Downtown Cartersville Businesses Participate in Holiday Storefront Decorating Contest

Downtown Cartersville is already looking festive as wreaths and lights adorn downtown street lamps, and many storefronts are being decorated for the holidays. To encourage even more businesses to decorate their storefronts with a holiday theme, and also entice more people to the downtown business district, the Cartersville Downtown Development Authority and Main Street Program have implemented a Holiday Storefront Decorating Contest. 

“I love the Christmas season in downtown Cartersville. I’ve always been fond of the city’s decoration for the holidays, and think it is so fun to see many downtown storefronts incorporating the holiday theme in their business, Tara" Currier, DDA and Main Street manager, said in a press release. "It just makes people feel warm and fuzzy to see so much holiday spirit, and for the businesses, is a fun way for them to promote their products and services.” 

Main Street Design Chair Earline Burke, along with committee partner and Main Street Outreach Chair Jill Mitchell, came up with the idea of the Holiday Storefront Contest and how it could be implemented. Essentially, downtown businesses notified the DDA office by Nov. 15 if participating. Then, beginning Nov. 18, ballot boxes became available at WBHF Radio and the Cartersville Welcome Center, with the 24 participating businesses listed for people to vote for their favorite decorated storefront. 

The "People’s Choice" voting will take place through Saturday, Dec. 14. Two judges, local designer Susan Stephens and resident Ruth Wisebrum, will select a first and second place winner the week of Dec. 2. 

All three winners, the People’s Choice and two selected by the judges, will be announced at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, during the Hometown Christmas event. Various entertainment will take place in Friendship Plaza that day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., allowing a great opportunity for people to see, shop and dine in downtown, and get in their votes for the contest. 

The first place winner will received $200 cash, while second place and People’s Choice winners will each receive $100 cash. 

The participating downtown businesses are: Agan’s Bakery, All About Time Boutique, B & B Antiques, Bartow History Museum, Cartersville Antique Gallery, Cartersville Florist, Cartersville Pawn-n-Shop, Cohutta Fishing, c.a.n.o.p.y., Cyber Tech Café, Downtown Gallery, Edward Jones—Olen Suire, Fusion Dance, The Herb Shoppe, Lara J Designs, The Legion Theatre, Meg Pie, Psycho Sisters, Republic Finance, Spring Place Pottery, Teacher Resource Center, Wall to Wall Frames and Write Downtown.  

”Not only do we hope that downtown merchants have fun with the contest and encourage their, but of course the hope is to get more people down here to view the beautifully decorated storefronts and be enticed to step inside to purchase something,” continued Currier. 

Tell us what you think in the comments, share your photos and videos, and don’t miss any of the local news you care about—subscribe to Cartersville Patch's newsletter, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.