Placemaking: A Photo Essay

Last May, we told you about 16 projects that received grants in the second round of Discover Tourism funding from Experience Grand Rapids. Now, we’re pleased to show you the results of those grants via the photos below.

As a reminder, we launched the Discover Tourism Grant Program to help local residents transform public spaces in ways that both elevate the quality of life for people who live here and enhance the region’s appeal to visitors.

“We continue to invest in these placemaking projects because it is important that we invest back into the community that shapes the city we love,” says Jordoun Eatman, EXGR’s Vice President of Engagement & Inclusion. “Residents play a big role in our local hospitality and tourism community, curating multiple experiences through a variety of cultures. This placemaking grant creates opportunities to highlight those experiences and share them with the world, furthering our vision to make Kent County the must-experience Midwest destination.”

We hope these photos inspire you to apply for a Discover Tourism Grant for your own placemaking project. Applications for the third round of funding will be accepted March 1-31, 2026, for projects that will be implemented from May-October 2026. Visit DiscoverTourismGR.com in January 2026 for full summaries of each project.

The Creston Farmers Market connected residents, local growers, makers and visitors in the heart of GR’s north side every Saturday morning from June 7 - Sept. 27. The Market strengthens community ties, supports local agriculture and small businesses, and highlights the unique character of the Creston community.

THE PLAYGROUNDgr presented its fifth annual Grand Rapids Plays event on Sept. 20, raising awareness about the benefits of outdoor play through drum circles, break dancing, sensory-based play and other activities. This year’s event welcomed 11 play experts/partners, four sponsors from across Kent County, 11 volunteers and 226 registered attendees.

Grand Rapids Bike Park hosted The Ring, a free, family-friendly event featuring high-energy bicycle racing, live music, local food trucks and community fun on three Saturday nights: June 28, July 26 and Aug. 23.

The second annual Creston Pride Festival was held Sept. 21. The vibrant, inclusive and family-friendly community celebration included the “World’s Smallest Pride Parade” plus a diverse collection of vendors, artists and performers from throughout Grand Rapids and beyond – attracting “followers” of these various entities as well as residents and visitors.

Designers transformed recycled textiles and repurposed items into stunning, high-end creations for Re/Fashion on at AllArtWorks Viewing Studio on Oct. 12. The Art Saloon portion of the show provided a curated space for artists to talk about their designs, creative process and textile choices as the walking art strutted the runway. Part runway and part cultural movement, this collaborative event united fashion, innovation and community.

Free Summer Thursday Nights at GRAM (Grand Rapids Art Museum) invited everyone to participate in new activities every week from June 12  Aug. 28, including artmaking, trivia and game nights, community activations, live music and more.

The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum installed a new Play House exhibit, inviting kids to engage in role-playing scenarios that nurture empathy, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

The Pleasant Peninsula Mural Festival paired artists from around Grand Rapids and the world with Michigan-based researchers and conservationists to create 21 murals showcasing some of the state’s endangered or threatened animals. The July 26 event also featured 24 conservation and environmental organizations, seven ecology-themed talks, six live bands and 40+ Michigan artists sharing vendor booths. More than 25 volunteers contributed 2,600+ hours to festival planning, installation and operations.

Not Pictured

• A commemorative marker was placed at the intersection of Lake Dr. and Robinson Rd. in Eastown on Oct. 27 to recognize the location as part of a historical trade route of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians. The permanent sign includes documentation attesting to the tribe’s presence in the area, including records dating back centuries, and explains how the 10-mile footpath was used to transport goods between Grand Rapids and Ada.  
• Fiesta Burton Heights, a June 21 event hosted by the Burton Heights Business Association, featuring live music and entertainment, food vendors, family activities and more.
• New fencing and an expanded garden at North Godwin Elementary Schook, one of 13 H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Eat) Gardens that work with 2,600+ K-8 students throughout West Michigan.
• The 4^th Annual Foodie Fest, which brought 50+ food trucks and booths to Calder Plaza July 4-6, entertaining visitors with live music, dance performances and DJ sets.
• A HAS HEART collaboration between U.S. Marine veteran Jilmar Ramos-Gomez and artist/designer Rico Padilla to transform Jilmar’s journey battling PTSD into art.
• The Third Ward Legacy Tour, a new walking and driving tour focused on the area’s Black history.
• A documentary film created by local 9^th-12^th graders exploring the first time the National Urban League Conference was allowed to stay in a non-segregated hotel – the Pantlind Hotel (now the Amway Grand Plaza) in 1950.

Experience Grand Rapids is proud to have contributed to each of these placemaking projects and we look forward to seeing what community members are cooking up for 2026!