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10 Ways to Enjoy Grand Rapids Parks in Winter

It might be winter, but you still belong out here! Winter is one of our favorite seasons to enjoy Grand Rapids’ amazing parks. All you need is a little creativity (and some thick socks). 1. Go on a Bird Hike at Mackay Jaycees Park Bird hikes are one of our favorite ways to appreciate the […]

What Conservation Work Can You Do in Winter?

Here at Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, we love cold weather. Why? Because there’s always work to be done and sometimes, snow makes that work a little easier—especially when it comes to conservation. The Friends conservation program manages biodiversity in Grand Rapids’ parks and green spaces. This includes living organisms like trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers, […]

Explore Your Parks: Skate & Build Demo

A diverse group of people, including children and adults, gather at an outdoor skate park with colorful graffiti. They hold skateboards, engaging in conversation and enjoying a bright, partly cloudy day. Trees and parked cars are in the background.

At our 2024 skateboarding & concrete building workshop, we had over 75 participants join us to enjoy exploring Clemente DIY Skatepark, located in Roberto Clemente Park. This Explore Your Parks workshop was in partnership with Premier and Chill Foundation. The skating lessons and concrete build demo were led by Chris Gray, Art Director at Premier […]

Explore Your Parks: Intro to Bouldering

A group of people gathers outdoors to watch a man demonstrate climbing on a colorful mural-covered bouldering wall. The mural features large painted arms and hands. Trees and grass are visible in the background.

As part of the Explore Your Parks 2024 workshop series, we partnered with the Grand Rapids Boulder Project and Terra Firma Bouldering Co. to host two bouldering workshops at their Climbing for All Festival on August 17, 2024. Nearly 70 individuals of all ages learned introductory tips and techniques to explore bouldering at Grand Rapids […]

Thanks for joining us on the shortest day of the year!

People are gathered under a green tent lit by hanging lanterns in a dark forest. A few individuals and a dog are lined up near a table with a person assisting them. Paper bags with lights line the path.

On December 21st, we set up a Luminaria walk along the trail of Ken-O-Sha Park, along with hot cocoa and s’mores stations. We were delighted to have record-breaking attendance for this event – over 500 individuals of all ages came to walk the candle-lit trail with us! It was the perfect way to wrap up […]

Pumpkin Party Recap

Three children sit on the floor surrounded by pumpkins. Each child holds a pumpkin and smiles at the camera. They are wearing colorful jackets and sitting on a wooden surface, creating a festive, autumn atmosphere.

Rainy days can damper outdoor plans, but that did not stop us from having a blast at our 2023 Pumpkin Party! In an unexpected turn of events, Friends embraced the rain and decided to host the event at our office, where we celebrated fall, enjoyed time with the community, explored creativity, and had a delicious […]

Discover Birds in Grand Rapids

A group of people stand on a wooden path in a forested area, looking through binoculars at the sky. They are engaged in bird watching, surrounded by lush green foliage. Some hold cameras, while others wear casual outdoor clothing.

On September 23rd, we partnered with the Grand Rapids Audubon Club to host a birding event at Huff Park. On the three guided bird walks, folks saw 45 (possibly 46) different species. Some highlights include fall warblers (among them, black-throated green, Magnolia, Nashville, Tennessee, Blackpoll), hawks (red-shouldered, sharp-shinned), brown thrasher, and ruby-crowned kinglet. Our bird-watchers […]

Bikes on the Blue Bridge

A cyclist lifts his bicycle into the air on a bridge, with a city skyline and river in the background. Another cyclist smiles nearby. The scene is bright and sunny, indicating a pleasant day.

Together, we were able to set the record for most Bikes on the Blue Bridge! 250 bikes- what an incredible time! Read more about this event by clicking here Photo credit: Tiffany Fant of Grand Rapids Film and Media Incubator  

Futsal at Las Canchas w/ Soccer Rebellion

A group of people play soccer on an outdoor court. Two players in white shirts focus on the ball, with one approaching it. Spectators watch from the background behind a fence. Its a sunny day, and the scene is lively and energetic.

On August 19th we hosted our third Explore Your Parks event at the downtown Futsal courts, Las Canchas, short for Las Canchas de Futbol Communitarias or The Community Futsal Courts. Futsal is a game similar to soccer that is generally played indoors with five players on each team, it is played worldwide, and has been […]

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