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Pivots, Participation, & Patronage (PPP) with Digital Platforms Initiatives
2022 NC Main Street Award: Organization
Best Economic Recovery Initiative
City of Lenoir Main Street Program
Lenoir Tourism Development Authority
COVID-19’s shifting mandates and gathering restrictions made creating the 2021 Downtown Lenoir promotions schedule challenging. In response, the Promotions Team and City of Lenoir Main Street staff created its own “PPP” program consisting of the Leprechaun Chase Scavenger Hunt, Haunted Halloween Heist, and Elf on a Shelf in a Store in Lenoir events. Consumers were encouraged to move around downtown discovering QR codes in businesses and other points of interest. Players received a set number of points for each pot of gold or leprechaun found, or challenge completed. The Haunted Halloween Heist involved the theft of the iconic Thomas Sayre “Across the Grain” sculpture with participants engaging in a “Clue” like board game to solve the heist. For the Elf on the Shelf in a Store in Lenoir game, players collected digital stamps by finding elves and QR codes placed inside participating businesses.
Downtown merchants contributed $3,000 to sponsor the three initiatives. The Lenoir Tourism Development Authority helped fund digital platforms for the games, and the City of Lenoir Information Technology Department provided surplus smart phones to participants.
More than 350 teams and 1,000 participants enjoyed these creative initiatives while providing much-appreciated support to downtown businesses. And additional Leprechaun Chase and Elf on the Shelf in a Store in Lenoir events are planned in the future.