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

Summer is really flying by. June is almost over and Independence Day weekend only a week away. I’m sure a lot of us are already making plans for the lakeside cottage or the neighborhood barbecue. And I’m sure a fireworks show is part of those plans.

We’ve got all the details on this year’s display downtown. Read about it and more in today’s newsletter.

~Jenny F.

With Ah-Nab-Awen Park closed, many have been wondering where they’ll watch the July 4th fireworks this year. Rumor has it that, since it’s the country’s 250th birthday and Grand Rapids’ 175th birthday, this year’s fireworks show is going to be bigger and better than ever. You won’t want to miss it, and there are a lot of different ways to catch this epic celebration.

The main viewing area and the preshow party will take place at the Amway Employee Parking lot on Market Street. That’s where there will be live music, food vendors, activities, and entertainment starting at 6 pm until the fireworks launch at 10:30 pm.

The fireworks will be shot from the Fulton Street Bridge instead of the Gillette Bridge, so if you like to watch from Pearl Street or the Blue Bridge, you’ll have to turn around from the way you normally face.

If you really want to do something special this year, Acrisure Amphitheater is hosting the Grand Rapids Symphony and offering patriotic tunes all evening long. Then, when the music is over, stay in your seat and watch the fireworks as they burst over the amphitheater.

If these options don’t sound appealing, plenty of riverside restaurants are offering fireworks-watching parties. Check out all the options here.

A briefing of local news that matters

Community

If you’re like me, you’d rather skip ArtPrize altogether than fight through crowds to see the art. With the return of Preview Week, Grand Rapidians get five extra days to gander at the art before the voting begins and the tourists flood in. ArtPrize isn’t just expanding the number of days; it’s also expanding the art it considers, adding theme weeks for genres like dance, music, visual arts, and fashion. See more details.

Have news to report? Click here.

💦 Return To The River Teases Theme

Return to the River Festival, an arts and musical festival, announced its 2026 dates and hinted at an extraterrestrial theme. The art installations are always out of this world (and so is the body marbling).

🎧 Silent Disco at Rosa Parks Circle

Shake your groove thing every other Thursday all summer long at Rosa Parks Circle for an ongoing Silent Disco series. Show your ID, pay $10, and dance until 10pm or as long as your feet can stand it.

The City of Kentwood is currently accepting memberships for the September 26th opening of their new community center, which boasts gym equipment, sports courts, and an indoor walking track.

The Gerald R. Ford Airport completed its new rental car facility on Wednesday, the first of its kind in Michigan, and will be open for business July 8th.

Tous les Jours, a French-Korean bakery, will open its first Grand Rapids location at 3581 28th Street SE on Friday, July 3rd. First 120 visitors get a free tumbler.

Supermercado Mexico has reopened after a 9-month renovation. Shop their Mexican sweet bread, dried peppers, and varied meats, but leave time to admire the freshly painted murals that welcome you in.

The planned event space at Vivant Brewery will be able to host events without intruding on the restaurant space. In other words, their event calendar won’t ruin your dinner plans.

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

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