The East Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Commission voted Nov. 24 to approve three event permits for 2026: the Bridal School Regatta, the Gaslight Village Criterium and a proposed three-day East Grand Rapids Fine Art fair.

Director Derek (city parks staff) told commissioners the regatta had run successfully this year despite a last-minute move to the high school pool because of algae, and staff recommended the organizers be allowed to return to John Collins Park next fall. The commission moved to approve that renewal and the motion passed.

The commission then considered the Criterium, a returning bike-race event that uses a loop around the high school and Gaslight Village. Event organizer Ryan said about 175 participants competed in the 2025 event, including a hand-cycle class, and asked to shift the 2026 date to early August. Commissioners questioned how planned high-school construction (expected to begin when school lets out) would affect parking and the race footprint. Derek said the construction would likely be underway that summer but that the race typically occurs before the busiest school-week period; staff and volunteer marshals had previously coordinated access to the yacht club corner and worked with public safety to manage short closures.

"They did their due diligence in contacting property owners," Ryan said of the criterium organizers, adding the group would work with staff on parking and safety plans.

The commission moved and approved the criterium permit with the expectation staff would require a parking plan and may add permit stipulations in future years if problems arise.

The meeting's longest discussion focused on a new proposal from the Ann Arbor Guild of Artists and Artisans to hold a three-day fine art fair in Gaslight Village in June 2026. Derek said the city previously hosted an art fair for about 54 years and that the guild estimated approximately 5,000 spectators for the proposed weekend; the organizers proposed around 100 vendor booths lining Wealthy Street, roughly the footprint of the Harvest Festival but over three days. Staff also described possible collaboration with a local nonprofit, Lions and Rabbits, and engagement with the Gaslight Village Business Association (GVBA).

Commissioners pressed for details on traffic and vendor placement, security at night, trash handling, how the multi-day plan would affect regular downtown customers, and whether small businesses supported a multi-day closure of Wealthy Street. One commissioner urged treating the first year as a pilot: "If it doesn't work out, then we can always rethink it for the next year," they said. Derek said staff could require additional conditions on the permit and that returning events have an early right of first refusal but are not guaranteed a perpetual slot.

The commission voted to approve the art-fair permit for 2026, asking staff to follow up with a parking plan, business outreach, and public-safety coordination before the event.

The commission concluded that all three event permits would move forward with staff oversight and the ability to add stipulations if operational problems emerged.