Getting out the word on Chickfest
Cherry the chicken outside of the Rejuvenate with Joy.
Cherry the Chicken poses for a selfie with cans of Monster energy drink at Bread of Life.
Cherry the Chicken pretends to do some laundry at Charles City Electronics.
Cherry the Chicken poses with an armful of stuffed toys at Birdie and Bo's.
Charles City Community Development Event Coordinator Emily Garden as Cherry the Chicken checks out the merchandize at Saxony. Press photo by Thomas Nelson.
Charles City Community Development Event Coordinator Emily Garden as Cherry the Chicken checks out the merchandize at Saxony. Press photos by Thomas Nelson.
Charles City Community Development Event Coordinator Emily Garden takes a selfie with employees at Charles City Electronics. Press photos by Thomas Nelson.
By Thomas Nelson, tnelson@charlescitypress.com
Chickfest has been Charles City’s biggest annual shopping holiday for a while now, but not everyone is in the know, so a big yellow bird is spreading the word.
It’s an event unique to Charles City, created with the help of Tami Vetter, owner of the Rustic Corner, and the Charles City Chamber of Commerce.
The Charles City Community Development Office is handling the promotion of Chickfest a little differently this year. Events Coordinator Emily Garden is going around dressed as a giant chicken named Cherry the Chick with her sidekick Bubbles, a stuffed chicken toy on a ring that Garden wears.
“That’s because I go hard,” Garden said.
She’s made appearances at Hy-Vee, Charles City Electronics, Saxony, North Iowa Coins and Birdie and Bo’s, as well as other businesses around Charles City.
“It’s not just sales, it’s an experience,” Garden said of the spring shopping spree.
Garden is also taking advantage of social media and promoting the event on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with #chickfest2018.
One of the signature Chickfest activities is standing outside Saturday morning, waiting for one the 150 gift bags to be given out at the Chamber of Commerce office at 401 S. Main St.
Participating businesses have coupons and items placed in the bags that customers can grab starting at 9 a.m.
There are people who get competitive about being the first in line, and last year all 150 bags were gone within 15 minutes of the doors opening.
This year 15 retailers will be participating in Chickfest: Haven Boutique, Mara, Schiller’s Fine Art Gallery and Framing, Lidd and Cordray, Hy-Vee, The Rustic Corner, Saxony, Schueth Ace Hardware, Charles City Electronics, Darbe and Co., North Iowa Coins, Bread of Life Market, Rejuvenate With Joy, Otto’s Oasis and Birdie and Bo’s.
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