1. Experience Grand Rapids is receiving national recognition! The convention and tourism marketing agency for Kent County was named the third-best Destination Marketing Organization in the Midwest at The Stella Awards.
Experience Grand Rapids won third place in the Midwest category for Best Convention Visitors Bureau Or Destination Marketing Organization.
The Stella Awards are hosted by NorthStar Meeting Group and were awarded based on votes from nearly 10,000 hospitality providers from across the nation.
2. The Kalamazoo forge "Combat Ready Art" will be featured on The History Channel's show, "Forged In Fire".
The episode is scheduled to play on the History Channel at 9 p.m. on October 18 as part of their "On The Road" tournament.
They were selected as one of four locations across the country.
The episode is set to feature three of Combat Ready Art's students, all from the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area, competing in blade-smithing challenges.
Combat Ready Art is a blacksmithing and blade-smithing school, offering private classes in blacksmithing, knife making, welding, and metalwork, for ages nine and up.
It's owned by Jon Reeves, who has over 40 years of experience as a blacksmith. You can learn more on their website combatreadyart.com.
3. Motor City Comic Con has announced that Mighty Morphin Power Rangers star Richard Horvitz will be a guest at the upcoming event, which will be held November 10-12 at the Suburban Collection Showplace.
Horvitz will be at Motor City Comic Con on all three days. A photo op with the actor will be available to purchase for $60. An autograph will also be available for $50.
Horvitz voiced the robot Alpha 5 in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, which aired on Fox Kids from 1993 to 1995.
Get more details at motorcitycomiccon.com.
4. John Ball Zoo is looking to name its two red panda cubs and needs your help.
The zoo is partnering with the local refugee education center on a naming contest for the two cubs born in July.
The cubs are the second litter from Wyatt and Wasabi.
Members of the public can vote on names for the male and female cubs after making a donation of at least $1.
The naming contest is open now and runs through Sunday, November 19.
The zoo says it worked with the Refugee Education Center to choose the names for the cubs. There will be three names to choose from for each cub.
John Ball Zoo says it will track votes and announce the names of the cubs when the contest concludes.
Donations from the naming contest will go toward the zoo's mission of preserving wildlife and wild places locally and around the world.
5. Hudsonville unveils exciting updates for this year's annual holiday parade!
Presented by the Hudsonville Area Chamber Of Commerce and Corewell Health, it's set to dazzle the town with an enchanting new twist.
The parade will take place on November 16 with a brand new route through the heart of downtown Hudsonville and take place at night so watchers can enjoy the floats and holiday lights.
Plus, before the parade, people can watch the town's tree lighting ceremony while enjoying complimentary hot cocoa and cookies, and engaging in kids' activities by the fountain of honor near Gemmens Ace Hardware. Even Santa will be there!
You can get the full schedule of events at hudsonvilleevents.com.
