Michigan’s largest and second oldest film festival, the East Lansing Film Festival (ELFF), celebrates 25 years in 2022 and this year’s festival promises to be extra special! November 2nd through the 10th, 2022.
ELFF celebrates the silver screen with a week long, world-class exhibition of independent films in Lansing every year. The festival’s 9 days see over 100 films, including feature-length films, short subject, and documentaries.
Festival films are chosen for their alternate viewpoints, cultures, and backgrounds in the hopes that they will be enlightening as well as entertaining. Many of the films even premiere at the festival. Exciting!
So exciting, in fact, that even celebrities attend. Screenings at the East Lansing Film Festival draw not just fans but also industry insiders. Big names like Oliver Stone, Michael Moore, and Bruce Campbell, to name but a few past luminaries.
This will be doubly true at this year’s festival. 2022 marks ELFF’s silver anniversary and attendees can expect lots of special events and guests. Most of the details are still under wraps but excitement is building for Michigan’s largest and most diverse film event.
If your plans have you in the Lansing area around the end of August, there are a couple of annual events you should be aware of. Both the Greater Lansing Balloon Festival and Sun Dried Music Festival 2019 are scheduled for the weekend of the 23rd.
It seems like there is always something going on in our area. Fairs, festivals, concerts, dinners, holiday events, and more. The English Inn’s location in Eaton Rapids has us surrounded by the action; an opulent oasis of peace and comfort to retreat to after a day or evening of fun.
Upcoming August events illustrate this perfectly.
Greater Lansing Balloon Festival 2019, for example, is held in Lansing, MI just 15 minutes to the north of The English Inn Restaurant & Pub. Sun Dried Music Fest 2019, on the other hand, is held in Mason, MI – also just 15 minutes from our Michigan Inn but to the east, this time.
Whatever it is you hope to do in the Lansing area – sight see, enjoy a sumptuous meal, attend an event, get married, or simply relax – The English Inn is here for you!
It’s officially fair season and The English Inn is conveniently located between two of the state’s finest: Eaton County Fair 2019 (July 8-13) and The 165th annual Ingham County Fair (July 29 – August 3, 2019).
Both fairs are less than 20 minutes away from our Lansing area inn, restaurant, and pub, The English Inn.
County fairs are an excellent way to spend a summer evening. The noise and lights of the midway, the smell of popcorn and cotton candy, laughter, calliope music, and good, old-fashioned fun.
Our location along the Grand River in Eaton Rapids puts us in the unique position of being just minutes from two excellent and time honored fairs. Both the Eaton and Ingham County Fair are worth your time.
Common Ground Music Festival is dropping a bit early this year. The four-day, live music extravaganza, typically held in July, is scheduled for June 27th through the 30th, 2019. If you’re looking for somewhere spectacular to stay during the event, you’ve come to the right place!
2019 marks the 20th anniversary of Common Ground Music Festival, an event known for the big name acts it brings to Lansing, MI every year. More than 500 artists have graced the festival’s stages, including local, regional, and national acts.
The festival is held on 2 stages in downtown Lansing’s lovely Adado Riverfront Park, located along The Grand River. For larger crowds, there is the Auto Value Main Stage. This stage includes large video walls that provide the sense of a front row experience no matter where your seat. The Sparrow Stage, located well away from the big stage in north end of the park, offers a more intimate experience. The two stages provide multiple performances throughout the festival.
Common Ground includes a wide variety of food and drink offerings, long with the genre-spanning constellation of talent. There will be a customer lounge in the Terminal bar near the Sparrow Stage, along with other offerings located throughout the park.
Don’t miss Michigan’s premier outdoor music event of the summer!
It may be hard to believe but the end of another year is upon us. Make the most of your end of the year celebrations with English Inn Gift Certificates and our annual New Year’s Eve Dinner Special!
The historic English Inn Restaurant & Pub is more than just a fine Michigan bed and breakfast. Our award winning restaurant, overlooking the Grand River, is one of the area’s most popular dinner destinations. Best of all, we’re located on the lush and historic, 15-acre Medovue Estate in Eaton Rapids, MI, just a half hour from Lansing.
Consequently, one of the very best gifts you can give this year – or any – is an English Inn Gift Certificate.
English Inn Gift Certificates – The Perfect Present
Give the gift of travel and relaxation this holiday season with a gift certificate to the English Inn Restaurant & Pub.
Lansing’s Potter Park Zoo is always good for a visit – but during the holiday season it really shines. In fact, the zoo’s annual Wonderland of Lights and Winter Wine & Stein events have become a part of the area’s holiday traditions.
Two popular events that help to make the Lansing holiday season bright every year are held at Potter Park Zoo. Actually, the zoo hosts numerous special events throughout the year.
Potter Park Zoo
1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Lansing, MI 48912
Potter Park Zoo is home to more than 500 animals from 160 different species, many of which are threatened or endangered. Their population includes African lions, Amur tigers, snow leopards, black rhinos, meerkats, lemurs, mandrills and more. The zoo opened in the 1920’s and has been wowing visitors ever since.
ELFF 2018, Michigan’s largest and most diverse film event, celebrates its 21st anniversary this year. Feature-length, short subject, and documentary films, along with special guests, and related events fill out the festival week. November 1st through the 8th, 2018.
It’s hard to believe we’ve reached autumn already but at least it brings good things: cooler temps, fall foliage, and the return of ELFF!
ELFF (East Lansing Film Festival) is an annual film festival that brings independent films from around the world to Michigan. These films present other cultures, viewpoints, and backgrounds with the hope that they will enlighten, entertain, and educate audience members.
The festival includes both feature-length and short subject films, as well as documentary and student films. Many of those included in the festival are making their screen debut here in Lansing, which is doubly exciting.
Ahoy jazz lovers – the 24th annual Lansing JazzFest is set for August 3rd and 4th, 2018! This popular festival of great jazz performances sees local, regional, and national acts pulling out all the stops in the streets of Lansing’s Old Town.
Lansing JazzFest brings two full days of jazz and fun to Old Town Lansing. The event always attracts large crowds of 7,000 plus to hear free, live performances of often new and rare jazz.
Though the music is definitely the focus, that’s not all there is to the event! JazzFest also includes an booth-city of vendors selling excellent fresh food, arts and crafts, jewelry, clothing, accessories, and more. You’ll also have the chance to grab a seat in The Turnaround Lounge.
The Turnaround Lounge will be selling wine pours, along with both canned and draft beers. Further, the Turnaround Lounge is a prime location to enjoy music from both JazzFest’s main stages. A seat in the Turnaround Lounge is only $5 a day – but seating is limited so you’ll want to grab yours before they fill up!
March is Maple Month but Michigan Maple Syrup Weekend 2018 is just one of many events the Lansing area will see in celebration of the approaching spring.
Spring begins March 20th this year and the oncoming warmth of the season brings renewal, greening, and – of course! – maple sugaring time! Every year, the maple harvest begins anew. Michigan Maple Syrup Weekend celebrates Michigan’s oldest crop: pure Michigan maple syrup!
Michigan Maple Syrup Weekend is actually three weekends:
Southern Michigan – March 17th & 18th
Northern Lower Michigan – March 24th & 25th
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula – March 31st & April 1st
Maple farms here in the Lansing area will be celebrating Michigan Maple Syrup Weekend March 17th and 18th.
These special weekends provide you with the opportunity to experience the maple sugaring process at one of Michigan’s many maple farms. Maple farms and sugar houses across the state will open their doors to eager, maple-loving visitors. Guests will see tapped trees, learn the harvest process, and smell the amazing scent of boiling maple sap.
Maple is used for more than just syrup. It is also used to make maple candy, maple cream, maple sugar, and more! Many of the participating maple farms will not only provide an overview of the maple sugaring process but also a taste. Some will have samples of syrup, others may offer a full pancake breakfast! Many will have a variety of homemade maple treats, like maple taffy, to sample – yum!
Planning on being in the Lansing area around the holidays and hoping for some fun, festive events to celebrate the season? Great idea! The Lansing holiday events schedule will keep you busy from Halloween through to New Year’s Eve!
It may feel like we’re rushing things but take a look at your calendar and see: the holidays are almost upon us. Michigan’s Capital City region really sparkles with all of the end of the year celebrations. In fact, there is so much going on it is impractical to list anything but the highlights.
Lansing Holiday Events 2017 Silver Bells in the City – November 17th www.silverbellsinthecity.org
Silver Bells in the City is probably the biggest and most popular of the annual Lansing holiday events. The city is lit with thousands of merry, sparkling lights and decorations for the season. Events include the Electric Light Parade, Silver Bells Village, the lighting of the State Christmas Tree, live entertainment, and fireworks over the Capitol dome.