Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource

A row of small town shops

How to start a Main Street stroll or Art Walk

By

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

Art Walk This Friday
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.

What ideas do you have and what have you tried to get people downtown? Also, what do you call an event like this? 

New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Subscribe.

About Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.

Wondering what is and is not allowed in the comments?
Or how to get a nifty photo beside your name?
Check our commenting policy.
Use your real name, not a business name.


Don't see the comment form?
Comments are automatically closed on older posts, but you can send me your comment via this contact form and I'll add it manually for you. Thanks!

Comments

  1. 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

  2. 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

Howdy!

Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.

We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.

Meet our authors on the About page.

Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.

If you would like permission to re-use an article you've read here, please make a Reprint Request.

Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.

Shop Local

Buy local buttonReady to set up a shop local campaign in your small town? You'll need a guide who understands how we're different and what really works: Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns.

Best of Small Biz Survival

More of the best of Small Biz Survival

%d bloggers like this: