Archive: Around Town

On the heels of a successful carnival last year, the Lansing Events Committee is ramping up its efforts to make the carnival an annual event, as well as to become involved in more events that celebrate the Town of Lansing and its community and culture.  The group is poised to sign a contract that will bring the carnival back to Lansing Central Fire Station again this year.

"We're trying to have the carnival every year," says The Lansing Events Committee President Valerie McMillen. "We've gotten the approval from the Lansing Fire Commissioners.  We'll probably do it again in September 7th and 8th.  Playland Amusement Company (that provides the carnival rides, games, and booths) would like us to add a day to cover them in case of a rain date.  We're going to work on that and see how the fire department feels about it."

With a differently structured contract, this year's carnival will have more rides and booths than last year, plus local booths and the popular Lansing Fire Department food pavilion.  Last year there were a half dozen rides.  This year there will be ten plus the giant slide and all the food trucks Lansingites remember from the time when the Fire Department sponsored the carnival.

The Fire Department carnival was suspended a few years ago after the department, manned by volunteers, hosted it for many years.  Last year a committee was formed to plan an event to celebrate the Town's bicentennial, and the carnival and parade were resurrected.  This time volunteers mainly not part of the fire department did the work, while the Fire District allowed the group to use the large field behind the fire station, and Cargill allowed use of its field across the street for parking.  Fire Department members will cook their usual fare and sell it in the food pavilion, but other than that they will be free to simply enjoy the event - if there aren't any emergencies they need to respond to.

"We don't want them to do any work," McMillen says. "We want to do it for them.  They did it for all those years and we want to give them a break.  But the guys enjoy that cooking, but we cleaned the kitchen and got the field ready for the carnival.  That's what we want to do.  We want to help out the community.  We don't think the firemen need to be doing that.  They love being in there cooking, and we'll help clean up afterwards."

This year the core group of nine committee members (McMillen, Scott McMillen, Darrell Rhoads, Angy Golden, Dennis Griffin, Norfe Pirro, Mesa Mayton, Barb Gregg, and Barb Reynolds) are formalizing their organization while planning this year's carnival and parade.  They are working to obtain 501 (c) (3) nonprofit status, and working on raising funds to pay for a band or DJ for the carnival, insurance, traffic enforcement, garbage removal, and other incidentals needed when hosting an event.

They are planning on holding -- this is Lansing, so what else?! -- a chicken barbecue on May 5th.

The Committee didn't charge for booth space at the bicentennial carnival, but starting this year will charge $40 to anyone who wants a booth to help make the carnival and other Lansing events sustainable.

While the carnival is currently the Committee's main event they are looking for ways to become involved with other local groups to help with their events.  McMillen says they are exploring the possibility of becoming involved with East Shore Arts Council exhibitions or concerts, the possibility of extending the Lansing Lions Club 4th of July Barbecue with more events, or help any group with events they hold or want to hold.  the Committee's mission statement provides for the group to support activities and charitable fundraising, Town community events, projects, activities, and programs, and support for public works and improvements, geared toward family-style activities celebrating the culture and diversity of the Town of Lansing.

With well over 1,000 attendees at last year's carnival, the Committee has been encouraged that the community wants this and other events.

"It was a great success last year," McMillen says. "A lot of people loved it.  We didn't have any big problems or issues -- everything went really smoothly.  Going forward we will have more rides; all of the food trucks will be there."

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