Acrisure Amphitheater recently finished the last event of its inaugural 2026 season, building community and economic success in the Grand Rapids area throughout the summer. The venue had a successful first season hosting 50 public events, including concerts, comedy shows, and community celebrations, as well as several private events. The opening season was highlighted by strong ticket sales and enthusiasm from surrounding businesses, restaurants, and community members.
The Downtown Market introduced successful new campaigns for its customers this summer, including the "Park It at the Market" program. The campaign encouraged concertgoers to enjoy food, beverages, and live entertainment at the Downtown Market before heading to their show at the Amphitheater. “We’re seeing patron counts, beverage sales, and vendor sales going up,” said Glenn Del Vecchio, Chief Operating Officer of the Downtown Market.
Ticket buyer data shows that approximately one third of the over 400,000 attendees at the Amphitheater came from outside the greater Grand Rapids area. “There’s a ton of energy from our consumers, staff and there’s just generally a lot of excitement,” said Chuck Buckingham, Chief Marketing Officer at Founders Brewing Company. “There have been a lot of people who have come into Grand Rapids for the first time.”
Data collected by Experience Grand Rapids indicates that concerts over the summer added to demand during busy hotel periods. Hotel occupancy increased on 30 of the 40 observed event dates. The strongest gain was 59%, while the top 8 dates saw a 22% increase in hotel occupancy rates compared to the year prior.
Businesses around the Amphitheater have seen an increase in foot traffic, increasing their sales. Partnerships between the venue and local businesses have brought in new customers.
“We did a collaboration with the Amphitheater for 5 Seconds of Summer, and that definitely brought in some new faces that we hadn’t seen before,” said Jon Bailey, Owner of Lantern Coffee. Bailey said partnerships like this also help local businesses build visibility while giving the venue a chance to see local people participating.
The Amphitheater has been a site for the community to gather and celebrate the development of Grand Rapids. At the ArtPrize Awards and Fashion Show on October 3, Grand Rapids set the Guinness World Record for the largest attended fashion show. Celebrity guest Bryan Cranston helped announce the award winners.
"We had high expectations for the Amphitheater's opening season, and by all accounts they were greatly exceeded,” said Rick Winn, Chair of the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority. “The Legends Global team went above and beyond to create a top-notch experience. The overwhelmingly positive comments from guests were great, and similar positive feedback from the shows, artists and touring personnel highlighted that our team did a fantastic job."
The Amphitheater has announced three shows for the 2027 season so far: Stick Figure, Greta Van Fleet, and Matchbox Twenty, with more show announcements expected in the coming months.
“Looking forward, we're excited to get more people downtown again, and have them want to come back,” said Elizabeth Kelly, General Manager of Peppino’s Downtown.
Find more end of season content on Acrisure Amphitheater’s
YouTube channel.
About Acrisure Amphitheater
Located along the Grand River in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, Acrisure Amphitheater is a 12,000+ capacity outdoor entertainment venue designed to host premier national touring acts and live entertainment along with community and private events. Acrisure Amphitheater joins a trusted network of Grand Rapids entertainment venues that have been successfully managed for more than 30 years. Acrisure Amphitheater is managed by Legends Global, the world’s leading premium live experiences company. To learn more, visit AcrisureAmphitheater.com or follow Acrisure Amphitheater on social.
About Legends Global
Legends Global is the premier partner to the world's greatest live events, venues, and brands. We deliver a fully integrated solution of premium services, including feasibility & consulting, owner’s rep, sales, partnerships, venue management, hospitality, merchandise, and content & booking. Through our white-label approach, we keep our partners front and center while leveraging the power of our global network: over 450 venues, 20,000 events, and 165 million guests annually. To learn more, visit us at LegendsGlobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
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