Lansing's Big Red Ornaments are back, bringing a familiar holiday tradition to the heart of downtown as the city prepares for its annual winter celebrations.
Crews from the Lansing Board of Water & Light and the city's Public Service Department installed the oversized decorations Thursday, Nov. 5, in the traffic circle at Michigan Avenue and Washington Square.
The installation featured performances by the Waverly High School Marching Band and Everett High School's dance team and color guard.
Lansing Mayor Andy Schor joined the celebration, describing the ornaments as a source of community pride.
“We’re coming into the holiday season. It’s that time of year,” Schor said. “That’s what we’re all about. Four seasons, and this is Lansing, we’re the capital city. We get to show off all the cool things we get to do. So I just — I love it.”
The red decorations replace the giant jack-o'-lantern ornaments installed downtown for Halloween, marking another seasonal transformation of the traffic circle.
The ornaments have become a recognizable part of Lansing's holiday identity. WKAR previously explored how the decorations developed a devoted following, including the nickname "Orbs of Winter" popularized by the local satire platform Lansing Facts.
Cathleen Edgerly, executive director of Downtown Lansing Inc., said the ornaments have become a popular backdrop for family and wedding photos.
She said families return year after year to take pictures with the decorations, making them part of their holiday traditions.
The ornaments' return also signals the countdown to the 42nd annual Silver Bells in the City celebration on Friday, Nov. 20.
The event will feature the Electric Light Parade, holiday shopping, the lighting of Michigan's official Christmas tree, and a drone show and fireworks over the Capitol.
This year's state Christmas tree, a 60-foot spruce from Iron Mountain in the Upper Peninsula, is scheduled to arrive in Lansing Saturday, Nov. 7.
