World of Winter started 14 days ago.
The first two weeks of the annual festival have brought more than 12,000 people to downtown Grand Rapids combined for the first three events.
But World of Winter is only just getting started. The festival goes through March 5.
“In the wintertime, in the dead of January — if we get a few thousand people downtown, that’s hopefully more people eating at restaurants and stopping at retail shops,” Communications Director for Downtown GR Inc. Bill Kirk said.
The event is free, but the idea is that people come downtown and spend money.
Each year, the number of people coming to downtown GR only grows, according to Downtown GR Inc. The first nine-week World of Winter started during the height of the pandemic.
The event has been well received by attendees, business owners and residents of downtown. This only adds to the public art already available in Grand Rapids, DGRI says.
“I think anybody that lives, works or plays in Grand Rapids — we know that. You can’t walk anywhere without seeing a mural or a beautiful sculpture,” Kirk said.
READ MORE: World of Winter helps small businesses in GR succeed
READ MORE: Local, international artwork on display during World of Winter
