Official 175th Anniversary Poster Competition - Winner Announced!
We’d like to congratulate Steve Wammack and his piece Blueprint on being voted as the Official 175th Anniversary Commemorative Poster! Blueprint will hang in City Hall, other government buildings, and all around Grand Rapids, so be on the lookout. Purchase your own copy of Blueprint directly from the artist. Congratulations to our other finalist, Sarah Aldrich, and her piece Primary Grand Rapids. You can purchase Primary Grand Rapids directly from the artist.
Both pieces will be on display throughout ArtPrize on the Plaza level of City Hall - make sure to stop by and check them out!
Official Anniversary Beer - GR175
The City of Grand Rapids is proud to partner with hometown brewery City Built Brewing Company to debut the City’s official beer in celebration of its 175th Anniversary. City Built Brewing rolled out a special lager — a light, crisp brew crafted to toast Grand Rapids’ milestone.
The limited-edition beer is now available on draft and in cans at the City Built taproom, located at 820 Monroe Ave. NW, Suite 155, in Grand Rapids. It is also available at the following restaurants, bars and retail outlets (while quantities last):
7 Monks Taproom, Art of the Table, Blue Dog Tavern, BrickYard Tavern, Celebration Cinema Studio Park, D. Schuler's Fine Wine & Spirits, Devos Performance Hall, Frederik Meijer Gardens, Gravity Taphouse Grille, Hopcat - Downtown and E Beltline, Horrocks Market Kentwood, Kingma's Market, Old Goat, One Twenty Three Tavern, Reservoir Lounge, Rishi's International Beverage, Siciliano's Specialty Beverage, SILVA, Smitty's Specialty Beverage, SpeakEZ Lounge, Stella's Lounge, The Copper Vine, The Crushed Grape, The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck, The Sovengard, and Westside Social.
As part of the celebration, Kendall College of Art and Design graphic design students participated in a competition sponsored by the City and the Beer City Brewers Guild to design the commemorative beer can. The winning design, titled Flora, was created by student Abe Jannenga and features a tranquil, nature-inspired theme that reflects Grand Rapids’ natural diversity. Its GR175 branding blends harmoniously with the market-friendly aesthetic.
Other Opportunities to Celebrate:
- A mobile museum exhibit – 175 pictures for 175 years – will rotate around town from June-December. See it at City Hall, DeVos Place, the Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, and other locations.
- A host of digital collaborations are in the works, including the commemorative poster competition. Follow the City of Grand Rapids on Facebook and Instagram for details and announcements.
- A special limited-edition anniversary beer will be available at select local breweries. Cheers to 175 years!
Share the Fun
Use hashtag #175GR when posting pix and video of anniversary events – or any posting that shows your community pride.
Get Involved
Community members, businesses, organizations and community leaders are encouraged to participate in the anniversary celebration by hosting their own events, creating custom merchandise, and celebrating in their own way. Learn how you can get involved and use the 175th anniversary logo!
The official 175th Anniversary logo was designed by local Grand Rapids artist Derek Mohr at the Grand Rapids Branding Co.
A Team Effort
The City of Grand Rapids has partnered with a variety of community organizations to make 175GR the best and most inclusive it can be. The planning committee includes representatives from ArtPrize, Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. (DGRI), Experience Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids Public Museum and West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as well as City staff. Thanks to everyone involved!
Did You Know?
A 175th anniversary is known as a dodransbicentennial. Say that three times fast!
A Grand History
The City of Grand Rapids was incorporated on April 2, 1850, and then officially established on May 2 of that year. It’s been a long and eventful journey from then to now – and you can explore some of the most significant aspects of the past on our History of Grand Rapids page and the City’s Facts and History page.
This dodransbicentennial year is also a great time to take the self-guided Community Legends Sculpture Tour and “meet” 13 local figures who made significant contributions to the city, the country and the world.
Thank You Sponsors
