That’s Drew Howard doing “White Christmas” on the pedal steel
The Old Town district recently hosted a two-day Dickens Village. This unique section of Lansing is ideally suited to echoing the Victorian era, and the two horse-drawn “sleighs” were a nice touch. However, to lure Christmas shoppers to the area next year, Old Town should:
Victorian touches add authenticity
- Close the street to traffic (especially important if you want to draw families with young children)
- Add some street vendors selling roasted chestnuts, cocoa and other holiday treats
- Play carols through the PA system when the live artists are not performing
- Hire some jugglers and other Victorian-era performers (even a “pickpocket” or two who could be chased by the local constabulary)
- Post better signage and decorations - there were indoor events, such as the cooking demo with Chef Nick of Lansing Community College, that many people probably missed
- Consider stealing ideas from Cambridge, Ohio, which encourages each business to create a Dickens’ scene
