For many, winter can be a time of seasonal sadness, with cold temperatures making it more difficult to enjoy outdoor activities. However, Downtown Lansing Inc. has plans to bring a little more joy to the winter months.
Lansing Winterfest is set to take place throughout February, with events every weekend across the city. Events and marketing manager Jazmin Anderson expects a large turnout as the festival returns for the third year.
In the last few years, visitors have begun to look forward to their favorite events. Anderson said a favorite is typically the ice sculptures that are on display.
“Hopefully we bring something new and innovative each year. ... We really try to have some interactive (sculptures) too, like ones that you can take pictures with," Anderson said. "I think that people really loved checking those out."
The festival will include different themes for each weekend. The first weekend, beginning on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 11 a.m., will include the ice sculpture viewing, with s'mores and hot chocolate offered on the route.
A bar and brewery crawl, or "BrrrrrCrawl," will take place on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. across Lansing's Social District. The crawl schedule includes MichiGrain Distillery at 4 p.m., American Fifth at 5 p.m., MP Social at 6 p.m. and Lansing Brewing Company at 7 p.m.
An "Arctic Bazaar" will take place on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 11 a.m., including a human "Hungry Hungry Hippo Tournament," live music and small business shopping. AOTA Hip Hop will perform during the event. The tournament costs $25 for teams with participants 18 years old and older, and $10 for those under 18. Registration can be found online.
A River Front Party will be hosted on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 4 p.m. in Rotary Park. The event will include a boat race, euchre tournament and more winter games.
“Everybody is over winter, the cold, the snow and all the things that Michigan brings,” said Anderson. “To just take a weekend and kind of celebrate it as, kind of like, a last hoorah of the season is super fun.”
More information can be found on Downtown Lansing Inc.'s website.
