Holiday shopping season in full swing
Nov. 14, 2022 – DBIA launches holiday season programs including Holiday Shopping Passports and Window Contest in downtown Peterborough’s historic shopping district.
The Downtown Business Improvement Area has made a list and checked it twice to ensure that this holiday season, shopping local will be a win for everyone!
The Holiday Shopping Passport returns this year to reward people for shopping, dining, and enjoying downtown. Last year’s program saw shoppers stamp more than $2.6 million worth of Holiday Shopping Passports.
Holiday Shopping Passports are now available at 150 participating shops, boutiques, salons, restaurants, and cafes in downtown Peterborough. Shoppers can expect to earn a passport stamp for every $10 you spend whenever you eat, shop, and support local in downtown Peterborough. Keen stamp collectors can collect free stamps at the Peterborough Public Library, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Visitors Centre and the DBIA office.
Early bird draw dates will take place on December 7, 14 & 21 for a $500 Boro gift card. The final grand prize draw will take place after the holiday season on January 11 where one lucky passport holder will win a $1,500 Boro gift card shopping spree.
Shopping local during the holiday season is vital for a healthy local economy. For every $100 that you spend locally, up to $48 stays in our community, compared to just $14 when you shop at big box stores.
“This year, we decided to launch both our Passport program and Holiday Window contest in tandem to really increase a sense of excitement and holiday ambiance in the downtown core,” says Terry Guiel, Executive Director of the Downtown Business Improvement Area. “Our small businesses put a lot of care and love into the holiday season to capture the magic and charm of in-person shopping. The physical shopping experience and visual storytelling of our downtown business community is something you just can’t replicate online. Interventions like our Passport program and the Holiday Window contest is what gives us an edge in the market during the holiday season.”
Patrons of the downtown can vote online for their favourite storefronts from Nov 14 to Dec 6. This year’s Holiday Window Contest theme is Winter Woodland. Visit theboro.ca to see this year’s magnificent holiday displays with more storefront windows being added throughout November.
While the DBIA is focused on ensuring local enthusiasm for supporting small business continues into the 2022 holiday season, attracting new customers is also a priority for the downtown. Out-of-town shoppers play a major role in the economic health of downtown.
This year, the DBIA will be teaming up with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism to attract visitors to the city centre with a new program slated to draw overnight tourists into the downtown core specifically for shopping.
Designed by Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism- The Peterborough HAULiday Gifting Getaway hotel package offers visitors to the region an opportunity to receive a $100 Boro Gift Card and a swag bag with local gifts when visitors book an overnight stay at any one of the participating hotels in the City of Peterborough between November 14 and December 23.
“We are excited to be working alongside our partners at the DBIA to support local hotels during a need period in the late fall shoulder season and to encourage increased spending in the downtown during the holiday shopping season,” says Joe Rees, Director of Tourism, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.
While the community and visitors alike flocking downtown to shop this holiday season, the City of Peterborough will be providing free 2-hour parking in the downtown beginning Black Friday (Nov 26) until the end of December courtesy of Wolfe Lawyers.
For more information on this year’s Holiday Shopping Passport and Holiday Window Contest visit www.theboro.ca To learn more about the HAULiday Gifting Giveaway go to www.thekawarthas.ca/getaway.
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Media contact:
Hillary Flood
Communications & Marketing Manager
705-748-4774 ext 203