Silver Bells to include LCC watch party

By Mallory Stiles
Editor in Chief

This year’s Silver Bells in The City will be occurring on Friday, Nov. 17 from 5 to 9 p.m. in downtown Lansing. Any and all who are ready to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season are welcome.

Silver Bells has been inspiring a sense of community since 1984, and continues to bring joy and laughter to all who attend.

LCC Student Ashley Houseman said it is somewhat of a family tradition to her.

“Me, my dad and my sister usually go every year,” Houseman said. “I like seeing the lights and seeing the people.”

The parade will kick off at 6 p.m., starting at the corner of Lenawee Street and South Washington Square. More than 70 units, including special guests and high school marching bands, will be participating.

There will be a performance by both Grand Marshal India Graham, a professional model who attended Lansing Eastern High School, and a Tree Lighting Performance by NBC’s “The Voice” star Grace West. After that, the sky will light up as over 200 drones put on a choregraphed show to music.

Finally, fireworks over the State Capitol will signal the event’s end. The Silver Bells Village, located on the 100 block of East Allegan St. between South Washington and Grand Avenue, will offer the chance for refreshments, light shopping and a chance to purchase this year’s commemorative bulb.

The event is presented by both the City of Lansing and Lansing Board of Water and Light, but there are many sponsors who contribute to making this annual event all that it is.

LCC is a brass bells sponsor, and will be resuming its “watch party” for the first time since the pandemic. Student volunteers are always welcome, but mere attendance of the event helps, too.  

The party at LCC will begin on Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m. The parade will be shown on the jumbo screens inside the Gannon Building Commons. There will be free caricature art and hot cocoa, as well as kids’ crafts and cookie decorating.

There will also be live reindeer available for what LCC calls “reindeer encounters” where guests can pet, feed and take selfies with a real reindeer outside near LCC’s Circle Drive.

Professional tutor Arie Weidner did not originally plan on attending this year’s Silver Bells event, but quickly changed his mind after hearing about all the things LCC is planning.

“I would go mainly for the reindeer,” he said