspired by the Art Museum’s permanent collection.

The Inspired Works categories and monthly themes are listed in the schedule that follows.

The schedule is (interested participants are encouraged to check the GRAM website regularly and become a GRAM Facebook fan to stay up to date as scheduling announcements are made):

January ArtPrize: Continue the Conversation
Get the creative juices flowing with the ultimate conversation about art: ArtPrize! Matthew Kluber’s massive video plays on the lobby screen, the Nessie and Grand Dance teams will be here, and Ran Ortner, winner of ArtPrize 2009, visits GRAM to speak about Open Water no. 24 while his work is on view at the Art Museum.
January 8: The Nessie Team
January 15: Ran Ortner, Open Water no. 24
January 29: David Lubbers and the Grand Dance Team

February Conversation: Theater
Calling all playwrights to the Art Museum for the month of February. Enjoy the performance created for Calder Jewelry exhibition; meet other scribes partial to the stage, and head up to the galleries to get ideas going. GVSU writing professor Austin Bunn collaborates with Malinda Peterson of MP Talent and many others in the theater community to organize a full month of Friday Night events.
February 5: Considering Calder, short plays and essays by GRAM Theater Group, playwright Randy Wyatt, and writer Tommy Allen celebrating the new exhibition Calder Jewelry and GR’s connection to the artist (Part of “Party of the Century”).
February 12: The Art Plays, site-specific (performed in galleries) short plays written by local playwrights based on favorite artwork choices by GRAM guests randomly selected the week before.
February 19: Works in Progress, excerpt readings of plays from Stephanie Sandberg, Austin Bunn and others.
February 26: Panel: Theater in Grand Rapids. Founders and managing directors of local theater—from Actors’ to Super Happy Funtime—participate in a panel discussion about the state of theater in our community today and where it might be heading.

March Conversation: Jewelry Design
Jewelry makers will delight in discovering Calder’s extraordinary exhibition. Gather at GRAM in the month of March for a fun and informative performance about “The History of Jewelry” on the 5th, plus additional Friday Night discussions, gallery walks, and demonstrations with materials and technique. Further scheduling details to be announced.

April Conversation: Poetry
Poetry floats through the open spaces of the Art Museum in the month of April. Meet up with fellow poets and share ideas and inspiration every Friday Night, where poetry readings and activities abound. Finish up on Friday the 30th with a night of live music and poetry slams from the diverse voices of West Michigan. Poets unite at GRAM, get connected and join the conversation. Scheduling details to be announced.

May Conversation: Music
If music is your mode of expression, then this month is for you. Music makers have long been a muse for painters over the years, and certainly visual art has inspired musicians as well. The Art Museum will take a look at this interesting combination through images, films, discussions and presentations during Friday Nights at GRAM. Scheduling details to be announced.


June Conversation: 2D & 3D
Paintings, prints, photographs, and sculpture are the focus of this month’s attention. From Festival of the Arts to the artists of Ox-Bow, regional art is celebrated at GRAM. Join in on the panel discussions and idea sharing for maintaining a strong voice in the community. With many regional works in the collection, from Matthias Alten to Stephen Duren, artists’ inspiration for the November show can focus on the local if they choose. Scheduling details to be announced.

July Conversation: Dance
For those whose medium is the body, whose work of art is the movement from that medium, this is your time to express yourself at the Art Museum. Join others during the month of July to discuss topics such as the influence between Martha Graham and Andy Warhol, different ideas about modern and traditional dance, and enjoy performances in the Cook Auditorium. Scheduling details to be announced.

August Conversation: Film
The Art of Cinema returns to GRAM celebrating all things film related. Meet up with other cinephiles on Friday Nights to talk film, discuss opportunities, and network. Late night movies in the park keep the party going in to the evening. Stroll through the galleries and discover just how much composition translates from canvas to film frame. Scheduling details to be announced.

September
October ArtPrize Returns
The Art Museum partners with ArtPrize and reserves space in the main galleries for the event, much is planned before, during, and after to celebrate this art phenomenon. Remember, art created for Inspired Works isn’t exclusive, go ahead and submit it to ArtPrize too if you wish. Scheduling details to be announced.

November Inspired Works at UICA
From one generation to the next, Art Inspires Art and Inspired Works is created! Informed by the great works of the past in the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s collection, new works from the variety of mediums listed above will be presented in the newly opened space of the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts on November 20, 2010.

American artist Michele Oka Doner is widely celebrated for her sculpture, installations and public art projects, and is similarly acclaimed for her prints, jewelry and functional objects. Among the most versatile artists working today, the inspiration she draws from nature is the defining factor and unifying force across her repertoire in both formal and spiritual terms. This exhibition, Oka Doner’s largest to date, examines the breadth of her endeavors from recent figurative projects in bronze and on paper to iconic functional objects in bronze and silver. Of special note will be her site specific installation of more than 1,500 recently completed ceramic soul catchers completed during her residency at the famed Nymphenburg porcelain studios in Munich, Germany. This exhibition is timed to coincide with the completion of Beneath the Leafy Crown, the expansive 1,200 square foot bronze and terrazzo floor commissioned by Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

The Muskegon Museum of Art boasts a sizeable collection of contemporary studio glass artworks from some of the top names in the field, both past and present. Over the past 5 years, the MMA has worked with collectors and artists to develop exhibitions and collecting strategies that have kept the museum at the front of the studio glass movement. This exhibition features some of the best pieces acquired by gift and purchase since 2005.

Artwork by a select group of artist is featured in this themed invitational exhibition organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art. Folk and fairy tales are found in cultures around the world and continue to fascinate, both emotionally and intellectually. They have been altered and adapted by following generations as tastes and cultures develop and change. Illustrations of these tales have come to define them as much as the words, and many children know these stories only through animated movies and picture books. This exhibition invites artists to turn their hand to fairy tales and create art that speaks to a contemporary impression of the stories.

Experience classic rock artists as never before, immersed in sound and accompanied by dazzling visual effects. (Note: Music contains mature lyrics)
- Dark Side of the Moon 9 p.m.
- The Wall 10 p.m.
- Tickets are $7. Members free.

Saturdays February 20 - May 29
Guests will experience classic rock artists as never seen before, immersed in sound and accompanied by dazzling visual effects. Dark Side of the Moon at 9 p.m. and The Wall at 10 p.m.

Be part of the supporting cast in this camping-themed, interactive quest to learn more about the wonders of nature and the universe.

Get Up Close and Personal with Giant Moving Insects in this Larger-than-Life Exhibit!
- Dig deeper into insect life and lore in the Bug Lab
- Be part of the supporting cast in the Crickets & Constellations planetarium show
- Got "ants in your pants?" Play, move, and view the world from an insect's perspective

Tour the night sky and learn stargazing tips that will help you make sense of the sky from your own backyard.

Get up close and personal with giant moving insects in this larger than life exhibit. See a praying mantis, a stick insect, a caterpillar, a locust and more – shown mega – magnified and ready to be explored like never before! Museum hours are Tuesday 9 – 8; Monday and Wednesday – Saturday 9 – 5; Sunday 12 – 5. Members are free. Admission to the exhibit is $2 and to the planetarium show $3 in addition to general Museum admission. (Adults $8, Seniors $7, Children and Students with ID $3. Located at 272 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids.

• Dig Deeper into insect life and lore in the Bug Lab
• Be part of the supporting cast in the Crickets & Constellations planetarium show
• Got "ants in your pants?" play, move and view the world from an insects perspective!

An annual juried art competition with a total of $1,500 in awards offered as well as recognition ribbons in categories selected by the juror. Open to artists 18+ years old living in a selection of counties in lower West Michigan. This year’s exhibition juror is Armin Mersmann of Midland Michigan. Call for entry forms are available on the website. Drop off for artworks is on February 12 & 13

Artwork by Muskegon Area K-12 public and non-public students is displayed in this popular annual exhibition.

A visitor favorite in its fifteenth year, Butterflies Are Blooming features butterflies from tropical regions around the world flying freely in the 5-story Tropical Conservatory. The 80-degree conservatory is filled with thousands of exotic butterflies from tropical regions around the world. More than 40 different species of butterflies and moth make this a warm and colorful exhibition. Throughout the exhibition, butterflies can be viewed drinking nectar from the flowering plants and feeding stations, congregating among stream beds and flying freely within the five-story tropical conservatory. Approximately 800 chrysalides are delivered to Meijer Gardens weekly. Visitors may watch delicate chrysalides and cocoons being placed in the Butterfly Bungalow, where the unique creatures transform and take their first flight. Long-time favorites such as the Blue Morpho, with its large metallic blue wings and the Clearwing, with its see-through wings will return. Others such as the Tree Nymph, Black Swordtail, Leopard Lacewing and the Atlas Moth, with its impressive six-to-twelve-inch wingspan are also expected to make appearances. The exhibition will be open to the public March 1 through April 30.

For the first time ever, the Grand Rapids Ballet Company invites you to be the judge…which ballets in GRBC’s innovative repertoire do you want to see? This fall the Company will reveal a list of Gordon Peirce Schmidt’s greatest hits and ask you, our community, to choose which ballets you would like to see make up this fabulous program.

Original programming, innovative choreography, and a commitment to excellence are hallmarks of the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. The 2009-2010 season continues the tradition of bringing the very best in dance programming to audiences around the state. West Michigan can look forward to another unique and powerfully moving season with Michigan’s only professional ballet company.

All things Irish plus the annual downhill Cardboard Classic Race down Schuss Mountain in a sled you make yourself!

For more information and a complete listing of our winter events visit our website calendar.

Friday, March 12 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 13 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 14 at 2 pm

Treetops version of the Amazing Race taking place at the resort.

U.K.C. Regional event with obedience classes, weight pulling, conformation and junior showmanship. Admission is free to spectators, there is registration for participants.

Buy, sell or trade a variety of reptiles, amphibians, small mammls and other exotic pets. Admission: Adults $4, Children $2, Children under 6 are free, Family Max - $15.

Suds and snow.  Is there a better combination?  Our first annual Brew-Ski Festival features 100+ craft brews, entertainment and an evening of parties.  We'll be pitching a big ole' tent at the base of the slopes where you and friends can purchase tickets and sample a variety of brews.  The frothy samples are served up by brewery representatives while you enjoy music, brats and spring conditions.  The tent opens at noon till 4 p.m. at which time all can head to the party in the legendary Zoo Bar with a live music scene by the Aaron Vaughn Band.  Tent patrons must be at least 21 years of age and admission to the tent is free.  Tickets can be purchased for $2 each and samples are 3 ounce pours. 

A partial list of confirmed breweries:

1. Short's Brewing Co.
2. New Holland Brewing Co.
3. Arcadia Ale Brewery
4. Redhook Brewing Co.
5. Sam Adams
6. Leinenkugel
7. Arbor Brewing Co.
8. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
9. Schell’s
10. Abita
11. Lion
12. North Peak Brewing Co.
13. Founder’s Brewing Co.
14. Bell’s Brewery
15. Rogue
16. Stone Brewing Co.
17. Shiner

A special weekend package including two nights hotel lodging, breakfast daily, two day lift tickets, Friday night hors d’oeuvres reception, t-shirt, commemorative mug and 5 drink tickets starts at $233 per person.  For reservations, please call 800.GO.BOYNE (462-6963).  T-shirts and logo pint glasses will also be available for purchase at the tent.

Special Weekend Market! Come check out all the great deals and support your local farmers while you're here!

The Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society will host the annual St. Patrick's Day Irish Pub Party on Saturday, March 13th  at Coral Gables Restaurant, 220 Water Street, Saugatuck.  An evening filled with silent and live auctions, dinner, raffles and fun! 

Wear your green and join in the fun in downtown Saugatuck at the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade!

Doors open at 7 pm – Bout: 8 pm. Tickets $10 in advance or $13 at the door. Children 10 and under $5. Get tickets from your favorite roller girl or purchase them online.

Nordic racers of all ages gather at Boyne Highlands for a weekend of racing fun.

Details and Information

Saturday, March 13th
10K Classic (5K for Juniors 17 and under)
Mass Start at 11am

Sunday, March 14th
15K Freestyle (5K for Juniors 17 and under)
Mass Start at 11am

Registration: day of the race at the Boyne Highlands/Heather Pro Shop, 8am both days

Entry Fees: Senior Men/Women, $40 per Race OR $70 both Races

                      OJ/J1 /J2,  $15 per Race OR $25 both Races

**Entry fee includes race entry and lunch 
Awards for top 3 finishers in each

Experience an event unlike any other in Western Michigan. The winter concert series presents the best in live classical chamber music performances in the unique surroundings of the Art Museum's architecture and collections.

The Red Cedar Trio
Joseph Lulloff, Saxophone Professor, MSU
Yuri Grandelsmann, Viola Professor, MSU
Deborah Moriarty, Piano Professor, MSU

Slopestyle Rail Jam. All Events start at 11 a.m. Prizes and Giveaways at each event.

For more information and a complete listing of our winter events visit our website calendar.

The largest tack sale in Michigan with over 300 vendors. Featuring everything you need for your horse and farm! Admission: $1 per person donation, Children under 5 are free.

This evening is a chance to share healthy lifestyle habits with your children.  According to the American Medical Association, stress is a factor in more than 75 percent of illnesses today.  Start your youth out on the right foot to a long and joyous life.  Our beautiful salon is always open to guests of all ages.  This evening our exclusive spa, typically reserved for guests ages 16 and up will be opened to any guest age 6 or older (accompanied with their guardian).

A Spa Pass for Family Night is $5 per person (discounted from $25)
Spa Member Families are complimentary.

Evening spa pass includes a 30-minute family style yoga class at 7 p.m., a locker, robe, and access to the relaxation lounges, whirlpool, steam room and cedar sauna, indoor / outdoor pool and state-of-the-art fitness facilities.

(Please bring bathing suit on family night for use of wet facilities, please call in advance to reserve space in yoga class)

Youth Spa and Salon Mini Treatments on Family Night:
15 minutes, $10 each
Massage (please wear loose fit clothing)
Facial
Hand Treatment
Foot Treatment
Hair Styling

A spa service charge of 18% will be added to all services.  Please contact Solace Spa at 231-549-7946 to make your appointment reservations and/or to reserve your space in the Family Night Yoga class.

Trikke Skki is a new way to get from top to bottom on the slopes and we're giving you the opportunity to try it out for FREE at Boyne Highlands.  What is a Trikke SKKI?  Read below for a description.

The Trikke SKKI opens a new world of possibilities for anyone who wants to enjoy the feel of carving on snow.  The three point stance of the SKKI brings control, stability and fun on the slopes.  The rider just leans the SKKI and the three skis carve to make the turns.  The SKKI acts great on prepared slopes but steps it up in powder to bring that element of "being a kid again" to those who dare.  Just a brief introduction is sufficient to prepare a new SKKI rider of all ages to experience this ultimate way of enjoying the snow.  The design of the SKKI makes an easy entrance possible to all ski lifts: Gondolas, chairlifts, surface lifts, etc.

Share the fun of the SKKI with your friends.  Feel the freedom of not being attached; just step off and park it like a bicycle and stroll with comfort to meet your friends at your favorite on-hill restaurant.  No more forced stance due to ski boots or snowboard boots.  The SKKI is the latest addition to the wide range of Trikke models, all based on the patented 3 point cambering system.

Is Trikke SKKI a fad or is it here to stay?  Try one and decide for yourself!

Daily Schedule 

Thursday, March 18th
FREE demo near the base of the Heather Express 9am - 3pm

Friday, March 19th
FREE demo near the base of the Heather Express 9am - 1pm
Fun Race at the NASTAR course 1:30pm - 3pm   

Disney on Ice- Disney Pixar Finding Nemo
Thurs. March 18th @ 7:00 PM
Fri. March 19th @ 7:00 PM
Sat. March 20th @ 11:00 AM; 3:00 PM; 7:00 PM
Sun. March 21st @ 2:00 PM

Join us for Friday Nights at GRAM from 5 to 9 pm. FREE for members and $5 for non-members, includes admission to exhibitions. Cash bar located in Museum Café & Lobby from 5 – 8:30 pm, buffet dinner served 5 - 8 pm. Art activities to engage with the permanent collection and exhibitions available all evening.

5:30 – 7 pm
Wege Pavilion
Live Piano Music

6 pm Calder Jewelry Gallery Talk

7 – 9 pm
Cook Auditorium
Ballroom Dancing and instruction. Beginners and
experienced dancers alike are welcome.

Vernal Equinox Festival at the Chaffee Planetarium! See three of the planetarium’s best laser light shows back to back
8 p.m. Led Zeppelin
9 p.m. Rush / Greatest Hits
10 p.m. Radiohead/Ok Computer

See three of the planetarium's best laser light shows back-to-back! Led Zeppelin at 8 pm, Rush / Greatest Hits at 9 pm, Radiohead / OK Computer at 10 pm.

Note: Music contains mature lyrics

Tickets are $7 per show or $16 for all three. Purchase tickets at the door, by phone (616.456.3977) or online at www.grmuseum.org

Join the Zoo-de-Mack crew for a fun-filled Zoo-de-Ski weekend at Boyne Highlands AND get one of the lowest package prices of the season!  Singles, couples and families invited…  This event takes place during Boyne Highlands' Krazy Daze weekend.

• Season Pass Holders Appreciation Days
• Property Owners Ski Free Weekend
• Last Weekend Luau - Spring carnival atmosphere with a luau theme. Events, activities (including the Midwest's only Dummy Darts competition!), Hawaiian shirts, and food and beverage specials all weekend.

For more information and a complete listing of our winter events visit our website calendar.

Spain, with its sun drenched landscape and intense variety of food traditions, has become a hot culinary destination. After this class and its lush offerings you’ll understand why. You’ll learn the art of making a few select tapas, those small plate dishes that always seem to satisfy; the art of making the perfect paella, eggy “tortillas” and dishes like empanadas, Catalan stew, white gazpacho, flan and Galician apple tart.

Please bring an apron, a sharp chef’s knife and an appetite for dinner!

Cooking classes are $125 per person, Wine Seminars are $145 per person. Bed & Breakfast packages available at our luxury inn, call 1-800-969-4009 for package booking, purchase tickets online at www.chateauchantal.com.

DeYoung will perform with his five-piece band, guest Broadway vocalists and a full symphony orchestra. A unique symphonic rock experience that combines the impact of a live orchestra with the edge of a rock band bringing new power and feeling to such classics as “Lady”, “Babe”, “Come Sail Away”, “Mr. Roboto”, “Grand Illusion”, “Lorelei”, Suite Madame Blue”, “Rockin’ The Paradise”, “Don’t Let It End”, plus many more, including solo works and new music.

35th annual event with over 10,000 re-enactors from the French & Indian War through the Civil War are featured along with the finest craftsmen, dealers and history buffs from across the Nation. Admission: Adults $5, Children under 12 are free with an adult.

Experience an event unlike any other in Western Michigan. The winter concert series presents the best in live classical chamber music performances in the unique surroundings of the Art Museum's architecture and collections.

Alicia Eppinga, Acting Principal Cellist, Grand Rapids Symphony

Megan Crawford, Violinist, Grand Rapids Symphony

Lisa Williams is an internationally acclaimed medium and clairvoyant who has an amazing ability to communicate with loved ones and friends whom have passed on to the 'other side.' Lisa Williams will be doing readings for members of the audience. Purchasing a ticket does not guarantee a reading. Born in England, Williams was discovered by Merv Griffin and introduced to audiences through two seasons of her own hit show Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead. Her second series, Voices from the Other Side, premiered on Lifetime in October 2008. In addition to appearances on Oprah, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Lisa published her first book with Simon and Schuster in 2008.

Hosted for the 15th consecutive year by GRAMMY-nominated NewSong, the Tour will also include multi-platinum Reunion recording artist Third Day; internationally-renowned Inpop recording artist Newsboys; Dove Award-winning Reunion recording artist Tenth Avenue North; acclaimed Flicker recording artist Fireflight; and guest speaker Tony Nolan.

In addition to the main show artists, the Tour will include a Pre-Jam Party with MIKESCHAIR, Robert Pierre and Revive that will start at approximately 6:20 PM. Line-up subject to change.

Join us for Friday Nights at GRAM from 5 to 9 pm. FREE for members and $5 for non-members, includes admission to exhibitions. Cash bar located in Museum Café & Lobby from 5 – 8:30 pm, buffet dinner served 5 - 8 pm. Art activities to engage with the permanent collection and exhibitions available all evening.

5:30 – 7 pm
Wege Pavilion
Live Piano Music

7 – 7:45 pm
Cook Auditorium
GRAM Conversations: Panel Discussion: Jewelry
An interesting mix of scholars, artists and others
discuss the many facets of jewelry design.
6:15 – 8:30 pm with break in between

An all day event providing an excellent overview of winemaking, viticulture, and food and wine pairing. Hosted by our witty and passionate winemaker, Mark Johnson. The day includes a vineyard walk, peasant's lunch, cellar tour, wine tasting, learning materials, and gourmet dinner. The price covers lunch, multi-course dinner paired with Chantal's wines, learning materials and instruction. Class starts at 11AM and runs through dinner. Call 1-800-969-4009 for further details and reservations. Room costs are in addition to the seminar. Call to register and check room availability.

• Class begins at 11 am on Saturday morning in the Hospitality/Breakfast room
• 11:15 am – Vineyard Walk
• 1 pm  – Peasant’s Lunch
• 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm -  Winery Education and the Art & Science of tasting
• 6:30 pm – Dinner at Chateau Chantal
• Bring a jacket, gloves, etc. and walking shoes. It is sometimes very cool out in the vineyard.

Stamp exhibits and dealers buying and selling stamps, covers, postcards and supplies. Plus a youth booth for kids, postal service booth and food service. Fun for the whole family! Free admisson and free parking. Hours: Saturday 10 am - 5:30 pm, Sunday 10 am - 3:30 pm.

The Wizard of Photography: The Story of George Eastman
A film by James A. Devinney (60 minutes)

The Wizard of Photography: The Story of George Eastman
A film by James A. Devinney (60 minutes)