Silver Bells in the City is 'On' for this Evening in Downtown Lansing

Downtown Lansing will be alive with holiday fun and excitement this evening! For the 38th year, the "Silver Bells in the City" celebration will take place. It is the city's official kickoff of the holiday season.

The activity is slated to start at 5 pm today with a retail market off Allegan Street. It will end around 9 o'clock with a drone light show and a fireworks display.

People interested in watching the Silver Bells celebration on TV can tune in to Fox 47 and Comcast Channel 12 starting at 6 pm.

Officials encourage folks coming downtown for the festivities to bundle up, wear comfortable shoes and create a parking plan for the event.

Several streets will close at 3:45 this afternoon to prepare for the Silver Bells in City festivities:

• Capitol Avenue will be closed in both directions from Hillsdale to Ottawa streets;

• Washington Avenue will be closed in both directions from Hillsdale to Ottawa streets;

• Hillsdale Street will be closed from Capitol to Washington avenues; and

• Ottawa Street will be closed from Capitol to Washington avenues.

Lansing's "Free Parking Friday" program is in effect now through the end of the year.

Additionally, parking is free after 4 pm at the state of Michigan's Allegan Street and state library visitor lots, the Elliott-Larsen lot, and Allegan, Ottawa, Butler, and Pine surface lots. Parking is free after 5 p.m. at the state's Roosevelt ramp.

In addition, officials say parking is available for $5 per vehicle at the following city ramps:

• North Capitol Ramp at 300 N. Capitol Ave.;

• North Grand Ramp at 219 N. Grand Ave.;

• South Capitol Ramp at 320 S. Capitol Ave.; and

• Lansing Center lots at 333 E. Michigan Ave.