City of Boston kicks off annual 'Holidays on Main Streets' campaign

The "#LetsAllShopSmall" campaign and new "Main Streets Explorer" pilot encourage residents to shop local.

Mayor Martin J. Walsh today kicked off the City of Boston's annual "Holidays on Main Streets" campaign, which features initiatives to encourage Boston residents to shop local this holiday season. At the celebration held at the Roslindale Village Main Street holiday tree lighting in Adams Park, Mayor Walsh announced the launch of the "#LetsAllShopSmall" campaign, officially proclaimed the day "Small Business Saturday," and revealed the pilot launch of the "Main Streets Explorer," all of which will help to drive traffic to Boston's 20 Main Street Districts and support Boston's local business economy.

"Every year I look forward to kicking off the holiday season, and I encourage Bostonians and visitors alike to support local establishments throughout Boston Main Streets and our local business districts," said Mayor Walsh. "From employing neighbors, giving back to local nonprofits and public space, to investing in neighborhood beautification efforts, Boston's Main Streets businesses are committed to their communities year round. I'm proud of these initiatives to support our local small business economy and I hope everyone is able to visit, support, and explore Boston's small, local establishments."

Mayor Walsh's "#LetsAllShopSmall" campaign is designed to inspire holiday shoppers to support Main Streets and other local commercial districts during the holiday season. Participants pledge to support local businesses during the holiday season, either by purchasing gifts, dining out, or participating in local holiday events in Main Streets districts. Holiday shoppers are encouraged to amplify the message via social media, using the hashtag "#LetsAllShopSmall". The Boston Main Streets Foundation recently launched bostonmainstreets.org, as another tool for residents and visitors to find more district-specific information and event details throughout the year and holiday season.

The "Main Streets Explorer" is collaboration between the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics, Mayor's Office of Economic Development, Boston Main Streets Foundation, Hyde Park Main Street, Roslindale Village Main Street, and West Roxbury Main Street. Currently a pilot program, it is a civic experiment to test ways different Main Street Districts could be more connected spaces. Designed as a "hop on, hop off" shuttle, this free service will connect Hyde Park Main Streets, Roslindale Village Main Streets, and West Roxbury Main Streets by bringing residents and visitors to experience the live music, restaurants, stores and events in multiple neighborhoods.'

The "Main Streets Explorer" will run the first three Thursdays of December from 4 - 10 p.m., and pick up locations in each neighborhood will feature information and wayfinding for anyone interested. For a complete listing of times and locations, please visit boston.gov/explorer or bostonmainstreets.org.

About the Mayor's Office of Economic Development

The Economic Development Cabinet's mission is to make Boston an appealing and accessible place for working families, entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors to innovate, grow, and thrive in a way that fosters inclusion, broadens opportunity, and shares prosperity, thereby enhancing the quality of life for all Bostonians and the experience for all visitors. Learn more on their website.

About the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics

As the City's civic research and development team, the New Urban Mechanics pilot experiments that aim to improve the quality of life for Boston's residents. The team's Third Spaces work, supported by a Bloomberg Philanthropies i-Teams grant, is working to make Boston's spaces more welcoming, connected, and creative.

About Boston Main Streets

Developed out of a partnership between the City of Boston and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Boston Main Streets initiative was created in 1995 as the first urban, multi-district Main Streets program in the nation, with the goal of establishing thriving commercial districts throughout the city. Boston Main Streets is a successful model for urban commercial district revitalization that strengthens local business districts through strong organizational development, community participation, resident and merchant education and sustainable development. Boston Main Streets continues to empower individuals in the small business sector to have a direct role in the economic health, physical appearance, and development of their own community.

About the Boston Main Streets Foundation

The Boston Main Streets Foundation is committed to making Boston's neighborhood commercial districts thriving, vibrant centers of commerce and community through its support of the Boston Main Streets program. The Boston Main Streets Foundation seeks to develop long-term strategies to increase the economic power and resources of neighborhood commercial districts while pursuing initiatives that build knowledge and capacity for Main Streets programs and the businesses they serve.