Ballard businesses to kick-off holiday season with special events

The Ballard business community is coming together to give back this holiday season with two new extra special events for both locals and visitors to enjoy. The events are coined “Ballard Gives Black Friday“, that will of course take place this Friday, November 29, and “Ballard Gives Holiday Light Celebration“, set for this Saturday, November 30.

Ballard Gives Black Friday puts a community twist on the traditional day-after Thanksgiving Day shopping event. Rather than offering early morning discount sales, many stores in Ballard will be donating a portion of their Black Friday sales to local non-profits.

The non-profits include the Ballard Boys and Girls Club, the Ballard Food Bank, Page Ahead Children’s Literacy Foundation and many more. The local stores participating include Hatties Hat (5231 Ballard Ave NW), Camelion Design (5330 Ballard Ave NW), Market Street Shoes (2232 NW Market St #101), Laura Bee Designs (6418 20th Ave NW) and more. For a full list of participating stores and the non-profits that they have chosen click here.

Shoppers who want to give back this Black Friday should look for the “Ballard Gives Black” logo (pictured) in store front windows.

After recovering from the shopping sprees in Ballard on Friday, all are invited to Marvin’s Garden Park (Ballard Ave NW and 22nd Ave NW) from 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 30 for the first ever “Ballard Gives Holiday Lights Celebration.” This new event is set to feature live music, free goodies and beverages, and a chance for the little ones to have a free photo taken with Santa. Check out the events list below:

• Free photos with Santa and free treats and drinks from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. at the Bell Tower at Marvin’s Garden Park
• Ann Merryfield Jazz Trio from 3 p.m. – 4:50 p.m. at Marvin’s Garden Park Stage
• Tree Lighting Ceremony at 5 p.m. at Marvin’s Garden Park Stage
• Market Street Singers performance from 5 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. at Marvin’s Garden Park Stage
• Los Gentlemen performance from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Marvin’s Garden Park Stage

This year the holiday lights that are creating that special festive feeling along Market Street and Ballard Ave highlight a collaborative effort between local property owners, businesses and the Ballard Chamber of Commerce. In addition, the City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods has awarded Ballard a $25,000 Neighborhood Matching Fund Neighborhood Matching Fund Grant that will match private dollar donations and make sure that Ballard’s holiday lighting tradition will live on for years to come.

“The extensive lighting effort to make the Market Street and the Ballard Avenue corridors shine brighter this year has made the 2013 holiday season more festive than ever before,” said Mike Stewart, Executive Director of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.

“It could not have been possible without the enthusiasm and financial support of key merchants, businesses, property owners, the Department of Neighborhoods and the Ballard Chamber, not to mention the hard work of countless volunteers.”