The people of Old Town Lansing are trying to start their week on a high note by bringing two different weekly events to continue to promote the revitalization of their part of the city.
Pickin’ in the Park runs from about 6 p.m. until dusk every Tuesday in both Turner Park, 1200 Turner St., near the Brenke Fish Ladder.
Burchard Park, 220 E. Maple St. Pickin’ in the Park is an open invitation jam session for local musicians to come together with others in the area to play for the crowd that gathers, said Sharen Lange, Old Town Business and Art Development Association event coordinator and public director.
“It’s not organized, really it’s a spontaneous, open creative event,” she said. “Pickin’ in the Park allows musicians an opportunity to sit together and play music in a beautiful park setting.”
The type of music varies depending on the musicians that show up to share, she said. The environment is pretty relaxed and genres range from folk to smooth blues among others, she said.
The crowd usually is made of people drawn in from the Old Town Business District who hear the music and decide to take a break from their daily activities to enjoy, she said.
“It’s a very inviting, comfortable, safe space,” Lange said. “Pickin’ in the Park is a nice gathering of people who love music.”
Elizabeth Hoelscher, an MSU alumna and Old Town Commercial Association intern, said the event draws a lot of talented local musicians to the parks to be creative.
With the open jam session atmosphere, she said they usually go until it gets too dark to play.
Schmooze on Tues. is another event designed to spark activity on the streets of Old Town during the week, said Michelle Taylor, owner of The Chrome Cat. At 5 p.m., nine different bars and restaurants in Old Town run specials on food and drinks, she said.
“It’s an extended happy hour,” Taylor said. “Really laid back and it tends to have a real mix of people, from professionals who work in Old Town to people who just happen to wander in.”
Lange said the event is an opportunity for people in the community to network while having a great time with local businesses. The events are just another way of trying to keep people coming down to Old Town for business and pleasure, she said.
“Businesses, residents, professionals and the nonprofits are all combining their collective energy to create new things in Old Town to make it a consistent destination in Lansing,” Lange said.
Hoelscher echoed Lange’s sentiments about the people in the area and said the group will continue to try to develop new events to continue to make Old Town a place to go in Lansing when the week seems long and people are looking for something to do.
“It’s a nice area and we’re trying to get people down there and see what it’s all about,” Hoelscher said.