Grand Rapids Summer Activities

Summer Festivals & Events 

Nearly every weekend in summer is filled with cultural festivals. From the Asian-Pacific Festival (June 13-15) and Foodie Fest (July 4-6) to the Hispanic Festival (Aug. 1-3) and Return to the River (Aug. 23-24), these outdoor events bring people together for a grand old time. Outdoor summer concerts range from superstar touring acts at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park to multi-day music festivals to all sorts of free music events across the region. Indoor venues are welcoming such luminaries as Barry Manilow (June 4), Chris Stapleton (June 12-13), Jim Gaffigan (July 17), GHOST (July 28) and the smash-hit Broadway musical Hamilton (July 22-Aug. 3). Grand Rapids is also the perfect place to celebrate the summer holidays, including Juneteenth, the Fourth of July and Labor Day – we do them all up big!

Summer Things To Do

Grand Rapids attractions shine especially bright in summer. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, the nation’s #1 sculpture park, dazzles with blossoming flowers and foliage, plus the new art exhibition, BUSTED: Contemporary Sculpture Busts. More than 2,000 animals come out to frolic at John Ball Zoo, which offers more animal-touching opportunities than any other zoo in Michigan. Downtown museums offer a cavalcade of fascinating exhibits just steps away from hotels and restaurants, including the world’s largest collection of Detroit Tigers autographed baseballs at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, a collection of David Hockney prints at the Grand Rapids Art Museum and Alma’s Way: Welcome to My Neighborhood, based on the PBS KIDS animated series, at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum.

Watch a pro baseball game or NASCAR race, visit dozens of family farm markets for fresh produce and artisanal goods, and shop hundreds of stores for anything and everything you might need. Be sure to bring your appetite with you ­­­– there are more than 1,000 restaurants around town, offering an array of cuisine, price and amenity options (including outdoor dining!). Downtown GR is home to nearly 200 restaurants within a 10-minute walk (or free bus ride) of hotels, shops and entertainment venues. Be sure to download the Beer City Brewsader® app and sign up for the Flights of Flavor digital pass before you visit – you can earn free t-shirts, hats and other fun perks when you use them to check in to participating breweries, restaurants, bars, coffeehouses and sweets shops.

Outdoor Things To Do

Our long summer days come in handy for getting the most out of our Grand Outdoors. Golf 30+ courses within 30 minutes of the metro area. Hike, bike, paddle and canoe on hundreds of miles of trails and waterways. Enjoy a picnic in the park – Grand Rapids is home to 125+ parks offering such features as swimming pools, splash pads, playgrounds, lakes and boat launches. Millennium Park, five minutes from downtown, has a six-acre sandy beach and boat rental facility, and 20+ Lake Michigan beaches are as close as 30 minutes away. Pack plenty of sunscreen!