It’s that time again! Christmas lights at the highest level in West Michigan!

Fifth Third Ballpark located at 4500 West River Drive in Comstock Park is the place to visit during the holiday season. Treat your family to the best magical light show around from November 22 – December 31. Two miles of stunning Christmas lights are sure to take your breath away and an exciting experience for your family.

Shows run from 5:30pm until 9:30pm, every night, even on the holidays.

Get tickets on-line today. Visit www.CHRISTMASLITESHOW.com for tickets.

If you enjoy watching the night sky and would like to look at it up close & personal, this Public Night is for you!

Visitors are invited to the James C. Veen Observatory located at 3308 Kissing Rock Avenue SE in Lowell, Michigan on Saturday, October 28 from 8:00pm – 10:30pm. Featured objects will be the Quarter Moon, Uranus, Neptune and various galaxies. The evening temperatures will be in the 50’s, so you may want to wear warm clothes.

Keep in mind that the Observatory is located at the top of a hill. Visitors park below & walk up to the Observatory. Ask the parking attendant for assistance, if needed.

Admission: $3 for Adults, $2 for 17 years and younger, free to children 5 & under. Call the Starwatch number, (616)897-7065 for weather condition or sky updates.

Visit www.graaa.org for more information.

Fourteen farms are participating in this fun fall adventure for families to experience!

Each farm offers its unique experience from corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hayrides, harvested home-grown fruits & vegetables and so much more. Families won’t want to miss all the excitement of this colorful season!

Visit www.kentharvesttrails.org for the list of participating farms.

Is there anything more enjoyable than seeing a dog walking or running in the park – tongue hanging out without a care in the world? How about hundreds of dogs (and owners) in Halloween costumes at the park? That’s what participants in Humane Society of West Michigan’s (HSWM) 5th Annual Bark in the Dark extravaganza at Riverside Park will witness on Saturday, October 7 at 6:30 p.m. 

Hosted by HSWM, Bark in the Dark is an annual fundraising 5K & 1 Mile fun run/walk supporting animals awaiting their forever families. This fun-filled event, perfect for the whole family – but especially those furry family members – will feature a photo booth, face painting, and balloon animals before the run/walk from 5:00pm – 6:30pm. The run/walk begins at 6:30pm and will be followed by music, complimentary snacks, and a beer tent!

Every color of the rainbow will cover the skies of Grand Rapids this weekend!

This festival will take place in 2 locations this week & weekend. It begins at Ah-Nab-Awen Park located at 220 Front Avenue NW in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Thursday, July 20. This festival, then takes place at the Hudsonville Fairgrounds located at 5235 Park Avenue, Hudsonville, Mi 49426 on Friday, July 21 from 5pm – 9pm & Saturday, July 22 from 1pm – 9pm.

Weather permitting all activities will commence, so bring your lawn chairs or blankets for some colorful skies.

Cost: Free on Thursday, $5.00 on Friday & Saturday for 2 years & older.

Visit www.grandrapidsballoonfestival.com for details.

As more people take their dogs outside to enjoy the summer weather, Humane Society of West Michigan (HSWM) is launching its “Always Ask” campaign, sharing safety advice for interacting with dogs. More warm and sunny days means more dogs on the streets, and HSWM believes it’s important that the community knows how to approach dogs to protect themselves and the animals.

“The goal of this campaign is to make a habit of respecting the animal’s needs over our own,” said Trudy Jeffers, Executive Director at HSWM. “Animals, especially dogs, have boundaries just like humans and simply need their space. They will let you know if they don’t want to interact by giving basic cues.”

HSWM provides the following tips when meeting a dog:

Spring, summer and fall, the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association invite the public out to see the skies close up!

Visitors are invited to the James C. Veen Observatory located at 3308 Kissing Rock Avenue SE in Lowell, Michigan from 9:30pm - 12:00am. This Saturday night, June 3 features Jupiter, the Gibbous Moon & star clusters.

Keep in mind that the Observatory is located at the top of a hill. Visitors park below & walk up to the Observatory. Ask the parking attendant for assistance, if needed.

Admission: $3 for Adults, $2 for 17 years and younger, free to children 5 & under.

Call the Starwatch number, (616)897-7065 for weather condition or sky updates.

Visit www.graaa.org for more information.

It’s the time of the year again for the family to examine the skies above! This month Public Night features Jupiter, various galaxies and star clusters through Observatory and members telescopes.

Visitors are invited to the James C. Veen Observatory located at 3308 Kissing Rock Avenue SE in Lowell, Michigan on Saturday, May 20 from 9:30pm - 12:00am. Keep in mind that the Observatory is located at the top of a hill. Visitors park below & walk up to the Observatory. Ask the parking attendant for assistance, if needed.

Admission: $3 for Adults, $2 for 17 years and younger, free to children 5 & under. Call the Starwatch number, (616)897-7065 for weather condition or sky updates

Visit www.graaa.org for more information.

Elzinga & Volkers (E&V), a leading provider of construction management services, announced today the firm has completed a $3.2 million renovation of Hope Church located at 77 W 11th St. in Holland. The project included a 10,000-square-foot renovation of the youth area, nursery, gathering area, meeting rooms and administrative offices, and a 3,900-square-foot chapel addition provides an alternate worship area for parishioners.

The project, which began in April 2016, will be revealed to the community on Saturday, April 29 at 2 p.m. The celebration will begin with a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony and conclude with an open house featuring group tours.

Across the country, enrollment in online learning has increased by 80% the past five years, with more than 2.7 million students currently choosing online learning. In a recent study by Research and Markets, virtual learning is expected to become even more prominent in the future. Across Michigan, schools such as Michigan Connections Academy (MICA) and Great Lakes Cyber Academy (GLCA) – statewide, tuition-free, public online schools – are meeting the growing demand from students and families.