Winter Activities in Grand Rapids

World of Winter

January 10 - March 2, 2025

Now in its sixth year, World of Winter features stunning art installations, fun interactive exhibits and spectacular live performances, all outdoors in downtown Grand Rapids, almost all of them free to see and do.

This year’s festival features numerous large-scale, light-based art installations from all over the world. They’re impressive during the day but absolutely dazzling after dark – truly a treat for all ages. Adults can enjoy alcohol beverages from 60+ downtown businesses as they stroll around taking in the sights.

There are also guided walking tours, a fashion show, silent disco, drag show, circus wonderland, ice piano performance and so much more. Visit our World of Winter page for the full scoop.

Ice Skating, Skiing, and More Winter Sports

The ice skating rink in downtown’s Rosa Parks Circle  is part of the fun of World of Winter, with events like Disco on Ice (Jan. 31), Luv’n Lunch (Feb. 14), Love on Ice (Feb. 14) and Paint the Park (Feb. 16) inviting visitors to skate under the sun and stars. You don’t have to wait for an event, though – you can skate every day (weather permitting). Admission is just $6 for adults and $3 for youth 17 and under, and includes free skate rental.

Grand Rapids is also a great place for fatbiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and other winter sports. Head to Cannonsburg Ski Area, 20 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids, for downhill skiing, snowboarding, tubing and winter biking. Compete (or cheer on other athletes) in the Meijer State Games of Michigan (Feb. 14-16), which feature 15+ indoor and outdoor sports.

For more indoor sports action, check out the Grand Rapids Gold basketball team, Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team and Grand Rapids Rise female volleyball team, all playing in downtown’s Van Andel Arena.

Warm & Cozy Restaurants

Fuel up for (or wind down from) winter activities at the 1,000+ restaurants, breweries, cideries, cocktail bars, coffee shops and distilleries around town. Dine and drink outdoors in a heated enclosure at Donkey Taqueria, Farmhaus Cider Co., jdek at Margaux, Third Nature Brewing Co. and other restaurants with outdoor dining spaces. Reserve your tickets for the Winter Beer Festival at LMCU Ballpark (Feb. 22), featuring 100s of Michigan beers plus live music and food for purchase.

Download the Beer City Brewsader® app and check in to eight breweries to get a free t-shirt. Sign up for the Flights of Flavor digital pass to find the city’s best food and/or drink pairings, and earn free t-shirts, ball caps, cutting boards and more.

Winter Music Events

See some of the biggest names in music at Van Andel Arena and DeVos Performance Hall, and a mix of genre-spanning veterans and up-and-comers at GLC Live at 20 Monroe, The Intersection, The Pyramid Scheme and St. Cecilia Music Center – all part of a thriving live music scene.

Winter also brings Broadway, ballet, opera and symphony performances – including Hip Opera (Feb. 22), a very special World of Winter presentation blending the best of hip hop music and opera.

Winter for the Family

The winter calendar is jam-packed with all-ages exhibitions and activities at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids Children’s Museum and Grand Rapids Public Museum. Van Andel Arena caters to families with the Professional Bull Riders Whisky Velocity Tour (Jan. 24-25), the Harlem Globetrotters (Jan. 28) and Disney on Ice (Feb. 6-9).

DeVos Place brings thousands of visitors downtown for five perennially popular lifestyle shows: the Remodeling & New Homes Show (Jan. 10-12), Camper, Travel & RV Show (Jan. 16-19), Michigan International Auto Show (Jan. 20-Feb. 2), West Michigan Golf Show (Feb. 6-8) and Grand Rapids Boat Show (Feb. 12-16).

Discover more fun things for every member of the family to do inside this winter.

Winter Shopping

Take advantage of post-holiday sales and refresh your home and wardrobe for spring at Breton Village Shopping Center , RiverTown Crossings Mall , Tanger Outlet Mall, Woodland Mall and the Ada, East Grand Rapids, Lowell, Rockford and Uptown shopping districts.

Search All Winter Events