Get Your Stroll On: Holiday Shopping Stroll Returns In Orleans

ORLEANS – It’s never been easier to do your holiday shopping. So easy, in fact, you could feasibly do it without leaving your house. But for all the convenience that comes with online shopping, there’s one thing it can’t offer that local small businesses can: A sense of place and community.

 “It’s like a fun experience for (shoppers),” Emily Richardson, owner of Homegrown Boutique on Main Street, said of the engagement that in-store shopping offers customers. “It’s an afternoon or whatever with their friends, or solo time to decompress and do something that’s just for them. It’s cool.”

 Richardson is in her second year helping coordinate the Orleans Chamber of Commerce’s annual Holiday Shopping Stroll, which aims to build upon that sense of community between shoppers and businesses. On Dec. 6, businesses throughout town will stay open until 8 p.m., with each offering a variety of in-store deals, incentives and events.

 “It’s up to the merchants to offer their specials and deals, but we are making sure that everyone knows that Orleans is anticipating a great holiday season,” said Judy Lindahl, the chamber’s executive director. “And we’ll get the word out for them that Orleans is the place that you want to shop.”

 “It’s just nice to get everybody out for the stroll, get everybody to kind of remember what our community is about and have a fun night all together to support the local businesses that work hard in our community year round,” Richardson said.

 Many participating businesses will be hosting “sip and shop” events that pair food and drink with the experience of shopping, Richardson said. Other businesses will host artisan pop-ups, she said.

 The stroll builds on the chamber’s overarching mission of promoting Orleans’ businesses and encouraging residents and visitors to shop locally. Last year’s stroll was successful enough for the chamber to expand upon it under the banner “First Fridays,” where businesses similarly keep their doors open late on the first Friday of every month.

Richardson said these shop local campaigns are critical in helping small businesses thrive in an environment where it’s often too easy to shop at national chains and big box stores. 

 “It’s gotten hard for small businesses to compete with that,” she said.

To coincide with this year’s stroll, the chamber is hosting a holiday raffle with gift card prizes of $100 (third place), $250 (second place) and $1,000 (first place) good at local businesses. Tickets can be purchased on the chamber’s website at www.orleanscapecod.org.

The stroll and First Friday events have helped boost local businesses’ bottom lines over the past year, said Richardson, who is coming up on her 10th year in business in Orleans.

 “I’m really lucky. Not only have I worked hard at it, but I really do attribute it to the relationships I’ve built along the way. People supported me to get this far, for sure.”

The chamber is also hosting its annual Santa Stampede 5K on Dec. 7. This year’s race will step off from the Barley Neck Inn at 10 a.m. and follow down Beach Road, through the lower Nauset Beach Parking Lot and back toward the inn.

 “We have broken all our records so far on the registration,” Lindahl said. “We have plenty of room for more, and we’re hoping to grow this to become one of the biggest 5Ks on the Lower Cape.”

Day-of registration for the stampede starts at 8:30 a.m., and the event will officially begin with a free race for kids starting at 9:30 a.m. “Swag bags” including a race t-shirt will be provided for all participants, and a $100 grand prize will be given for the most festive dresser. A post-race buffet will be held at the Barley Neck, and the event also will feature live music and a DJ.

To register for Saturday’s stampede, visit the chamber website.