- The Local Element West Michigan
Summer in West Michigan | 2024
There’s loads to do in the summer in West Michigan and we’re here to share a list of some of our fav summer activities for summer 2024. Let’s make it a great one!
Whitecaps Games
The summer sports team of West Michigan is definitely the West Michigan Whitecaps. Spending an evening at the Whitecaps is nothing short of fun and they also have a ton of themed nights to add to the fun!
berlin raceway and fair
The Berlin Raceway located in Marne is definitely an underrated summer activity. Kids 15 and under get in FREE and they have a ton of locally sourced food and drinks to enjoy while watching the races. The Berlin Fair is also happening this summer during the week of June 17!
Biking and hiking trails
With warm Michigan weather comes more opportunity to enjoy some of the hiking and biking trails in the area. Here are some we recommend you definitely check out:
-Cannonsburg trails
-The White Pine Trail (from Comstock Park to Rockford)
-Reeds Lake Loop
-Townsend Park and Cannon Trail – Rockford
-Millennium Park
-Grand Ravines Park
Farmers Markets
Farmers Markets are a BIG hit in the West Michigan area, here are some of our favs:
-The Fulton St Farmers Market
-The Terra Square Farmers Market
-Ada Village Farmers Market
-Grandville Farmers Market
-Holland Farmers Market
John Ball Zoo - Lantern fest and other summer fun
The Lantern Festival at John Ball Zoo will be here for a little while longer, but the zoo has plenty of other fun activities going on throughout the summer as well like Breakfast with the Animals, Rock Roar and Pour, and more. Visit their website to see the full list of events happening this summer.
Frederik Meijer Gardens Summer concerts
The Frederik Meijer Gardens summer concerts are the perfect night out during the summer where you can enjoy live music in a beautiful outdoor space. Click the link below to view the lineup and secure your tickets!
GR Pools and splash pads
One thing that makes the city of Grand Rapids so unique is the amount of public pools and splash pads they have for the public to enjoy! The outdoor pools can be found at Briggs Park, MLK Park, and Richmond Park and cost $1 (resident) and $3 (nonresident) for kids 17 and under and $3 (resident) and $5 (nonresident) for adults.
There are also some amazing splash pads to visit around Grand Rapids for FREE at the following parks: Aberdeen Park, Alger Park, Campau Park, Cherry Park, Fuller Park, Garfield Park, Gerald R Ford Academic Ctr, Heartside Park, Highland Park, Joe Taylor Park, Lincoln Park, Mary Waters Park, Mulick Park, Roosevelt Park, and Wilcox Park.
Sunset cinema at Studio park
Studio Park Downtown Grand Rapids hosts a “Sunset Cinema” series each year outside open to the public and they recently released their line up! Here’s what you can go watch this summer for free:
June 22: Toy Story
June 29: Barbie
July 6: Top Gun Maverick
August 31: Back to the Future
September 7: Crazy Rich Asians
September 14: Clueless
Miscellaneous events and festivals
Listed below are some other fun events and festivals you should look into attending this summer:
-Tuesday Swing Dancing at Rosa Parks Circle from 7pm to 9:30pm
-The Asian Pacific Festival June 14-16
-GR Parks and Rec Outdoor Fitness Series
-Ottawa County Fair July 22-27