The Salvation Army Kroc Center is holding its sixth-annual “Monster Mash” Halloween event on Friday, Oct. 26, from 5 to 7 p.m.
This free event will feature “trunk-or-treating” in the Kroc’s east parking lot, giving families a fun and safe alternative to trick-or-treating in their own neighborhoods. Multiple Kroc Center and other Salvation Army groups will be distributing candy and other information, along with other local businesses.
Last year’s Monster Mash attracted more than 2,000 people. In addition to the trunk-or-treating, concessions will be for sale (cash only, please), along with a Kroc members-only play area and other family activities. There is still time for businesses or community organizations to sign up; interested groups should contact Jon Shaner at jon_shaner@usc.salvationarmy.org before Monday, Oct. 22.
“Monster Mash is one of our biggest events of the year,” said Captain Bill Brutto, senior officer for The Salvation Army Kroc Center. “We love giving families the opportunity to enjoy time together in a fun and safe environment. I’m not sure who gets more excited, the kids or our staff!”
The event will be cancelled in the event of heavy rain or lightning. Visit GrKrocCenter.org or call 616-588-7200 for more information.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum will be offering free admission to students.
Looking for something to do on spring break? Well, there are lots of camps and activities available through a variety of organizations. Here are just a few ideas.
Wyoming and Kentwood Parks and Recreation Departments
There is always something to do at a local park and with the weather warming, a chance to get some fresh air is always a nice option. Along with that, make sure to check out your local parks and recreation department for programs or activities taking place during the week. It is also a good time to check out the spring and summer leagues. For the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department, click here.
Kentwood Parks and Recreation will be hosting its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 31 at 10 a.m. at Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Also, Kentwood is currently taking applications for the Kentwood Farmers Market, which opens in June. For Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department, click here.
The Salvation Army Kroc Center
Family art projects, bounce houses, swimming, and climbing are just a few of the family–friendly activity options available at The Salvation Army Kroc Center during Spring Break 2018, April 2–6.
The Salvation Army Kroc Center is located at 2500 S. Division Ave.
Open swim, climbing wall, and game room hours will be extended. Special guest presentations at 11 a.m. each morning include Blandford Nature Center, Binder Park Zoo, puppeteer Kevin Kammeraad, and interactive drumming with WaZoBia.
Day passes are only $7.50 for all ages, and Kroc Center members get unlimited free access to all activities. All children age 11 and under must be supervised by an adult while visiting the Kroc Center. New this year, the Kroc has added a “family room” where parents and kids looking for a break can have snacks, play games, and more.
Also new this year is an annual Family Pool & Play Pass, cost is $99, which provides day pass access to the Kroc Center for a family of up to five people during the most popular open swim times – Saturdays and Sundays, Spring Break, and Christmas Break.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum will host two drop-in art studio programs, April 3 and 7.
Grand Rapids Art Museum
The Grand Rapids Art Museum will offer free admission to kids 17 and under during Spring Break, April 3-7.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum is located at 101 Monroe Center NW.
Free admission includes entry to all of the Museum’s current exhibits, as well as related programming offered at the Museum on the day of the visit. The Museum will offer two drop-in art studio programs during the week, April 3 and 7 from 1-4 p.m., as well as a drop-in tour, April 7 from 1-2 p.m.
GRAM’s current exhibits are “Alexis Rockman: The Great Lakes Cycle,” exploring the past, present, and future of North America’s Great Lakes; “From Wilderness to Resource: A Story in Pictures,” a selection from GRAM’s permanent collection designed to complement the Rockman exhibit; and “Tony Mendoza: Cats and Dogs,” featuring the work of Ohio-based photographer and writer of Cuban descent Tony Mendoza.
At the Grand Rapids Public Museum, students can create a mermaid or unicorn puppet.
Grand Rapids Public Museum
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) will have its two traveling exhibits, planetarium shows, hands-on activities and more from Spring Break, which will run from March 30 – April 8.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is at 272 Pearl St. NW.
Museum hours will be extended until 8 p.m. from April 2 – 6. The Museum will be closed Sunday, April 1 for Easter.
Special hands-on activities include creating your own Chinese dragons, make-and-take your own mermaid or unicorn puppet, playing BIG games, build structures with Keva blocks and Magformers magnetic shapes, and special Museum artifacts on a touch-it table. Visitors can explore the mythical creatures from around the globe in the “Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids,” and become a water droplet in “Water’s Extreme Journey.”
Keva blocks and Magformers magnetic shapes
On Tuesday, April 3, there will be a special Science Tuesday activity in the Museum’s Watershed Lab using an augmented reality sandbox. Visitors will change the topography of a land map, creating different terrains from lakes to mountains to learn how a watershed works. This Lab will be free with general admission.
The GRPM will be offering additional Chaffee Planetarium show times for the most popular shows. Planetarium shows are $4 with general admission, $5 for planetarium-only tickets and free to Museum members.
For more information on Spring Break activities including planetarium shows and for tickets visit grpm.org.
Grand Rapids Ballet
The Grand Rapids Ballet will offer two programs for youth during the week of April 2-6, a Spring Break for Kids day series of one-hour program of entertainment and activities, and a series of longer Day Camps focused on dance and physical fitness activities.
The Grand Rapids Ballet is located at 341 Elllsworth Avenue SW, Grand Rapids.
Spring Break for Kids will run Monday-Friday, April 2-6, from 10:30 to11:30 a.m., at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre. Doors open every day at 10:30 a.m. for fun activities including a Gymco obstacle course and costume dress-up, followed by a 30-minute kid-friendly ballet, “Mother Goose’s Friends”. Tickets are $7 per day.
Spring Break Day Camp will run Monday-Thursday, April 2-5, at the Grand Rapids Ballet School. Each day of Day Camp includes social and physical activity for boys and girls ages 3-6 years. In the camps, campers will learn the fundamentals of etiquette, cooperation, goal-setting, musicality, flexibility, strength, and more. Campers can enroll in one day or all four days For cost, call 616-454-4771 (Ext. 17). The camps are also available for entire weeks during summer vacation.
For more information call 616-454-4771 (Ext.10) or visit GRBallet.com.
By Jon Shaner 
