Main Library

Photographer Dianne Carroll Burdick will lead a photography walk through downtown Grand Rapids. Learn tips and tricks for shooting urban architecture and discover interesting vantage points and compositions. Bring your own camera. All skill levels welcome. Participants can submit their favorite photo from the photo safari to be displayed at the Main Library during ArtPrize.

What are green buildings? Why all the hype about them and what are the benefits? Why is Grand Rapids a nationally recognized leader in the green building and sustainability movement? Renae Hesselink, founding member of the West Michigan chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council and vice president of sustainability at Nichols Paper will answer these questions and more. Come learn tips that will help make your home healthier and a more efficient place to live.

GVSU Professor Douglas Furton will lead this workshop focused on how to use a planisphere to predict the positions of the sun, stars, and planets any time of the day. A planisphere is a celestial slide rule of sorts, a paper-and-pencil tool that sets up a map of the sky past, present and future. Planispheres will be provided, bring only your thinking cap and curiosity.

In 2011, Don Kern broke the world record for running marathons on all seven continents. He completed this challenge in 25 days, 18 hours, 10 minutes. Don has run 239 marathons, in all 50 states (twice) and all seven continents (four times). Have you ever wanted to challenge yourself to do something extraordinary? Don Kern will share his story of how he grew up as a non-athlete and went on to set a world record and how you can too!

The film, Almost Famous made a rock journalist’s life look glamorous, gritty, and downright awesome. But those were the 70s, and we’re living in the 2010s. Rock journalism may be different (and possibly has less debauchery), but it’s still exciting. Come listen to professional (and local!) rock journalists Brian J. Bowe, Bill Holdship, Lindsay Patton-Carson, and John Sinkevics share their stories and give insights on what it’s like to talk to rock stars for a living.

Record collecting—is it hoarding? No, not really, well maybe sort of . . . but records are irresistibly flat, black, circular solid gold. Music shapes, and is shaped by society. Records provide a rich history from old-timey to country, from the chitlin’ circuit to rock n’ roll, and jazz from hot to cool, See and hear the best of vinyl with record collector Jon VanderPloeg—78s, 45s, 33s and no MP3s.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Motown introduced mainstream America to African-American artists and groups such as the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Diana Ross and the Supremes, and Stevie Wonder. Along with a great number of other talented performers, many of these artists grew up in or moved to Detroit. The challenges and opportunities faced by African-Americans in the Motor City is reflected in the development of Motown Records and the broad array of other performers that called the city home. As the “Sound of Young America,” Motown also reflected the growth of the Civil Rights Movement both nationally and in Detroit, the changes in Detroit, and the turmoil of the 1960s as a whole. This program traces the development of Motown Records during the 1950s and 1960s as Detroit experienced profound changes that helped shaped the style and message of its artists.

Did you know that Michigan has some of the biggest UFO cases on record? The 1966 sightings over Southest Michigan and 1994 sightings over Grand Rapids each had hundreds of eye-witnesses to them, including law enforcement and radar returns. Find out more about these incredible events as well as several other unusual and well-documented UFO sightings from the Great Lakes State from William Konkolesky, Director of the Michigan Chapter of the Mutual UFO Network. He has appeared in or contributed to UFO documentaries for the History Channel, Discovery Channel, National Discovery Channel, SyFy, and ABC.

Educator Susan Tate had the adventure of a lifetime in March 2013 when she joined famed polar explorer and environmental leader Sir Robert Swan on his International Antarctic Expedition with the group 2041. As one of 80 participants from 28 nations, Susan explored the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, and experienced Robert’s Leadership on the Edge program. She will share pictures and stories from her trip, as well as information about Antarctica’s plight in our changing world.

Explore the wide-range of vintage trailers, including Airstreams and other favorites from years past. See the great design and innovations in camping over the years.

Join Grand Valley State University English Professor Dr. Sherry Johnson as she leads a discussion on questions of travel writing, as well as what one who goes in search of America at this contemporary moment might find.

The FBI uses highly trained agents to investigate domestic crime, including some of the most famous bank robberies in history. Learn how the FBI developed the Ten Most Wanted and how bank robbery investigative techniques have developed through the years.

Join local food advocate, urban farmer, herbalist and author Lisa Rose Starner to explore the growing good food movement in Grand Rapids. Starner will share stories of the rugged individuals who are tilling the soil, growing food and launching successful food businesses while powering community change—one garden, one backyard, one block, one store, one plate of food, cup of coffee, and mug of beer at a time. Join this community conversation about our food system, environment, economy, and the relationships we have with each other. Attendees will leave with a fresh perspective on the local food movement in Grand Rapids and will be inspired to become part of this powerful force to help change our community one fork at a time.