A seasonal market is returning to Downtown Lansing Friday evening.
The Kringle Holiday Market at Reutter Park is hosting several vendors selling holiday-themed gifts and goods for the second year in a row.
Cathleen Edgerly is executive director of Downtown Lansing Inc, the organization hosting the program. She said the market will also put on free events to attract visitors.
“There's things like skating, cookie decorating, scavenger hunts, hot chocolate, pictures of Santa and Nonna Claus," Edgerly said. "And when you're looking at different holiday gift giving items and shopportunites, we have plenty of options.”
Edgerly said visitors can offer donations to support different community groups each night.
“And then they also have donation bins for everything from, you know, winter wear, such as coats, hats, mittens, uh, blankets, feminine products that are needed, books, toys, things of that nature,” she said.
City officials installed wooden sheds for the holiday market vendor space in Rutter Park last year. The move drew criticism from advocates for the unhoused, who said it’s inappropriate for Lansing to operate sheds in a space where homeless residents gather to receive support.
Edgerly said representatives of Punks with Lunch and The Fledge will be on-site this year to offer support to unhoused community members.
