GRAND RAPIDS, MI — The third annual Return to the River festival, featuring free live music, art and more, is happening this weekend along the Grand River in the Monroe North neighborhood. Kicking off Saturday, the festival is set to include performances by 19 DJs and 11 musical acts, as well as more than two dozen vendors, live art and traveling installations, a speaker series, free kayak rentals, and more. The event wraps up Sunday evening, with the last musical performances starting at 7 p.
m. Return to the River was created by Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., and it spans a stretch of Monroe Avenue NW that includes a vacant lot at 555 Monroe Ave.
NW, Sixth Street Park, Canal Park and the Sixth Street Bridge. Musical performances and activities are happening at each location. Throughout the weekend, 555 Monroe Ave.
NW will host DJ and electronic music performances spanning a range of styles, from Latin house to EDM to hip-hop. Further north, at Sixth Street Park, attendees can watch traditional live musical and cultural performances. At Linear Lounge, near Canal Park and Linear restaurant, there will be DJ sets Saturday from Midwest Tropics & Friends and GR Soul Club on Sunday.
In addition to music and art, Sixth Street Bridge will be closed to vehicles for an artisan market hosted by Pleasant Peninsula. At the west end of the bridge, an educational stage will host a series of speakers who will discuss topics ranging from climate and conservation to the history of the Grand Ri.