The Big Red Balls Have Returned to Lansing, and You Know What That Means

Did you feel that, Lansing?

It's now officially "holiday season" here in the Capital City.

How, you may ask? Considering we're still in the throes of fall and there hasn't been any crazy shift in the weather...

Because the Big Red Balls have arrived in Lansing.

Lansing's Big Red Balls Have Returned

Technically, their official name is the Orbs of Winter, but we all know them by their "real" name... the Big Red Balls.

The Big Red Balls are four giant red ornaments with white snowflakes on them. Every year around this time, they adorn the roundabout at Michigan Avenue and Washington Square in Downtown Lansing, making them the unofficial official bringers of the holiday season.

READ RELATED: Big Red Balls Aren't Enough—6 Things We Could Decorate the Lansing Roundabout With Year Round

This year, the Spooky Balls had to first come down to make way for the Big Red Balls, but they're up now!

Downtown Lansing's Spooky Balls - Spooky balls Downtown Lansing's newest addition to the roundabout for the Halloween season

The Big Red Balls were installed on Thursday, November 5, marking the start of the holiday season. Shortly after the Big Red Balls are installed, the state Christmas Tree will take its spot in front of the Capitol Building, bringing us one step closer to Silver Bells in the City and the lighting of Michigan's Christmas tree.

When Is Silver Bells in the City 2026?

This year's 42nd annual Silver Bells in the City celebration will take place on Friday, November 20 from 5 to 9 pm.

I'm happy to see that the Big Red Balls are still a mainstay of Lansing's holiday season. I think I can safely speak for all Lansing residents when I say we were worried they wouldn't return after being hit by a car in December 2018. Thankfully, the necessary repairs were made and the Big Red Balls returned to Lansing.