What’s Worth Doing in Grand Rapids this Week.
Week of December 22–28
Editor’s note: This is the “we’re out of time and out of brain cells” week. So this guide is built like a survival kit: last-minute shopping that doesn’t feel like punishment, outings that work with kids home all week, and a few solid nights out if you need a reset.
3 QUICK PICKS
- Best last-minute shopping move: Christkindl Markt at Downtown Market
- Best family plan: Snowflake Break at the Grand Rapids Public Museum
- Best date night: Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings
☀️ DAYTIME PICKS
Christkindl Markt (Downtown Market) — last full days
📍 Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave SW
🗓 Mon–Tue, Dec 22–23 • 11:00am–7:00pm
💵 Free to enter (pay as you go)
If you still need gifts — or just want to feel festive without overthinking it — this is the move.
Artisan vendors, warm food, drinks, and built-in wandering make it ideal for quick shopping or a casual daytime outing.
It’s stroller-friendly, snack-friendly, and way calmer than the mall this late in the season.
Snowflake Break at the Grand Rapids Public Museum
📍 GRPM, 272 Pearl St NW
🗓 Runs Dec 19–Jan 3 (daily themes & activities)
💵 Included with museum admission (Kent County kids 17 & under are free)
This is a quiet MVP of holiday week.
Hands-on activities, themed days, holiday décor, and wide-open exhibits give kids something to do
while adults get a break from inventing entertainment at home.
It’s warm, structured, and easy to stay longer than planned.
Woodland Mall extended hours (purely practical)
📍 Woodland Mall, Kentwood
🗓 Mon–Tue, Dec 22–23 • 10:00am–9:00pm
💵 Free to browse
Not glamorous — but if your list still isn’t done, this is the fastest way to close it out.
Extended hours mean less pressure, and everything’s under one roof when weather or time is working against you.
🌙 EVENING / DATE-NIGHT
Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings
📍 Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy St SE
🗓 Sat, Dec 27 • Doors 8:00pm • Show 8:45pm
💵 Ticketed
A genuinely special night out without a ton of planning.
Candlelit room, string quartet, classic Christmas music, and a historic theater setting.
It’s calm, romantic, and feels intentional — perfect if you want something festive that isn’t loud or chaotic.
Next Stop Comedy at Third Nature Brewing
📍 Third Nature Brewing, Rockford
🗓 Sat, Dec 27 • 9:00pm
💵 Ticketed
Low-pressure comedy in a brewery setting — exactly what you want if the holidays have been… a lot.
Good beer, solid laughs, and no requirement to dress up or stay out late.
RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR The Movie (special screening)
📍 Celebration Cinema (select locations)
🗓 Dec 27–28
💵 Ticketed
This isn’t a standard movie night — it’s a fan-driven event screening.
If you’re into it (or going with someone who is), expect a high-energy crowd and a fun, communal vibe.
👨👩👧👦 FAMILY-FRIENDLY WINS
FREE screening of Elf during Snowflake Break
📍 GRPM Meijer Theater
🗓 Mon, Dec 22 • 2:00pm
💵 Free with museum admission
Museum activities + a holiday movie where you actually get to sit down.
This is one of those rare “everyone wins” afternoons.
Winter Break at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum
📍 GRCM, Downtown GR
🗓 Dec 18–23 (open early this week)
💵 Included with admission
Two floors of hands-on exhibits, daily break programming, and a great way for kids to burn energy
when school’s out and weather isn’t cooperating.
The Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker — on the big screen
📍 Celebration Cinema (select locations)
🗓 Dec 21–22
💵 Ticketed
A holiday classic without the logistics of a full theater performance.
Big screen, great sound, and easy exit if attention spans run short.
That’s the best of Grand Rapids for the week of December 22–28. Pick one thing, don’t overplan, and give yourself permission to keep it simple.
If this helps, forward it to someone who’s already asking “what should we do this week?”
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