Downtown Lansing’s big red ornament balls are back.
With a police escort Thursday, crews from the Lansing Board of Water and Light brought the fiberglass sculpture known by some as The Orbs of Winter to the traffic circle at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Washington Square.
Dick Peffley is the General Manager of the BWL.
"Our crews like it. They're excited about it, couldn't ask for a better day to do it. And at the same time, we got crews around the corner starting to do the decorating of the holiday tree," he said.
The state Christmas tree will be lit during Lansing's 40th annual Silver Bells in the City event November 22.
This year, 14 local businesses will offer specials and deals through November 14 to celebrate the kickoff off the holiday season.
Cathleen Edgerly is the Executive Director of Downtown Lansing Inc. She says what they’re calling Big Red Ball Week is meant to encourage people to keep their money in Lansing’s local economy.
"It's just a way to come together as a community, lean into that Lansing culture and the relationship with the ornaments," she said.
Downtown Lansing Inc. is also holding a new fundraising gala December 7 called the Big Red Ball to raise money to rehabilitate historic downtown buildings and support placemaking projects.
Lansing Mayor Andy Schor said since the red balls have become a cult favorite, city officials are already planning for a bigger celebration next year.
The BWL is a financial supporter of WKAR.
