The "S" Word

That's right, I'm about to say it.....SNOW! 

Whether you like to believe it or not, it is coming. Soon and fast. According to the Farmers Almanac, we here in West Michigan should be buckling down or gearing up for a wild winter (whichever you prefer)! For some of you, this is great news. For others, just the thought of this makes you want to run to the nearest tropical island.

Here in West Michigan, we are affected by what most locals refer to as "Lake Effect". We hear the phrase pretty much every day in the winter, and by the end of the season the only Lake Effect we want is the one where we get to dip our toes in the hot sand. 

So what is Lake Effect really? It's a weather phenomenon that is best known in the Great Lakes region, though it takes place world wide. In the early winter months, a large body of water, such as Lake Michigan, will take its sweet time cooling, leaving the water temperature much warmer than the air above. As cool winds cross, the lake evaporates rapidly, forming narrow bands of precipitation that certainly do not hold back upon reaching leeward shores. Perhaps surprisingly, it's not the shoreline that gets hit the hardest by the snow bands, but 15 miles inland where the terrain begins to rise.

Shannon, our wonderful Communications Director, used some of her precious time to create (if I do say so myself) an absolutely incredible "Lake Effect" map, where she charted average snowfalls of various West Michigan regions. It is fun to see what cities get the most snow and who is effected most by lake effect. Curious to see how much snow your favorite city gets? This is one map you won't want to miss.

If this post brings music to your ears because winter is your "thing", we wish you a happy and playful winter. Time to break out the skis, snowboards, snowmobiles and snowshoes. 

As for the rest of you, enjoy your hibernation! We will see you when the trees start budding again!

--Kelly

Fremont Harvest Festival, October 1 - 4

Don’t miss the Fremont Harvest Festival, October 1 - 4, featuring the"Good Ole Days" Harvest Time parade and Antique Tractor Show. Scheduled events include:

Thursday, October 1:

• Harvest Time Parade, 6 pm with pumpkin bowling immediately following the parade
• Dogs on the Green, 5 – 7:30 pm, serving foot long hot dogs
• Pumpkin decorating contest
• Flea Market, 9 am - 5 pm
• Moonlight Madness Sales, 4 pm - 9 pm
• Sidewalk Star Party 7 pm - 9:30 pm
• Wagon Rides

Friday, October 2:

• Flea Market, 9 am - 5 pm
• Taste of Fremont, 4 pm - 7 pm
• Wagon Rides, 4 pm - 7 pm
• Pumpkin/Apple Recipe Contest, 6 pm

Saturday, October 3:

• Antique Tractor Show, 9 am - 3 pm
• Wagon Rides
• Farmers Market, 8 am - 12:30 pm
• Fall Harvest Hike & Bike, registration 8 am
• Seed Spitting Contest, 9 am - 12:30 pm
• Pumpkin Roll, 9 am - 12:30 pm
• Fremont Police Dept vs. Fremont Fire Dept Softball Game, 1pm
• Fall Photo Contest, 11 am
• Harvest Festival Beverage Tent at the Fremont Market Place, 5 pm - 11 pm
• Wessling Observatory Harvest Moon Star Party, 8 pm - 11 pm

Public Museum’s Voigt House German Fest Offers Authentic Autumn Celebration “Under the Tent”

The Grand Rapids Public Museum's Voigt House Victorian Museum will host their annual German Fest October 3-4 under the tent on the front lawn, one stop on the Heritage Hill Tour of Homes. Visitors will enjoy toe-tapping German music as well as a selection of authentic libations and food including wiener schnitzel, bratwurst and apfel strudel prepared by Austrian native and Museum Chef Hans Dokl.

The Oktoberfest celebration will take place noon - 8 pm Saturday and noon - 6 pm Sunday at the Museum located at 50 College St. SE. Admission to the tent is free. Heritage Hill Tour of Homes ticket holders and Museum members may tour the Voigt House free of charge and those without tour tickets may pay regular admission prices ($3 for adults, $2 for seniors and children) for a guided tour of the historic home. Built in 1895 by prominent businessman Carl Voigt and now a property of the Public Museum, the Voigt House offers a fascinating glimpse into everyday life at the turn of the century. The home has been preserved with its original furnishings, carpets and silk wall-coverings, and is filled with personal possessions of the Voigt family. The opulent three-story home, its gardens and carriage house remain one of the more outstanding landmarks in the Heritage Hill district. The Voigt House Victorian Museum is open to the public on select days and times, for special events such as this.

George Balanchine’s iconic ballet, Prodigal Son, opens next week for its only Grand Rapids appearance!

The Grand Rapids Ballet Company brings George Balanchine’s powerful ballet Prodigal Son to the stage for its only Grand Rapids appearance. The performances will be held at the intimate Peter Martin Wege Theater. George Balanchine was one of the 20th century’s foremost choreographers; a pioneer of ballet in the United States and co-founder and Ballet Master of the New York City Ballet. Inspired by the parable in the Gospel of Luke, Prodigal Son debuted May 21, 1929 and the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt in Paris and featured a score by Sergei Prokofiev. This provocative re-telling is more dramatic and emphasizes the theme of sin and redemption ending with the Prodigal Son’s return. This legendary work has been performed by such ballet luminaries as Mikhail Baryshnikov and Damian Woetzel.

To earn the rights to perform this prestigious ballet the George Balanchine Trust must deem a ballet company technically and professionally qualified to present Balanchine’s work. A repetiteur designated by the trust then visits to personally help stage the production. “It’s quite an involved process and as Michigan’s only professional ballet company, we are proud to bring Michigan this masterpiece.” Gordon Peirce Schmidt, Artistic Director.

Paul Boos is the repetiteur who staged the ballet for the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. Mr. Boos danced with Balanchine’s New York City Ballet for 13 years and has also staged Balanchine’s ballets throughout the world, most notably staging Prodigal Son for the Kirov Ballet in St. Petersburg and recently for the K-ballet in Japan. About the Grand Rapids Ballet Company Paul says, “Attila’s sensitive and pure acting skills were a daily revelation in rehearsals as the Son and Kateryna’s cool serpentine quality is perfectly suited to the Siren.”

Also on the program are two original creations, the joyous Holberg Suite and the passionate Vers La Flamme. These works, created for the Grand Rapids Ballet by Gordon Peirce Schmidt, celebrate the beauty of life and perfectly compliment the themes of the Prodigal Son. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to see this amazing program in the intimate Peter Martin Wege Theatre.

GRCM Coming To the Rescue!

Opening today, the Grand Rapids Children's Museum is coming To the Rescue Sept. 16-Nov. 15 with heroes, helpers and tons of exciting ways to play it safe! To the Rescue is a GRCM original safety exhibit with special programming to help kids discover what it’s like to be a rescue worker. Lil’ Red Fire Truck #5 and the Rescue Helicopter are back and ready to save the day with costumes, sirens, lights and more! Join in all of the fun while the little ones dress up as firefighters and other heroes, slide down the escape slide and take a turn at the wheel. Children can pretend to fly at the helicopter control panel, and then use the life raft to rescue the dogs in the water below! Plus, visitors can play the Tic-Tac-Toe safety game, identifying fire hazards in the fire safety house. New this year, the To the Rescue Med Center is open for business! Children can dress up and role play as paramedics while they administer first aid to their puppet “patients.” Using play bandages, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs and more, children can examine, diagnose and treat their puppet friends back to health.

Every Friday in September, children can participate in a bike safety course from 10 am - noon. Check out the “What’s Happening Calendar” available at www.grcm.org for more information on exciting To the Rescue programs that will help kids learn how to play it safe.

Tony Award Winner Opens at Civic Theatre this Friday, Sept. 18!

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre: September 18 - October 4

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre is proud to be the first community theatre in the country to bring the orthographic musical musings of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee to the community stage. Our audience will witness six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser.

But more than bearing witness, our audience will be asked to participate! During each Spelling Bee performance, four audience members are needed on stage to participate in the bee with the rest of the cast! If you think you have good spelling skills and want to test your vocabulary prowess, sign up in the Civic lobby prior to each performance. Selected audience members will compete with characters Olive Ostrovsky, Leaf Coneybear, Chip Tolentino, Marcy Park, William Barfee, and Logainne Schwarzandgrubenierre as Vice Principal Panch gives you words to spell and Rona Lisa Peretti, Realtor and former bee champion, serves as commentator. "it adds an element of surprise to the show. Every night is different," added Director Penelope Notter.

Whether you play the role of audience member or choose to participate as a Spelling Bee contestant, you'll love this hilarious tale of overachievers' angst. The show's Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

Join us for this musical comedy that chronicles experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime.

Michigan Irish Music Festival, September 18 - 20

Michigan Irish Music Festival Celebrates 10th Year The Michigan Irish Music Festival, presented by Mercy Health Partners, returns to Heritage Landing in downtown Muskegon on September 18-20th. The festival features three days of non-stop traditional and contemporary Irish entertainment on three covered stages. The Michigan Irish Music Festival began with the goal of boosting the Muskegon economy while celebrating Irish culture. Over the past 10 years, that goal has been realized. The festival has experienced tremendous growth in size and popularity, and has had a major economic impact on the Muskegon area.

The Festival kicks off with a free Early-In offer on Friday, September 18th, sponsored by Family Financial Credit Union. All festival goers will get in free from 5-6pm. To get the party started, festival organizers are planning special events before the gates open. Family Financial Credit Union staff members will be on hand with free giveaways. Entertainment will be provided by Switchback, outside the main gate beginning at 4pm. A Festival favorite for many years, Switchback, was recently selected as the Duo of the Year by the Irish Music Association. Marty McCormack and Brian FitzGerald are known for their mix of traditional Irish music, but with a high-energy sound. McCormack described the appeal for Irish music stating, “whether you’re a Celt or not- Irish or not – you feel it. It’s a music and culture that appeals to everyone”.

A special presentation to celebrate the 10th annual Festival will take place on Saturday, September 19th at 6 pm. The presentation will include several special guests including, Mayor Steve Warmington, Ed Ward from the Milwaukee Irish Festival, Brian Doherty from Nova Scotia, and Jill Foreman from the Muskegon County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

General admission tickets for the festival are $8 on Friday (5-11 pm), $15 on Saturday (10 am – 11 pm) and $10 on Sunday (9 am – 6 pm). For additional information, tickets, and a complete entertainment schedule, call 231.739.2028

Public Museum Announces Evening Hours, Special Package Pricing During Leonardo da Vinci Exhibit

Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion brings to the Public Museum the largest exhibition of full-size machine replicas constructed according to da Vinci’s famous codices. On display September 5 – January 3, will be over 40 machines – 30 of them fully operational – including a revolving crane, an armored car, a robot, a bicycle, a printing press and a machine gun – built by a group of scientists and skilled craftsmen in Florence after an in-depth study of the master’s manuscripts. Visitors will be encouraged to touch and set the machines into motion, combining a fascinating hands-on experience with an exploration of the principles da Vinci employed to create each machine.

To make the exhibit more accessible, the Public Museum will extend its hours into the evening one week each month. Normally closed at 5 pm, the Museum will be open from 5 - 9 pm for da Vinci di Notte (Leonardo at Night) September 14-18; October 12-15; November 9-13 and December 28-31/January 2. The special evening ticket package includes Museum admission, special exhibit admission, a planetarium show, unlimited carousel rides and a pasta meal for just $12 per person. (Member price is $6.) A cash bar will also be available. The Public Museum is a collector of treasures, a motivator and resource for life-long learning, and a community partner in the pursuit of insight and understanding.

"Get Lost at Robinettes" this Autumn as you explore their new Corn Maize!

With no UFO sightings reported in Michigan this year, the mystery remains as to how an extraterrestrial-like design has taken shape in a Grand Rapids cornfield, bringing the maze craze to the Peninsula State. The Robinette's Apple Haus family unraveled the mystery when they opened the area’s first MAiZE, an intricate network of twists and turns carved into 6½ acres of corn, on September 8.

The Robinettes and maze designer Brett Herbst – the world’s leading designer of 600+ corn mazes worldwide – hope to challenge the wits of those seeking to find the one exit from their mind-boggling puzzle – a unique source of good farmin’ fun for adults and children alike. Though the correct pathway can be walked in about 25 minutes, most wandering maze-goers will require about one hour to travel through more than three miles of twists, turns and decision points. As a tribute to its location, the maze is designed in the shape of and apple and says, “Get Lost at Robinettes”. The MAIZE will give Michigan residents the change to “get lost” now through Oct. 30. Hours of operation are Monday thru Thursday, starting at 11am with the last entry at 5pm; Friday, starting at 11am with the last entry 8pm; Saturday starting at 10am with the last entry 8pm, and Sunday starting at Noon with the last entry 5pm. Weekday field trip hours are available by reservation.

Ways to Enjoy the MAiZE In an effort to ensure that the MAiZE experience offers something for everyone, the public will find a variety of ways to experience the maze: Open both day and evening, The MAiZE caters to school field trips during the day and has created discounted field trip opportunities for groups of 15 or more and an agricultural “passport” that integrates education into the maze experience and helps guide students along the correct pathway. A series of “passports” are available for church groups, girl and boy scouts, corporate groups and the general public. Each containing ten questions that quiz the user on one of a variety of subjects, those who answer the questions correctly will receive clues that guide them along the correct path to the exit. The MAiZE is a great activity for birthday parties, corporate outings, and group rivalries.

Other things at Robinette’s are horse-drawn hayrides on the weekends, ice cream, fresh donuts, apples, Michigan-made food & gifts, local artwork, lunches, mountain bike trails, and wine tasting.

Free Community Open House with the Grand Rapids Ballet Company

The Grand Rapids Ballet Company invites everyone to see what Michigan’s only professional ballet company is all about during a FREE Community Open House! People of all ages are welcome to try a class in one of the four large dance studios or sample a performance in the beautiful Peter Martin Wege Theatre during the event on August 29 from 12 - 4 pm.

The open house focuses on the many ways that people of all ages can enjoy programming with the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. Throughout the day visitors are invited to watch a variety of performances by the Company Professionals and Students, try some of the beginner classes, and learn about volunteering, upcoming performances, and more. Grand Rapids Ballet Company staff and instructors and will be on hand to answer questions, teach classes and give tours.

The Open House takes place at the Grand Rapids Ballet Company’s Meijer-Royce Center for Dance, 341 Ellsworth SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. For more information on the Community Open House or any of the Grand Rapids Ballet Company’s programs, visit grballet.com or www.wmta.org.