Good morning, Grand Rapids. I’m Jenny and this is Calder News.

Big thanks to LeQwane for filling in for me while I was away last week. I think we can all agree that he’s still got it!

But I’m happy to be back, and I’m ready to fill you in on all the happenings around town.

~Jenny F.

Juneteenth is coming up this weekend, but there are ways to celebrate in Grand Rapids all throughout the week.

Then on Friday, party all day at the Juneteenth 2026 Solidarity Parade and Celebration as well as at the Justice 4 All Juneteenth Jam.

But the celebration will continue on well past this week. The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum’s exhibit on the history and impact of African American aviators goes until September. Enjoy Jacob Lawrence’s art at the GRAM until August. The Grand Rapids African American Museum and Artifacts is open year-round.

Don’t forget to check out all the awesome Black-owned restaurants and shops around the city.

You can see the full lineup for events here.

A briefing of local news that matters

Development

You may have heard about the plans to turn the old Heinz pickling factory on Madison into an entrepreneurial hub, but you may not have heard that a Detroit construction management firm has taken an interest in the project and plans to help breathe new life into the building. See more details.

Parks

On Monday, city officials broke ground on the Grand River Edges Trail, which will connect downtown to Riverside Park. The trail is part of the bigger Grand Rapids Greenway project, a decades-long venture to connect paved paths throughout West Michigan. Read more here.

Have news to report? Click here.

The vintage vendor hub, Elevated Market, is expanding its space in its current building on Godfrey. The Glasshouse, as they’re calling it, launched its soft opening on Monday.

Keep an eye out for Porch Light Cafe, a creation of local chef Katie Barnes, opening on Cherry Street sometime in the near future.

After a rather quick renovation, Adobe Mexican Kitchen is opening its new restaurant on Bridge St. (just across the street from Bridge St. Market).

You might remember that Brewery Vivant is doing all its brewing at Saugatuck Brewing now. So what to do with all that newly freed-up space? They plan to open an event venue.

SpeakEZ, known for its soccer-watching parties, was recently named one of the best sports bars in the country.

If you do your banking at Grand River Bank, heads up that the Mount Pleasant company Isabella has acquired and plans to merge with the West Michigan bank.

📚 GRPL Celebrates Juneteenth

With the upcoming holiday, it’s a great time to brush up on your Black History, and GRPL has just the (free) ticket. Check out 7,000 artifacts from the travelling collection of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum, on display at the main branch this Wednesday.

🦦 Enjoy an Otter-inspired Drink

Have you visited the new otter exhibit at John Ball Zoo yet? Now you can awe at their cuteness while enjoying an “Otter Watter,” a creation from Long Road Distillers to celebrate the new habitat.

If you’ve lived around Wealthy Street for a while, you might remember their big summer event Wealthy Street Alive. It’s been a couple decades, but that event finally makes its return this Friday, June 19.

From 12pm-3pm outside the Lady Love Barbershop, residents and guests can enjoy activities, food trucks, and summertime fun for all ages. Bring a blank tee, tote bag, or hoodie for free screen printing.

The event hopes to connect its community with the businesses in the area, as well as with each other.

Learn more here or check out the rad photos from the ‘90s events.

*Shows are subject to change, but that’s show biz.

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Made with ❤ in Grand Rapids