People who jump-start their holiday shopping on Friday, Nov. 14, during the three-day opening of the Dowagiac Christmas Celebration will have an opportunity at seven downtown specialty shops to win a $50 Universal Dowagiac Gift Certificate, as shopkeepers present their finest in holiday merchandise.

The three-part Christmas event, which is presented by the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce and Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital, features the annual Christmas Open House Weekend Nov. 14-16; the 100-unit Candle-light Christmas Parade on Friday, Dec. 5; and Dowagiac Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29.

The Chamber of Commerce, which is co-sponsoring the weekend drawing for adults, is teaming up with seven participating locations to award a $50 Universal Dowagiac Gift Certificate to each of the seven winners, which they can use to supplement their holiday budgets.

According to Vickie Phillipson, program director of the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development Authority, and co-chairman of the Christmas Celebration, shoppers can register for the holiday drawing during Open House Weekend.  At most locations, shoppers will enjoy extended hours on Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.  On Saturday, shops are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. as family events are headquartered in and around the Beckwith Park at Front and Beeson streets. Most shops are open Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

Phillipson said organizers included Friday in the special weekend of in-store and community events, as a means to extend their holiday specials to those people who may work in Dowagiac and live elsewhere, as well as to local residents, who may have family commitments that Saturday and Sunday.

“Registering for the Christmas Open House Drawing is easy,” Phillipson said.  “Patrons can sign up for the drawing every time they make a purchase at one of our participating locations.”

The seven host sites of the drawing include:  Booth’s Country Florist, The Marshall Shoppe, Refine Women’s Consignment, Rosy Tomorrow’s, Shabby Bou-Chic, Vincent J. Jewelers and Who Knew? Consignment.  Winners will be drawn the following Monday.

Family activities on Open House Saturday get underway downtown at 10 a.m. and will be held in and around the Beckwith Park and within Wood Fire Italian Trattoria, Caruso’s Candy Kitchen and Who Knew? Consignment, where interactive events are featured.

“As a means to provide families with a warm and comfortable setting in which children can meet with our Old-World Santa, Wood Fire Italian Trattoria has graciously allowed us to use its Pompeii Room,” Phillipson said. “Located downtown across the street from Beckwith Park, our true-to-life Santa will greet families within the elegant indoor setting of Wood Fire, where children will receive a Christmas coloring book and can sign up to win one of two giant gift baskets of toys, plus the chance to ride with Kris Kringle in the Dec. 5 Candle-light Christmas Parade.”

Corporate sponsors of the three-fold celebration are: Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital, Burling & Gillesby DDS, Chemical Bank, Clark Chapel, Family Fare, Front Street Crossing, Mahar Insurance, The Timbers of Cass County and Vylonis Contracting.

For a full schedule of events or to register a unit in the Dec. 5 Candle-light Christmas Parade, call the Chamber of Commerce at (269) 782-8212 or visit www.DowagiacChamber.com.