Where to Go Wednesday

Welcome to the inaugural Where to Go Wednesday published, awkwardly, on a Tuesday. Nevertheless, fear not!  Where to Go Wednesday will be published weekly on Wednesdays and feature upcoming weekend events.  These posts will offer interesting possibilities for low cost activities, events, or festivals throughout the Midwest.  So please kind reader, join me each Wednesday as we travel the Midwest together.

This week highlights ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Intersections by Anila Quayyum Agha

Winner of the 2014 Public Grand Vote Prize

Photo Credit: ArtPrize

An event unlike any other, ArtPrize began seven years ago simply as an experiment.  Yet, it has grown to an art venue spanning three square miles within Grand Rapids, showcasing more than 1,500 works of art.  The event is highlighted not just in the Grand Rapids news media, but also by the bloggers at MidwestLiving.  

ArtPrize is, additionally, an opportunity to meet with artists from around the world as they showcase their best pieces.  Competition lays at the heart of ArtPrize, and at the end of the nineteen-day exhibit, the votes of both the general public and an expert jury tally to decide which artists will receive $500,000 in cash prizes.

Maya 7624 by Seungomo Park
3-D Finalist 2015
Photo Credit: ArtPrize.org

This year, 162 venues participate in the citywide event.  At first a daunting number, ArtPrize offers visitors a free mobile app complete with an interactive map, details on the artwork, and insights on other Grand Rapids happenings.  

Perhaps the best aspect of the entire event—it’s completely free to visit.  Moreover, Grand Rapids is less than two hours from South Bend by car, making an overnight stay optional.

ArtPrize is an annual event, running from September 23 to October 11 in 2015, making the coming weekend the last opportunity to enjoy this revered festival.

Have you ever heard of, or perhaps been to ArtPrize?  Do you have any suggestions for anyone who decides to make the journey?

Food for Thought

Photo Credit: tcatcarson

A fact of our modern society— we are always in a rush.  

We rush to work and school, and then we rush home.  We hurry from one task to the next, often ignoring the world around us.  I recognize that I'm a victim of this mentality and often joke that I'm always running around with my hair on fire.  Travel provides an escape from the hectic pace of our daily routines.  

Much too frequently, travel is also rushed.  We turn to highways and expressways, airplanes and high speed trains to reach our destination as quickly as possible.  We're constantly wondering—are we there yet?

During my study abroad program, one of my professors shared an article from hidden europe magazine that forever changed my perspective on travel.  Before reading "A Manifesto for Slow Travel," I operated by the mentality that I needed to get where I was going, without time for delay.  Yet in doing so, I neglected the hidden treasures to be found along the way.

Slow travel is more than taking the long way.  It's a mindset that values travel for the sake of travel.  It means relaxing and relishing the unexpected, having the courage to escape the crowds, and exploring the uncharted.

I find myself rereading this article before I take major trips.  It's become a mantra that guides my travels, the invisible hand pulling me back when I begin to hurry.  Slow travel reminds me Ralph Waldo Emerson’s words, "Life is a journey, not a destination."

Have you considered slowing down when you travel?  Do you ever venture off the road most taken?

Welcome to Hoosier Highways

I'd first like to formally introduce myself.  I'm Hanna--a college senior in my last semester, born and raised in  South Bend, Indiana. 

Church of the Savior on Blood- 
St. Petersburg, Russia
Author photo.

In Fall 2014, I spent the semester traveling the Atlantic Ocean on a study abroad program, Semester at Sea.  During this four month period I visited 15 different countries in Europe, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean.

This trip was truly the experience of a lifetime and only furthered my passion to travel to new places, meet new people, and immerse myself in new culture. When I returned home, I promised myself that I would stay curious.

With that promise came new adventures to places throughout the Midwest--a region so often overlooked when it comes to travel.   Now, I spend the weekends traveling and visiting these new places as often as possible.

Lake Michigan- 
Suttons Bay, Michigan
Author photo.

Yet, this passion is one with the potential to be a hefty financial investment.  As a full-time student with only a part-time job, my travels must be budget-conscious.  I seek places with opportunities for free tourism and my trips frequently include free art exhibits, festivals, or concerts.

By creating Hoosier Highways, I hope to inspire readers to travel throughout the Midwest and perhaps consider reevaluating the negative stigma commonly associated with the region.

Most importantly, I'd like this blog to be a place for readers to share their own travel stories, dreams, or suggestions.  

Please consider joining me in exploring the Midwest.