Grand Rapids, Michigan / ArtPrize, JW Marriott, Knickerbocker Brewing Co, CityBuilt Brewing, Fountain Hill Brewing Co, Atwater Brewery

October 2017, Weekday-weekend, 2-days

One of my ArtPrize favorites!
Not because I am a horse fan; because of the quality/how real it looked.

ArtPrize Nine

We visited on the last Friday and Saturday of ArtPrize, after voting had ended. In previous years (this was our 6th visit; not all consecutive years) when we visited on Friday during the day, the crowds had been minimal. This year, it was busy, busy, busy! There were many students and group tours on Friday, and Saturday became crowded after 11:00 AM. I think I preferred ArtPrize when it was smaller, and more centralized to the downtown area. This year, exhibits could be found as far away as Fredrick Meijer Gardens and Gerald R. Ford International Airport. We did get to see a lot of cool art, some of which I am sharing, along with additional information in this post.

Inside Gerald R. Ford Museum.
You may be able to read the artist's statement, if you click on the photo to enlarge it.

There was no charge to visit Gerald R. Ford Museum during ArtPrize, and we were glad we went inside. In previous years, there had been more displays outside the museum, and we never made it inside. The museum (in addition to the ArtPrize exhibits) is amazing! We were surprised by how much it contained. It is definitely worth the cost to visit when in Grand Rapids. I missed the many outside ArtPrize exhibits that are usually at this location and elsewhere downtown. Fredrick Meijer Gardens is outside, and it is possible many of the outdoor exhibits had been on display there. We did not visit the gardens; I am merely speculating about why there were not as many outside displays downtown. 

Interesting dresses made from recycled materials inside Gerald F. Ford Museum.

We did not go inside the Grand Rapids Art Museum this year, as there was a line on Saturday before it even opened. There is usually a line at this venue, and we have only gone inside once during all our visits to ArtPrize.

Very cool 3-D pottery in DeVos Hall.

We usually enjoy the walk between JW Marriott and DeVos Hall; however, this year the displays in the walkway of DeVos Hall were quite odd. And, the halls were packed! This was one of the last areas we visited Saturday, and we had a difficult time seeing and getting through the crowds.

All in all, ArtPrize is quite interesting. I suggest visiting on a weekday morning, if at all possible.

Downtown Grand Rapids breweries and Happy Hour specials

All of the breweries listed in this post are in the Grand Rapids Brewsader Passport. This was our second visit to Atwater Brewery, and you can find more details with photos about their cool decor in my previous post. This was our first visit to Knickerbocker, CityBuilt, and Fountain Hill. We loved them all!

Atwater Brewery special

Atwater Brewery menu

Atwater Brewery now has Happy Hour food and beverage specials Monday through Friday from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. We would have gotten the Lunch Box special, if we had not already had lunch before our visit. Outside seating is available on the sidewalk, when the weather is good. The doors were open when we were there, although the outside tables were not set up, as it had been raining off and on.

New Holland Brewing The Knickerbocker is less than half a mile west of Atwater on the same street. It is an easy walk across the river and under the expressway overpass. This venue is quite large with many seats and plenty of bar seating inside. The outside patio includes seating with umbrella tables, benches, and a large fireplace with room to stand around, like a bar. We had our beverages inside at the bar, and then walked outside before we left. I think following companies on social media is a good thing, and I wish I had found Knickerbocker's Facebook page before our visit. They were having an awesome Happy Hour on Fridays during September and October - the brewhouse garage doors off the back patio were open for guests to wander through the brewing area. Plus, a brewer was on site to talk to guests and tap a new pub specialty release. They have Happy Hour beverage and appetizer pricing Monday through Friday from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, and there is excellent information on their website, if you want additional information.

CityBuilt Brewing view from table.
Photo provided by our son.

CityBuilt Brewing Company is on Monroe Avenue, a half mile north of Michigan Street. Although we did not visit during Happy Hour, food and beverage Happy Hour details are listed on their website from 3:00 to 6:00 PM on Tuesday through Friday. One thing I really liked about this brewery is the assortment of different brew sizes available listed right on the menu with pricing. This location is close to the Grand River Edges Trail, 6th Street Bridge Park, and the new Embassy Suites that is scheduled to open summer 2019 (this hotel has been a long time in the making).

We never would have known about Fountain Hill Brewing Company, if it had not been listed in the Brewsader book. This brewery is located in Grand Rapids Community College, and is only open for a few hours on certain Thursday and Friday evenings. Service was great, and we got a complimentary in-depth tour of the brewery and process!

Misc. and overall

Although we did not see anyone on bikes, we observed more bicycle racks throughout downtown than I recalled seeing before. Grand River Edges Trail is pretty much connected to White Pine Trail, which goes as far north as Cadillac. There is a small section of road travel along Monroe Avenue south of Ann Street, and when crossing Park Street bridge.

3-D art in the JW

We stayed at JW Marriott this visit. Our stay was fabulous, as usual. Their, I Love the JW, slogan fits! Comfy beds, excellent service, good quality amenities. You can find more details about the JW by clicking on the label at the bottom of this post. There were several pieces of art on display on the bottom floor between the front desk, and the International Ballroom entrance from Campau Avenue.

With so much going on downtown Grand Rapids it is difficult to decide which places to visit, and we are never able to go to all our favorite places. We like that there are several lodging choices downtown within walking distance of food, entertainment, and more. We are planning to visit again before the end of the year!

Let me know if you have any questions or info to share. Please feel free to share this post for others!