Liz Thomas - WKTV Journal

WKTV Staff

Quote of the Day

"Even the southeast side of Grand Rapids must bow to the beauty of a Michigan fall."*
          -Daniel Abbott, The Concrete

Trunks Full of Treats

Kentwood’s Fall Festival includes Trunk or Treat. (WKTV)

The City of Kentwood will host its annual Fall Festival this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.

Among the activities will be the annual Trunk or Treat when city and community organizations decorate their trunks and hand out candy to area children. Participants will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite decorated trunk. Also taking place will be face painting, hayrides, a bounce house, and games.

Go Hike, Get a Prize

If you head out on the trails this weekend, you might be lucky enough to score a surprise from Merrell, the shoe company. Merrell team members will be handing out swag bags and gift cards along The Ales Trail starting at Outside Coffee Co., 734 Wealthy St. SE, and making its way to several area breweries, ending at the New Holland Knickerbocker. The event is lead by urban-thru-hiker Liz Thomas who has been making her way through the local trails to help encourage residents to get out and hike.

Brewed Spirits

The phantom footprint preserved in the upstairs bar.

The Mitten Brewing Co. creates some of the area’s best brews and apparently those from the afterworld agree as they are still hanging around the former firehouse. Since opening, staff and guests have reported paranormal activity in the building located at 527 Leonard St. NE.

Co-owner Christ Andrus said he believes that whatever is haunting the former Engine House No. 9 is just playing pranks on people. Regardless if you believe or not, it makes for some great tall tales over some award-winning brew. (The Mitten’s West Coast Swing Amber took a Gold Medal at the 2018 Great American Beer Festival.)

Fun Fact:

5,062 Years

That is how old a bristlecone in California is, making it the oldest individual living tree. (For reference, wooly mamnoths died about 4,000 years. Want to learn more about trees? Then snatch up a copy of "The Hidden Life of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben, and then join the book discussion on Nov. 8 at the KDL Kelloggsville. The program will be lead by the City of Wyoming Tree Commission starting at 6:30 p.m..

By Lauren King

Merrell

The Merrell team will be out and about on local urban and traditional trails this Saturday, Oct. 20 with the goal of surprising Grand Rapids residents along the way. As part of their “Merrell Magic” campaign that’s been happening across the nation this year, hikers that come across the Merrell crew at parks and trails including, but not limited to, Ada Seidman and Fallsburg, will be delighted to receive items such as swag, gift cards and more.

Merrell believes in the profound power of the trail and is looking forward to celebrating the fall trails in their own backyard here in greater Grand Rapids.

Coinciding with the Merrell team dispersing around the city and surrounding areas to spread “Merrell Magic” on the trails, the brand has also teamed up with Liz Thomas, the queen of urban thru-hiking, to hike West Michigan’s “Ale Trail” starting Wednesday, Oct. 17 in Cedar Springs (North Country Trail) and ending Saturday, Oct. 20 in downtown Grand Rapids.

Liz’s four-day urban hike will make stops at 25 breweries in and around Grand Rapids and showcase that hiking can be done in an urban setting with the added experience of exploring the local beer scene.

Liz Thomas’ Urban Thru Hike Schedule:

Wednesday, October 17 (14 miles, 3 Breweries)

Start: Cedar Springs Brewing; End: Comstock Park
Breweries: Cedar Springs Brewing Company (11 a.m.), Rockford Brewing Company (2 p.m.), Bier Distillery (4:30 p.m.)

Thursday, October 18 (24 miles, 9 Breweries)

Start: Comstock Park; End: East Grand Rapids
Breweries: Perrin (11 a.m.), Hideout (1:30 p.m.), Creston (3:40 p.m.), The Bob (5 p.m.), Fountain Hill (5:45 p.m.), ELK Brewing (6:45 p.m.), Brewery Vivant (7:30 p.m.), East West (9 p.m.), Harmony (9:40 p.m.)

Friday, October 19 (21 miles, 4 breweries)

Start: East Grand Rapids; End: Grand Rapids near Brass Ring
Breweries: Thornapple (11 a.m.), Schmolz (12:30 p.m.), Jaden James (2:30 p.m.), Brass Ring (5:45 p.m.)

Saturday, October 20th Team Merrell Magic Day (13 miles (2.5 miles to Outside Coffee Co.), 9 breweries)

9 a.m. Start at Outside Coffee Co. @ Woosah Outfitters (Merrell Ambassador Erica Lang’s place).
Breweries: Grand Rapids Brewing Co. (10am), HopCat (10:30am), Founders (11:25 p.m.), Atwater (1:20 p.m.), City Built (2:30 p.m.), Greyline (3:20 p.m.), The Mitten (4:10 p.m.), Jolly Pumpkin (5:10 p.m.), New Holland Knickerbocker (5:40 p.m.). Times may vary based on the Michigan-Michigan State game.