"If only we had…." It's one of the things you've probably heard people say in Lansing - expressing a desire for something they wish the city had but doesn't. Whether it's different festivals, a wider variety of food truck options, or more user friendly public spaces, there are many things people wish Lansing offered. But as Josh Holliday, the Tri-County Development & Placemaking Manager at LEAP points out, those wishes often go ungranted. Until now.
The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) has partnered with multiple local businesses and foundations to offer Lansing The Grand Experience. And what exactly is this experience, and what makes it so grand? Lots of things. Take a look...
Starting in early June, and running throughout the summer,
The Grand Experience offers Lansing residents and visitors to the area and opportunity to come together and interact with their public spaces in new ways. As Holliday points out, it's something of a social experiment, to see what works in the space, what people enjoy, and what is successful in reinvigorating the downtown area.
"We sat down with all of our partners in this initiative and asked them, 'what do you want to see happening in Lansing?' and this was the result." Holiday says. "Many of our partners wanted to provide people in the capital area with a hub, a space where they could gather, interact with one another and the environment in new ways, and enjoy the city. There were a lot of suggestions, but music and food trucks came up repeatedly, so we ran with that."
The Grand Experience brings food vendors and local musicians together for lunch and dinner throughout the week, and highlights some of the great things Lansing has to offer in the area. Food trucks will be parked in the plaza outside the Lansing City Market, and musicians will be performing while you enjoy delicious salads from the
Purple Carrot, fall-off-the-bone ribs from the
Smoke 'N Pig BBQ, or the
From Scratch Food Truck scrumptious chicken shawarma.
So if you're looking for something fun to do this summer, a new place to hang out, or a new food truck delicacy to sample, come on down and try the Grand Experience. And while you're there, check out all the other great things available in the area for the summer. Kayak the Grand river, walk the ARTpath, or pick up a few groceries at the City Market.
Source: Josh Holliday, Tri-County Development & Placemaking Manager, LEAP
Writer: Sarah Hillman, News Editor, Capital Gains
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