History of festival of the arts
Dedication of Calder’s La Grand Vitesse, 1969
Courtesy of Grand Rapids Public Library
In 1969, Alexander Calder’s La Grande Vitesse was installed in front of City Hall in downtown Grand Rapids in an area now called Calder Plaza. “La Grande Vitesse” is French for “the great swiftness” or “the grand rapids.” This 43-foot tall, vibrant red metal sculpture was commissioned by the City of Grand Rapids and the Kent County Board of Supervisors, and made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Once installed, the Calder, as it’s commonly called, inspired a three-day community celebration to be held annually each year in June. Originally sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids, the first festival of the arts was held in 1970 and co-chaired by Betty Jo Crosby and Dan Heines. Alexander Calder created the original sun logo – still in use today – as a gift for the event.
In 2002, festival of the arts became its own 501c3 nonprofit organization and is now one of the largest all-volunteer events in the nation.
With only two stages and a few food booths on Calder Plaza, no streets had to be closed for the first festival of the arts. The event, which celebrated its 40th year in 2009, now encompasses almost all of downtown and offers several stages with live entertainment, dozens of food booths and endless art and activities for all ages.
More info on La Grand Vitesse from the National Endowment for the Arts »
