AREA — More than 30 area businesses have registered for this year’s Midnight Madness — a great way to shop locally for holiday gifts, get discounts and support the local economy. The North Quabbin Chamber and Visitors Bureau, store owners and artisans from around the area are getting ready for another terrific event, on Saturday, December 8 from 6 p.m. to midnight.
To help kick off the event, Santa will arrive at 5:45 p.m. by firetruck at the YMCA.
Some businesses choose to start the festivities (and savings) earlier in the day.
Participants include: Athol Area YMCA, House of Wax Touchfree CarWash, The Dance Studio, Haley’s Antiques, Yours His and Ours, Bear Arms, Home Fruit Wine, Amish Country Crafts, Johanna’s Journals, Scrafty Custom Signs, Bates Crafters Gallery, B&B Furniture Restoration, Scentsy, Gail’s Sparkle Squad, Brand Lee Creations, Orange Farmer’s Market, Back in Balance Chiropractic, Luna Body Therapeutics, Miller’s River Cafe, Piece by Piece Home Collections, Trail Head, Modo, Tintagels Gate, Busherod Mckeaver Enterprises, Orange Graphix, Sew Relaxing, Salon Nouve, Just Stuff, The Booth Salon, Art by Theresa Roussell, Walnut Kitchen Homestead, Rachel’s Everlasting, Elzire’s Acres Goat Milk Soap, Sweet Cottage Farm.
The event will include entertainers and performances from the North Quabbin region, including the Benjamin Carolers, the InsideOut Dance Company, and musical acts throughout the night at various locations, including the House of Wax Party.
There will be bus shuttles to transport shoppers along the entire route, from downtown Athol to the Orange Innovation Center in Orange, with stops at all the participating businesses along the way. Midnight Madness is sponsored by Kimball Cooke Insurance. The transportation is sponsored by Athol Savings Bank, TD Bank, Becker College and the E. H. Merrifield Bus Company.
The night features a sleigh full of prizes with products and gift certificates from local businesses and artisans, including three prize packages worth more than $2,000. There will be deep discounts, some up to 50 percent or more.
Shoppers can pick up a map at any participating store or download one from www.northquabbinchamber.com. The maps are sponsored by Kimball Cooke Insurance.