Hamilton’s World of Holidays Offers a World of Choices

HAMILTON – Would you like to take an enchanted nighttime trolley ride across the globe, with sparkling lights and glowing candles lighting your way? Or magically visit Mexico, dine in Austria, meet up with friends in Africa, look at art in Greece, and explore Antarctica all in the same day? Mystical carriage rides and teleportation might be the stuff of science fiction or fairy tales, but the central New York village of Hamilton is offering what it hopes will be the next best thing this holiday season. The World of Holidays celebration, sponsored by the Hamilton Business Alliance, is a series of events and activities that promote local and regional community with a global flair.

Village merchants have banded together through the Hamilton Business Alliance, a cooperative of local business professionals, to come up with more reasons to stick around and shop locally instead of heading out of town to an unremarkable and impersonal shopping center. To counter rising gasoline prices and dwindling personal free time, local merchants are celebrating the 2009 holiday season through unique local events, with a global twist, to invite residents and visitors to experience the world without leaving town.

Twenty-two locations throughout the village have “adopted” a country, region, or entire continent to focus their holiday decorating and in-store specials around, and the choices span the globe. Adventure Bikes & Boards will feature Norway, Alliance Bank has adopted Mexico, Barge Canal will celebrate Belgium, Colgate Bookstore will celebrate England, Colgate Inn – Austria, Curtis Lumber – Italy, Evergreen Gallery – Japan, Hamilton Massage Therapy – China, Hamilton Village Real Estate – Ukraine, the Hour Glass – Canada, Joy’s Dance Studio – Russia, La Iguana – Spain, MAD Art – Greece, Maxwell’s Chocolates and Ice Cream – the United States, Nichols and Beal Bar and Grill – Ireland, Oneida Savings Bank – Africa, Palace Theater – the North Pole, the Peppermill – France, Porter Studios – Antarctica, and Steph boutique – Scotland, Sushi Blues – Israel, 22 Utica Street — Brazil. Each location will feature decorations, traditions or special foods from their respective country, as well as offer special holiday events and discounts.

“During World of Holidays, the village becomes a small slice of the sort of world I’d like to live in,” says Heather Elia of the Colgate Bookstore, “All the ‘countries’ coming together, working side by side, welcoming visitors and sharing traditions… it’s a nice way to think about the holiday season.”

Beginning on Saturday, November 21st – the official World of Holidays Kickoff – participating locations will distribute free “passports” to shoppers. These passports contain facts about how different countries and cultures celebrate the holidays and are designed to be stamped for validation by merchant destination when you make a purchase of any amount. Several locations will not require a purchase to receive a stamp. At the end of the shopping season, passports with three or more stamps may be entered to win one of several prizes, among them a spa weekend in Syracuse.

The first weekend in December will usher in more opportunities to experience the thrill of the holidays in Hamilton. Friday, December 4th features the annual tree-lighting on the Village Green at 5 p.m., followed by music from local choirs, and trolley rides through the village until 7 p.m., sponsored by the Hamilton Business Alliance. Santa arrives on Saturday, December 5th and children and families will have the opportunity to breakfast, meet, and have pictures taken with him. There will also be a variety of special programs, shows, and events throughout the village.

The southern Madison County town of Hamilton has many claims to fame. In 2007, Hamilton was featured in the Syracuse New Times magazine as “one cool place to live, work, and visit.” The town of approximately 2800 is also #8 on the Christian Science Monitor’s “Top Ten Most Walkable Small Towns in the US.” Add to these distinctions: a thriving village scene, complete with cool coffee house, independent theater, performing arts venue, bookstore, a picturesque Village Green, a busy public library, and enough eateries, shops and gift boutiques to keep its residents grounded.

“Hamilton has been recognized as offering a diversity rarely seen in surrounding communities,” said Roger Bauman, president of Hamilton Initiative – a town and gown organization dedicated to keeping the town interesting to residents and visitors. “We’re thrilled to work with local merchants to support a holiday celebration that offers so much more culturally and educationally.”

Hamilton’s World of Holidays Offers a World of Choices

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