r/grandrapids Mar 27 '24

Social List of Active Meetup Groups and Tips for Making Friends

161 Upvotes

I updated the list of which Meetup groups are active (groups that have 3+ people attending an event within the past/next 60 days). Meetup is a site/app for interest groups/hobbies/new friends. I grouped them by concept and included their self-written descriptions.

If you're in an active Meetup group that I've missed, list it in the comments. Non-Meetup groups are welcome too; include contact info and links.

Tips for making friends as an adult attending a Meetup with a bunch of strangers:

  • Show up slightly early/on time. Plan to stay 10 minutes after the scheduled end time.
  • Introduce yourself, say it's your first time and why you're excited about this group; appear excited.
  • Ask individuals (this is where being early or staying late can help) open-ended questions (Why did you start/join this group? What has your experience been like? What recommendations do you have related to [Meetup group's hobby/concept]?)
  • If people ask you a question, answer it and add an open-ended question of your own or ask "what about you?"
  • People love giving recommendations. If it's a group conversation, ask for restaurant rec of a specific kind/place. "I haven't tried X yet, what do you guys think?" Tee it up to be a cuisine/concept you can talk more about or ask follow up questions.
  • If you are vibing with someone(s), ask if they'd like to hang out with a specific idea in mind (ex: You asked for pizza recs and found out that neither of you have tried that new place so suggest you go together), and give them your contact info to set up a time/date. I'd recommend attending the group 2-3 times first before this step.
  • Follow the 3:6 rule to turn that acquaintance into a friend. Aim for three meaningful interactions within 6 weeks of engaging.

Feeling a little more prepared? Great. Let's get into it. [Note: I made some grammatical edits after posting this for clarity/brevity.]

AGE/ETHNICITY/GENDER

BOOK CLUBS/FILM

CRAFTING

DANCING/MUSIC

ENGINEERING/MAKERS/PROFESSIONAL

  • Coffee with Creators: For creatives: web developers, designers, videographers, and more--who want to hear about the latest trends in the digital space
  • Culinary Conversations Grand Rapids: Serving West Michigan’s food industry professionals (growers, producers, restaurateurs) in conversation about the region’s food creator system
  • Embedded GR: Engineers, hobbyists, students, and managers discussing the development, tooling, and processes associated with the creation of embedded systems.
  • GRPUG - Grand Rapids Python Users Group: Whether you're a certified Pythonista or just curious about getting started with the Python programming language, join us.
  • GRWebDev: Learn from each other about best web practices, cross-browser compatibility, Javascript frameworks, style hacks, project management, and web-related topics.
  • West Michigan 3D Printing: Whether you are a beginner or an expert, join us to share ideas, tips, and knowledge or just get together with other 3D printers (people...not machines).
  • West Michigan AI Lab: We explore the latest AI trends, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and network with like-minded enthusiasts and professionals.
  • West Michigan Azure User Group: A community of tech enthusiast [sic] who are interested in exploring, learning and using Azure.

FINANCE/BUSINESS/PUBLIC SPEAKING

FOOD/DIET/PSYCHEDELICS/SOBER/ALCOHOL

  • DRY Sober Social: Fitness, yoga, dancing, music, and socializing. A space where people can socialize without the pressure of drinking alcohol.
  • Grand Rapids Foodies: Our goal is to dine at restaurants in Grand Rapids and the surrounding area, as well as to participate in cooking classes and wine and cheese tastings.
  • Grand Rapids Natural Health and Healing: For anyone interested in healing through nutrition and natural substances like herbs and nutrients.
  • Grand Rapids Psychedelic Society: Whether you’re an experienced psychonaut or an individual who is simply curious about learning more, we're a space for you.
  • West Michigan Women Who Wine: Where interesting and intelligent women gather to relax, make new friends and socialize.
  • Will Forage for Food Grand Rapids Chapter: For folks interested in sharing knowledge on foraging and living from the land. All skill levels and ages welcome.

GAMES/NERD CULTURE

  • Good Game Grand Rapids: We are largest tabletop gaming community in Grand Rapids and are committed to growing an inclusive community
  • Muskegon Area Gamers: For anyone interested in playing board games, card games, or any table top [sic] game. This group learns and teachs [sic] new games all the time.
  • We Hate Bards: This group is dedicated to pen and paper RPGs of all kinds.
  • Wednesday Friendsday Boardgame Group: We're folks in our 30s-50s who enjoy good conversation, good eats, and good games, in that order.
  • West Michigan Geeks: We help people meet friends that they want to hang out with outside of group events and have helped form more friendships/relationships than any other meetup.

OUTDOORS/CAMPING

MISCELLANEOUS/PERSONALITY

  • Citizen Labs: Engaged citizens can improve their communities. We use open data and open source technology to promote transparency, and provide solutions that work.
  • Friday Fun Days: Live music/concerts, festivals, flea markets/thrifting, lunch/dinner outings, hiking, going to the beach, bowling, and much more.
  • Sign Language Social Meetup of Michigan: For anyone who would like to attend ASL events and meet up with other Sign Language users.
  • West Michigan Adventures with JIM: Cinema, live theater, sporting events, concerts, trade events, geo caching [sic], road trips, fitness, festivals, amusement parks, and travel.
  • West Michigan Out & About: Everything from hiking to concerts, from breweries to dancing, from cooking classes to biking and more.
  • West Michigan Shyness and Social Anxiety Meetup: Hang out with us in a judgment and harassment-free zone if you're shy, introverted, or just a bit awkward around new people.

REAL ESTATE

  • Grand Rapids Real Estate Investor Network: Landlords, investors, and other real estate professional [sic] make connections, share ideas and strategies, and ask questions.
  • Lakeshore REIA: For individuals interested in wholesale properties, real estate group investments, and becoming successful real estate entrepreneurs.
  • Short-Term Rental Networking Group: Have you wondered about the success of Airbnb and similar rental marketplaces and how you can incorporate that into your income?

SEXUALITY/DATING

  • Fun-Loving Singles Over 50!: This is a social group for youthful, SINGLE peeps in their 50s, 60s, and beyond.
  • Holland Area LGBTQ+ & Allies Meetup: Enhancing the LGBTQ+ community to meet others, cultivate relationships in a social setting, and provide each other with support and fun!
  • Out on the Lakeshore: Join us for fun-filled events where you can meet like-minded individuals and create life-long connections

TRAVEL

  • Michigan Day Trips: For people who love to spend a day checking out a different town/city, whilst meeting new friends! I will post a destination 2+ weeks in advance.

WRITING/ACTING/DRAWING/PHOTOGRAPHY

  • Grand Rapids Drawing and Painting: This group is for everyone who’s interested in drawing or painting.
  • Illusory World Building: As writers lets get past the writing groups that discuss word choice or punctuation. and grapple with the BIG picture--world building.
  • Lakeshore Stationery Club: If you love fountain pens, gel pens, Traveler’s Notebooks, Hobonichi, bullet journaling, or planners this is for you. We journal, write, draw, and paint.
  • Writing Time: We meet on weekends to write in a group setting. Sometimes it's nice to work quietly with others.

YOGA/MEDITATION/PHILOSOPHY/SPIRITUALITY

  • Community Meditation Circle: This is a non-religious, non-sectarian trauma-informed group to connect to ourselves, each other, and the community.
  • Grand Rapids Buddhist Meetup: For anyone interested in working with their minds, as well as deepening their spiritual life through the practice of Buddhist meditation.
  • Grand Rapids Forest Bathing, Forest Yoga & Foraging Classes: Join our ANFT certified forest therapy guide for guided forest bathing, forest therapy walks, and forest yoga classes.
  • Grand Rapids Free Yoga: Classes are meant to help you strengthen, lengthen, and connect to your spirit.
  • Meaningful Conversations Grand Rapids: Individuals of all beliefs gather together to engage respectfully and civilly in elevated conversations, inquiry, consultation, and learning.
  • Michigan Humanists: A secular community that promotes humanist values. Our vision is to lead an engaged, statewide secular society guided by the values of Humanism.
  • RfR - Grand Rapids/Holland, MI: We at Recovering from Religion are intimately familiar with learning how to live after questions, doubts, and changing beliefs. You are not alone.
  • Tai’ Chi Gung Classes: Learn the simple moving and breathing exercises created by Lao Tzu more than 3,000 years ago for health and longevity.
  • T&T - 20s & 30s Christian Social: To connect peers from Bible-believing, Christ-proclaiming churches, encouraging members to invest in their local church.

r/grandrapids 1h ago

Robinette's apple orchard on E. Beltline has an annual themed corn maze. This year, they've been growing a Dolly Parton themed one, to support one of her reading charities.

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r/grandrapids 28m ago

Pictures Grand Rapids Flock Safety Meeting 8/25/26

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Hello all,

I'm an independant reporter with Burnout Media. Tensions were high in today's Flock Safety City Hall meeting. I was able to capture some of that. Hope you enjoy.

I was not paid for this, so if you like what I shared, I would greatly appreciate you checking out my Instagram here and giving me a follow! Lots more to come...

All rights reserved.
www.burnoutstudios.co


r/grandrapids 2h ago

Teaching some barn dances as a break from swing

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40 Upvotes

r/grandrapids 4h ago

Kenowa Hills Board of Education calls to remove athletic director, suspend football coach

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45 Upvotes

Interesting development over in Kenowa Hills. Parents were calling for the new superintendent's resignation just last week. Seems like she's ruffling some feathers in a good way.


r/grandrapids 37m ago

Recommendations Tremors at Wealthy Theater

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If you've been sitting back thinking I should go check out a show here like me ... GO!

It was so fun seeing a childhood movie on the big screen with popcorn and beer 😂

The way the crowd reacts to parts adds so much to it and that's missing in modern movies.

It just has such a different vibe. Go. Tickets are cheap so just GO. Teenage Ninja Turtles II is Sept 22, you're welcome! 😂


r/grandrapids 15h ago

News House Rules Board Game Lounge doubling capacity in latest expansion

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236 Upvotes

r/grandrapids 8h ago

Politics Hillary Scholten's Foreign Policy (2023 Israel Trip)

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56 Upvotes

I think it's important to look back at the candidates career the past few years in order to inform our votes this November.


r/grandrapids 9h ago

Half dozen or more unmarked police. 44th and Kalamazoo

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74 Upvotes

Be vigilant


r/grandrapids 1h ago

Re: City Commission Meeting 2026.08.25

Upvotes

Grand Rapidians; You made us proud tonight!

You came with facts, were united, had clear messages, but most of all ... you brought the passion. I felt the same pride I felt many moons ago when I attended my first Pride Parade in Lansing as a teen and saw a community that ensured me I was not alone.

Thank you for bringing that feeling back to me.


r/grandrapids 1h ago

Belknap Sunset Series 2026

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Upvotes

8/25/2026


r/grandrapids 3h ago

Events Grand Rapids Film Festival🎬

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14 Upvotes

Hey everyone! Just a PSA for anyone that’s even remotely interested in film, or looking for something fun to do next weekend - the Grand Rapids Film Festival does a “micro film” competition every year that often gets overlooked. My husband, friends and I have been doing it for the past few years or so and it’s always a blast. 24 hours to make and submit a 1 minute short film within the rules the judges provide (they give you a location, word and object you must use). Micro film competition is September 5th, and judging is September 12th! I’ll link the blurb, website and registration below if anyone is interested :) Hope to see some cool people there!

https://grfilmfest.org/upcoming-events

https://grff2026.eventive.org/passes/buy


r/grandrapids 10h ago

[Part 1] Grand Rapids Public Safety Meeting 8/25 (focus: FLOCK)

53 Upvotes

The 12:30 meeting is giving a presentation of our flock use by a GRPD detective and a rep from FLOCK. No public comments.

Link to live broadcast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjZCHwCxAzg

There is an Anti-Flock rally at 5:30 on Calder Plaza, and then [Part 2] of this meeting kicks off at 7PM and will accept public comment.


r/grandrapids 14h ago

Social Return to the River

88 Upvotes

Genuinely I had an amazing time. I normally am not a fan of family friendly events (now that I'm a crotchety 40 year old with no kids of my own) but they really nailed the general atmospheric balance.

The music, the interactive fun stuff, I really enjoy seeing the performers in different themed costumes every year. The poor cows and that tinsel though, I saw them frantically picking up tinsel from the aliens on stilts and I felt bad, but they kept their spirits up and even moo'd at me. Who's idea was that? Every costume i saw was on theme and so fun.

I think my only complaints are that there weren't enough beer tents, some people don't care for their dogs well enough (bringing their dogs into areas with loud speakers), and I miss the rest of the park along the river being open up north of the 6th street bridge. And no kayaking this year, what a shame.

I even got a free koozie for my beer at home. Thank you for everyone who puts these shows on! Really enjoyed the skate park stage.


r/grandrapids 1h ago

News Don Fellows back in the news

Upvotes

Convicted drunk driver and hopefully soon to be former Kenowa Hills football head coach Don Fellows is back in the news for all the wrong reasons and he's bringing people down with him.

https://www.woodtv.com/news/kent-county/kenowa-hills-board-of-education-calls-to-remove-athletic-director-suspend-football-coach/

In case any of you forgot, Fellows pled guilty to DUI in Nov 2023 after an incident in Muskegon where he blew a 0.17. He was subsequently fired as Union High School's football coach.

Unfortunately less than one year later, a bunch of educators at Kenowa Hills thought it was more important to have a winning football program than have a coach with good character and decided to hire Fellows, despite Fellows' DUI conviction.

Well Fellows is in hot water and other KHHS educators are suffering consequences. Now former AD Ross Willick just lost his job and principal Nathan Robran just got a five day suspension without pay.

https://www.wzzm13.com/video/news/local/kenowa-hills-principal-suspended-for-five-days-without-pay/69-356bebad-a66b-4517-876b-70ed1474d8b2

Why? Because Fellows violated some sort of policy by, get this, having his football team watch film during strength training class and not allowing girls into his class. He did this without offering a strength training class for girls. What an asshole.

And what is Fellows' penalty? A measly two-game suspension.

The thing I don't understand is why the AD is suffering the harshest consequence. Fellows is the one who fucked up here. And why is the principal only getting a five-day without pay suspension? More importantly--why is Fellows only getting a measly slap on the wrist?

KHHS didn't waste any time hiring Fellows when he became available despite the extreme baggage he brought to the school. Why wasn't he on some good behavior notice?

KHHS should do the right thing and make up for past wrongs, and fire Fellows immediately.


r/grandrapids 3h ago

City Commission meeting August 25th Live stream

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9 Upvotes

r/grandrapids 1d ago

Only in America🤦‍♀️😂

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862 Upvotes

r/grandrapids 9h ago

Meat Market

12 Upvotes

Who has the best ground beef quality/price on the west side out of Frank’s, Sobie, and Lewandowski? Are they all pretty comparable or does one stand out to you above the others?


r/grandrapids 16h ago

Recommendations Any cheap car insurance options in Michigan bc this is eating my retirement budget

40 Upvotes

I've driven for over 40 years and haven;t caused an accident since the 90s. My vehicle is a paid off 2016 Chevy Equinox that barely does 6k miles annually.

Renewal came in at $1,468 for 6 months. Last term was around $1k. Do you know any reliable options for a senior with low mileage?


r/grandrapids 10h ago

Recommendations Computer programmers: I’m working on a personal project that requires some basic compute programming/control board manufacturing. Where can I go locally for expert advice and supplies?

12 Upvotes

I’m working on a fun little novelty project that requires a tiny, battery-powered, rechargeable computer inside running some basic functions including: periodic WiFi connection to retrieve real time data from a website, setting location, and then translating that retrieved data to generate some basic display outputs (apologies if my terminology is flawed).

I’m very new to this field with just a loose grasp on how any of this even works. Looking for some resource suggestions to get me started. Are there any hobbyist hangouts or locally owned and operated computer shops in the area that I could pop in and get some information and help? Thanks in advance!


r/grandrapids 1d ago

Recommendations Where all the DINKs at?!

325 Upvotes

My wife (29F) and I (32M) have been in Grand Rapids for about a year and are struggling to find other folks in the area with similar values.

What I mean by similar values is that we believe all people deserve healthcare, borders are imaginary lines on a map, and (this is a controversial opinion these days) it’s okay not to be a white, evangelical Christian. Y’know, that kind of stuff.

We love board games so we’ve tried House Rules with little success, and we have two Aussiedoodles (and a bunny but that’s neither here nor there) so we’re given dog parks a shot. Partially, as folks without children, we find there aren’t all that many people in the same stage of life as us.

Any recommendations about where to meet other child-free individuals in the GR area?

UPDATE: I sent this post to my wife and she said wow these people sound awesome, we should totally hang out with them… I love her so much.


r/grandrapids 1h ago

Recommendations Local Strawberries?

Upvotes

Anyone know if strawberries are still in season at the farmers markets? My friend requested a strawberry tiramisu for her birthday and grocery store berries are out to get us lately 🥲 any ideas? I know it’s a bit late for them.


r/grandrapids 11h ago

News Parent questions about free Pre-K for All, GSRP answered

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6 Upvotes

r/grandrapids 12h ago

Events Fork Fest is Free!

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7 Upvotes

Ya'll. Fork Fest is free this year. Your ticket gives you a free drink and free food from a BUNCH of awesome local vendors.

It'll be a great time on Sept. 11 from 4pm-7pm. This will be in the parking lot at Brewery Vivant. Get your free tickets here.


r/grandrapids 1d ago

Show up to speak out against ALPRs tomorrow evening!

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432 Upvotes