Holiday Planning Already?

It is never too late to think about holidays in Grinnell! With fall kicking off, our (creative) Chamber Ambassadors recently met to discuss the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Jingle Bell Holiday and general “holidays in Grinnell” festivities!

Jingle Bell Holiday is a grand Grinnell event, with hundreds of people packed in a chilly downtown with hot chocolate and treats in hand. Though the event is always a major hit, our Ambassadors pitched ideas to take the event to the next level, including creating more holiday photo opportunities throughout town and developing a mini holiday scavenger hunt. 

In the weeks leading up to the holiday season, the Chamber Ambassadors brainstormed ways to keep the holiday feel into town after Jingle Bell Holiday, starting with the local businesses' annual extended hours. One key takeaway? Incorporating different aspects that fit multiple demographics: one for kids, one for adults, and a general free event for all to enjoy!  

What would you like to see? Roping in carolers from the Grinnell School of Music or Grinnell College? Or perhaps you would want to be involved with a downtown activity, such as a holiday decoration contest to help adorn local retail shops and businesses? 

Finally, the Chamber is preparing for a grand hand off of the beloved Central Park holiday decorations [tradition>. For nine years, the beautiful display has been led and organized by Jennifer and Kevin McAlexander and put into place by a team of volunteers, but now we are looking for their successors. If you are interested in the passing of the torch, or wish to contribute with a small role, email or message our social media platforms.

If you have more ideas about the holidays in Grinnell and potential activities, drop them in the comments below — we would love to read them and share with our business community! 

Chamber Ambassadors

Chamber ambassadors (Brainstormers) who attended include the following individuals, from left to right:

• Nikki Armstead
  Grinnell Chamber
• Geneva Knobbe 
  Grinnell Motors
• Nicolle Donnelly 
  Poweshiek Insurance Agency
• Evan Petig
  The Grinnellian
• Blake Pearson
  Converge Chiropractic
• Trent Arment
  Mahaska Communication Group
• Dedee Lehman
  All in Real Estate
• Sarah Bacehowski
  OnMedia
• Fran Conn
• Dan McCue
  McCue & Associates — American Family Insurance
• Monica St. Angelo
  Grinnell Area Arts Council
• Sonya Horn
  Pioneer Bookshop