Tag Archives: Michigan International Auto Show

Gonzo’s Top Five: Happy Lunar New Year! Plus loads of car fun

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By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

I love February. It’s Black History Month. The Chinese New Year begins. And the Olympics are back.

All are in this weekend’s Gonzo’s Top 5, exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here we go.

Gonzo’s Top 5

5. Forest Hills Eastern presents Seussical the Musical

West Michigan is blessed with many great high school theater programs. This weekend you can check one out as “Seussical, The Musical” is being presented at the Forest Hills Fine Arts Center in Grand Rapids. The story takes you on a very familiar journey with The Cat in the Hat, who tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust that contains the Whos. Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students. More info at fhfac.com.

4. She Runs GR Training Run and Warm Up

Is one of your New Year’s Resolutions is to compete in She Runs Grand Rapids (formally Gazelle Girl)? Even though the race is not until May 1, you can start training now as part of World of Winter in downtown Grand Rapids. A training run is planned Saturday (Feb. 5) with a 30-minute warm-up and distances of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 miles. Hot chocolate, coffee and water will be available afterward. Meet at 9 a.m. at 555 Monroe. More info on the World of Winter website at worldofwintergr.com/events.

Other World of Winter events: Outdoor Olympic Watch Party at Studio Park at 7:30 p.m. Friday; Black History Month Walking Tour at 2 p.m. Saturday; Movies on the Piazza with live action “Mulan” at 1 p.m. Sunday and “Cruella” at 4 p.m. Sunday.

3. Lunar New Year Storytelling

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Foundation with a free event featuring outdoor storytelling, storybook reading and dragon/lion dancer performances from. 2-4 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 5) at the Studio Park piazza. Studio Park which is located in downtown Grand Rapids at 123 Ionia Ave. SW. More info at facebook.com/grasianfoundation.

2. Winter Motoring Meet

Looking for a fun outdoor event? The second annual Winter Motoring Meet features more than 400 classic vehicles on Saturday (Feb. 5) at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners. The event includes scenic rides in several of the museum’s antique cars and trucks, as well as a special exhibit of vintage snowmobiles, a professional ice carving exhibition and outdoor games. Guests can enjoy an outdoor fire with food and beverages, too. Also, feel free to bring your own snowshoes or cross-country skis for a trek across the 90-acre campus. For more info including admission, go to gilmorecarmuseum.org/events/winter-motoring-meet.

READ MORE: Winter fun — Gilmore’s Winter Motoring Meet, vintage snowmobile show set for Feb. 5

1.Michigan International Auto Show

Car lovers, it’s back! The 24th Annual Michigan International Auto Show presented by Gentex takes place this weekend at DeVos Place. The show features 20 manufacturers of trucks, SUVs, crossovers, electrics, hybrids and performance vehicles. Plus, those classic cars in the Million Dollar Motorway of vintage and high-priced cars of the Gilmore Car Museum. Hours are 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-14. Learn more at GRAutoShow.com.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Snapshots: Kentwood, Wyoming weekend news you ought to know

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By WKTV Staff

joanne@wktv.org

Quote of the day

“Winter is not a season, it’s a celebration.”

– Anamika Mishra, author

Head to the Hills

Well, at least to Spectrum Theater – which is on hill – to catch the latest production from Actors’ Theatre Grand Rapids The family-friendly musical “The Burnt Part Boys,” runs through Feb. 9. The country- and bluegrass-themed songs will get you humming as you follow this coming-of-age story set in the Appalachians.

The Bard’s in the House

Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival with Bard Beyond Borders’ presentation of “Sizwe Banzi is Dead” in the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts. There is a 7:30 p.m. performance on Friday and a 2 p.m. one on Saturday and all performances are free.

Lots and Lots of Cars

The recent weather may not have been optimal for driving, but the weekend should be great to head over to the Michigan International Auto Show which is at DeVos Place all weekend. From classics to the latest vehicles, it should be a show worth a drive-by peek.


Fun fact:

Queen in Space

Queen guitarist Brian May combined his passion for astronomy (he has a doctorate in astrophysics) and his music to write a song of NASA’s New Horizon’s historic flyby of Ultima Thule, the farthest object in the solar system visited by a spacecraft. (New Horizon flew past it on Jan. 1, 2019.) It is exactly the kind of epic you would expect from the man who wrote “We Will Rock You” with soaring guitars and dramatic lyrics. Check out the video below.

Renew your license at Michigan International Auto Show

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by Deb Havens

The Michigan International Auto Show features more than 300 new sedans and sports cars, trucks, SUVs, hybrids — and the Secretary of State Mobile Office. “Our full-service Mobile Office is designed to make taking care of business fast and easy,”  Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said.

Customers visiting the full-service Secretary of State booth can renew their drivers license, get license plate tabs, change their address, update their voter registration, sign up on the Michigan Organ Donor Registry or order a replacement vehicle title. The Mobile Office hours are:

  • Thursday, Feb. 5 – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Friday, Feb. 6 – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Saturday, Feb. 7 – 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Sunday, Feb. 8 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Look for the Mobile Office located near the Ford display.  SOS services are available online as well at www.ExpressSOS.com.

The 2015 Michigan International Auto Show at DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. N.W. in Grand Rapids, begins Thursday, February 5th and runs through Sunday, February 8th.