Located on the banks of the Grand River, Grand Rapids is Michigan’s second-largest city and is rated among the top cities in the U.S., combining sophisticated charm with Midwestern friendliness. Known for being safe and clean, it’s a “walking city”. The downtown features a revitalized riverfront, a vibrant downtown with a major new convention center, neighborhoods in full bloom, and five-star experiences: hotels, restaurants, and relaxation.
The city of 200,000 has become a leader in the sustainable community and Smart Growth movements. The United Nations has designated Grand Rapids a Center for Excellence in education for sustainability, the first in the United States to earn this distinction and only one of 30 cities in the world. Once known as the Furniture Capital of the World, Grand Rapids is successfully transitioning from a manufacturing economy and redefining its identity as a leader of modern medical research and sustainable design.
Minutes away from spectacular Lake Michigan beaches and beach towns, Grand Rapids is known for its major art and cultural events, plays, museums, and a world-class botanical garden. While you’re at the conference, you’ll attend a reception at the first and only newly built art museum in the world to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
For more information on Grand Rapids including driving directions, road construction alerts, and happenings around town, click here to visit the Grand Rapids/Kent county Convention and Visitors Bureau web site.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Summit-sponsored Guest Activity
Thursday, June 5, 1pm to 4:30pm
Discover the beauty and splendor of a spectacular botanic garden and world-class sculpture park. The gardens include a tropical conservatory, an arid garden and carnivorous plant house, one of the largest children’s gardens in the U.S. and a sculpture park featuring significant works of art within a variety of natural settings connected by waterways, meandering paths and quite walkways. During your visit, the exhibition of special interest is the Degas in Bronze: The Complete Sculptures.
As a guest of the City of Grand Rapids, enjoy complimentary round-trip transportation, admission and a $10 lunch voucher for the Taste of the Gardens Cafe. Advance reservation required.
For more information, call 1.888.957.1580 or visit www.meijergardens.org.
Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) and Andy Warhol’s “Rapid Exposure: Warhol in Series” Exhibit
On Thursday evening, you’re invited to attend a cocktail reception at the brand new Grand Rapids Art Museum as a guest of Peter Wege and The Wege Foundation. Mr. Wege, an environmentalist whose foundation donated $23 million with the proviso that the museum be “green”, is globally recognized as an ecologist, environmentalist, futurist and supporter of causes for human betterment.
GRAM was named by Newsweek magazine as one of its “Six Most Important Buildings of 2007”. The museum's commitment to current and future generations opens its doors as the first newly built art museum in the world to receive certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. LEED’s Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings.
At GRAM, environmental stewardship is a commitment that is evidenced throughout the facility, from its innovative water collection system that reduces the demand for city-treated water by 20 percent to the incorporation of recycled material in its construction.
For more information, call 1616-831-1000 or visit www.gramonline.org.
Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts
June 6, 7, and 8
Beginning on Friday, June 6, and continuing through the weekend, we invite you to stay and experience our Festival of the Arts in downtown Grand Rapids. Beginning with the installation of Alexander Calder's abstract sculpture La Grande Vitesse (French for "The Grand Rapids"), the very first financially funded project in the United States by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1969, the city has been host to the annual Festival of the Arts since 1970.
The largest all-volunteer arts event in the nation, Festival is a truly unique arts celebration and feast of culinary arts. Enjoy Festival's community showcase of the arts in all forms: visual, performance, culinary and more. All Festival performances and exhibits are free of charge with lots of live entertainment on several stages throughout the downtown area.
For a complete schedule of events, visit festivalofthearts.org.
Grand Rapids Downtown Grand River Edges Tour
This ten-block downtown walking tour covers less than three-quarters of a mile, but it takes you from Berlin to Vietnam. View an actual segment of the Berlin Wall. Peruse fossilized remains of mammals, dinosaurs and sea life. Wander through the multimedia Furniture City exhibit to learn how Grand Rapids made its mark on the world scene. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit www.visitgrandrapids.org.
Outdoor & Art Inspirations: Walking Tour of Outdoor Sculpture and Historic Buildings in Downtown Grand Rapids
You’ll see stone angels on churches, bronze busts in older parks and monumental abstract works by Alexander Calder tucked into public courtyards. Residential lawns sport neon, metal or wood sculptures. Stroll at your leisure along two distinct walking tours. Details will be available at the summit.
City of Grand Rapids Wellness Walks
Bring comfortable walking shoes! The city has a variety of interesting, entertaining and health-conscious walking tours, from 1.4 to 3 miles. Maps will be available at the conference registration desk upon arrival.
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
After representing Grand Rapids for 25 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Gerald R. Ford became president in 1974. This museum pays tribute to his life and times—with interactive exhibits focusing on his early life in Grand Rapids, the Watergate crises, the Vietnam era and a full-scale reproduction of the White House Oval Office. President Ford’s hillside grave, alongside the museum on the banks of the Grand River, overlooks his beloved City’s skyline. The Gerald R. Ford Museum is a ten-minute walk just across the river from the hotel at 303 Pearl Street NW. For more information, call 616.254.0400 or visit www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov.
Van Andel Museum Center, Public Museum of Grand Rapids
The Public Museum of Grand Rapids traces its roots back 150 years to 1854, making it one of the oldest museums in the United States. You can visit the Streets of Old Grand Rapids and see what the city workshops, businesses and stores looked like over one hundred years ago, as well as ride an authentic 1928 carousel the overlooks the Grand River. Explore three additional levels, including the “Furniture City” exhibit that tells the story of the Grand Rapids’ heritage, the history of furniture making and how the industry catapulted the city into the manufacturing spotlight. The Anishinabek exhibit tells the story of the native people of West Michigan through clothing, decorative artwork and artifacts of daily life. The museum is located across the river from the hotel at 272 Pearl Street NW. For more information, call 616.456.3977 or visit www.grmuseum.org.
Grand Rapids Children’s Museum
The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum celebrates childhood and the joy of learning by providing an interactive, hands-on environment that inspires learning and encourages self-directed exploration, inviting children ages 2-10 to turn something into everything each time they visit. The museum is located at 22 Sheldon Avenue NE. For more information, call 616.235-4726 or visit www.grcm.org.
