GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids' Festival of the Arts announced Saturday that it is ceasing operations immediately after 55 years.
The announcement was made shortly after noon in an e-mail to FOX 17 and the Festival's Web site was updated shortly thereafter. The 56th Festival had been planned for June 6-8, 2025.
The 2024 Festival broke attendance records, attracting more than 250,000 people to the city.
Under the heading "Thank you Grand Rapids" and its letterhead, the Festival of the Arts issued the following statement:
"Festival of the Arts thanks community for 55 years of celebrating the arts.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH – February 7, 2025: After 55 years of celebrating the west Michigan community, Festival of the Arts (Festival) is sunsetting and ceasing operations effective immediately. In 1970, Festival became the first festival in downtown Grand Rapids as a grand celebration of the arts in West Michigan, inspired by the 1969 installation of Alexander Calder’s La Grande Vitesse (“The Great Swiftness”). The goal of Festival was to highlight all the arts in our area and provide access to everyone by making all performances and activities free. Festival brought people together from all over, celebrating a vibrant and growing art community and a great patron of the arts, the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Since then, downtown Grand Rapids has seen tremendous growth, and our community continues to expand the ways in which it celebrates the arts. Our goal to celebrate the community was accomplished and paved the way for other festivals to develop and celebrate their cultures including the Asian-Pacific Festival, Hispanic Festival, Yassou Festival (Greek), Polish Festival, and many more, as well as laying the foundation for communities to come together for World of Winter, Linc Up’s Rock the Block, and Eastown Street Fair to name a few. Festival embraced “The Great Swiftness”, the rapid changes in ourselves and society, showcasing the city on the Grand River and providing the structure for others to continue to celebrate a broad art, music, food, and culture scene. Festival sunsets to new horizons being created each year in Grand Rapids.
Festival Executive Director Missy Summers says “We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished. You don’t put on an event the size of Festival without cooperation from the City of Grand Rapids, generosity of the community, and tireless work from volunteers. While we are sad to say goodbye to Festival, it is heartwarming to see the impact it has had on our community”.
We are grateful to the community for your years of support in helping us provide Art for All."
