Activities

Adult Involvement

A fun place to participate in everything from tai chi to African drumming to country line dancing.  Come out and enjoy the fun!

See schedule for details.

Behind the County Building

Adult Paint In

A creative, painting environment for those older than 13.  Hosted by the Alumni Association of Kendall College of Art & Design of Ferris State University, which also generously provides all art supplies.

Behind the County Building

Art on the Spot

West Michigan artists create art while you wait, including caricatures, body painting, henna, and hair wraps.

Tents on Monroe Center

Art on the Spot, Too

Two more Art on the Spot artists in an additional location!

Tents on West Lawn of Federal Building

Art Sales

West Michigan's finest artists and craftspeople sell their wares, including pottery, jewelry, folk art, photography, handmade paper, metal sculpture, wood sculpture, fiber art, glass sculpture, watercolors, acrylics, and oils.

Tents on Calder Plaza

Festival & Arts Awards

See schedule for more information.

Festival Regional Arts Exhibition

Old Art Museum, 155 N. Division

Film Exhibition

Winning entries from the Festival Film Competition will be shown continuously throughout Festival weekend.  Please note: Some films contain language and violence that is not appropriate for kids.  For your convenience, a sign will be posted when those films are being shown.

Grand Rapids Art Museum

Indoor Classical

Indoor Classical features performers who need a quieter space to best showcase their talents.  Come inside for a full schedule of classical performances!  See schedule for times.

Old Art Museum, Second Floor, Cook Auditorium

Music Sales

MUSIC SALES will sell the CD’s, DVD’s, cassettes, VHS, and even vinyl for the bands, acts, artists, and performers at Festival of the Arts. The artist’s products will be sold for all three days of Festival, allowing more exposure than the few minutes that they are on stage.

Tent on Ottawa Avenue

Opening Ceremonies

Festival opens on Friday at 12:00 noon on Calder Stage, in front of City Hall on Ottawa Ave.!  Don't miss this exciting opening to the three-day Festival of the Arts!

Philatelic Station

A temporary postal station on Festival grounds!  Features the winning designs from the 2008 Philatelic Design (stamp cancellation) Contest.

Ottawa Avenue, across from Festival Store

Poetry

Winning entries of the Dyer-Ives Competition will be read Saturday at 1:00 pm at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts.

UICA - 41 Sheldon SE

Printmaking

Make your own Festival souvenir using classic silk-screening techniques!  Lines close 1/2 hour before the scheduled closing time.

West side of City Hall

Storytelling

West Michigan's best storytellers spin their yarns for kids and adult audiences alike.  Stories during the day are geared for kids through age 12.  After 5 pm, you can hear stories for older, more sophisticated audiences.

County Court House, Jury Assembly Room

Swing-n-Art

Graphic design meets science as you create your own masterpiece to take home!  Lines close 1/2 hour before the scheduled closing time.

Behind the County Building