The 21st annual Be a Tourist in Your Own Town event, showcasing businesses and attractions across Lansing, East Lansing and MSU, kicks off Saturday morning.
Campus attractions include tours of Beaumont Tower, showings at the Abrams Planetarium, an "instrument petting zoo" at the MSU Community Music School and much more.
Participants can buy a passport for $1 at various locations across the community, which allows access to participating attractions for free on the day of the event. The event ends at 5 p.m. and includes over 90 attractions this year. It is put on by the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau and is expected to draw an estimated 15,000 visitors and residents.
Free parking as well as day-long CATA bus rides for a one-time, 50-cent fee are included as part of Be a Tourist in Your Own Town.
Be a Tourist is an event for all ages with attractions such as the Potter Park Zoo and Impression 5 Science Center for the kids and brewery tours and a ride and drive event at the General Motors assembly plant for adults, Siri Rainone, a visitor information specialist at the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau, said.
According to lansing.org, Be a Tourist in Your Own Town has the goal of bringing exposure to local attractions and businesses.
One of the businesses involved in this year’s event hoping to benefit from this exposure is Curious Book Shop located at 307 E. Grand River Ave. in East Lansing.
“A lot of people aren’t aware of us and this gets new customers into the shop,” said Ray Walsh, owner of Curious Book Shop. “We are always here to support marketing events that help bring people into the East Lansing and Lansing area. It is important for the local economy.”
Curious Book Shop will offer free refreshments and a 20 percent discount to those with passports on the day of Be a Tourist in Your Own Town.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
