1. The ground has been broken and building has begun on a new pickleball facility in Kentwood.
Dinks and Dingers will feature indoor and outdoor pickleball courts, a regulation-size wiffle ball field, ping pong tables, shuffleboard, cornhole, and a full-service restaurant and bar; aptly named The Kitchen, featuring food, craft beer, and specialty cocktails.
The goal is for construction to be done by spring of next year.
Dinks and Dingers call this pickleball facility the "first-of-its-kind in the state of Michigan." You can follow the progress on its Facebook page.
2. A new virtual discovery kit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum allows students to explore freshwater mussels.
Freshwater mussels are a hot topic in West Michigan with the massive relocation project underway in the Grand River.
The new digital booklet begins by describing what a mussel is. From there, the booklet explores threats to their survival, the history of their habitat, and efforts to preserve them.
Virtual discovery kits are free to download through the Grand Rapids Public Museum's website at grpm.org/for-educators.
3. Help support local artists with a female voice during this year's ArtPrize.
Cary Okoro is one Grand Rapids-based artist who is showcasing her piece "Lineage" at Fountain Street Church. It's part of "The Feminine Divine, Social Justice Show."
Her work is a digital collage printed on linen with embroidery to trace 5 generations of women - and what gets passed down, from knowledge to trauma.
She used photographs, scrapbooks, and native plant imagery to create her family history. Fountain Street Church chooses works for ArtPrize that reflect the social issues of the day and co-sponsors a juried award with the ACLU to promote artistic expression around social justice.
4. The Grand Rapids Public Library is hosting a free author talk featuring Abra Berens on September 24 starting at 7 p.m. at the Main Library.
Chef and cookbook author, Berens will provide helpful information about ways to get the most out of seasonal produce and practical tips for cooking. She'll also share her experience working in West Michigan and around the region creating memorable fine dining experiences.
The discussion will be followed by a book signing and copies of Beren's cookbooks will be available for sale.
5. Bring the littles out to burn off some steam at the 4th annual "GR Plays" event hosted by the Playground GR.
This free event will have yoga, drumming, a bounce house, breakdancing, circus arts, self-portraits, and more. "GR Plays" is a local nonprofit dedicated to bridging the disparities of the racial, gender, cultural, and socioeconomic gaps often found in schools around the world of play. This is happening at Congress Elementary on Saturday from 1 to 3:30.
To learn more about this event and Playground GR you can head to theplaygroundgr.org.
