Experience Grand Rapids wants every visitor to our region to feel welcome and accommodated. That includes travelers with all different types of abilities. In 2018, we teamed with Disability Advocates…
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In 2010, approximately 2% of Grand Rapids residents claimed Asian-only descent. The city’s Asian population jumped by 30% over the next decade, with the southeast suburb of Kentwood leading the way:…
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The Latino, or Hispanic, community in Grand Rapids dates back as far as the 1920s, when a small number of young men from Mexico came here to work in railroad jobs. Almost a century later, this…
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Few African Americans came to West Michigan until after the Civil War, fleeing Jim Crow discrimination in the southern states. Even then, the numbers were relatively small. It wasn't until the Great…
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As is the case with many American cities, the unique character of Grand Rapids was shaped largely by successive waves of European settlers. Dutch immigrants had a particularly outsized impact - Grand…
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Home to more than 130 global companies and one of the fastest-growing economies in the U.S., West Michigan has long been known as a great place to do business. Whether in small, family-owned companies…
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Grand Rapids historian Kevin Finney estimates that indigenous peoples lived in the greater Grand Rapids area for 11,000 years before the first European settlers arrived in 1650. Little is known about…
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Chef Cliff Rome, who grew up on the south side of Chicago and navigated poverty on his way to becoming a chef for former President Barack Obama, came to Grand Rapids in February 2026 to speak to…
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As is the case with many American cities, the unique character of Grand Rapids was shaped largely by successive waves of European settlers. Germans, Poles, Italians, English, Irish and French…
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You don’t have to travel the world to experience global cultures. West Michigan hosts a variety of fun, educational and entertaining festivals that give visitors a glimpse into the diverse backgrounds…
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