On Saturday, May 3, take advantage of the warmer weather with Ashland’s Main Street and local businesses as they get in the spirit of the Kentucky Derby.
There will be exciting activities like a hat contest and a chance to win a gift card to your favorite downtown restaurant.
If you enjoy alcohol, make sure not to forget your DORA cup.
This holiday shop hop is a great opportunity for those looking to get unique gifts for the upcoming holidays and celebrations like graduation, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, and more.
Sandra Tunnell, the head of Ashland Main Street, said, “We’re going to change it up a little bit this year and Ashland Main Street is going to host a hat contest. So, if you come by and get your photo with your hat, we will have a contest to see who has the best hat and they’ll give them a prize.”
The hat contest rules are simple.
Decorate a hat as elaborate or as simple as you desire. Wear it down Mainstreet and stop at the photo booth located by Farm Home and Hardware.
“Just stop by and we’ll take a photo of you. We [will] put them on Facebook and then we have everybody vote for their favorite,” Tunnell.
The winner will be announced via Facebook on April 4 and will win a gift card to their favorite downtown business.
Amanda Rusynyk, employee at Madame Bagnabit said, “It’s fun to see everyone’s creative hats.”
While downtown don’t forget to stop and support the local businesses. Many including but not limited to Fig + Oak and Madame Bagnabit will be participating in the chance to win a gift card of your choosing.
“So, the Kentucky Derby Shop Hop has been super popular. Lately all of our downtown businesses have been great about, if we’re Ashland Main Street hosting event, doing something special, fun, and unique” Tunnell said.
This works by simply purchasing something approximately $20 or more at the participating locations. Once a purchase is made, the customer will receive a tiny plastic horse with a number painted on it.
There is no limit as to how many stores can be visited and how many horses one can receive.
Tunnell said, “If you want to shop at every shop/store downtown and get a bazillion horses, please do. The whole point is to encourage people to be downtown.”
At the end of the day, the horse number that won the 151st Kentucky Derby will be the winner. Any person that has a horse with this number can take it to the Ashland Main Street Office located at 19 West Main, suite 3, or send a message to Asland Main Street with a picture of the horse to redeem their gift card.
“You contact Ashland Main Street, and you show me your horse, and then we give you a gift card to your favorite downtown store [or] restaurant. So, you tell me where you wanna have a gift card and I give you a gift card” Tunnell said.
