GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — For the first time in 56 years, Calder Plaza is silent during the first weekend of June as the Festival of the Arts is no longer taking place. The event, which has been a staple of the city's cultural community, leaves a void for its longtime organizers.
"It's odd," said Missy Bush on Friday. "It's kind of a hard thing to think about, not being downtown, not being with all of the friends that you have made over the years."
Bush had been involved with the festival since 2010.
"The festival was a springboard for so many things that are happening downtown. And you know, I feel like festival really created that arena and gave other people the ability to to come forward and celebrate," Bush added.
Fred Bivins, who has served in nearly every position within the festival since 1974, echoed the sentiment.
"It's pretty bittersweet," he said. "The cultural significance of Festival of the Arts is seen in at least three generations. I didn't realize what a hole that would leave in my life, time wise, you know, not being there doing those things."
To fill the absence, Frames Unlimited hosted a gallery Friday at its Grand Rapids South location, showcasing the work of 74 festival artists as an homage to the event called Ode to Festival.
"I went down to the Calder and I did a little video, I put it on Facebook today, and when the siren was going off at noon," said Bivins. "But then, knowing that I was coming out here tonight for this reception, it really is, and that's the only way you can say it, it's very bittersweet. It's sweet. This is wonderful, and I'm hoping that somehow we can leverage this back into something else."
Emily Miller, an elementary school art teacher and festival organizer since 2018, remains optimistic. Despite the festival's absence, she says Grand Rapids continues to embrace the arts.
"It's just happening in different ways," Miller said. "We just need to get the youth reinvigorated and re-energized to get back in it, because the generation that raised festival is aging out, which is a big part of the issue."
Miller said it's all about looking towards the future. It's why she's hosting a youth art show that will be on display until Sunday, June 14.
"West Michigan Youth Art Exhibition at Devos Place, and we have 144 pieces from 12 different school districts. And so, it was 141 students, so from fives up to 12th grade," said Miller.
Bush said that there will be a Festival of the Arts booth at the Grand Rapids' 175th celebration in Rosa Parks Circle on Saturday.
"We are going to have rubber stamps and typewriters and a place for people to give feedback, because when we announced its sunset, there was so much outcry and so much support for festival. We thought, well, we want people to be able to share with us," Bush explained. "It's very hard. But yes, there's always hope, right?"
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