By Anna Johns
WKTV Intern
Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.
Oprah Winfrey
Holiday Traditions Continue
This weekend get into the holiday spirit with a visit to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. The Meijer Gardens currently has its Christmas & Holiday Traditions exhibition on display. This exhibit features 46 trees and displays representing countries and cultures from across the globe and 300,000 lights throughout the grounds. In addition from 1-4 p.m. on the Saturdays leading until Christmas Day, visitors will have the opportunity to visit the “Rooftop Reindeer” and pose for photos with them. For more information visit the Meijer Gardens webpage here.
A little old-fashioned magic
Head back to the 1960s for a little bit of magic and wonderment as magician Richard Preston presents his virtual Christmas Capers Magic Show on Saturday, Nov. 28. During the show, Preston will entertain viewers with a theatrical show full of life and mystery. Though the show is virtual, Preston said there will be audience participation, anecdotes, jokes, and more. The show is 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 per household (and it doesn’t matter if you have 1 or 100 attending) and are available to purchase on Preston’s website.
Stickley and Alten
Stroll through the Grand Rapids Art Museum to check out the work of one of the most influential painters from Grand Rapids, Matthias Alten. “Mathias J. Alten: An Enduring Legacy,” features works from the late impressionist painter who was active iduring the early to the mid-20th century. The museum also celebrates Grand Rapids furniture heritage with “Hand and Machine in Harmony: Regional Arts & Crafts,” featuring works from furniture manufacturers Charles P. Limbert and Albert Stickley and artist Forrest Mann. The museum is open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 12 to 6 p.m. and Thursdays from 12 to 9 p.m. For tickets and other information, visit the Museum’s website.
Everybody loves a parade
Did you know that the first Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade had live animals? The first parade took place in 1924. More than 250,000 people attended the parade that year but it was barely covered by the media. The parade included animals from the Central Park Zoo, floats, and bands. Today the parade has become the longest parade in the world and is three hours long. While this year’s parade was prerecorded (less cheering crowds), it is estimated that more than 50 million people watched the 2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving parade from the comfort of their homes.
