Two Holiday Campaigns Aim to Drive Local Spending Across Dickinson County
Driving Dickinson County is launching two countywide holiday campaigns designed to give residents another reason to shop local, support area businesses and keep more holiday spending close to home.
From Nov. 27 through Dec. 24, 2026, businesses across Dickinson County can take part in Win What You Spend and the Merry & Bright Storefront Showdown — two campaigns with different approaches but one shared goal: driving customers through local doors during one of the most important shopping seasons of the year.
Businesses do not have to be Driving Dickinson County partners to participate.
Win What You Spend
Win What You Spend turns everyday holiday purchases into a chance to win.
Throughout the campaign, shoppers will be encouraged to make purchases at participating Dickinson County businesses and drop qualifying receipts into ballot boxes located at participating businesses.
To enter, shoppers must write their full name and phone number legibly on the receipt before placing it in a campaign ballot box. Entrants must be 18 or older.
Participating businesses will receive campaign materials and a ballot box ahead of Nov. 24. Driving Dickinson County will collect ballot boxes during the week of Dec. 28, combine all eligible entries into one collective drawing pool, and draw winners at random on Jan. 5, 2027.
Winners will receive the value shown on their eligible receipt, limited by the amount remaining in the prize pool. Drawings will continue until the full $1,000 prize pool has been awarded.
The program is designed to give shoppers one more reason to think local first — whether they are buying gifts, dining out, scheduling a service or making another holiday-season purchase.
Businesses can register for Win What You Spend here:
Merry & Bright Storefront Showdown
Holiday spending is only part of what makes local shopping districts feel alive in December. The Merry & Bright Storefront Showdown is designed to bring some extra holiday energy to communities throughout Dickinson County.
Participating businesses are invited to decorate their storefronts, windows and entrances for the season. The public will then be encouraged to shop, stroll and vote for their favorite festive display.
Voting will take place on the Driving Dickinson County website from Nov. 27 through Dec. 24.
To vote, visitors will enter their name and email address, select the participating business they want to support and submit their vote.
Each person may cast one vote per day and return the following day to vote again. Only one vote per person per day will be counted.
Driving Dickinson County reserves the right to remove duplicate, fraudulent, automated or suspicious votes and may verify results before awarding the prize.
One participating business will receive the $500 People’s Choice Prize.
Driving Dickinson County is grateful to Almost Home Realty for sponsoring this year’s Merry & Bright Storefront Showdown and helping make the People’s Choice Prize possible.
Businesses can register for Merry & Bright here:
More than a holiday promotion
While both campaigns are meant to be fun, there is an economic-development purpose behind them.
“When we encourage people to shop local, we’re doing more than supporting one transaction or one business,” said Natalie Muruato, CEO of Driving Dickinson County. “We’re helping keep dollars circulating in Dickinson County, supporting local jobs and strengthening the businesses and communities that make this county a place people want to live, work and invest.”
For locally owned and locally operated businesses, the holiday season can represent an important period for sales and customer traffic. Campaigns like these can help create added visibility, introduce shoppers to businesses they may not have visited before and give residents another reason to intentionally spend close to home.
For communities, those individual purchases add up.
Local spending supports businesses that employ Dickinson County residents, occupy storefronts, contribute to commercial districts, provide services close to home and help create the communities people want to live in and visit.
These campaigns also give businesses the opportunity to benefit from shared countywide promotion rather than marketing independently.
A shopper who comes out to visit one decorated storefront may discover another business down the street. Someone participating in Win What You Spend may visit a business or community they had not previously considered.
That cross-promotion is part of the goal.
Driving Dickinson County wants to help businesses reach beyond their usual customer base while giving residents a reason to explore more of what is available right here at home.
Get your business in the Driver’s Seat
Participation in both campaigns is open to eligible Dickinson County businesses, whether or not they are current Driving Dickinson County partners.
Businesses may participate in one or both campaigns.
Both campaigns begin Friday, Nov. 27, and run through Thursday, Dec. 24
.
Driving Dickinson County encourages businesses interested in participating to register early so there is plenty of time to prepare promotional materials, participant listings and campaign resources before launch.
This holiday season, the goal is simple: make it easy — and fun — to choose Dickinson County first.
Whether that means filling a shopping bag, grabbing dinner, purchasing a service or taking an evening stroll past decorated storefronts, every local choice helps keep Dickinson County businesses in the Driver’s Seat.
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