Central Park Place is home to Encounter the Arts, a free annual event that began in 2022 to celebrate Grand Haven’s vibrant arts community through family-friendly workshops and performances. During the event, local artists lead various classes and demonstrations for people of all ages, and this year, the event will feature a special kids-only craft area on the lower level.
Encounter the Arts Schedule of Events:
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
- Theatre Tour with Central Park Players – Acacia Theatre
- Vocals for Performance with Carlos Seise – Woodbine Room
- Dance Performances with Tracy O’Neal McQueen & Steph Rau – Ballroom
- Community Mural Project
2:45 PM – 3:30 PM
- Shakespeare Performance with Pigeon Creek Theatre -Acacia Theatre
- Cardio Drumming with Deb Spinner – Woodbine Room
- Television Production for Sports and Theatre with Dennis Threadgill & Floyd Fonte – Ballroom
- Community Mural Project
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
- Vocals for Performance with Carlos Seise – Woodbine Room
- Stage Combat with Chris Farrar – Ballroom
- Community Mural Project
4:15 PM – 5 PM
- Theatre Tour with Central Park Players – Acacia Theatre
- GHHS Cast and Crew of Mary Poppins with Rita Mclary – Ballroom
- Improv Experience with Justin Sternbergh – Woodbine Room
- Community Mural Project
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM: KIDS ART ZONE
A special thank you to the Northwest Ottawa Recreation Authority (NORA) as the Kids Art Zone Coordinator!
- Rock Painting
- Face Painting
- Balloon Animals
- Arts & Crafts
- Ray Truillo and the Lakeshore Taekwondo Academy
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Atrium Gallery Features
We recently added new features that will be hosted in our Atrium Gallery. These include presentations by:
- FabLab Presentation
- Dake Corporation: Industrial Parts Into Art
- Midwest Miniature Museum Exhibit
- Magic Presentation by The Mystic Prince
- Create Your Art Out presented by The Epicenter
5:00 PM: Cocktail Reception, hosted by Central Park Players, to be held in the Atrium Gallery with live music provided by Roger Gonda.
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Manhattan Short Film Festival
Manhattan Short Film Festival
Central Park Place is partnering with Loutit Library to bring the Manhattan Short Film Festival to Encounter the Arts as a special event finale. Discover your inner film critic by casting your vote for Best Film and Best Actor in the 26th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival. You’ll join film lovers in over 500 venues across the globe gathering to see the Ten Finalists in this year’s event.
A cocktail reception will kick off the film festival at 5 pm, with short film screenings beginning at 6 pm in the Acacia Theatre. Screenings will last for 2.5 hours including a brief intermission. Free popcorn will be available for all attendees as well!
Encounter the Arts is an open house-style event, so everyone in the community is welcome to come and go as they please! We hope to see you there!
Become an Encounter Sponsor
Looking for a way to get involved within the community while also supporting arts and culture? Become an Encounter the Arts Sponsor! We are currently seeking sponsors at the following levels:
- Art Cultivator: $250
- Art Collector: $750
- Art Curator: $1,500
- Title Sponsor: Patron of the Arts: $2,500
Sponsors receive numerous perks including social media promotion on Central Park Place platforms, advertising in print materials at the event, giveaway participation, special mentions and showcase opportunities during our cocktail reception, and more! Contact Char at 616-842-2550 to discuss sponsorship package specifics today! Thank you for helping to support the Grand Haven arts community.
