By Dana Kroll, Uptown Marketing and Communications Specialist
Well. Do we have something fun to share with YOU today. As promised, Thursday December 2nd will be our Shop Hop “Day-Of” with extra special festivities happening all afternoon and evening long, to be enjoyed by all….and we’re ready to share what we have in store for you so far (and yes, we’ll we will be adding even more entertainment to this list, so bookmark the page and check back often). There’s something for everyone on this schedule, young and not-so-young, friends and families. So check it out, mark your calendars, and start making those plans to join us, as we make your holiday shopping in Uptown something to remember:
Shop Hop Entertainment Schedule – Thursday, December 2:
Beginning at 3 pm:
Deos Contemporary Ballet: The company will perform excerpts of Tchaichovsky’s The Nutcracker. Sponsored in part by Monarch Investment and Management Group. Located at the Community Media Center Annex in our Wealthy Street District – 1130 Wealthy St SE
Salvation Army Band: The group will host a roster of brass band-style faves. Located at Spaanstra’s in our East Fulton District – 939 Fulton St. SE
Live ice sculpting exhibit: Watch as an ice sculpture is created right before your eyes, and pop by once it’s complete for a great photo opp! Located at Early Bird Cafe in our Eastown District – 1445 Lake Dr SE
The Magic Of Christmas at Paddock Place: You won’t want to miss this one! This outdoor pop-up style Christmas Village will include a light-up walk-through trail, Santa and his elves in their workshop and ready for photos with you, and a variety of retail, food, and beverage vendors too. Note – while the event kicks off during Shop Hop, it continues to run throughout the season, and you can find more at their event page here. Located at Paddock Place in our East Hills District – 1033 Lake Dr SE
Beginning at 6 pm:
Grand Rapids’ Girl’s Choral Academy: An hour-long live performance of various holiday carols, from 6 to 7 pm. Come listen and sing along! Located at Spirit Dreams in our Eastown District – 1430 Lake Dr SE
Strobel Singing Grams: An Uptown fave, hear the talented Strobel siblings as they stroll and sing popular holiday faves. Located along Wealthy Street
Live window mural installation: Watch a window come to life with a painting by local artist Jamari Taylor of Jaylei Art Studio. Located at Root Functional Medicine in our East Hills District – 1003 Lake Dr SE
LYNN and the Moonshine Runners, a three-piece “mountain music” band, will perform a medley of their original songs. Located in the front courtyard of Monarch Investment, 920 Cherry St SE
Opera Grand Rapids: Catch set performances from 6 to 7 pm. Located at MadCap Coffee in our East Fulton District – 1041 Fulton St E
Bedrock: The Foundation: Incredible live hip-hop+funk sounds. A must-see. Set follows the opera performance at the same spot! Located at MadCap Coffee in our East Fulton District – 1041 Fulton St E
Also at 6-7 pm:
Annual tree lighting and live music, brought to us by Harmony Brewing Company: Live jazz by River Rogues Band begins at 6 pm, with a tree lighting at 7 pm. Harmony encourages you to bring something to hang on the tree that symbolizes how you and your family celebrate the Holiday Season. Find more info here. Located at Harmony Brewing Company in our Eastown District – 1551 Lake Dr SE
This entertainment is brought to you in collaboration with the business associations of East Fulton, East Hills, Wealthy Street, and Eastown. A BIG thanks to them for helping us to create these special experiences for you!
We’d love for you to stay connected all month long, as we’ll have lots more to share with you over the coming days. The best way to do that is to follow us on Instagram and Facebook and to watch our Facebook event page and this blog page, for updates as we have them. If you are curious about how your favorite Uptown business is participating in Shop Hop this year, we encourage you to reach to them directly. With nearly 400 small and independently-owned businesses in our district, we’ll leave it to them to fill you in on what they’ve got planned for you as they’re their own best experts! Consider reaching to them directly via their own channels, or peruse them collectively, on our digital business directory.
To a season of merriment, good health, and cheer, to you all!