The Philly Phanatic showed up for last year's shop local event.
MARGATE Local business owners are invited to be the stars of this year's Show Us Your Rack parade being held to open the holiday shopping season in Margate's business districts at noon, Saturday, Nov. 30, known as Small Business Saturday.
This year's parade theme is designed to promote shopping local, and encourage retailers to offer deep discounts and showcase their products not only on their sidewalks, but in the holiday parade as well.
The family friendly parade and shopping extravaganza includes sidewalk sales, children's activities, face painting, giveaways, games, food and refreshments, but the stars of the day will be competing businesses that participate in a rack decorating contest, according to a release.
Margate businesses are being asked to participate by decorating a valet, restaurant or garment rack on wheels with a theme that reflects their businesses and roll that rack along the parade route on Ventnor Avenue from Washington Avenue to Essex Avenue. The best-decorated rack will be awarded a $500 media package.
The event includes a visit from a signing Santa who is fluent in American Sign Language. Colmar Home Center is sponsoring children's activities, including basketball shoot, football toss and games galore, on Essex Avenue.
Signing Santa greets children at the end of the parade route on Essex Avenue during last year's MBA holiday parade.
The Margate Police and Fire departments and Toys for Kids program will participate in the parade, while refreshments, including pizza, soda and face painting, will offered at Bocca.
The parade will have two staging areas, one on Washington Avenue and a second at Jerome Avenue, so participants can walk in all or part of the 1.1-mile parade.
Current participants include Sunset Outpost, Johnny's Café, Shuckers, Playgroups Plus, Thomas Heist Insurance Agency and Lucy the Elephant. Bocca's Coal Fired Bistro, Colmar Home Center and 95.1 WAYV are co-sponsoring the event along with the Margate Business Association.
Any organizations, bands, dancers, businesses or anyone wishing to participate in the parade should email [email protected].
For more information about the MBA, download the Catch the Margate Wave app or see margatehasmore.com.
