Old Town - Lansing, MI

Get Ready for the I Love Old Town Video Competition

This article was posted on Thu, Jul 30 2009 | Permalink

Creativity has never been in short supply in Old Town, and now community members and businesses have an opportunity to showcase just how ingenious they can be, and how well they work under pressure.  The Old Town Commercial Association will be hosting an “I Love Old Town” video competition to show everyone why Old Town really is so great.  Whether you have already established yourself as a filmmaker, or are looking to get your name out, this competition is for everyone.
This video contest will be a perfect platform for anyone to describe why they love Old Town and what they want other people to know about it. The videos can be fun or serious but should show originality.  The contest will begin Friday, September 11, 2009 at 6 p.m., and end Sunday, September 13, 2009 at 6 p.m.  All videos must be filmed, edited, and posted to YouTube by that time on Sunday. 
During the following week, the videos will be posted to the Old Town Lansing Facebook page, where people can either comment or use the “like” feature to vote for a video. The number of votes will be considered when local experts judge the films. One winner will be chosen, and that video will be used as a promotional tool for the Old Town Commercial Association to show everyone why Old Town is so great.  There is no limit to how many people may work on a video. This fast-paced event is sure to bring a lot of excitement and energy to Old Town, and we want as many people as possible to participate.
Rules and guidelines for the contest are in the process of being finalized, but anyone interested should contact the OTCA office at 517-485-4283 or e-mail .

Old Town’s Oktoberfest is on its Way!

This article was posted on Thu, Jul 30 2009 | Permalink

When the summer air begins to cool and the leaves begin to fall, it can only mean one thing in Old Town – Oktoberfest is on its way! This year, Oktoberfest will be held on Friday, October 9th and Saturday, October 10th in Lot 56 at the corner of Turner St. and Grand River Avenue.

Oktoberfest is Mid-Michigan’s only authentic German festival, and the authentic food, imported German beer, and traditional German dancing, bring crowds from all over the state. Every year the festival continues to grow, and this year the festival is expected to attract more people than ever. No one will want to miss out on the “musik, essen and bier” at the 2009 Old Town Oktoberfest!

Oktoberfest serves as one of the Old Town Commercial Association’s (OTCA) biggest fund raisers and provides the necessary income to carry out Old Town’s service efforts, community initiatives, and helps with the continued revitalization of Lansing’s historic and artistic Old Town neighborhood.

Of course, Oktoberfest would never be possible without the support of generous businesses and the talent provided by in-kind sponsors. The OTCA is always looking for ways to help out those who help us, and by being an Oktoberfest sponsor your business becomes visible to the more than 4,000 people that attend the festival throughout the weekend along with the countless others exposed to our extensive promotion efforts.
The OTCA is also starting to look for festival volunteers. So, mark your calendars and get ready for a great time! Year after year volunteers have a positive experience being an integral part of the festival. Volunteers also receive a special volunteer t-shirt and discounted tickets into the festival after their shift is over.

If you are interested in being a sponsor or a volunteer, please contact the OTCA office at 517.485.4283.

By the Riverside Celebrates One Year in Old Town

This article was posted on Thu, Jul 30 2009 | Permalink

By the Riverside, a gallery and art emporium on Turner St., has a year’s worth of success to celebrate! What started as two friends with a passion for art has formed into one of Old Town, Lansing’s finest specialty art emporiums. Karen Massoglia and Betsy Garza began their joint venture last summer, and are hosting a week long celebration event for By the Riverside’s first anniversary starting on Saturday, August 1, 2009.

The celebration event will include an anniversary cake in the store on Saturday, August 1st and their tasty neighbor, Portable Feasts, will be catering on Sunday, August 2nd for store visitors during this month’s 1st Sunday Gallery Walk. Throughout the week, the pieces of two featured artists, Jody Fine and Kurt Meister, will be on display. These local artists harvest unique talents and will be in the store during the Lansing Jazz Festival to answer questions and share the stories behind their pieces. Jody Fine’s glass works are a unique blend of exploding color, a keen sense of humor, and masterful craftsmanship, which are sure to please the Old Town crowd. In Kurt Meister’s paintings, the vibrant rhythms of music are captured in the colors on his palette and the movement of his brush strokes, instantly adding life to any space they are displayed.

Betsy and Karen look forward to another wonderful year with By the Riverside in Old Town and would love to have Old Town residents and visitors help celebrate this momentous occasion. To contact By the Riverside with any questions, call 517.484.6534.

Old Town Farmer’s Market

This article was posted on Fri, Jul 17 2009 | Permalink

The Old Town Farmers Market will create an economic outlet for farmers looking to expand their business, while establishing a community focal point which will bring more attention to local vendors that surround the city of Lansing.  The market will provide Old Town community members with a public location where they can buy fresh, locally grown, nutritionally rich produce and not be limited to leaving the community for healthy food choices. The market also strives to be accessible for all members of the community and is excited to be offering both Project FRESH coupons, as well as accepting the Michigan EBT Bridge Card this year.

Make sure you come down and check it out on August 2nd!

Market dates will be the first Sunday of every month from June to October, and is held in the Grand Café Sir Pizza parking lot on the corner of Turner St. and Grand River from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m..  For more info, please contact the OTCA office at 517-485-4283.

Old Town’s Community Build

This article was posted on Mon, Jul 13 2009 | Permalink

Join members of the Old Town community on August 15th from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. in building a beautiful playground along Lansing’s Grand River in Burchard Park. The OTCA has partnered up with the City of Lansing to provide a safe and fun area for children to play in the Old Town area with the help of Sinclair Recreation, LLC.

The Old Town district is growing significantly, and has been for the last several years. With the number of families moving into Old Town, the need for a safe place for children to play has grown. The construction of this playground will provide an area for families to spend the afternoon by the river while enjoying all Old Town has to offer.

As a community build project, all installation is done by volunteers, under the supervision of a certified Sinclair Recreation representative. All of the equipment for the playground has been stored by our generous donors at Lansing’s local Two Men and a Truck storage building and they have also kindly donated their services for delivery of the equipment the day of the build. Our goal is to work together to give members of the community a place to play and relax without having to leave Old Town. With your help, we can save significant funds and build a much needed playground in one of Old Town’s greatest natural assets, while leaving our mark on the community.

While we are looking for volunteers with building experience, all volunteers are welcome to come down and lend a hand, no matter how small. Throughout the day, snacks and refreshments will be provided by Sir Pizza.

The playground will take most of Saturday to build, but we will be celebrating this hard work on August 19th from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. during the official opening in Burchard Park. Even if you couldn’t make it out for the build, don’t miss out on being a part of the grand opening.

Mayor Virg Bernero will be helping us welcome this great addition with a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. The following two hours will be dedicated to bringing the community together to enjoy what we all had a part in creating. Old Town businesses will be providing free, fun activities for children, cold treats, and of course, a place to play. Impression Five Science Center has planned a “slime” workshop for the kids to learn while having fun. There will also be special guest appearances by some of your favorite Disney Princesses with the opportunity to meet them.  Afterward, we encourage you to hang around the park and relax!

If you are interested in volunteering on August 15th, please contact Chad at , or by calling 517-485-4283. 

Don’t miss this chance to have a lasting impact on future generations.