An upbeat public event aimed at activating business in the Five Corners and Uptown areas of White Rock in time for the December holiday season will make its debut on Saturday, Nov. 16.
Meant to compliment – but not supplant – the long-established Christmas on the Peninsula, which returns as usual at the end of the month, the newly minted Festive Holiday Shopping Crawl is aimed to focus public attention on shopping local stores, according to Coun. Ernie Klassen, lead organizer and originator of the event.
Choirs, live music, special offers at businesses open later than usual, a tree-lighting ceremony at Five Corners and a traditional German Christmas display at the plaza next to Oceana PARC will also be part of the city-endorsed event, Klassen said.
"My intention was to support the local businesses at a time when they are facing a number of challenges, including the reconstruction of Johnston Road," said Klassen, who noted the event is a collaboration of White Rock BIA and Oceana PARC, as well as community leaders and individual businesses.
"The Christmas season is the make-or-break for local business," added Klassen, himself a business owner in the neighbourhood (Ashberry & Logan Floral Design).
"I was able to secure donations of $15,000 to purchase big wreaths for the city to be placed up and down Johnston Road in place of the hanging baskets," he said.
"I was also able, through the Peninsula Arts and Cultural Alliance, to approach the city to put coloured lights in the large tree at Five Corners, to make something different from the white lighting that's there the rest of the year.
"That will become the old-fashioned traditional Christmas tree down there, distinct from the Christmas tree that will be at Miramar Plaza," he said.
The Festive Holiday Shopping Crawl will start at 4 p.m. with the lighting of the newly decorated tree at Five Corners by Mayor Megan Knight, Klassen said.
"The White Rock Elementary choir will be singing, and Morrison's will be handing out hot chocolate to everyone," he added.
"From there we'll be encouraging everyone to walk up the Johnston Road sidewalks – the road won't be closed – visiting businesses along the way to see what special deals they have to offer."
An extra incentive will be "passports" handed out to participants.
"You need a minimum of six signatures from businesses, and then your passport will be eligible to be placed in a draw for a $1,000 gift basket," Klassen explained.
"The draw will be held at 7 p.m. the same night at the plaza by Ocean PARC and Chez Christophe," he said.
"Oceana PARC will be putting up a European/German Christmas display, with food and drink and photo opportunities, and a Santa Claus will also be there."
But there will be plenty of attractions on the way there – some of them still being fine-tuned at this writing, Klassen said.
Nomad Gallery is set to offer face painting for youngsters, for example, while at Miramar Plaza, the White Rock Singers adult choir will be performing, while chocolate and doughnuts will be compliments of Thrifty Foods.
A contingent of the White Rock City Orchestra will also be performing at a yet-to-be-determined location, he said, while the Beer Shack will be hosting the popular O'Carolan Celtic Ensemble.
"The event is actually getting a little bigger than I anticipated," Klassen confessed, while acknowledging that that is a symptom of healthy interest by both businesses and the public alike.
"We were handing out flyers at the last Farmers' Market, and everybody was so keen," he noted.
"Everybody wants to support and promote local businesses, especially with all the construction going on."
