After a year off, the annual Silver Bells in the City celebration is set to take place in Lansing, Michigan, this Friday (Nov. 19).

Each year, the free event draws more than 45,000 people to the capital city. It always happens on the Friday before Thanksgiving. Here’s what you need to know if you’re heading to downtown Lansing for the festivities.

When?

Silver Bells in the City kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday (Nov. 19) in downtown Lansing.

Events

The Silver Bells Village is open from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.p. offering holiday shopping, refreshments and the chance to purchase the 2021 Silver Bells commemorative ornament. The Village is spaced out on the 100 E. Block of Allegan Street between South Washington Square and Grand Avenue.

The 24th Annual Electric Light Parade starts at 6 p.m. It takes off from the corner of Lenawee and S. Washington Square. This year’s parade will feature more than 60 units featuring thousands of lights, high school marching bands, horse drawn carriages, Santa and more. The IBEW Local #665 and NECA present the parade.

The lighting of the official State of Michigan Christmas Tree take places around 7:30 p.m. The tree lighting is staged right in front of the State Capitol.

A community sing is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. featuring music from Detroit’s Zania Alaké.

What’s new?

In leu of fireworks, this year’s Silver Bells will feature a Drone Holiday Light Show at 7:45 p.m. A press release promises, “an amazing Firefly Drone Light Show will illuminate the sky, choreographed to music.” The show is designed and orchestrated by artists and engineers who have done light shows for Amazon Music, Capitol One Orange Bowl, Disney+, Ford Motor Company and more.

More information

For weather, traffic and emergency information for this year’s Silver Bells event, sign up to get text messages from organizers by texting “silverbells” to 888-777.

Silver Bells is presented by the Lansing Board of Water and Light and the City of Lansing and coordinated by a coordinating committee under the direction of the Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority.

A live broadcast of the show will air from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on FOX 47 and local Comcast Channel 12. Replays will run on FOX 47 on Thanksgiving Day from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Friday, 11/26 (Black Friday) from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.,
Saturday, 11/27 from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and Saturday, 12/25 (Christmas Day) from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.