Area residents who dread Christmas shopping but love giving and getting gifts are invited to a holiday shopping alternative — the Holiday Scavenger Hunt — in Kent beginning on Black Friday.
Those who successfully complete the scavenger hunt between Friday, Nov. 24, and Wednesday, Dec. 20, could win a $1,000 Hometown Bank MasterCard — just in time for the holidays.
Main Street Kent is hosting the Holiday Scavenger Hunt to encourage residents to support small businesses in downtown Kent. As a kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and in support of the Shop Small initiative, the Holiday Scavenger Hunt is intended to drive people into small businesses in search of holiday treasures for their loved ones.
The first step of the Holiday Scavenger Hunt is getting a Scavenger Hunt Card. Holiday Scavenger Hunt Cards are available between Friday, Nov. 24, and Wednesday, Dec. 20, either online at or in person at any of the participating downtown businesses: Belleria Pizza & Italian Restaurant, Carnaby Street Style, Empire, GRAZERS, Kent Cheesemonger, Kent Cycle, McKay Bricker Framing & Black Squirrel Gifts, Off the Wagon, Peace, Love & Little Donuts, Popped!, Red Letter Days, Scribbles, Sugar Rush, Tree City Coffee, Troppus Projects, UniversiTees, Woodsy’s and Twisted Meltz.
For the second step of the Holiday Scavenger Hunt, participants must visit each of the downtown businesses until they locate all 10 hidden holiday images and track the image location on their Scavenger Hunt Card. Ten different images must be identified to complete the Scavenger Hunt.
The third and final step of the Holiday Scavenger Hunt requires submitting the completed Scavenger Hunt Card. Entries can be submitted either online at , by mail at Main Street Kent (138 E. Main St., Suite 201B in Kent, OH 44240) or in the special “Shop Kent” mailbox at Red Letter Days (144 E. Main St. in Kent). All completed entries must be received by Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 11:59 p.m. EST. (Entries can be submitted to Red Letter Days until 9 p.m. at the close of business on Dec. 20). One entry is allowed per person, and no purchase is required to participate.
Holiday Scavenger Hunt prize drawings will be held on Friday, Dec. 22. In addition to the grand prize, a $1,000 Hometown Bank MasterCard, three additional runner-up prizes will be awarded in the amounts of $500, $250 and $100 in gift cards to downtown businesses. The Holiday Scavenger Hunt is sponsored in part by Hometown Bank. Full details are available at .
Main Street Kent is a nonprofit organization focused on the revitalization of downtown Kent. It is an affiliate of the national Main Street program and the Heritage Ohio program.
For more information about Main Street Kent, visit , call 330-677-8000 or email info@mainstreetkent.org.