Country Christmas Planning

The Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce and the retail business community have been  working together to re-imagine the traditional Country Christmas celebration. Instead of focusing on one specific day or weekend, we have decided to look at it as a season-long retail initiative coupled with our on-going buy local campaign.

Thanks to Valley Arts for carrying the Country Christmas torch the last few years!

There are always a lot of events, activities and sales going on throughout the holiday season and the idea is to package them all under the Country Christmas umbrella. This will enable our community to develop a coordinated marketing effort over an extended period. There is a new Country Christmas web page that we can drive with email marketing, public relations and via our social media platforms. It will also enable our business community to leverage value with paid advertising opportunities.

These are the kinds of events that folks generally have planned anyway such as visits by Santa, gingerbread house competitions, caroling, sidewalk sales, Small Business Saturday and the like. The goal is to encourage innovation and celebrate  all the things amazing things going on in every “neighborhood” in the MRV; Warren Village, Mad River Green, Village Square, Middlesex/Camp Mead and the mountains. By having Country Christmas as a framework that can be promoted collectively, event organizers can focus on developing the event, encouraging customer traffic and engaging in commerce. We also hope it will spur cooperation in coordinating events and activities in each of the “neighborhoods”.

So how can your business get involved?

• Let us know what events you have planned so they can be added into the mix.
• Work with the folks in your “neighborhood” to coordinate events that will draw traffic.
• Share Country Christmas with your customers through your social media channels.
• Use the #countrychristmasmrv and #shopmrv hashtags.
• Use the Mad River Valley logo and Country Christmas in your holiday advertising.
• Let us know if you are interested in participating in print and/or radio cooperative advertising programs.  If there is interest we can coordinate this effort. Potential ideas include print and digital advertising with the Valley Reporter and Seven Days as well as radio spots on WDEV/Radio Vermont and The Point. Don’t forget that when you ask folks to “buy local” it is vital that we also “buy local” when we think about advertising our businesses.

As you can see below there is already a solid foundation of activities and events. Here is a VERY rough draft of what is already on tap, these will all include direct links to each event.

Country Christmas Events

November 19 –  Mad River Valley Memory Tree Lighting  – The Memory Tree stands as a bright and beautiful symbol of those we remember, honor, and celebrate this season.
November 21 –  Mountain Rose – Women’s Artisan Boutique
November 22 –  Mad River Valley TV Community Dance Partyat Localfolk Smokehouse
November 23 –  Sugarbush – Licoln Peak Opening Day
November 23 –  The Big Kicker – Community Ski Season Kickoff Party
November 24 –The Store – 54th Anniversary and Holiday Open House.                                                                                                            November 24 – Thanksgiving Market at The Round Barn– Thanksgiving Farmer’s Market                                                              November 29-December 2- The Warren Store-Buy a Gift Card-get 15% added value
December  1   –  Mountain Rose – December Crystal Sale
December 7   –  Waitsfield United Church of Christ Holiday Merry Market
December 7   –  Santa Visits Mad River Green Shopping Center
December 7   –  Santa Visits Mad River Glen                                                                                                                                                      December 7 – Mad River Chorale Holiday Concert – 7:30p – Waitsfield United Church                                                                      December 12 –  Mountain Rose – Restorative Yoga Class (6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.)
December 14-15 –  Moretown Artisan’s Sale – This holiday season support your community and your neighbors by shopping locally a the Moretown Elementary SchoolDecember 14  – 
December 14 –  Sugar Bash – Sugarbush celebrates its 61^st annual birthday party with The Funk Collection at Castlerock Pub.
December 15 –  Mad River Glen’s Opening Day
December 16 –  Valley Ski Week at Sugarbush
December 17 –  Festival of Lights Community Celebration
December 21 –  Holiday Caroling with the Yale Whiffenpoofs – Sugarbush welcomes the world’s oldest and best-known collegiate a capella group
December 21 –  Ugly Sweater Party ; Support Toys for Tots! Show up with a wrapped, unopened toy to donate to a child in need this Holiday season, and we’ll buy your first drink.
December 22 –  Family Gingerbread House Workshop

 #countrychristmasmrv
#shopmrv