Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Plans Three Concert Series, Grand Rapids Symphony Joins Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens

GRAND RAPIDS, MI –Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is pleased to announce plans for the safe return of live music this summer with three unique series – Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens, Tuesday Evening Music Club and the Jim & Marie Preston Sunday Strings, featuring musicians from the Grand Rapids Symphony and West Michigan. All dates, performers and information are subject to changed based on COVID-19 restrictions.

Meijer Gardens and the Grand Rapids Symphony are also excited to announce a partnership for three shows during the Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens. These shows include a solo Grand Rapids Symphony performance conducted by Bob Bernhardt, Principal Pops Conductor, the Grand Rapids Symphony with Pink Martini and another special show to be announced. “We are very excited to bring the Grand Rapids Symphony back to Meijer Gardens for these special concerts,” said Mary Tuuk Kuras, President & CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony. “Our shared mission of promoting the arts and bringing our community together makes this partnership a wonderful fit.”

The 2021 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens concert series is scheduled to take place in July, August and September if regulations allow. Featuring an eclectic mix of alternative, indie, blues and rock, the lineup will include The Verve Pipe, O.A.R., Kansas, St. Paul & The Broken Bones and Black Violin + Blind Boys of Alabama. The complete lineup of 30 shows and ticket on sale dates will be announced as soon as possible. “We look forward to the return of music at Meijer Gardens and are pleased to be able to continue our support of Meijer Gardens and the popular summer concert series which now includes the Grand Rapids Symphony,” said Fifth Third Bank Regional President Tom Welch. “We are delighted that two Grand Rapids treasured cultural organizations are teaming up to further the arts in our community. We are pleased to continue our support of both organizations in this new way.” Welch continued.

The Tuesday Evening Music Club brings talented local and regional musicians to the Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater stage on Tuesday evenings in July and August starting at 7 p.m. This year’s lineup includes Welcome Back Tuesday with Ralston Bowles & Very Special Guests (July 6), Franklin Park (July 13), Political Lizard / Molly (July 20), Via Mardot / Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish (July 27), Samuel Nalangira / The Moxie Strings (August 3), Cameron Blake / Patty PerShayla (August 10), Pajamas / Charlie Millard Band (August 17), Ralston & Friends (August 24) and Grand Rapids Ballet (August 31). Under current restrictions, capacity will be restricted to 1,000 people. If rules allow, capacity will be increased.

The Jim & Marie Preston Sunday Strings expands on an idea that was trialed during the summer of 2020. Led by violinist Haijin Choi, these chamber music performances happen throughout the Gardens & Sculpture Park and will feature combinations of violin, harp, marimba, mandolin, cello and more. These five special performances are included with admission and will take place on Sunday June 6, June 20, July 18, August 29 and September 12. The Sunday, July 18 performance will include a special opportunity for audience participation within the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden. More information will be announced closer to the date.

Jim & Marie Preston are longtime supporters of Meijer Gardens and were excited for the opportunity to support live classical music performances in a sculpture garden setting. “We love both Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and the Grand Rapids Symphony and couldn’t think of a better way to help bring these wonderful assets of our community together for a formal series,” said Jim & Marie.  “We were thrilled at the diversity of the audience for last summer’s events and look forward to this series growing!”

Tuesday Evening Music Club and Jim & Marie Preston Sunday Strings performances are free for members and included in admission for other guests.

Members of Meijer Gardens will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets for the 2021 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens series during an exclusive two-week members-only presale. Pre-sale dates will be announced as soon as possible. During the pre-sale, members receive a $5 discount per ticket. To become a member or renew a membership, visit MeijerGardens.org/Membership.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public immediately following the members-only presale. More information on prices and purchasing locations will be available following the release of the full lineup.

The 2021 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens series is made possible in part by the generous support of Fifth Third Bank, Harvey Lexus of Grand Rapids and Spectrum Health. Media sponsors are FOX17 and Star 105.7. Additional support is provided by Life EMS.

The Tuesday Evening Music Club is generously sponsored by Meyer Music, WYCE and Corporate Live.

The Jim & Marie Preston Sunday Strings is made possible by Jim & Marie Preston, Dick & Samantha Gauthier, Tim & Ping Liang and Todd & Sarah Oleson.

“Meijer Gardens is only able to present these concerts and events with the generous support of our sponsors, the Meijer family and our members,” said David Hooker, President & CEO of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. “In addition, our dedicated and loyal volunteers play an outsized role in presenting these shows and ensuring a rewarding and meaningful experience.”

About the Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater
The recently upgraded 1,900-seat amphitheater features general admission tiered lawn seating. Concertgoers are welcome to bring a blanket or low-rise chair to sit on. Low-rise chairs are defined as 12” maximum from ground to front of seat bottom and 32” maximum to top of chair back in highest position. These rules are strictly enforced. No other chairs will be permitted in the venue. A limited number of standard-height chairs will be available to rent for $10 (located in designated area-may not be removed) on a first-come, first-served basis. All concerts take place rain or shine (weather delays possible). A selection of sandwiches, snacks, water, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are available at the recently updated Eileen DeVries Concessions Center. All beverages purchased must be consumed inside the amphitheater gates. Concertgoers are also welcomed to bring their own food, sealed bottled water and non-alcoholic beverages in their original sealed containers.

About Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
One of the world’s most significant botanic and sculpture experiences, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park was recently listed in the top 30 most visited museums in the United States by The Art Newspaper, the leading publication in global art news. The 158-acre main campus features Michigan’s largest tropical conservatory; one of the largest interactive children’s gardens in the country; arid and Victorian gardens with bronze sculptures by Edgar Degas and Auguste Rodin; a carnivorous plant house; outdoor gardens; and a 1900-seat outdoor amphitheater, featuring an eclectic mix of world-renowned musicians every summer. The internationally acclaimed Sculpture Park features a permanent collection including works by Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Richard Serra, Louise Bourgeois, Ai Weiwei and Jaume Plensa, among others. Indoor galleries host changing sculpture exhibitions with exhibitions by Ai Weiwei, Pablo Picasso, Edgar Degas, Mark di Suvero, Jonathan Borofsky, Alexander Calder, Jim Dine and others. In June 2015, the eight–acre Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park opened. Created by renowned designer Hoichi Kurisu, the garden features sculpture by Anish Kapoor, Jenny Holzer, David Nash, George Rickey, Masayuki Koorida, Zhang Huan, Guiseppe Penone, among others.