1. Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park saw record-breaking numbers in 2024.
More than 785,000 visitors stopped by during this fiscal year, which ended in September.
That's the highest annual attendance number it's seen since it opened three decades ago.
Meijer Gardens also had its 15 millionth visitor ever in April. It credited the record-breaking attendance to the national recognition it has received as a top sculpture park, the Butterflies Are Blooming spring exhibition, its summer concert series, and Grand Valley State University loaning it a rare blooming corpse flower in June.
2. Grand Rapids Ballet's Junior Company is gearing up for its first performance of the season.
It's happening this Friday through Sunday at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre. "The Toymaker" is a charming, family-friendly ballet that shares the untold backstory of the beloved Drosselmeier from The Nutcracker and how he came to be such a mysterious, magical guy.
For show times and to purchase tickets head to grballet.com.
3. The Getty Drive-In is closing out its 81st season with some Halloween fun.
Located in Muskegon, the drive-in movie theater will close its season with final features showing on Saturday.
Also, a trunk-or-treat event will take place at the giant screen one. Movie-goers are encouraged to decorate their car, wear a costume, and bring candy to share.
Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with the trunk-or-treat event starting at 5:30 and ending at 6:30.
Prizes for the best costumes and car decorations will happen from 6:30 to 7 with the movies starting right after.
For a list of those double-features and to buy tickets head to celebrationcinema.com.
4. Home to Michigan’s largest indoor ropes course, Allegan Event is throwing two "Halloweekend" events. They're taking place on Friday and Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m.
The events will feature fun activities such as a not-so-scary "scare maze", pumpkin drop off the zip rails, face painting and a black light dance party.
Tickets can be purchased online at alleganevent.com.
5. Blandford Nature Center is offering free admission for the entire month of November.
The center said they decided after the overwhelmingly positive response they received from the community when they offered a free month of admission last August.
The trails and grounds are open every day from dawn until dusk and the Mary Jane Dockery Visitor Center is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Blandford will also offer free activities and programs throughout the month. Get all the details at blandfordnaturecenter.org.
