Welcome to all of our Cookie Walk Stops!!

 

        This year, all stops will need to prepare a minimum of 415 individually wrapped and labeled cookies. We recommend having some extras just in case, and address labels work great!

 

        You can put as much into your booth as you like. Some will be selling merchandise. Some hand out promotional marketing materials such as calendars, pens, etc. Some have a character or elaborate decorations. This is not required.

The minimum is to have a label on your cookies identifying your business / community group. Address labels work, also business cards/flyers.

 

Ideally, you would put up a 10x10 or larger pop up tent and have a table with some kind of display.  

 

Remember that while some eat cookies along the way, most take their bag home and that is a second opportunity for your business to be in front of them. I have heard lots of feedback that coupons go over really well!

 

        Your cookies do not have to be store-bought. Just be sure to individually wrap them using cellophane, treat bags, or Ziploc baggies. We saw some really creative ideas last year, prepackaged Milano cookies, mini Oreo packages, etc.

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        All stops will receive copy of the map and your assigned stop # and location.  We will do our best to place you where requested; however, it may not be possible. No matter where you are placed, we have structured the event to encourage all families to come to your stop.

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        EVENT SET UP will be from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM. The road will be closed to traffic starting at 1:00 PM. You can drive your vehicle to Main Street from a side street, but please make sure you unload and move your vehicle to a legal parking spot off of Main Street. If you have a downtown business storefront please try to leave any on-street parking open due to the number of guests.

If you requested electrical access there are gray boxes along the route to hook up to. Please bring long extension cords to be flexible on getting electric to your booth. We have seen some put walls on the side of their tents and plug in a space heater if the weather is cold.

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        A Cookie Walk Volunteer will come around during set up to welcome you, and pass out the Cookie Walk Stop Signs and a copy of the magazine. We will also have zip ties on hand. Please make sure you display your sign prominently. 

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        The 800 families will be purchasing online tickets only this year for $20 each (plus transaction fee). There will be families who end up getting multiple bags, it is the nature of working with the public, but we do try our best to prevent that. 

WE ARE ENCOURAGING COOKIE WALK STOPS TO BUY A TICKET ONLINE THIS YEAR IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WHO CAN PARTICIPATE! Please purchase your tickets starting at 9am on Saturday November 30th

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       IMPORTANT TIP: the kids at this event are REALLY cute! If you are the type of person who insists on giving something to every child, we recommend having suckers or candy canes on hand. But don't feel bad about one cookie. They end up with about 3 dozen cookies per family - PLENTY!

 

        When they arrive at your booth, families should have a tote bag with the Cookie Walk Logo. The RED tote bags go to the RED Stops, and the GREEN tote bags go to the GREEN Stops. They will also have a magazine with a map in the centerfold, and a "Boarding Pass". This will have a grid with all the cookie walk stops listed in order according to your stop #. Please have a sharpie marker on hand to check off each square. 

This accomplishes 2 things: 1, it will prevent people from "double dipping". If someone comes to your booth and your square is already checked, the way to handle it is to just say oops you already stopped here. Giving them a second cookie would potentially mean you run out early. 2, the other thing is that we want the families to attend all the stops. So, at the end they bring us their pass all marked up and we give them a prize (ornament). 

 

        Please wait to start tearing down your booth until 5:45pm. If you are parked close by you can go ahead and carry your items to your vehicle. Please do not move your vehicle onto Main Street if that is needed until after the parade is finished. 

 

        The lighted parade steps off from the Pataskala Goodwill Parking Lot promptly at 6:00 pm. It usually takes until about 6:20pm for the parade to make it to the Cookie Walk area. They turn east on Broad Street then turn down 310 (Main Street). The route ends on Mill Street. 

 

The preference is to have the booths torn down and out of the way between 5:45 - 6:10. The crowd to watch the parade is huge and lines up all the way down Main Street. 

NOTE: if you can stick around for the parade listen for the kids when they scream at Santa - it is the sweetest thing!

 

        EVENT SECURITY we will have 6 special duty police officers patrolling the event. If there are any emergencies the Lions will be near Veteran's Green in our concession trailer.

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        RESTROOMS Some of the businesses in the area will probably have their restrooms open. We will also have portable restrooms at the north and south ends of the route. 

 

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me, Sarah McGuire- Event Coordinator, 614-537-6342, MainStChristmasPataskala@gmail.com. The day of the event I will have an alternate number in case my battery dies.