11/17/2022
On Saturday, November 26, come to downtown Auburn for Small Business Saturday shopping discounts, then take a break with a relaxing lunch and dinner out. At 6 p.m., enjoy the 35th Annual Holiday Parade and float competition followed by the City’s Tree Lighting Ceremony on City Hall steps.
Small Business Saturday
Find deals & specials at A.T. Walley; Crystal Clear Life Coaching; Equal Rights Heritage Center; Evolve CBD; Hairlooms; Lake Life Laser Studio; Melody’s; Moondog’s Lounge; Moonflower Macarons; Moro’s Table; Next Chapter Brewpub; Parker’s Grille & Tap House; Prison City Pub & Brewery; Regenerations; Reuse Refuge; Rudolph’s Sugar Shack; Sam’s Shoe Service; Shepherds Brewing Co.; Speno Music; Taste NY Market & Cayuga County Tourism; 3 Leaf Tea; Vape Kult; YMCA-WEIU; and Zen Den Studio. (For a listing of all the deals & specials, please see the attached PDF.)
SBS Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/530853888375165
For those friends & family members that are a challenge to shop for, purchase a BID gift card with 40+ participating businesses to support during the holidays & throughout the coming year. Stop in and visit the Equal Rights Heritage Center front desk, or click here for online gift card purchases.
Holiday Parade & City Tree Lighting Ceremony @ 6PM
Everyone loves a parade, and Downtown Auburn is a great place to see one. This parade is a popular community tradition, beginning at the corner of East Genesee & North Fulton Streets atop of East Hill. The route travels west along Genesee Street, through the heart of Downtown, and turns left onto William Street. It continues around the City Parking Garage on Lincoln Street and ends at Memorial City Hall, followed by the Tree Lighting Ceremony on the front steps.
Groups Battle for Float Prize Money For many years, the BID has awarded cash prizes for the best parade floats. They are judged based on creativity, holiday theme, enthusiasm of those participating, and ability to identify the group/organization that created the float. The first-place float is awarded $150, second prize is $100 and third prize is $75. Winners are announced following the parade. This year, the float prizes are generously sponsored by Tompkins Community Bank.
Local businesses and community organizations partake with floats, music, and holiday performances. Parade favorites include Skaneateles Dickens characters, the Ghost Busters of CNY, Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, and the Undead Street Crew. This year, we are so excited that Auburn High School Vanguard Marching Band is coming onboard. Cheer on your favorites, as participants compete for cash prizes in the top-three float competition.
As tradition, Santa & Mrs. Claus will be the featured highlight at the end of the parade, on the Healing H’Arts Equestrian Center’s float. After the parade, come to City Hall steps and join the City’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and visits with Santa & Mrs. Claus. This is always a crowd favorite that gets everyone in the spirit. BID thanks our co-sponsor the City of Auburn for their support of this event.
Holiday Parade Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/504352081540109/
Window Wonderland Walk: Downtown Decorating Contest BID is happy to partner with The Citizen again to sponsor the Window Wonderland Walk. The public will vote between December 12 – 18 for their favorite downtown window display with an online contest. BID encourages businesses & organizations to decorate and participate in the contest, with top three prizes sponsored by Wegmans. The winner will be announced on December 24.
Window Walk contestants will enjoy lots of free promotion with your business listed in 4 color print ads, plus 50,000 high impact ads on auburnpub.com & Facebook posts linking to the voting page, all sponsored by the BID. We are also donating a $50 BID gift certificate for a voter drawing.
Important dates: Window decorating & online photo entries accepted: 11/15/22 – 12/8/22
Deadline for contestants to submit online photos: 12/8/22
Public online voting: 12/12/22 – 12/18/22
Winners announced: 12/24/22
Follow this link to enter the contest and/or vote: https://go.auburnpub.com/winterwonderland.
