Taking advantage of the mitten state's colder climate, The World Of Winter Festival inspires you to be active in the winter. In an effort to make Grand Rapids a progressive year-round city, the city of Grand Rapids and Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. have planned another year of dazzling displays.

The 5th annual World of Winter Festival is slated to begin on January 7. All of the World of Winter events are free, family-friendly, and social distanced.

Spread throughout Downtown Grand Rapids, the merrymaking will feature over 40 unique interactive art installations and 50+ ice sculptures. Here are some of the featured displays...

Light Maze

This is a large light-based art installation. The display will be erected from January 7 through March 6 at 555 Monroe. Designed by the German architect Ben Busche, from Brut Deluxe studio, the light maze was born to offer an innovative and immersive experience.

Bunnies of Intrude

You'll find these large scale rabbits at Ah-Nab-Awen Park starting on January 6. This is  a large outdoor art installation brought to you in partnership with Parer Studio based in Australia. Rabbits were introduced in Australia in 1788 and have been causing destruction and imbalance in the continent’s ecosystems ever since.  The World of Winter says of the display,

"Intrude deliberately leans on this cutesy image coupled with strong visual humor, to lure the audience into the artwork only to reveal the more serious environmental messages which form the basis of the work."

 Submergence

At the Gillett Bridge, you'll find this large, immersive, walk-through experience starting January 7. As you enter the piece, you are walking into a space occupied by both real and virtual components. Submergence has been shown in over 70 spaces and events on six continents.

Trumpet Flowers

Beginning January 14, at Ah-Nab-Awen Park, you'll feel very small, perhaps like a shrinking flower. In this giant musical garden, you become surrounded by an explosive and immersive jungle of light, color, and sound. The huge flowers feature interactive keys that allow you to play each flower as a 2-6m towering musical and light instrument.

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Crank Zappa Jellyfish

This is an interactive sculpture created from plastic waste. Lights animate and respond to touch sensors at the ends of the tentacles. Responding to human touch, the jellyfish can be found at the GR Public Museum beginning on January 14. The generously sized fish is made from single-use plastic items including 1,000 plastic bags, straws, and 800 plastic bottles.