Holiday Open House a Success!
Downtown Madison Holiday Open House, Nov. 29
Free Holiday Trolley
Holiday Open House Participants & Events
Holiday Open House Cookie Decorating at the Overture Center
|
Holiday Open House a Success!
Thanks to everyone who visited downtown Madison for the first ever Downtown Holiday Open House! We were so glad to see everyone enjoying downtown, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Downtown's 350 shops and restaurants, many locally owned, are great places to find unique holiday gifts you can't find anywhere else. The free trolley continues on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4pm through December 21.
If you had pictures taken with the Nutcracker, CTM Christmas Carol and Kanopy Dance characters at the Overture Center, you can view them at the Isthmus
Dailypage website. (Please note, we are having a little glitch on viewing the photos for those who use Internet Explorer, and are working to fix that.)
To see news coverage of the Holiday Open House (were you on TV?), see
BID in the News.
Saturday, Nov. 29
|
Downtown Madison Holiday Open House, Nov. 29
Looking for a fun way to spend time over Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends? Try the new Downtown Madison Holiday Open House,
Saturday, November 29, from 10am to 6pm on State Street and the Capitol Square. Discover the holiday spirit in Downtown Madison, home to 350 shops and restaurants-many locally owned-plus museums, arts and entertainment.
Open House activities include free holiday trolley rides & gift bags, carolers, holiday lights, special offers & complimentary refreshments at more than 40 shops and restaurants, and fun for kids & families, including cookie decorating, gift wrapping, characters in costume, and holiday photos with Isthmus at the Overture Center. Free and open to the public.
See the full list of events and participants below, or download and print the
PDF list & map (11" x 17")
The Downtown Holiday Open House is brought to you by Madison Central BID, the Greater State Street Business Association (GSSBA), and Isthmus, who is asking consumers to
Buy Local and pledge to spend $100 at local merchants this holiday season.
Free Holiday Shopping Trolley
|
Free Holiday Trolley
The free Downtown Madison Holiday Shopping Trolley will run 10am to 6pm on State Street and around the Capitol Square, stopping at Metro bus stops. Downtown Ambassadors will greet riders with gift bags with special offers from businesses and treats for kids. Watch for carolers to stroll the district and hop on the trolley between 1 and 3pm.
The free holiday trolley continues on Saturdays & Sundays, Nov. 30 and Dec. 6-7, 13-14 & 20-21, running from noon to 4pm.*
Our Downtown Information Ambassadors will help you get into the holiday spirit!
|
Holiday Open House Participants & Events
The following establishments welcome you with special offers, events, and complimentary refreshments on Saturday, November 29. Look for the "Downtown Holiday Open House - Stop In Here" signs. Explore and enjoy!
Anthology
218 State St. • (608) 204-2644
Gift-tag-o-rama: Stamp, punch, paint, collage. Have a seat at our craft table and make tags for holiday giving: $1 for 3 tags.
Atticus
18 N. Carroll St. • 608) 204-9001
Kick off the holiday season with warm apple cider & cookies and discounts on top holiday gift ideas, and sign up for the "Atticus Wish List." Create a wish list of items from Atticus, and the Atticus Elves will email the list to your significant other, parents, children or friends.
Cabana Room/Samba Brazilian Grill
240 W. Gilman St. • (608) 257-3300
Relax after shopping with a hand made Mojito and fabulous South American food! Purchase $100 in gift cards and receive a complimentary $25 certificate as our present to you! Good at Samba or Cabana Room.
the camera company
24 N. Carroll St. • (608) 256-0011
Buy 2 Get 1 FREE Enlargements (5x7,8x10,8x12,10x15). From Film or Digital in as little as 15 Minutes.
Capitol Kids
8 S. Carroll St - On The Capitol Square • (608) 280-0744
Holiday Wish Open House. Generosity will be the focus of our Holiday Open House. We will have community non-profit groups' wish lists. Parents can get resources on promoting children's generous spirit. Kids can work on a project to decorate a wish list and find ways to think of good gifts for others.
Chin's Asia Fresh
422 State St. • (608) 611-0177
Chin's will be offering free chocolate dipped fortune cookies and hot green tea for carry out.
Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream
468 State St. • (608) 255-5454
Stop in to enjoy locally produced Sassy Cow Hot Chocolate and our holiday super-premium ice cream flavors.
Cinema Hair Studio
20 S. Carroll St. • (608) 251-1330
Complimentary hair consultations, make-up touch ups, chakra balancing, hand massage and paraffin treatments. In conjunction with food drive for Second Harvest.
Community Pharmacy
341 State St. • (608) 251-3242
Hot apple cider & cookies.
Dobra Tea
449 State St. Ste. A • (608) 258-0488
Enjoy holiday-inspired tea samples throughout the day. Have a warming sip as you peruse our broad selection of tea, and unique teapots, for the Perfect Tea Gift. Charity teaware raffle. Open 9am-11pm.
Downtown Information Ambassadors
Overture Center Rotunda Lobby, 201 State St.• (608) 443-1974
Stop by the Downtown Information Table between 10am and 3pm for maps, downtown directions, shopping and restaurant suggestions, and a friendly smile.
The Fanny Garver Gallery
230 State St. • (608) 256-6755
GLASS ARTIST DEMO! Watch lampworker Jen Shipley shape molten glass into a beautiful bead for her handmade jewelry. 15-minute demonstrations between 1:30-3pm.
Fontana Sports Specialties
251 State St. • (608) 257-5043
Come visit Fontana's Holiday Workshop! See Santa and his elves at work helping people fill their Christmas lists. Bring your camera and be sure to sign up with Mrs. Claus for the gigantic stocking give-away! Don't forget to check out Fontana's Holiday windows!
Fromagination
12 S. Carroll St. • (608) 255-2430
Join us as we celebrate the holidays. Our cheesemongers will help you put together the perfect "gift of taste" for everyone on your shopping list. We will check your coat, provide you with a sample of wine or hot cider as you taste and explore the world of artisan cheeses and their perfect companions. We will also work with you to create a wish list that we will email to your friends and family.
Goodman's Jewelers
220 State St. • (608) 257-3644
Goodman's invites you to shop early while the selection is at it's best, enjoy cookies and cider and a variery of in-store specials. Open from 9:30 to 5:00.
Jazzman
340 State St. • (608) 256-2062
Stop by Jazzman for something fun, unique & special.
Karen & Co. & Sassafras
307-309 State St. • (608) 258-5500
Join in the fun and jump-start your holidays with our special offerings! Receive a 20% discount on all gift cards purchased Sat. Nov. 29. Enter our drawing to win a beautiful, hand selected scarf. Our staff will demonstrate the latest techniques in wearing this season's hottest accessory. Indulge in a complimentary holiday treat while you shop.
Knuckleheads Tobacco & Gifts
550 State St. • (608) 284-0151
Anti-Recession Sale. 15% off anything except Tobacco products and Aromatherapy Vaporizers.
Lands' End Not Quite Perfect Store
411 State St. • (608) 257-4900
Kids' coloring fun! Free crayons and one randomly selected winner of a 25$ Lands' End gift card.
Little Luxuries
230 State St. • (608) 255-7372
Hair Sticks demonstration; hourly door prizes; randomly announced discounts on key categories.
Madison Sole
414 State St. • (608) 255-2522
Join in our open house festivities! We'll feature a holiday balloon bust - pop a balloon to find a discount coupon - as well as hourly drawings, a gift with purchase, and refreshments.
Mimosa Books & Gifts
260 W. Gilman St. • (608) 256-5432
Mimosa will be serving up some festive Candy Cane Cocoa with all the extras! Come visit us and warm up with a free hot beverage.
Monona Terrace Gift Shop
One John Nolen Drive • (608) 261-4036
Start the holidays "Wright" at our Holiday Sale. Sample free refreshments while we wrap your gifts for a small donation, benefiting our Free Community Programs. Tours daily at 1pm for $3 per person.
Museum Store (Madison Museum of Contemporary Art)
227 State St. • (608) 257-0158
The Museum Store invites shoppers to stop by during Holiday Open House hours for a kiss and a mystery gift with each purchase! Kisses are the chocolate variety, and gifts include MMoCA merchandise, memberships, and shopping discounts. Visit the museum to see the exhibitions "George Segal: Street Scenes" and "An Art of Inner Necessity."
Overture Center for the Arts
201 State St. • (608) 258-4141
Fun for kids of all ages and their families! Cookie Decorating, Characters in Costume, Holiday Photos with Isthmus, Gift Wrapping, Kids in the Rotunda, Festival Choir, and more! Stop by the Downtown Information Table for maps, downtown directions, and a friendly smile, and enjoy festive drinks and holiday treats. Enjoy spectacular holiday lights and decorations throughout the Overture Center.
On the Rotunda Stage:
9:30am, 11am, and 1pm: Free Kids in the Rotunda shows featuring the magic and balloon creations of Tim Glander.
In Overture Hall Lobby:
10am - 4pm: Gift Wrapping! Volunteers from The Madison Apprenticeship Program will wrap your holiday gifts for a small donation.
10:30am - 1pm: Free holiday cookie decorating station, hosted by Madison Children's Museum with cookies provided by Catering a Fresco, Overture Center's exclusive caterer.
10:30am - 2:30pm: Meet-and-greet photo opportunities at the birch forest, with costumed characters from Children's Theater of Madison's "A Christmas Carol," Madison Ballet's "The Nutcracker," and Kanopy Dance. (Performers will alternate over the four-hour period.) Photographers from Isthmus, Madison's weekly newspaper, will record character greetings with children and family holiday greetings, and post them for viewing at TheDailyPage.com the following week!
Noon and 2pm: Caroling by Festival Choir of Madison, promoting "Rejoice!", their Dec. 7 holiday concert at Overture
In the Rotunda Lobby:
10am - 3pm: Downtown Information Table. Stop by for maps, directions, restaurant & shopping suggestions, and a friendly smile!
10:30am - 1pm: Catering a Fresco hosts a coffee bar, with festive drinks and holiday treats for purchase.
Patricia Shoppe
137 W. Johnson St. • (608) 256-1111
Enjoy special sales for the holiday weekend with treats and refreshments while you shop.
Pop Deluxe
310 State St. • (608) 256-1966
What could be better than free, delicious treats and great raffle prizes? Join the fun at Pop Deluxe, where we'll be offering lots of special sales, prizes and yummy snacks through out the day. Support Madison's local economy by spending the day shopping downtown!
Ragstock
329 State. St. • (608) 251-3419
Stop by for our "Give and Receive" sale plus cider and cookies. Bring in non-perishable food items to donate to Second Harvest, and receive a discount on your purchase.
A Room of One's Own Bookstore
307 W. Johnson St. • (608) 257-7888
Enjoy cookies, coffee, and cider plus 20% off calendars and 20% off all hardcover fiction through Dec. 24. Receive a free Booklovers' Calendar with any purchase over $50.
Sconnie Nation
521 State St. • (414) 803-0872
Sconnie Nation offers authentic apparel celebrating the Wisconsin lifestyle. Check out our great holiday gifts for anybody from Wisconsin or who loves the dairy state. Enjoy snacks and hot beverages while here.
The Soap Opera
319 State St. • (608) 251-4051
Enjoy free seasonal refreshments at The Soap Opera. Happy Holidays to everyone!
State Street Gallery
109 State St. • (608) 819-0304
"Little Things." The gallery will present a holiday group exhibition that will showcase handpicked local and national artists in collaboration with our in house artists. Participants have been given the challenge to create artwork no larger than 12" X 12" square/cube.
Tutto Pasta Trattoria
305 State St. • (608) 294-1000
Take a break from shopping and stop in to enjoy our amazing, authentic Italian food and treat yourself to $3.00 off any of our wines by the glass! Gift Certificates available!
The University Book Store
711 State St. • (608) 257-3784
All customers will enjoy 10% off their purchase of collegiate clothing & gifts.
Uno Chicago Grill
222 W. Gorham St. • (608) 255-7722
When you tire of left-over turkey, come in to Uno and let us treat you to the best food around! Then, finish some early shopping with our gift cards, $5 free for every $25 purchased!
Up
619 State St. • (608) 256-7777
Warm UP at UP! Join us for free delicious hot chocolate and hot savings just in time for the holidays! Special open house sales all day long!!!
Villari's Martial Arts
532 State St. • (608) 251-7755
Spectators are welcome for martial arts classes and open workout from 10am-2pm, when you can enjoy refreshments and a raffle.
Wisconsin Historical Museum
30 N. Carroll St. • (608) 264-6555
Discover what makes Wisconsin so unique with a tour of the Wisconsin Historical Museum's latest exhibit Odd Wisconsin. Be sure to peruse the unique museum store and enjoy a free cup of hot chocolate. (Open 9am - 4pm).
Wisconsin State Capitol Tours
2 E. Main St. • (608) 266-0382
Free tours of the historic Capitol building start at the information desk at 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00am and 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00pm.
*For patrons with disabilities for whom the trolley may not be accessible, the BID Ambassadors staffing the trolley will provide a free Metro Transit day pass plus a gift bag. Per Metro Transit: "All fixed-routes are accessible to people with disabilities. Service animals are allowed on Metro buses to assist people with disabilities. ADA-eligible riders may travel on fixed-route buses with a personal care attendant at no additional charge (the rider pays and the attendant rides for free). An ADA eligibility card must be presented when boarding." More information about Metro Transit is available via the Customer Service Center at 608-266-4466, TTY/Textnet 1-866-704-2316.
