I semi-gave you a bum steer last Wednesday and my apologies for that.
I forget this time of year across large sections of the country anything and everything outdoors always needs to have that typographic symbol that looks sort of like a snowflake, the asterisk (*), because there's always a chance of some form of precipitation and this time of year, the smart bet is on snow.
That, as you know by now, was exactly what the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce, GNACC, was calculating when they checked out the forecast land saw what was heading our way last Saturday and rescheduled the Shop Local Holiday Market downtown for this Saturday from noon until four (* weather permitting (see, I'm catching on)).
In years past (= before COVID-19) there'd be a holiday showcase in one of the ballrooms at the Holiday Inn on Route 82. That change is yet another instance of adapt and overcome in this year of the pandemic and for many artisans and vendors who used to flock to the showcase, the loss of that venue in some instances threatened their continuance not just as small businesses, but as businesses, period.
Everything for everyone on Saturday is outside, with vendors, crafters, and artists setting up in the parking lots on Broadway, Franklin, and Bath Streets. If you've ever attended any of the Global Norwich block festivals downtown, you'll be very familiar with the layout, highlighted by special appearances from Rudolph (I'm thinking Valentino, but maybe not) and holiday music from Franco and K-HITS 100.9.
Visitors and vendors will be required to be masked (I think Clayton Moore would be tickled with this homage), and to follow social distancing guidelines (think: six feet apart or six feet under). Aside from that, the only other thing to remember is to have fun and that should be pretty easy especially for those of us who've been keeping ourselves to ourselves in recent months.
This new normal has meant a lot of change, and not all of it good for many and that includes the area's local merchants who were still working to make Down City and its surrounding neighborhoods and villages a great place to live and work in when times got a lot tougher.
Still, the tentative listing of those turning up and turning out for the favor of your custom is quite impressive, and though it's a tired marketing cliche to suggest 'there's something for everyone' in this case, there really is.
And, if it's been a while since you last made the time to stop and then shop downtown, I think, particularly in light of how we focus on 'what we don't have anymore,' you'll be more than pleased with the variety of opportunities you'll have to sample foods, books, apparel, home furnishings, and a plethora of 'what a great gift that would make!' items all around you that are right up your street, Literally and figuratively.
All the restaurants, and then some, that you've been reading about in The Bulletin and in Norwich Magazine and have been telling yourself you really should try, you'll now have the perfect opportunity to taste for yourself what all the talk has been about.
If you're shopping for someone hard to please, think about the gift that keeps on giving, gift cards. And by visiting GNACC Shop Local 2020, you can check out not just those who'll be in downtown on Saturday (* almost forgot), but so many others across the region who help make us a great place to come home to and who deserve your attention and support.
So, barring *, this Saturday #shoplocal because we're #BetterTogether.
-bill kenny
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