Photo Gallery: World of Winter 2024 in Grand Rapids
The World of Winter festival has returned to downtown Grand Rapids for a seventh year, and offers some amazing art installations and tons of family fun. This event runs through March 10, and most of the art installations are up and seeing many visitors. As in previous years, many of the art installations are best viewed at night, so grab a hat and gloves and a warm winter coat and head downtown to check out art in Ah Nab Awen Park, on the Blue Bridge, in Canal Park, at Rosa Parks Circle, at the 555 Monroe Lot, and many other locations. In addition to the art installations there are many special events planned in January, February and March. Downtown Grand Rapids is already a beautiful destination when there’s a fresh blanket of snow on the ground and these amazing, colorful art installations give everyone even more reasons to visit! Here’s a look at what we saw during our visit (there’s still a lot more we didn’t see) to World of Winter 2024 and a look at where you can see everything:
Night Walkers (Ah Nab Awen Park) – We started things off by checking out the giant inflatable frogs on the lawn by the Grand River in Ah Nab Awen Park. The eight frogs are from Amigo & Amigo and are interactive. A sign in front of each frog tells what kind it is and where its from and you can push a button to light it up and hear it croak!
Stargate (Ah Nab Awen Park) – Looking out on the Grand River is Stargate, a piece by Chalk River Labs that is a sculpture by day and an incredible light show at night.
Singing Tree (Ah Nab Awen Park) – The Singing Tree is back and this year it is by the big red button at the north end of Ah Nab Awen Park. This interactive piece reacts to sound and its lights will change if you sing or clap while standing by it.
Sonic Runway (Gillett Bridge) – You can walk through this piece that was previously featured at Burning Man and watch as the light and sound are synchronized as you pass through.
Grand Legacy Mural Immersive Experience (Gillett Bridge tunnel) – Hear the history of Michigan’s longest river while standing just a few feet away from it in this exhibit by Edwin Anderson. Beautiful murals are paired with narration about the Grand River from its earliest residents to present day.
Manidoo Bawating (Sixth Street Park) – Another returning exhibit from prior years, this “11-foot-tall steel sculpture was custom-designed to honor important symbols and unique traditions of the Native American community that thrived along the Grand River and throughout the Great Lakes region.”
Kalopieron (Sixth Street Park) – We enjoyed this interactive piece in Sixth Street Park. “Kalopeiron is a human-size kaleidoscope that is housed in a galvanized steel flat pack shipping container which lends to the modern industrial look form, and also provides a durable housing function.”
Four Directions and WOW Selfie Spot (555 Monroe Lot) – The Four Directions sculpture by Two Eagles Marcus is meant to covey the Native American Four Directions teaching: “This teaching describes the relationship between the four sacred directions East, South, North and West, the four parts of the day, the four seasons of nature and the four stages of human life.” The WOW Selfie Spot is located a few feet away and visitors are encourage to post pictures and use the #worldofwintergr hashtag on social media.
Lunar Lamp Posts (555 Monroe Lot) – One of our favorite exhibits this year is this interactive piece from Amigo & Amigo. A combination of lights and sounds will delight visitors and make for great photos. The artwork cycles through a performance track and lighting composition every five minutes, and “each Pole has a touch sensor, as people touch the pole it lights up and plays a unique musical sound. With over 40 different music sounds and interactive lighting animations, visitors are invited to move throughout and play.”
Retro Rapids (Ah Nab Awen Park) – Play a retro interactive video game on your phone and watch as it is projected on the screen here in the park!
Starlight (DeVos Place) – This piece by local artist VW Design Studio can be found in front of the DeVos Place Convention Center entrance. “The celestial patterns are intended to inspire hope and imagination, enabling the viewer to step into the glowing starlight to become a part of the piece.”
Massimals: Grand Rapids (Blue Bridge) – The Massimals are back on the Blue Bridge this year and make for a great piece in daylight or after dark. This popular installation from Scroggin Studio displays “abstract animal forms in a style traditionally used in architectural design.”
Permafrost (Blue Bridge) – We saved one of the best for last! Our visit concluded on the Blue Bridge with a look at Fisheye’s colorful mastodons. Permafrost features three large and colorful mastodons as well as a QR code to scan and learn more about mastodons and their connections to Michigan. Below is a look at some more of our favorite photos from World of Winter 2024 in Grand Rapids:
