Peterborough DBIA Launches Holiday Shopping Passports; Hosting Holiday Window Contest

/

The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) has launched its holiday season programs including Holiday Shopping Passports and Window Contest announced at the Venture North Building on Monday.

(from left to right) Terry Guiel, DBIA executive director; Jocelyn Gilmour, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourish visitor experience officer and Hilary Flood, DBIA communications and marketing manager kicking off the DBIA’s holiday. Every $100 locally spent is up to $48 stays in our community, compared to just $14 at big box stores according to the DBIA. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The passport returns is a rewards incentive program to shop and enjoy downtown Peterborough with 152 participating stores.

Last year’s program saw shoppers stamp more than $2.6 million worth of Holiday Shopping Passports. Each $10 spent earns a stamp and every filled card — of $200 spent — earns a ballot for a grand prize of a $1,500 Boro Gift Card drawn on Jan. 11. Early Bird Draws draw on Dec. 7, 14 and 21 where a $500 Boro Gift Card is being given out to one person on its respective day.

Free stamps are available at the Peterborough Public Library, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Visitors Centre and the DBIA office.  

“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,” said Terry Guiel, DBIA executive director. “Our small businesses put a lot of care and love into the holiday season to capture the magic and charm of in-person shopping.”   

Photo courtesy of DBIA.

Shoppers can vote online for their favourite storefronts from Nov. 14 to Dec. 6. for the DBIA’s Holiday Window Contest with the theme as Winter Woodland. They can be seen online or in-person at downtown locations for the holiday displays.

The prizing for the winning stores are as follows:

  • First place: $1,000

  • Second place: $500

  • Third place: $300

Photo courtesy of DBIA.

The DBIA has partnered with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism to increase tourist shopping for the downtown core as out-of-town shoppers play a major role in the economic health of downtown according to the DBIA.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism designed ‘The Peterborough HAULiday Gifting Getaway’ hotel package that offers visitors an opportunity to receive a $100 Boro Gift Card and a swag bag with local gifts. Tourists receive this when they book an overnight stay at any one of the participating hotels in the City of Peterborough between Nov. 14 and Dec. 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.

The City of Peterborough is providing free two-hour parking downtown beginning Black Friday (Nov. 26) until the end of December courtesy of Wolfe Lawyers.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.