I am looking forward to this weekend! It’s getting nice out, and there is so much to choose from. Let me help you.
First, there is a very inconspicuous-looking flyer floating around Grand Rapids you will want to get ahold of. It isn’t fancy, but if you see something called a “Culture Pass”, grab one. There are tons of coupons you will want for places like the Zoo, the Children’s Museum, and the one we’re cashing in on Friday – a buy one get one admission for a Friday Night at the Grand Rapids Art Museum .
Saturday, of course, is Earth Day (Observed). It’s the big Four – Oh. Time to re-evaluate your purpose, Earth Day. Make your bucket list. Write a book. Run a marathon. Or, you can do exactly what I am going to do for my fortieth birthday, which is to have a party and let everyone tell you how awesome you are.
Grand Rapids Tightwad reminded me that a very cool little garden container project is happening this Saturday at Lowes, so that’s our first order of business. Well, second actually, after we hit the gym. This is important because making garden containers can build up a voracious appetite for snacks. We’re going to swing by the Kava House on Kalamazoo (near 68th) to check out the National Food Blogger’s Bake Sale, headed up by locally Megan who promises lots of deliciousness will be available for purchase. It’s a benefit for a hunger organization, which I am ALWAYS down with.
This next part pains me a little. The John Ball Park Zoo is having it’s Party for the Planet on Saturday. We went to to the zoo today, and here is a partial list of what is not open yet, although, they may open them by Saturday – just check beforehand if any of these are dealbreakers for you (or your kids):
- Sting rays
- Zip line
- Ropes course
- Petting zoo – the animals are there, you just can’t get in the little pen with them
- Waterfall (by the zip line)
- Camel
- Budgees – whatever. Those birds you can feed.
- Macaw
- Baby goats (the petting ones)
- Flamingos
- The Drive-Your-Own-Swan boats
- Half of the bathrooms
- Nessie. Oh, Nessie.
There is, however, an abundance of iguanas in random cages in the Reptiles and Amphibians exhibit. Seriously, they are everywhere. Check for the aforementioned Culture Pass – there is an admission coupon for the Zoo in it 
My friends, I have to break with my loyalty to Grand Rapids momentarily here. If you want to celebrate Earth Day, the Kalamazoo Nature Center rocks it. If you haven’t been there, it is world class, award winning, and amazing. It is rarely free, but it will be on Saturday.
There is another, environmentally incorrect option. It’s the Cottage & Lakefront Living Show. We do not have a cottage. We do not have a lakefront home. We do have free tickets that I won. We went a few years ago, and I learned my lesson. There is a big, indoor sandy beach. On that beach, there is a sandcastle building competition. I thought the kids would have fun watching.
Yeah, because kids love to watch intense, nerdy grown ups make stuff in the sand while they just stand there. We will be planning our visit during a non-competition time, because then the kids just get to play in the sand which is what makes the entire experience of looking at different roofing options for our non-existent lake home worth it.
There are several Whitecaps games this weekend too and we are going to try and make the Saturday night one.
And after all of that – on Sunday, we will rest!
