LANSING, Mich. — Excitement is in the air as downtown Lansing gears up for the annual Silver Bells in the City celebration this Friday.
Over in East Lansing, the Barron family is getting ready for their favorite holiday tradition.
The Barron’s have been coming to Silver Bells since 2015.
"It's just the ideal time to get into the holiday season," says Bryan Barron.
If you're joining the fun, here’s what you need to know.
The Silver Bells Village opens at 5 p.m. on Allegan Street. Perfect for holiday shopping, with seven food trucks ready to serve.
The Electric Lite Parade starts at 6 p.m., featuring 72 floats and 11 bands.
“It's just life size Tetris!," says Kenneth Kolp the parade's Assistant Staging Director. "You know, as the floats come in, you park them. You've got to adapt on the fly, because some people will say their floats 50 foot long, but in actuality, they are 65 feet long. So, you got to be flexible. You got to be you got to be on your toes. And I just enjoy it.”
Right after the parade, the tree lighting will brighten up the city, followed by a community sing-along led by David Archuleta, and a drone light show.
For the first time, Silver Bells is partnering with the Mid-Michigan Autism Association for a sensory-friendly experience.
“We are going to have a table in the village for the very first time, and headphones, and fidgets," says Cathy Blatnic. "They're gonna have just everything that anybody could think of to make the experience a little bit less overwhelming.”
Ken says the best thing to do is arrive downtown early on Friday. The Barrons’ agree.
Bryan Barron says his family usually takes public transportation downtown.
“We typically do an Uber to the edge of downtown, and then we walk to our spot near Midtown Brewing Company on Washington.”
For more tips visit the Silver Bells website at https://silverbellsinthecity.com/map
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
For more news in your neighborhood, go to our In Your Neighborhood page on our website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
