MichiganRadio

40th Annual Festival Of The Arts Takes Over Downtown Grand Rapids GRAND RAPIDS, MI (Michigan Radio) - For a complete guide to the Festival of the Arts, click here. The annual Festival of the Arts kicks off today in Grand Rapids. The event is expected to draw up to half a million visitors.

This is the 40th year for the festival in downtown Grand Rapids. Organizers bill it as the largest all-volunteer art festival in the United States. About 20,000 volunteers help make it happen every year.

This year, there will be music on six stages downtown, art activity booths for kids and adults and lots and lots of food stands.

Kate Scheid is co-chair of this year's Festival of the Arts. She says the event has been able to thrive despite the bad economy.

"When times are tough, sometimes communities really come together," Scheid says. "And I hope this is what festival can be for our community this year, is a time to just come together and experience the good things that are happening here in Michigan."

The Festival of the Arts kicks off at noon today in Grand Rapids and runs through Sunday. © Copyright 2012, Michigan Radio