CLINTON —
Downtown Clinton will brim with holiday cheer on Sunday as downtown businesses open their doors for the first Downtown Christmas Walk.
The event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. this Sunday and will span a large portion of downtown, with many of the businesses offering discounts.
Food, drink and entertainment will be available during the event, which also will be marked with holiday music and lights.
“There’s a lot more going on downtown than people realize,” Zirkelbach owner Tim Clark said.
Clark also serves as the chairman for the retail and events committee of the SSMIDII group, which is where the idea for the Christmas walk was born. While the businesses have held holiday open houses in past years, this is the first year a Christmas walk has been planned for this group of businesses.
“There’s a lot of businesses downtown that offer a lot of great things,” That Ice Cream Shoppe owner Patti West said. “This event will encourage people to shop local.”
Santa Claus will be at Unique and More on the corner of Second Street and Fifth Avenue South during the event. Attendees are encouraged to bring cameras for photos.
The event also is part of a larger movement to build partnerships and open communication between downtown businesses in order to promote the area. Currently West and Deb Wiese, of Deb Wiese Bookkeeping and Tax Service, are operating a Facebook group called “Clinton IA Downtown,” to build those relationships.
“We’re happy to share information,” Wiese said. “It’s about building the community.”
The group is currently promoting the Downtown Christmas Walk as an event on the page, and will continue to do so for other events in the future.
Businesses that will take part in the Christmas Walk include: Zirkelbach, The Painted Rooster, Old Crow, Gifts Galore, Boegels Men's Wear, Guzzardo's Hallmark Shop, 2nd Time Around, Street of Dreams Memorabilia, Tom & Audrey's, Albert's Jewelers, Banner Home Furnishings, Exo Skin Spa and Hair Studio, Van Kampen Massage, Holly's Dogs, 392° Caffé, This and That, Hats Off to Clinton, Co-op Records and Tapes, Deja Vu and Unique and More, with more business being added to the list every day.
For more information on the event, visit the “Clinton IA Downtown” Facebook page.
