Downtown Peterborough’s Holiday Shopping Passports are a win-win for shoppers and local businesses

By choosing to shop, dine, and treat yourself at participating downtown businesses, you can win one of three $500 prizes and a $1,500 grand prize

By kawarthaNOW -
Published
You could win hundreds of dollars in gift certificates by participating in the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area's Holiday Shopping Passport program. Get your passport stamped for every $10 you spend at 148 participating downtown Peterborough businesses and, after you fill your passport with 20 stamps, it becomes a ballot for one of three prizes of $500 and a grand prize of $1,500 in "downtown money". (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
You could win hundreds of dollars in gift certificates by participating in the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area's Holiday Shopping Passport program. Get your passport stamped for every $10 you spend at 148 participating downtown Peterborough businesses and, after you fill your passport with 20 stamps, it becomes a ballot for one of three prizes of $500 and a grand prize of $1,500 in "downtown money". (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

This holiday shopping season, it’s more important than ever to support our local independent retailers — so it’s great news the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) has brought back its popular Holiday Shopping Passport program this year.

The annual program is a win-win for both shoppers and local businesses, by rewarding people when they shop, dine, or treat themselves at one of nearly 150 downtown Peterborough businesses.

“The Holiday Shopping Passports are always a favourite for our downtown shoppers,” says Terry Guiel, executive director of the Peterborough DBIA. “It has been a difficult year for many people and many of our downtown businesses. The passports are a great way to reward people for shopping local this holiday season.”

Terry Guiel, executive director of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area, shows off a Holiday Shopping Passport during the launch of the 2019 program, which encouraged shoppers to spend more than $2.3 million at local businesses in downtown Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Terry Guiel, executive director of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area, shows off a Holiday Shopping Passport during the launch of the 2019 program, which encouraged shoppers to spend more than $2.3 million at local businesses in downtown Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

Pick up a Holiday Shopping Passport at one of the participating downtown businesses and, for every $10 you spend at any of the businesses, you get a stamp in your passport. When it’s filled with 20 stamps ($200 worth in spending), you complete the form and drop the completed passport off at a ballot box at one of the participating locations. See a list of all participating locations below.

Each completed passport is a ballot for one of four draws to win “downtown money” — gift certificates you can redeem anytime at downtown businesses. Three prizes of $500 in downtown money will be drawn on the first three Wednesdays of December (2nd, 9th, and 16th) with a grand prize of $1,500 in downtown money to be drawn on Wednesday, January 13th.

You can get your passport started at no cost with a complimentary stamp when you use the Peterborough Public Library at 345 Aylmer Street North or when you drop by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Visitor Centre in the VentureNorth building at 270 George Street North (limit of one complimentary stamp per person).

Peterborough musician Lindsay Barr in a promotional video for the 2019-20 edition of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area's Holiday Shopping Passport program. To help keep both shoppers and business owners and employees safe during the pandemic, the Peterborough DBIA and participating businesses are taking steps to limit physical contact with the passports. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Peterborough musician Lindsay Barr in a promotional video for the 2019-20 edition of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area’s Holiday Shopping Passport program. To help keep both shoppers and business owners and employees safe during the pandemic, the Peterborough DBIA and participating businesses are taking steps to limit physical contact with the passports. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

To help keep both shoppers and business owners and employees safe during the pandemic, the Peterborough DBIA and participating businesses are taking steps to limit physical contact with the passports. When you’re getting your passport stamped, place it open on the check-out counter of the business so it can be stamped without being picked up by the business owner or employee. This ensures only you are handling your passport.

Along with the chance to win downtown money while supporting local businesses, there are three more reasons to do your holiday shopping in downtown Peterborough.

The annual Downtown Peterborough Holiday Window Contest begins on Thursday, November 19th and runs until Saturday, December 5th. Downtown businesses will get you in the Christmas spirit by creatively decorating their street-front windows for the season. After the contest starts, you can vote online for your favourite window.

Watson & Lou co-owner Erin Watson with the first place award for Downtown Peterborough's 2019 Holiday Decorated Window Contest. The 2020 contest runs from November 19th to December 5th. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Watson & Lou co-owner Erin Watson with the first place award for Downtown Peterborough’s 2019 Holiday Decorated Window Contest. The 2020 contest runs from November 19th to December 5th. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

Downtown businesses will also be hosting some of their biggest sales of the year on Black Friday on November 27th, giving you an opportunity for great deals while getting even more stamps for your Holiday Shopping Passport.

Finally, courtesy of the City of Peterborough, you can take advantage of two hours of free parking in downtown Peterborough starting Black Friday and continuing until the end of December.

The Holiday Shopping Passport program is a great way to reward yourself while supporting the local economy. Last year, shoppers stamped more than $2.3 million worth of local purchases on their passports.

Karen Procyk of Peterborough collected $1,500 in "downtown money" in January 2020 after her Holiday Shopping Passport was drawn at the culmination of the annual initiative by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) to encourage people to shop local. Also pictured is DBIA executive director Terry Guiel (left) and Wild Rock Outfitters co-owner Kieran Andrews. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Karen Procyk of Peterborough collected $1,500 in “downtown money” in January 2020 after her Holiday Shopping Passport was drawn at the culmination of the annual initiative by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) to encourage people to shop local. Also pictured is DBIA executive director Terry Guiel (left) and Wild Rock Outfitters co-owner Kieran Andrews. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

For more information about the Peterborough DBIA and downtown Peterborough businesses, visit downtownptbo.ca.

 

Holiday Passport Locations

  • Absolute Hair
  • Africa Mission-Growth Market
  • African Dishes
  • Amandala’s
  • Antoinette Bridal
  • Arken Beauty Supply
  • Art School of Peterborough
  • B!KE
  • Beautique Canada
  • BioPed Footcare
  • Black Honey Bakery
  • Black Honey Dessert and Coffeehouse
  • Blue Shoes/Pensieri Shoes
  • Bluestreak Records
  • Boardwalk Board Game Lounge
  • Boater’s World
  • Brant Basics
  • Brick House Craft Burger Grill
  • Brothers Pizza
  • Buck or Two Plus
  • Burgundy’s Hair Salon
  • By The Bridge
  • Cahill’s Outerwear
  • Chalk Therapy
  • Champs
  • Charlotte Jewellers
  • Charlotte Paint & Wallpaper
  • Charlotte Street Comics and Collectibles
  • Charlotte’s Web
  • Cheslers Shoes
  • Chumleighs
  • Cork and Bean
  • Cottage Toys
  • Couture Candy PTBO
  • Cozy Home: Designs by Lacey
  • Creative Lounge
  • Curry Mantra
  • Curry Village
  • Dan Joyce Clothing
  • Dodrio
  • Dream Cyclery
  • Dreams of Beans
  • Dueling Grounds
  • Earth Food Store
  • Electric City Bread Co
  • Euphoria Wellness Spa
  • First Stop Swap Shop
  • Flavour
  • Fontaine’s Source for Sports
  • Food Forest Café
  • Fork It
  • Fresh Dreams
  • Full Tilt Cycle
  • Gentry Apparel
  • Gerti’s
  • Grady’s Feet Essentials
  • Green Street
  • GreenUp
  • Grey Guardian
  • Hanoi House
  • Hi Ho Silver
  • Hobies Sports Ltd.
  • Hock Express
  • Hot Belly Mama’s
  • Iceman Video Games
  • Insight Optical
  • Island Cream Caribbean Cuisine
  • Jack’s Hot Spot
  • Jasmine Thai Cuisine
  • John Roberts Clothiers
  • K and C Costumes
  • Kettle Drums
  • Kingan Home Hardware
  • Kit Coffee
  • Knock on Wood
  • La Hacienda
  • La Mesita
  • Larry Electric & Motor Service
  • Laurie Jones & Co Hair Designers
  • Lift Lock Escape
  • LiLi’s Convenience
  • Marie Cluthé Antiques and Collectibles
  • McThirsty’s Pint
  • Meta 4
  • Minh’s Chinese Grocery
  • Mr. Brock Barber Shop
  • Mr. Sub on George Street
  • My Left Breast
  • My Own Clouds
  • Naked Chocolate
  • Nateure’s Plate
  • Needles in the Hay
  • Needleworks
  • Next Level Mobile
  • Nielsen’s Watches and Jewellery
  • One Eighty
  • Pammett’s Flowers
  • Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism
  • Peterborough Inn & Suites
  • Peterborough Photo Service
  • Peterborough Public Library
  • Pettigrew Spa & Salon
  • Plant Goals
  • Providence
  • Rare Grill House
  • Rawscoe’s Sport Collectibles
  • ReBoot
  • Renew MediSpa
  • Ritual Apothecary
  • Runner’s Life
  • Running Room
  • S.O.S.
  • Sam’s Place
  • Sandy’s Cigar & Variety
  • Silk Roots
  • Smiles To You
  • Solid Leather
  • Starks Barber Company
  • Statement House
  • Studio East
  • Sugar Me Right
  • Sullivan Law
  • Sustain Eco Store
  • Taso’s Restaurant & Pizzeria
  • T-Elle Boutique
  • The Avant-Garden Shop
  • The Cell Shop
  • The Cheese Shop
  • The Food Shop
  • The Pasta Shop
  • The Toy Shop
  • The Unicorn
  • The Olde Stone Brewing Co
  • Things from Mom’s Basement
  • Tiny Greens
  • Tonic Hair Salon
  • Tribal Voices
  • Turnbull Café
  • Union Studio
  • Village of Thai
  • Watson & Lou
  • Whistle Stop Café
  • Wild Rock Outfitters
  • Yo Yo’s Yogurt Café

 

This story was created in partnership with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area.

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