RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2023
CONTACTS: Anne Mancour, Marketing Manager, Sloan Museum of Discovery/Longway Planetarium
Direct: 810.237.3443 | Email: AMancour@SloanLongway.org
Phillip Krapohl, Communications & Marketing Manager, Flint Institute of Arts
Direct: 810.237.7387 | Email: PKrapohl@FlintArts.org
The Holiday Walk Returns to the Flint Cultural Center Campus December 5
Flint, MI – The 38th Annual Holiday Walk returns to the Flint Cultural Center campus on December 5, 2023, 5-8 p.m. This Flint holiday tradition takes place on the beautifully decorated 33-acre campus of the Flint Cultural Center and is free to the public.
The campus will be transformed into a winter wonderland with new holiday light displays, festive live music, live performances, movies, seasonal crafts, free planetarium holiday sampler shows, and photos with Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus and their elves in the FIM Whiting Auditorium. The Claus Family, along with Chairperson of the Genesee County Commissioners Ellen Ellenburg, will kick off the Holiday Walk at 5:15 p.m. with the annual holiday tree lighting ceremony, located between the Flint Institute of Arts and the FIM Flint Repertory Theatre off of E. Kearsley Street.
Old Newsboys of Flint has been selected as the charitable recipient of donations. Participants are invited to bring clothing, socks, gloves, dental hygiene products or toys during the Holiday walk and deposit them in one of the Old Newsboys of Flint donation boxes located inside the Flint Cultural Center venues along the Holiday Walk route.
Food trucks from Northern Smoke BBQ, Mr. Prince Gourmet and Bella Concessions will be selling food on East Kearsley Street during the event.
Participating organizations and free activities include:
Flint Institute of Arts – 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. free showings of Muppets Christmas Carol movie in the Theatre; make-and-take art projects in Isabel Hall; hot shop glass-blowing demos; CARS 108 live remote; Palette Café and bar open for purchases
The Sloan Museum of Discovery – Special display of the commemorative golden 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe chassis in the lobby; four primary hands-on galleries open; Discovery Lab maker’s space open with free supplies for crafts; Museum Store open with sale pricing for holiday shoppers; Coffee Beanery Café inside lobby open; Hot Cocoa for purchase
Longway Planetarium – FREE timed tickets to a sampler of Cosmic Christmas Light Show; tickets available starting at 4:30 p.m. in the E. Kearsley Street tent, first-come, first serve, available one hour prior to each show until the tickets are gone; shows are at 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. No late seating; Planetarium gift shop open for holiday gift shopping.
FIM Dort Music Center – musical performances and family activities; giant Nutcracker rocking chair for festive photos (line closes at 7:45 p.m.); hot chocolate and cookies; improv games
Gloria Coles Flint Public Library – 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. performances by Carman Ainsworth High School String Orchestra; 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. family music making & rhythmic story times; 5:30-7:30 p.m. create your own holiday themed crafts; refreshments
FIM Flint Repertory Theatre – musical cabaret performances of holiday classics in the Elgood Lobby; special treats
Applewood – carolers; ice carvings; hot cider and cookies; holiday lights
FIM Whiting Auditorium – 5:30-8 p.m. free photos with Santa (line closes at 7:30 p.m.); 5:30-7:30 p.m. live music by El Ballet Folklórico Mariachi Band
Flint Cultural Center Academy –refreshments; makers fair (items will be available for purchase)
Old Newsboys of Flint – accepting donations at all nine Flint Cultural Center venues.
Parking is free at all Flint Cultural Center public parking lots. Each venue along the Holiday Walk route will have event maps in advance and during the event to plan your walk to the various organizations on campus.
About the Flint Cultural Center Holiday Walk:
The Holiday Walk has been a tradition for 38 years and began as the Flint Cultural Center’s way of giving back to the community. Thousands of visitors attend the free event each year. The 2023 Holiday Walk is supported in part by these sponsors: The View Newspaper Group; FlintPrints; ABC 12; the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation; and the Genesee County voters who approved the Arts, Education & Cultural Enrichment millage. Learn more at www.FlintCultural.org
