Holiday centerpiece workshop at Grove Gallery — once again all of our pieces were unique and beautiful.

While it might seem counterintuitive that I suggest you take a walk outdoors as the days get shorter and colder and grayer, the Greater Lansing First Sunday Gallery Walk can be the perfect antidote to a dreary winter weekend. On the first Sunday of the month, from noon to 5:00 p.m., a variety of venues in the Greater Lansing area have special exhibitions, activities, and treats for visitors.

It can be a challenge to find details about participating venues without checking each one individually, but it’s safe to assume most local galleries will be open during this time. Lansing.org has a list with phone numbers for many of the participating galleries. The Old Town Commercial Association’s website offers details about several Old Town participants. I tend to wander around and see what’s happening in one section of town, although yesterday I managed to squeeze in locations in East Lansing and Old Town.

Every month is a little different, and most of our local galleries update their shows regularly. Sometimes there are workshops — yesterday I had a great time making a beautiful wreath centerpiece at Grove Gallery; I could hear adults and kids enjoying the ornament-making workshops they also hosted all afternoon. Sometimes there are specials — yesterday I got a free print from Katalyst Gallery’s artist of the month with my purchase. Sometimes there’s music — I recently heard the Honey Badgers play at Absolute Gallery in Old Town. Sometimes there are unexpected special events — yesterday I found a several treasures at the Creole Building Archives sale.

Not only are Gallery Walks free (though you may find yourself making unplanned purchases), many of the venues have cookies, wine, coffee, or other treats for their visitors. It’s a great way to show off our community to out-of-town visitors. It’s also a really pleasant “date day” with your sweetie, especially if you start with lunch or end with dinner. Since the walks are self-guided, if the weather is bad you can drive from location to location or just bundle up and make quick stops along the way.

A few notes:

• Lansing Art Gallery is open 1-4 p.m. the first Sunday of the month.
• The Creole Building Archives sale will be open 4-7 p.m. Friday and noon-5 p.m. Saturday through Christmas (or by appointment). I caught a preview of the goodies at this month’s Underground of Good event, and I know they sold a lot of what they had, but they still have a lot of art to move to make way for building renovations. This is a rare opportunity to purchase local memorabilia, including many posters from Old Town and Creole Gallery events; sketches and paintings by Robert Busby; and original artwork at heavily discounted prices.
• I haven’t spotted Bradly’s Home and Garden on any of the Gallery Walk lists, but if you’re in Old Town you won’t want to miss seeing Craig Mitchell Smith’s gorgeous kiln-formed glass art.

Art by Marsha Grill, Katalyst Gallery’s current featured artist.

A few of the Creole Building Archives sale offerings: