Hockey is back at Van Andel Arena, Gaslight Village is throwing one of the biggest fall afternoons of the season, and eight ghosts are waiting to be found around Grand Rapids.
Here’s what deserves a spot on your calendar from Tuesday, October 6 through Sunday, October 11.
HOCKEY’S BACK IN GRAND RAPIDS 🏒
Grand Rapids Griffins Home Opener · Friday, October 9 · 7 p.m. · Van Andel Arena
The Griffins are finally back on home ice, and Friday night feels like the official start of fall sports season downtown.
Grand Rapids opens its home schedule against the Manitoba Moose with full-team pregame introductions and a magnet schedule giveaway for the first 5,000 fans. If you want the opening-night atmosphere, this is the game to circle.
Friday also brings the Griffins’ recurring $3 domestic drafts and $3 hot dogs from 6–8 p.m., while supplies last.
FALL TAKES OVER GASLIGHT VILLAGE 🍂
EGR Harvest + Beer Festival · Saturday, October 10 · Noon–6 p.m. · Gaslight Village
Gaslight Village is turning Wealthy Street into a six-hour fall hangout with live music, food trucks, kids’ activities, local food and drink specials, and plenty of reasons to wander around for a while.
Admission is free, with food and drink tickets available for purchase. The festival also supports the East Grand Rapids Community Foundation and local schools, neighborhoods, and nonprofits, which makes this a pretty easy community-event pick for the week.
THE GHOSTS ARE LOOSE 👻
Ghosts on the Grand · Play anytime through Halloween
Eight fictional ghosts from different eras of Grand Rapids history are hiding around town, and City Games is sending you out to find them.
Each ghost has a story, challenges to complete, clues to collect, and a host location somewhere around the city. You can play at your own pace all month, knock out one ghost at a time, or turn it into a full spooky-season mission.
And this one only works because seven local businesses agreed to let a few spirits move in for October. Huge thanks to:
Oh, Hello Co. Paper & Gifts
The 12th House GR
Big Bob’s Pizza
SpeakEZ Lounge
Chicago Beef Joint
Rewind GR
Sugar Bar
If Ghosts on the Grand sends you through their doors, show them a little love while you’re there.
THE NO FOMO LIST
Six more ways to make this week more interesting.
Thursday: Bring Me The Horizon · October 8 · 7 p.m. · Van Andel Arena. The POST HUMAN: NeX GEn tour hits Grand Rapids with Motionless in White and The Plot in You. Show details and tickets.
Friday or Saturday: America at 250 · October 9–10 · 7:30 p.m. · DeVos Performance Hall. The Grand Rapids Symphony and Symphony Chorus celebrate American voices with works by Joan Tower, Z. Randall Stroope, and Amy Beach. Concert details.
Friday: An Evening with John Cusack · October 9 · GLC Live at 20 Monroe. Watch Say Anything on the big screen, then hear from the guy who actually held the boombox. Event and ticket information.
Friday through Sunday: Autumn Weekends at Meijer Gardens · October 9–11. Seasonal food, live music, daytime activities, and the kind of fall wandering that requires almost no planning once you get there. Weekend details.
Thursday through Sunday: Dragons Love Tacos · October 8–11 · Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. The wildly popular kids’ book lands on stage, with Pick Your Price available for every performance. Performance details and tickets.
Sunday: Bring your dog to a Griffins game · October 11 · 4 p.m. · Van Andel Arena. The Jake Engel Memorial Dog Game lets fans bring their pups into designated dog sections for the Griffins’ game against Chicago. Dog tickets are $5 plus fees. Dog Game details.
Pick one thing. Invite someone. Actually go.
And if you spot a ghost while you’re out there, you know what to do.
See you around town,
Toby
My GR Week
Event schedules can change. Use the linked organizer pages for current details before heading out.