Newtown businesses and organizations looking to draw more traffic or clientele this holiday season are being urged to be part of the Economic & Community Development and Parks & Recreation co-sponsored “Shop Small Decoration Crawl.”

From Friday, November 27 through the December 4 deadline, participants who have downloaded and completed the necessary registration documents will have the opportunity to create a fun winter- or holiday-themed display in or outside of their storefront or building, and then submit a photo of it. The agencies will promote the business and post its location on an interactive web-based Decoration Crawl map.

Once all the participants have entered, residents and out-of-town visitors will be invited to do a “crawl” around the community, visiting the displays and voting for their favorite.

No storefront? No problem!

Any willing participant who may not have an easily accessible location — one that is home-based, for example, or without a storefront — can “adopt a feature” like a bench or tree on the Fairfield Hills Campus.

Visitors using the map trail can then vote on their favorite display, and the winner will be featured in an e-blast and press releases that will be distributed to area media organizations.

Businesses and organizations that are ready to get started may download the registration packet from https://newtown.org/shop-small-decoration-crawl-2.

Specifics are as follows:

Friday, November 27-Friday, December 4

*Create a winter- or holiday-themed display. (No live trees in shops unless you have sprinklers.)

*Submit a photo of your display to christine.oneill@newtown-ct.gov. You will be assigned a number.

*Pick up a numbered sign from the Parks and Recreation Department located at 8 Simpson Street.

*Participants without a storefront may adopt a space at Fairfield Hills campus for $25. The fee is waived for Sandy Hook businesses that already have a SHOP Lamppost.

Week of December 7

*An online, interactive map with the photo and a link to your website/social media will be published and promoted.

*Be prepared for visits from Newtown neighbors and out-of-towners checking out the displays.

*Visitors vote for their favorite displays beginning December 7.

Saturday, December 19

*Voting closes.

Tuesday, December 22

*Winner announced!

The winner will be highlighted in Economic & Community Development and Parks & Recreation’s e-blasts (audience of over 3,000 people), featured in a press release to be sent to several area media outlets, and will receive a certificate/trophy.

Participants are encouraged to keep displays up through the New Year, so everyone has time to appreciate them.

Have questions? Want to brainstorm some display ideas? Call Christine O’Neill at 203-270-4276 or e-mail her at the address above.