Silver Bells in the City 2017: What you need to know

LANSING -- The 33rd annual Silver Bells in the City kicks off Friday in downtown Lansing.

The first-ever Silver Bells, held in 1984, drew approximately 5,000 folks, but the event grew steadily, hitting a peak attendance of more than 150,000 people in 2009.

"People come from all over Michigan just to see the Christmas tree lighting," said Layna Anderson, communications and marketing manager for Downtown Lansing, Inc. "It's a great way for the community to come together and kick off the holiday season."

RELATED: Meet the LSJ team at Silver Bells

Anxious to see the lighting of the State Christmas tree? What about the thousands of glistening lights and dozens of floats?

Here's what you need to know to have a blast at this year's Silver Bells in the City.

Events

Friday

The Electric Light Parade steps off at 6 p.m. Sparty will serve as grand marshal for this year's parade, which will feature more than 60 floats, 10 local high school marching bands and three horse-drawn carriages.

Immediately following the parade, a holiday sing-a-long will take place around the state Christmas tree.

Following the Christmas tree lighting at approximately 7:45 p.m., fireworks will cascade over the Capitol dome, weather permitting.

Shop 'til you drop at the Silver Bells Village, located on East Allegan Street between South Washington Square and Grand Avenue. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., vendors will sell novelty toys, baked goods, Michigan-themed items and the 2017 Silver Bells in the City commemorative ornament, which costs $20.

Visit Santa and his reindeer at the Lansing City Market, where you can munch on cookies and sip on apple cider. Free while supplies last.

Indie-pop band Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers will perform from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Lansing Center on 333 E. Michigan Ave.

Saturday and Sunday

Silver Bells 5K run/walk starts bright and early at 9 a.m. Saturday. The route starts and ends at the Capitol building, with the proceeds benefiting Silver Bells in the City and the Chris and Louise Holman Foundation. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes and arrive early at 8:15 a.m. for judging. Registration fee is $30. To register, go to runsignup.com/silverbells. Registration ends Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.

The route starts and ends at the Capitol building, with the proceeds benefiting Silver Bells in the City and the Chris and Louise Holman Foundation. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes and arrive early at 8:15 a.m. for judging. Registration fee is $30. To register, go to runsignup.com/silverbells. Registration ends Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. Brunch with Santa will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Troppo on 111 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing. Little ones can take a photo with Santa, decorate cookies and take part in holiday arts and crafts. Go to troppo.org to reserve a spot. $20 per person. Children under 2 are free.

Parking

All city-owned parking ramps will be free and open to the public starting at 5 p.m. Friday, as well as in the Lansing Community College ramp, the State of Michigan Roosevelt ramp, the State of Michigan lots behind the Hall of Justice off of Ottawa and Allegan Streets, the Lewis Cass lot off of Kalamazoo Street and the lots south of the Michigan Historical Museum off of Kalamazoo Street.

Weather

Rain showers could be approaching Friday evening, but clear skies are still expected, said Cort Scholten, a meterologist for the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids. Evening temperatures are expected to fall to a low of 40.

Folks attending Saturday's festivities will encounter rain for most of the day, with temperatures in the mid-40s. Otherwise, Sunday's forecast calls for mostly clear skies, with temperatures climbing into the mid-30s by mid-afternoon, Scholten said.

Want to receive weather, traffic or emergency text alerts for Silver Bells? Sign up by texting "silverbells" to 888-777.

Busing

There will be extra CATA buses dedicated to route #1, which will run approximately every 10 minutes Friday depending on traffic. Adult fare is $1.25. Discounted fare is 60 cents. Children 42 inches tall and under ride for free.

For a complete list of events and more information about Silver Bells in the City, go to www.silverbellsinthecity.org.

Contact Princess Gabbara at pgabbara@lsj.com or (517) 377-1006. Follow her on Twitter at @PrincessGabbara.