In This Issue:
A Day for Earth
That’s right – on our “A Day for Earth” you can delve into some great eats by grabbing your Food Trail Passport from the Information Tent on the corner of Station and Craig and travel around to 8 downtown eateries – grab a $5 ‘earth friendly’ food item – get a stamp and go on your way to the next. And thanks to the two green goddesses, Steph and Krystal at Plentfill, once you get 5 stamps in your passport you can enter to win a grand prize draw of Downtown Duncan Dollars, food gift certificates from participating eateries and a gift basket of food related reusable products valued at over $350!
Wowza. Thanks Plentifill! Go green!
Future events now in progress – it’s LOOKING BRIGHT!
· Mother’s Day SPECIAL issue Downtown Dollars Event – months of April and May. A fundraiser for Cowichan Women Against Violence Society.
· BIA Member Social May 25.
· Duncan Day and Panago Parade July 15.
· BIA Member Social July 27.
· Cowichan Valley Arts Council co-sponsored event downtown July 29.
· BIA Member Social October 12.
· Spooktacular kids daytime program and evening Zombie Crawl October 28.
· Christmas Kick-Off November 24.
IT’s AGM TIME!
Please join us for the DDBIA's Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, April 11 at 7:00 pm at the Elks Hall. We're excited to show our members all we’ve accomplished in 2022 and you can look forward to a guest speaker that will bring some new learning your way (just firming up details this week)! And of course, there are door prizes drawn at the end of the meeting – think delicious Downtown Duncan Dollars. Thinking about joining the Board? There are up to 4 positions available, and nominations are encouraged from the floor that evening!
CALLING ALL WELL-DRESSED WOMEN – LET’S SWAP!
That’s right. On April 22nd, the DDBIA and Cowichan Green Community is holding Duncan’s first, “A Day for Earth” celebration featuring a women’s clothing swap! No shoes, or skivvies – just clean, gently used women’s clothing! Bring up to 4 pieces on hangers to the tent on Station Street between 10 and 3:00 pm, April 22nd and swap, swap, swap it up! Get your new outfit for spring and do your bit to keep our planet green! And thanks to Tracy Arden of Redefined Clothing Boutique newly located on Station Street, our fabulous earth-loving Women's Clothing Tent Sponsor!
TIME TO NOMINATE YOUR BUSINESS AND VOTE for your PICK!
Each year, we give each member an opportunity to get some richly deserved recognition for themselves and their staff. The two new DDBIA business awards are:
· the Excellence and Innovation award
· and the BEST NEW Business [or Organization] award
Four downtown Duncan businesses have already self-nominated! Check out the eligibility criteria here and nominate you and your staff now. Nominations close March 25th! Voting begins March 27 and closes April 7. ALL Nominees must attend the Annual General Meeting on April 11th. Watch for you’re the VOTE email coming your way soon!
“A Day for Earth”! Love your earth in downtown Duncan on April 22nd.
Join us to make downtown come alive! Our ask of all our businesses is to come out any play with our planet in mind. Please decorate your windows and get some sidewalk action going – green style! Our streets will be closed around Station Street Common Park – Craig from Kenneth to Station – and then Station from Canada to Craig. There will be not for profit vendors along Craig, an education and music stage set up in Station Street Common Park (thank you to Ironworks Café and Creperie for your generous sponsorship donation), a large Women’s Clothing Swap Tent on Station (a big THANKs to Redefined Clothing for their sponsorship of the Swap) and 10 smaller kids activity area tents also along Station. And for the first time – a FOOD TRAIL. Participating restaurants will opt into the TRAIL (contact us). Hungry participants will be given a super cool passport and can move through downtown sampling $5 earth friendly food options! And of course once their passport is completed – they will be eligible for a prize pack with gift certificates, Downtown Duncan Dollars, and reusable products valued at over $350!
JUNE 25 Pride Day Window Decorating Contest
The DDIBA is co-sponsoring Pride Day in downtown Duncan this year on June 25th. There will be a parade. There will be singing. And dancing. And drag. And celebrations and speakers. Show your support by
· STAYING OPEN on Sunday and get your sidewalk selling for you!
· Decorating your window with Pride Day visuals and participate in the Window Contest! We’ll give you a QR code for your window so your shoppers can “vote” for the most creative, best, and celebratory Pride Window ever!
· Make a donation for a “We support Cowichan Valley Pride” decal for your business window or door. This donation will help the Cowichan Valley Pride festival continue to grow every year. SALES begin at the end of March!
Calling for Volunteers. Our downtown is going to be a lively place again this year – with several new events and programs and projects on the go. And we need YOU to volunteer for us. We have big jobs and small jobs and odd jobs and fun jobs and grinders. Please email us here ddbia@downtownduncan.ca and let us know if you’re up for some downtown action – we’ll find you several roles that will likely float your boat and then you pick and decide! And thanks in advance for keeping our downtown the BEST!
Façade Improvement Program
Need a repair to the outside of your building? New signage? We’ve got you covered! The Façade Improvement Program provides a grant of up to $5,000 for your new signage and outside improvements to your business. Email us and request the application or find it here on our website.
The 2023 Christmas Window Theme is “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. [add in visual]
We know its way to early to hear about Christmas already – but for those of you planners who start planning your window theme now – here’s your chance. Imagine – six geese a layin’ not to mention those five golden rings!
OUR MEMBER NEWS
Cowichan Valley Training Centre is excited to host Opioid Poisoning response training. Participants will learn about: Stigma and harm reduction, types of opioids and their effects, Naloxone and how it reverses the effects of opioids, how to respond to an opioid poisoning emergency by administering a naloxone nasal spray; and self-care after a traumatic event. The class is free, March 24, 2023 at 205 – 169 Craig Street, Duncan BC. (CVTC training facility) from 1PM – 3PM or 5PM – 7PM. Registration in advance at 250-746-4058 or email cvtc@shaw.ca.
It’s MUSIC time again! And the Duncan Cowichan Festival Society on behalf of 39 Days of July has some opportunities for you to promote your business. Plans this year are to build it a bit bigger and better this requires us to reach out to our community even more to find the sponsorships and advertisers to help pay for this always ambitious endeavour. This year’s theme is ‘inclusion for all’. There are advertisements available for sale (various sizes) in the 20,000 copy program schedule, as well as sponsorships of an evening in the park, a day in the park and an evening in City Square. For more info and to sign up contact Longevity John, 250-597-1554 or longevityjohn@shaw.ca.
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