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- 📍 It’s still Friday, right? | February 7th, 2025
📍 It’s still Friday, right? | February 7th, 2025

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Happy Friday, Grand Rapids. I’m LeQwane and this is Calder News — with our first evening newsletter to date.
I hope you have had a great Friday so far. I sure had a busy one, but there’s one thing that I couldn’t put off until Monday.
And that’s sending out today’s issue of Calder News. So although it’s later than usual, we’re here!
In today’s issue, you’re going to read about a new gaming center, exotic butterflies making their way to GR, the city’s crackdown, and more!
I hope you have a great evening — you earned it!
~LeQwane L.

The Digest
A briefing of local news that matters
Recreation
Exotic Butterflies Return to GR
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is bringing back its annual Butterfly exhibit for the 30th year in a row. Through the exhibit — 60+ species of moths and butterflies from Africa, Asia, and Central America will call Grand Rapids home for a few months. | Learn about the exhibit
City
Warning: Shovel Your Sidewalk
Grand Rapids is cracking down on snowy and icy sidewalks. With a snowy/ icy weekend ahead I thought a quick reminder might be helpful. The city’s bylaw gives you 24 hours to clear any public walkways around your home/ workplace. If a neighbor or passerby submits a credible complaint, you could get a $180 bill in the mailbox. And don’t take that warning lightly because more complaints happen than you’d think — since the start of this year there have been 1,010 complaints issued.
Shopping
A Thrift Discount You Can’t Beat
Feeling thrifty? The Salvation Army has launched a “buy by the pound” campaign for shoppers. Unlike other thrift stores, the Salvation Army isn’t looking to hold onto unsold inventory forever. Any products that don’t sell within 4 weeks will go to its new “buy by the pound” section that lets shoppers secure clothing by bulk at a rate you can’t beat. | Read more about the program here
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Ask Grand Rapids 🤔
🏈 Who do you have winning the Superbowl? |
I’m not a huge football man, but I’ll be tuned into this year’s game. I’ll end up rooting for whoever has more votes here haha.
Talk Of The Town
Interesting happenings around town
🎮️ GR’s First Gaming Center
A father and son team is opening a gaming center in Grand Rapids tomorrow. NxtGen Gaming Center is located at 1035 Godfrey Ave SW and has its official grand opening with food, games, and free entry from 3 PM - 6 PM. Might be worth checking out!
❤️ Red for awareness #GoRed
The American Heart Association is celebrating its 20th year educating women about the risk of heart disease. Yesterday the organization held its annual luncheon at Thousand Oaks — it featured information on how to help people in an emergency and how to reduce future risk. If you missed that, no problem. To show support you can wear red today through this weekend.
Want to have your business featured here? Contact me.
What’s Happening?
Preview: Events —> Live Music
Friday, February 7th
Cupid’s Valenight Market | Garfield Park | 4 PM - 8 PM | Free | Find all your Valentine theme items, get them gifts ready for your special someone
First Friday = Art + Downtown | Cocoon Art Space | 6 PM - 8 PM | Free | Learn about contemporary art and meet local artists
Galentine's Candle Making Class | 806 Bridge St | 6 PM - 8 PM | $45
Ice Piano Performance | Canal St. Park | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM | Free
Saturday, February 8th
Groundhog Day Marathon | Millennium Park | 8 AM
Valentine's Artist Market | Roeda Studio | 10 AM - 4 PM
Circus Wonderland | Calder Plaza | 6 PM - 9 PM | Free | Watch acrobats, trampoline, and fire performers, and enjoy food trucks while having a fun night on the town
Sunday, February 9th
Queer End Zone: Gameday bash | General Wood Shop | 4 PM - 12 AM | Free
Live Music
Friday, February 7th
Domestic Problems | The Intersection | 7 PM | $15 tickets
Shayfer James + Katacombs | The Pyramid Scheme | 7 PM | $20 tickets
BareNaked 90's | Gippers Bar | 8 PM | Free
Deerfield Run and Silver Creek Revival | Tip Top | 8 PM | $10 tickets
Deer & Elk | Speciation Cellars | 9 PM | Free
Embers Rise, Visitor, The Fiction We Create | Mulligan’s Pub | 10 PM | Free
Saturday, February 8th
LVRS, Melissa Dylan Band | The Stray | 7 PM | $12 tickets
VPO | Golden Age (Creston Brewery) | 7 PM | $18 ticket
Tiffany Poon | St. Cecilia Music Center | 7:30 PM - 8:45 PM | $38 tickets
Mark Dvorak | Wealthy Theatre | 7 PM - 9 PM | $5 to $15 tickets
The Skinny Limbs + Low Phase + Perren | The Pyramid Scheme | 7 PM - 11 PM
Indie Rock + Electronic Dance Party | Elevation | 8 PM
HEYZ | The Stache | 8 PM | $20 tickets
Reckless Rhythms, Inaudible Darling, Colt Snuffer | Tip Top | 8 PM | $5 ticket
Sunday, February 9th
The Dirty Nil + Grumpster + House & Home | The pyramid scheme | 7 PM | $20 tickets
*Shows are subject to change, but that’s show biz.
Outside The Plaza
quick hits of news from cities around Grand Rapids
That’s All For Today…
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