Special Events July Newsletter

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This Months Highlight: 4th of July Family Fireworks

Fireworks will illuminate the sky once again this year during the 4th of July celebrations in downtown Grand Rapids, presented by Amway. A parade will kick off the celebration Wednesday, July 4th at 5 pm on the corner of Lyon and Monroe NW. The parade will continue down Monroe Center to Veterans Memorial Park, where men and women who have served in the U.S. military will be honored. Live music and childrens activities will follow after the parade at Ah-Nab-Awen Park at 6 pm. The Fireworks will begin at 10:30 pm. All activities are free and open to the public. Visit www.4thofjulygr.com for more details.

78th Annual Hollyhock Lane Parade

The oldest, continuous 4th of July Parade in Michigan, the 78th Annual Hollyhock Lane Independence Day Parade and Celebration will be held on Wednesday, July 4th at 8:30 am. Begun in 1934, as a way to commemorate Americas freedom and independence to the neighborhood children, it has continued as an unpretentious event, which attracts people from all over the community. Parade lineup is at the corner of Calvin and Alexander Streets S.E. beginning at 8 am. For more information please contact Wendi Moore at 616.452.2422 or Susan Zimmerman at 616.243.3579.

July Events
Zumba at RPC - Mondays Swing Dancing at RPC - Tuesdays Blues on the Mall - Wednesdays Blues on Ottawa - Wednesdays Line Dancing at RPC - Thursdays WERQ at RPC - Fridays Ballroom Dancing at RPC - Fridays 4th of July Family Fireworks - 4th Hollyhock Lane Parade - 4th Fraternal Order of Eagles - 8th Memorial for Serbian Genocide in 1995 - 11th GR BMX Bikes N Bands - 13th Big Shot Ball Out- 14th-15th Gathering of the Bride - 14th Urban Adventure Race - 14th Rock Hard Rugby- 21st ADA Celebration - 26th Grand Cycling Classic - 28th Transplant Games of America - 28th GR Bar Brawl - 29th Naked Foot 5K - 16th Q Elite Summer Distance - 31stAugust 1st & 2nd

GRBMX Bikes N Bands

On July 13th, the Grand Rapids BMX will be hosting their Bikes N Bands event at 580 Kirtland SW (near Burton/US 131) from 6 pm to 9 pm. GRBMX is proud to present local music act CJ-5 live on the Showmobile Stage as part of our annual Family Fun Night! Well have activities for all ages, including games, tricks, treats, and of course BMX! Gate practice will be held from 6 pm to 9 pm for $5 (memberships and equipment available on site), all leading into our USABMX State Qualifier race on Saturday, July 14. Registration 9 am to 11 am, racing starts at noon. More information is available at www.grbmx.com, or sign up for Instant Text Updates at broadtexter.com/grbmx. See you all there!

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Big Shot Ball Out
August Events
The Grand Rapids Sport and Social Club are proud to host the Big Shot Ball Out 3on3 Basketball Tournament! This tournament will be held down town Grand Rapids at Calder Plaza. Games will be played Saturday, July 14th and Sunday, July 15th. There is a double elimination format with a 3 game guarantee. Costs are $115 per team if registered by June 23rd, $125 from June 24th- July 1st. Sign up now at www.grssc.com/tournaments.
Zumba at RPC - Mondays Swing Dancing at RPC - Tuesdays Blues on the Mall - Wednesdays Blues on Ottawa - Wednesdays Thursdays Live After Five at RPC Thursdays Line Dancing at RPC - Thursdays WERQ at RPC- Fridays Ballroom Dancing at RPC - Fridays Q Elite Summer Distance - July 31st -1st & 2nd New Teacher Orientation- 2nd Miles for Hope - 4th Summer Reading Program - 4th Color Run - 5th National Night Out - 7th Grandwhich - 11th Cattle Barrons Ball - 12th Church Dub - 12th Master Your Fly Cast and Tying 16th-17th City Lights Music Festival 17th-18th GRand Jazz Fest - 18th Festival of Roses - 18th-19th Oxford House Picnic - 18th Steeple Fest - 18th Westside Reunion- 18th Rock the Rapids - 20th-25th Open Air Service - 21st American Quilters Show - 22nd Green Gala - 23rd Polish Festival - 24th-26th Yassou Festival - 25th 28th St. Metro Cruise - 25th Cattle Barrons Ball- 25th Traffic Stop 5K - 25th Amway New Platinum Concert - 26th Eat. Pray. Run - 26th Waiter/Waitress Race - 26th Boost Mobile 4 Genie - 28th-29th Amway New Platinum Concert - 29th Amway New Platinum Concert - 26th Soul of the City - 31st-Sept.1st

Gathering the Bride

Gathering the Bride is a day of prayer, fasting, and worship at Rosa Parks Circle for our city, state, and nation starting at 10 am going all day long. We will be gathering all Christian denominations as the body and bride of Christ, all in one accord. We will be praying for youth, single mothers and fathers, healing, deliverance, marriages, and the church. Also, invite your friends who may or may not know Jesus. This is a time to share and learn who the Bible declares Jesus really is and His great love for everyone.

Urban Adventure Race

Riverside Park will be the start and finish of an epic day of adventure racing on July 14. Four-hour teams will hit the river for some canoeing, head back to downtown GR for some running and Amazing Race-type challenges, and search for hidden flags in a nature area. Eight-hour teams will experience a heavier dose of biking and canoeing along with some swamp action and tougher orienteering. Cost ranges from $67-99 per person, two-person team is required. Comes with t-shirt, lunch and tons of prizes. Please visit www.grUrbanAdventureRace.com for more information.

Summer JAMboree
On June 21, 2012, Baxter Community Centers Greenhouse and Child Development Center co-host a Summer JAMboree family picnic at Joe Taylor Park. The evening includes a strawberry freezer jam class, free Hudsonville Ice Cream, a taste testing booth of Bryant Terrys Soul Food With A Twist, games, prizes, crafts, and strawberry picking in Baxters on-site garden. The event is one of three scheduled community events through Baxters newly launched Greenhouse program. The events are meant to provide opportunities for the community to come together around good food and family fun. The goals of the greenhouse program are to increase sources of readily available, affordable produce in the Baxter neighborhood and to create programming which enhances nutritional education, environmental awareness, and community spirit.

ADA Celebration
The Disability Advocates of West Michigan will be hosting their ADA Celebration Thursday, July 26 at Rosa Parks Circle from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. The event will be celebrating the 22nd anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. There will be live music, ice cream and a wheelchair obstacle course.
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Grand Cycling Classic
On July 28, the Herman Miller Grand Cycling Classic will host the 2012 USA Cycling Professional Mens Criterium National Championship. See Americas top pro riders compete for the gold in an 80 km race along a 1.2 km course in downtown Grand Rapids. Historic brick-paved streets, tight turns and speeds of up to 40 mph in a 90 minute adrenaline rush for cyclists and spectators alike. Kick off a full day of cycling excitement with the Grand Cycling Challenge Ride, a 2.5 hour closed-course ride through the streets of GR. Open to cyclists of all abilities, ages 10 and up. Please visit www.grcyclingclassic.com for more information and registration.

Rosa Parks Circle Weekly Schedule

Mondays
What: Zumba When: 5:30pm to 6:15pm

Tuesdays
What: Swing Dancing When: Tuesdays 7pm to 10pm

Transplant Games of America

Transplant Games of America is a multi-sport festival event for athletes who have undergone life-saving transplant surgeries and living donors. Competition is open to anyone who has received a solid organ transplant or bone marrow donation. On July 28th-31st, Transplant Games of America will be having all types of different events within the City of Grand Rapids. There will be a golf outing, Zumba dance class, 5K run, barbeque, beach volleyball, rock climbing, a coffee house open mic/taping, donor tribute, workshops, quilt display/banner making, and dinner cruise. For more information visit www.transplantgamesofamerica.org.

Wednesday
What: Free Blues on the Mall When: 6pm to 9:30pm

Thursdays
What: Line Dancing When: 7pm to 10pm

Friday
What: WERQ When: 5:30pm to 6:15pm What: GRAM on the Green When: 6:30pm to 8:30pm What: Ball Room Dancing When: 8:30pm to 10pm

GR Bar Brawl
Bar Fly Events and JSW Event Services are proud to present the GR Bar Brawl on July 29th at Rosa Parks Circle from 2 pm to 6 pm. This is a FUNdraiser for the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan. The boxing challenge will pit local bar staff in teams, duking it out against each other in an inflatable boxing ring wearing oversized inflatable boxing gloves. Spectators can purchase raffle tickets to bet on their favorite teams. Enjoy food from HopCats taco cart, a beer garden courtesy of B&B Beer Distributing, a childrens area featuring carnival games, cotton candy and a magician. There is no cost to enter but tickets for food, beverages, games and team raffle will be on sale. Bring the whole family and head down town to find out who will be the next Feather-Weight Champs for Charity. For more information visit www.dsawm.org/Events/Fundraisers3rdParty. aspx or call 616.956.3488.

Farmers Markets Weekly Schedule

Spectrum Health
Where: 301 Bostwich Ave. NE When: Tuesdays 11 a.m-4 p.m.

Healthy Street
Where: Maple St. When: Thursdays 11 a.m-5 p.m.

Naked Foot 5K
Come join us on Sunday, July 29 at Riverside Park for The Naked Foot 5K. This is a race for the entire family! The Kids 1K starts at 8am and the 5K starts at 9 am. Also stay after for the Bare Life outdoors mini-expo; a festival for everything that represents an active, healthy, and natural lifestyle. Learn about, try on, demo, and purchase minimalist footwear from a variety of companies. Sample organic and/or natural foods and beverages. Purchase or learn about accessories, apparel, and gear for an active lifestyle. There will be demos and booths by alternative fitness and lifestyle practices and clinics by athletes, authors and professionals on minimalist/ natural running, nutrition, and more! For more information and to register for this event, please visit our website www.thenakedfoot5k.com. If you are looking to sponsor this event, please email AmberJBalmer@gmail.com.
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Fulton Street
Where: 1147 E. Fulton St. When: Saturdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

South East Area

Where: 2006 Jefferson SE When: Saturdays 10 a.m-3 p.m.

Q Elite Summer Distance

This is a cross-country camp designed for high school boys and girls over a three day period to help improve all aspects of running, both physically and mentally, along with nutritional information as well. Q Elite is coached by Nate Van Holten and will be bringing 12 years of coaching experience from the professional running world to the youth. The camp is July 31st, August 1st and 2nd from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm each day at Riverside park. You can register at www.qelitetrackclub.com. Cost is only $75.

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Heritage Hills Garden Tour
On July 14th, 2012 Heritage Hill will be having their Garden Tour from 9am to 3pm. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 the day of. This is a non-profit fundraiser benefitting the programs and services provided by the Heritage Hill Association. Tickets are available online at www.heritagehillweb.org. You may also purchase tickets at: Art of the Table 606 Wealthy St. SE Marthas Vineyard 200 Union Ave NE Wealthy Street Bakery 610 Wealthy St. SE The Heritage Hill Office 126 College SE For more information please call 616.459.8950

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1 Monroe Center NW Grand Rapids, MI 49503 616.456.3378 www.grcity.us