GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids has transformed into an innovative space for art, music, science and technology enthusiasts.

It’s all part of the confluence festival which is now in its second year.

While colleges and high schools competed in gaming and high-tech robotics competitions, the community engaged in hands-on activities designed to stimulate creativity.  

The director of the festival says it’s exciting to see how much the event has grown.

“Sometimes it’s tough for a first year event to get recognized and get traction and have people understand what you’re trying to do. So, we had a little bit of that last year,” Festival Director Brian Cohen said. “This year it feels like people understand the concept of the festival, all the different things that we are offering and how many different ways there are to plug in.”

He added, “No matter how old you are there is something for everybody and it’s really great to see Grand Rapids embrace it.”

The festival will last until 7 p.m. Saturday.

Following that, they will move inside the listening room at Studio Park for a psychedelic banjo performance by Tall Tall Trees.

The festival is free to attend. More information can be found at confluencefest.com.