The annual Merry Main Street has returned to Medford for its fourth year, with residents invited to the downtown area to do holiday shopping at local stores through Dec. 19.
The event is co-organized by Abbie Galie, founder of Destination Medford and artist at Lower Valley Forge Brewery, and Alex Breaux, owner of Wonder World Toys. It kicked off on Nov. 24, with 27 downtown stores participating and a raffle with a winning prize of $2,000 in gifts and gift certificates from their businesses.
One raffle ticket a day will go to residents each time they make a purchase at participating businesses that is more than $20. Each merchant will have a raffle box for the collection of tickets, among them Girlfriends on Main, Village Treasures, The Medford Arts Center and the Running Company of Medford.
Restaurants are participating as well, including Braddock’s Tavern and the Pop Shop, and residents can exchange their recipes for a raffle ticket.
“I think it brings the community together, because it brings all of us businesses together and forces us to have one unified event,” Breaux said of Merry Main Street. “People get excited about it because they can shop from one store to the other, and everybody talks about it, so it really builds that unity between the community and us businesses,”
Galie noted that it’s important to support local businesses and the community, especially after a year of COVID lockdowns and restricted activity.
“Knowing that what we’re doing has a direct result on the success of small businesses who have become my friends, not only my neighbors, but they’ve become my friends, that’s for me the best part of it,” Galie said.
At 4 p.m. on the event’s last day, the winner of the raffle prize will be drawn and announced through Facebook Live by Mayor Charles ”Chuck” Watson.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1472227436214130/
