Any advice on how to conduct a Main Street stroll?
The idea is to get our locals to actually come into our stores. We have many retirees with money living in our community but they seem to have no use for Main St. They often drive several hours to the nearest city to shop. We are wanting to create an event to get them to come into our stores and check it out.
Thinking of having wine, chocolates, food, entertainment. Don’t have a large budget.
Thanks for any help or direction you could give me.
Rene Smith
Co-Director Custer County Chamber of Commerce
Westcliffe, CO
 |
| Alva, Oklahoma, Art Walks have been going for a year and a half now. |
Around here, I hear more often about “Art Walks” than “Main Street strolls,” but the concept seems to be the same: putting the focus on downtown or a shopping or arts district for a special evening event. Businesses stay open late. Artists display their works. Musicians perform. Some businesses put out refreshments. Some run specials or offer other incentives to make a purchase. The emphasis is on community and fun.
I have a couple of video interviews that might help with establishing a walk or stroll, one is from an established art walk in Hutchinson, Kansas, and one from a just-getting-started art walk in Alva, Oklahoma.
In an unrelated, but possibly helpful topic, here’s how one merchant started something that really packs downtown for shopping.
New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Subscribe.
- Community engagement planning: old way vs. Idea Friendly way - October 3, 2021
- Boost your maker economy with a “Made in” day - September 17, 2021
- How a ghost town made something from nothing with a folk festival - September 3, 2021
- Rural business idea: sell foraged fruits and more - August 3, 2021
- Best practices for rural housing - July 19, 2021
- How to be more open to new ideas #IdeaFriendly - July 3, 2021
- Market your small town as a movie filming location, attract movie and game fan tourists - June 28, 2021
- Survey of Rural Challenges 2021 results, analysis of themes from 2015 through today - June 7, 2021
- What makes a small town a micropolitan or nanopolitan? - May 22, 2021
- Improving Rural Housing: turning blighted dilapidated houses into new homes - May 7, 2021
We actually have an “art walk” in Steamboat Springs, CO and it has become wildly popular. I moved from my beloved Steamboat 4 years ago but this event was hosted through the Arts Council. If you are interested, contact me and I will put you in touch with the right folks.
Elaine@Elaine4Success.com
We have a monthly “2nd Saturday Art Night” here in Sonora, CA that has been going for about three years. It started slowly but with some tireless organizers and support from our local Arts Council, it has become a destination event. And this from a town with a reputation for rolling up the sidewalks after dark. You can get a good feel for the event on their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sonora-2nd-Saturday-ART-Night/240245406071376
Greg, Elaine, thanks for sharing connections with your own local resources!