It’s time to get the kids together and pull out your favorite costumes because Pumpkin Path is right around the corner!
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department is excited to once again host the 15th annual Pumpkin Path – a free event for kids and families on Saturday, Oct. 13, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The event will be held from 4-6 p.m. Local businesses, clubs and organizations will host spaces along the path and will hand out candy, coupons and other goodies.
About 6,000 children, parents, and grandparents attended the Wyoming Pumpkin Path last year.
“Pumpkin Path was created to be a fun, safe, family-friendly event for the fall, providing an alternative to traditional Halloween events,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “Pumpkin Path gives families the perfect opportunity to interact with neighborhood businesses while enjoying the outdoors, Lamar Park and the beauty of the fall season.”
Not only should children expect to receive treats, they should also look forward to a DJ and dancing, jumping in the bounce house and games. Participants are welcome to come in costume or in regular clothes.
In previous years, Pumpkin Path has welcomed over 65 local businesses and organizations, and more than 6,000 children, parents, grandparents and friends.
About 6,000 children, parents, and grandparents attended the Wyoming Pumpkin Path last year.
It’s time to get the kids together and pull out your favorite costume because Pumpkin Path is right around the corner!
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department is excited to once again host the 14th annual Pumpkin Path – a free event for kids and families on Saturday, Oct. 14 at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The event will be held from 4-6 p.m. Local businesses, clubs and organizations will host spaces along the path and will hand out candy, coupons and other goodies.
“Pumpkin Path was created to be a fun, safe, family-friendly event for the fall, providing an alternative to traditional Halloween events,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “Pumpkin Path gives families the perfect opportunity to interact with neighborhood businesses while enjoying the outdoors, Lamar Park and the beauty of the fall season.”
Not only should children expect to receive treats, they should also look forward to a DJ and dancing, jumping in the bounce house and games. Participants are welcome to come in costume or in regular clothes.
At last year’s Pumpkin Path event, 65 local businesses and organizations and more than 6,000 children, parents, grandparents and friends attended.
The area’s witches and warlocks, princesses and ninjas will be heading down the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation’s annual Pumpkin Path Saturday, Oct. 8 at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The event runs from 4 – 6 p.m. and features area businesses and organizations handing out treats and items to those who come by. The event is free to the public. For more, check out the story.
Celebrating the harvest
The City of Kentwood wraps up its famers market season with a very special event this Saturday, Oct. 8, a Harvest Celebration. Music and games will be part of the activities with the market’s usual vendors in attendance as well. Produce, flowers and homemade goods are some of the items you can expect to find. The event is from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Kent District Library Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. The event is free to the public.
Me and My Brother
Care Ballet kicks off its season with the Brothers Grimm classic “Hansel & Gretel.” No more than an hour in length, Care Ballet’s productions are a perfect way to introduce youngsters into the world of dance. The fall production is Saturday, Oct. 8, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 9, at 3 p.m. with all shows at the East Grand Rapids Performing Arts Center, 2211 Lake Dr. SE. Tickets are $10/students and $15/adults and can be purchased through www.careballet.org.
Madame Overdone (Ariana Martineau) discusses her call girls with Lucio (Liam Purtle) in Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure.” Photo courtesy of GVSU University Communications.
For Good Measure
The production for this year’s Grand Valley State University’s Shakespeare Festival is the Bard’s darkest comedy “Measure for Measure.” The story tackles the twin evils of power and corruption with outrageous humor, giving hope to the hopeless and courage to the powerless. His city caught in a moral free-fall, the Duke of Vienna hands over power to Lord Angelo, who enforces long-dormant codes of chastity with zealous fervor. When Isabella, a pious young nun, pleads for the life of her condemned brother, Angelo’s response is surprisingly sensual — revealing a web of desire, deception, and hypocrisy that infects every corner of society. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 6 and 7 and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8 and 9 at GVSU’s Louis Armstrong Theatre, located on the Allendale Campus at 1 Campus Drive. Tickets are $14/adults, $12/alumni/seniors/faculty/staff, $6 students/groups. Call 616-331-2300.
Gerald Arpino’s “Light Rain” will be one of three works presented Oct. 7-9 by the Grand Rapids Ballet as part of its MoveMedia; Made in America program. (Supplied photo)
Two for the Money
Two other performances highlighted earlier this week are the “I Love the 90s” show set for Saturday, Oct. 8, at Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton. The show is in celebration of the Van Andel’s 20th year with ticket prices at $35 and $20. The show is at 7:30 p.m. For more, click here.
Also the Grand Rapids Ballet kicks off its season with “MoveMedia: Made in America,” Friday- Sunday, Oct. 7 – 9, at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre, 341 Ellsworth Ave. SW. Showtimes re 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. For more, click here for the story.
Believe it or not it is almost time for every ghost, goblin, and superhero — big or small — to ready their favorite attire in preparation for one of the City of Wyoming’s most popular events: the Pumpkin Path.
Yes, the annual activity that pretty much kicks of the haunting season in the city is set for Saturday, Oct. 8, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter SW. The event is from 4 to 6 p.m.
“We have about 70 to 80 businesses attending who hand out a variety of items, candy, trinkets, coupons,” said Wyoming Recreation Programer Valarie Mester. “We encourage them to bring something for the kids as well as the adults because adults like things too.”
Because this event is free and does not require any registration, Mester said the department can only estimate on the number of people in attendance, which in the past has been around 7,000 people with about 2,000 – 3,000 being children.
“Most people do come in costume,” Mester said. “It is not required, but it is an opportunity to wear them earlier in the season.”
And perhaps no one knows costumes better than Gayle Vaartjes of Wyoming’s Kostume Room, 835 36th St. SW.
“Star Wars is going to be big this year,” Vaartjes said, adding that this is because of last Christmas’s release of Star Wars:The Force Awakens. “When there is a movie involved, it usually indicates if the costume is going to be popular.”
Another hit is the recently released Suicide Squad, with Harley Quinn, The Joker, and Deadshot being the most popular, she said.
“I have the Batman from the other moves and the other Jokers from the other movies as well,” Vaartjes said. “We have everything.”
For children, Vaartjes said Star Wars will be big along with the princesses and ninjas as well as the classics such as witches and ghosts.
“There are people who love Halloween,” Vaartjes said. “Just like there are some people who love Christmas and it’s their holiday and it’s a time to be someone else and just be creative.”
With the growth of the Pumpkin Path over the years, it is pretty apparent people do love the Halloween season. The Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department has been hosting the Pumpkin Path for about 13 years. “They used to host a Halloween party and that started to have a decline in attendance, so staff began to think about what else they could do,” Mester said. “Something that was out-of-the-box.”
Or at least down the path as patrons travel a paved loop through Lamar Park lined with various businesses stocked with treats to handout. Participating businesses can compete for such awards as most spirited, best costume, and best decorated pumpkin, which are judged by members of the teen council.
“It’s pretty neat,” Mester said. “We have had some pretty cool costumes over the years.”
A few tips Mester offered for those planning to attend:
The entrance to the free event parking is located on Byron Center Ave near where it intersects with Chicago Drive.
You do not need to arrive at 4 p.m. to participate. Actually, Mester said they have the first group that comes around 4 p.m. and they go through with usually a couple of more waves who come through after that. “So arriving around 5 p.m. is fine.”
The Pumpkin Path opens at 4 p.m. and not a second sooner.
For more information on this and other events hosted by the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department, visit their website.
The changing leaves and cool wind can only mean one thing; it is time for the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department´s annual free Pumpkin Path event for kids and families.
Pumpkin Path will be held on Oct. 10 at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. This year the event will be held from the spooky hours of 4-6 p.m. Local businesses, clubs and organizations will haunt spaces along the path and will hand out candy, coupons and other goodies.
“The Pumpkin Path was developed as a safe family focused celebration for the fall, providing an alternative to traditional Halloween events,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “Pumpkin Path gives families the perfect opportunity to interact with neighborhood businesses while enjoying the outdoors, Lamar Park and the beauty of the fall season.”
While attendees may come for the treats, they should make sure to save time to get a temporary tattoo, jump in the bounce house and play life sized games. Participants are welcome to come in costume or come as they are.
At the 2014 Pumpkin Path event, 70 local businesses and organizations served approximately 5,000 children and parents.
