Woodstock holiday promotion brings in more than $120,000 in revenues

Participants in this year’s Woodstock holiday Shop, Dine, Save and Win promotion spent more than $120,000, Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Brad Ball said in a video announcing the winners Friday.

The total spent was about $50,000 more than in 2023, and about 100 more shoppers sent in receipts.

The promotion seeks to encourage people to shop locally during the holidays and began in 2020 in an effort to help Woodstock retailers struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To participate, people had to spend at least $200 before tax at Woodstock retailers between Nov. 29 and the end of 2024. Certain items, such as haircuts and gift cards, didn’t count toward that total. Shoppers received $20 in cash back for every $200 spent at eligible retailers and restaurants, which the city sponsored, along with raffle entries for cash prizes.

In 2024, 325 people submitted more than 1,000 receipts; the total they spent was over $120,000, Ball said in the video.

Ball said Sunday the 2024 numbers were preliminary. The promotion in 2023 generated just over $70,000 from about 230 participants. About 775 receipts were sent in last year, Ball said.

Participants were also able to name a business with whom they would share any winnings, and those businesses were also announced. The top prize for the winner to split is $1,000, followed by $600 for the second prize and $300 for third.

Jessie H. of Lombard won first prize, while the second place prize went to Susan H. of Woodstock and Trina H. of Marengo won the third prize. Anime and Things got $500 from the promotion, Read Between the Lynes got $300 and Astri Aura got $150.

While the promotion has wrapped up and the Santa Hut is no longer accepting visitors, the holiday season in Woodstock is not quite over yet. The holiday lights downtown will remain up through Groundhog Day when Woodstock Willie is expected to share whether six more weeks of winter are in store or if an early spring is on the way.

Stephen Tobolowsky, who played Ned Ryerson in the 1993 film “Groundhog Day,” is this year’s special guest and will be on hand for Willie’s prognostication. Tobolowsky also will have a meet-and-greet during Groundhog Days, on Feb. 1 at Read Between the Lynes, 111 E. Van Buren St., the day before the big weather reveal.