5 Things to do in Lansing this weekend, Feb. 24-26
This weekend in Lansing, you can help yourself to crêpes and hard cider or hang outdoors and drink mead while dressed as a viking. Or you can catch a hip hop show. Or a bluegrass show. And if fashion's your passion, you're in luck. Keep reading for more information.
Black Arts Matter Celebration
Every second Saturday of the month, Reo Town Sessions gives a new artist an opportunity to shine.
"It's our way of saying to these artists, 'We see you and we appreciate you,'" said Mikeyy Austin, the founder of the series, which is meant to build bridges between the community and its artists.
The showcases are followed by Q&A sessions with the audience.
On Friday, Reo Town Sessions will present something new as part of its mini "Arts Matter" concert series: The Black Arts Matter Celebration. There will performances from hip hop artists Ozay Moore and Saree Poems, along with Jared Autrey from Lansing Community College's dance program. Other performers include The Adante Group, Mikeyy Austin, and Alixandria Dekker from Sexton High School.
"We're putting an emphasis on black arts this time, but it's a celebration for everybody," Austin said.
All proceeds go toward providing scholarships for five Lansing School District seniors, who want to pursue higher education in the arts. The goal is to raise $5,000 in scholarships by May 2017.
How to go: Black Arts Matter Celebration, 6 p.m. Saturday. 1105 S. Washington Ave, Lansing. $10 at the door.
Run Boy Run at MSU Community Music School
Arizona band Run Boy Run describes its sound as a smooth blend of bluegrass, folk and the old timey American vernacular. The Bluegrass Situation praised them for their "harmonies, strings and a respect for heartfelt storytelling."
The band is a family affair, comprised of brother and sister Matt Rolland (fiddle, guitar) and Grace Rolland (cello), along with sisters Bekah Sandoval Rolland (fiddle) and Jen Sandoval (mandolin).
The quartet released the EP, I Would Fly, in September. It featured three new original songs and a cover of the Carter Family's "Hello Stranger." Run Boy Run is set to head back into the studio later this year to record new music.
On Saturday, concert goers can expect to hear a mix of new and old tunes, as well as a few Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen covers. The band will be accompanied by Ryan Alfred on bass.
How to go: Run Boy Run, 7:30 p.m. Friday. 4930 S. Hagadorn, East Lansing. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Tickets available online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2570315.
Michigan Nordic Fire Festival
Ever wanted to dress up as a viking?
Now's your chance. All weekend long, Nordic and Viking culture will be on full display at Charlotte's second annual Michigan Nordic Fire Festival.
"I didn't even know I had an inner Viking until we started this festival," said Bryan Myrkle, community development director of the City of Charlotte.
There will be food and mead, kid-friendly games, a Viking-inspired bonfire (weather permitting), as well as costume, horn blowing and archery contests.
How to go: Michigan Nordic Fire Festival. Bonfire. 7 p.m. Friday (weather permitting). Main festivities. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. 615 W. Shepherd St., Charlotte. $2 per person, $5 per family at the gate. The Viking Mead Hall Celebration. will take place from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. 127 S. Cochran Ave, Charlotte. $3 cover charge. Ages 21 and older. For additional information, go to www.michigannordicfirefestival.com.
Chandeleur Party: A Taste of France
Immerse yourself in French culture while helping yourself to crêpes and cider this Sunday.
Aux Petits Soins will host its first annual Chandeleur Party: A Taste of France, which is based on the European holiday Candlemas. In addition to food and beer, there will be crafts for kids, an informal French lesson and more.
"Back in France, we celebrate Chandeleur by getting together, singing songs, eating crêpes and drinking hard cider,” said Aux Petits Soins Founder Gaëlle Cassin-Ross in a news release. “And there’s a fun tradition where we flip crêpes with one hand for good luck. If you flip it neatly six times in a row, you get your wish. I miss doing that, and I really wanted to share that with people in the Lansing area.”
How to go: Chandeleur Party: A Taste of France, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 221 S. Washington Square, Lansing. $15 at the gate, children under 2 are free. Tickets available online at bpt.me/2873131.
MSU Fashion Week
What happens when you bring New York Fashion Week's environment to one of the largest college campuses in the country? You get Michigan State University's very own fashion week.
On Sunday, 11 MSU students will showcase their collections in a highly anticipated fashion show.
"I've been showing my line, Ninety6, at different fashion shows across the country," MSU student Ashton Keys. "And I thought we should create a platform for other MSU students to showcase their amazing talent."
A panel discussion featuring successful fashion entrepreneurs talking about how to start a clothing line is set to take place on Wednesday. MSU Fashion Week concludes on Friday with a pop-up shop, in which all the designers' creations showcased in Sunday's fashion show will be up for grabs.
How to go: MSU Fashion Week, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, 49 Abbot Road, East Lansing. $10 for general admission, $20 for VIP runway. Tickets available online at www.eventbrite.com/e/msu-fashion-week-by-ninety6-tickets-30444187384. Panel Discussion at 8 p.m. Wednesday. 325 E. Grand River Ave #345, East Lansing. Free admission. Pop-up Shop. 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. 300 S. Washington Ave, Lansing. Free admission, clothing prices vary.
Contact Princess Gabbara at pgabbara@lsj.com or 517-377-1006.