"Black Santa Experience" coming to Lansing

Lansing will have its first-ever immersive Black Santa Experience on Saturday, November 26 from 12 noon – 6 pm at The Venue, Lansing’s premier event space, located in the Lansing Mall.

Borne from the need for culturally inclusive holiday celebrations, The Black Santa Experience will allow children the opportunity to visit a Santa that looks like them. This year, Santa will be Lansing’s own Melik Brown, owner of Metro Melik 517. You can also listen to Melik on Stacks 92-1 radio, on weekday afternoons from 3:00 to 7:00 PM.

After visiting Santa, attendees can participate in cupcake decorating workshops led by award-winning gluten-free gourmet bakery, Sweet Encounter Bakery & Café. “Decorating yummy treats is quintessential to every holiday celebration and we love offering these experiences,” says Sweet Encounter owner Nikki Frazier. Thanks to State Farm agent Stacey Lewis, children can make their own Christmas tree ornament to take and write a letter to Santa. Hourly raffles will be held with 100% of the proceeds going to answering the requests of the children.

These kinds of business ventures uplift communities, fostering a sense of pride in the people that live there. “When you support Black-owned businesses, you get products that are valuable for the unique character they bring”, says Chad Jordan, owner of Cravings Gourmet Popcorn in Old Town.