There is free 2-hour parking downtown over the Xmas season and any money deposited in the meters will go toward the Kawartha Food ShareShop downtown Peterborough and support local when looking for a unique Christmas gift this year. There are extended hours in December at participating stores, and parking is free downtown.

Santa himself will be walking around downtown to check if you are naughty or nice from noon to 3 on December 11th and 18th. If you are nice, he just might give you a candy cane.

As added incentive to shop downtown, you will receive a Downtown Holiday Shopping Passport when you spend $10 at a participating DBIA store. When your passport is full ($200 in purchases), it will be deposited into a ballot box.

There are early bird prize draws from the ballot box on December 6th, 13th and 20th. Prizes range from a $500 DBIA Gift Certificate to the Grand Prize of a $1,000 DBIA Gift Certificate (the draw date for that is on January 4, 2011).

[Words & pictures by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]