Trick or Treat... As always, FMA merchants will be greeting hundreds of trick or treaters this Halloween. For any that may not know, local kids and parents come by the village stores, generally between the hours of 4 and 6 pm. 
Traditionally, they look for the "Trick or Treat Pumpkin" poster in the windows of merchants that are offering treats. You can download and print your copy of the poster here or pick one up at the FMA office on Depot Street.
Special note: This year Trick-or-Treaters will be able to go to the Freeport Community Center on Depot Street for more goodies!
New at FPAC... Starting this month, the Freeport Performing Arts Center established Freeport's Second Tuesday Speakers Club. Dr. Steve Putnam, the FPAC Director, believes that these talks will appeal to local residents as well as visitors. All programs will begin at 7:15 pm and end around 8:30 pm on the second Tuesday of each month.The intent of the lectures is to help broaden our views on life by exposing us to the experiences and thinking of others.
The first ever Second Tuesday Speaker was Bill Nemitz, Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram journalist. The series is free to the public and is sponsored by L.L.Bean, the Harraseeket Inn, Hilton Garden Inn and J.A.Y. Enterprises
Music & Libations Festival update... The Destination Freeport gang is well underway with their plans for the first Music & Libations Festival, scheduled for February 1,2 & 3, 2008. The intent is to heat things up a bit during the cold, slow month of February with a fun event that also supports a worthy cause.
You still have an opportunity to get involved in the festivities! To find out more about it all go to Music and Libations or contact Jeanne at Hilton Garden Inn 865-1433, jeanne.carpentier@hilton.com
Networking After Hours - Special Note... The November Networking After Hours (NAH) get together will not be held on its usual third Tuesday schedule, due to the FMA Annual Meeting. Instead, you can enjoy networking and info from both gatherings at the FMA Annual Meeting on November 14th at the Harraseeket Inn.
As a special treat, the team from Elan Studios, our next scheduled NAH hosts, will be on hand at the FMA Annual Meeting.
Survey Says... As we develop our new survey / data gathering system, we are beginning to get some meaningful information that will benefit FMA and our members. Look for an informative new report very soon.
In more survey related news, the Freeport Economic Development Corporation (FEDC) has developed a comprehensive business survey for all Freeport businesses. It is being deployed in part electronically, with assistance from FMA. You can find the survey here FEDC Business Survey We encourage you to take part in the survey. This thoughtful survey represents a strong effort on behalf of FEDC to focus on services and resources that will help you grow and prosper your Freeport business.
For additional information contact Stephanie Slocum at FEDC 865-4743 ext 117, or fedc@freeportmaine.com you can also visit the FEDC website at www.freeportecon.com
Freeport Goes Green... Freeport was "green"-minded long before it was fashionable. Freeport businesses such as L.L.Bean, the Harraseeket Inn, Taggert Construction and others, along with groups like the Freeport Community Improvement Association have long been environmental leaders.
However, as the need increases to improve our environment as well as our quality or place, Freeport begins a new initiative along those lines. Partners in this new Green Initiative include the Town of Freeport, FEDC, FMA, FCIA, the aforementioned businesses, and several highly qualified environmental specialists.
Look for more information soon on the Initiative and how you can get involved.
Stats 'N Stuff... Here are some interesting figures that not only show what's happening, but point up some opportunities as well.
The Main Street Freeport Info Center (FIC) had its highest service rate ever, distributing over 30,000 visitor guides, plus member brochures and information. Last years VG distribution at FIC was 22,000.
As of mid-September, visits to FreeportUSA.com for 2007 had already exceeded all of 2006 by more than 50,000.
The Special Savings page has already had over 23,000 visits. The Coupons page will exceed last years record of 35,595 downloads.
The Packages page has already had over 13,781 visits - more than all of last year.
The Events Calendar Page averages over 100 hits per day. The highest recorded day so far was July 4th, 2007 with 811 views.
The Top Picks After 6 page, (what to do in the evening) received over 4000 visits in its first two months of availability.
And what does all this lead to? Early survey results show that retail sales figures and lodging occupancy rates have both seen substantial overall increases from last year.
There are opportunities for FMA members to get valuable extra exposure in lots of ways, as you can see above. If you are not taking advantage of them all, contact the FMA office right away! |
Executive Directors Message...
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
We've been doing a lot of work lately on Strategic Planning for the next 3-5 years. In that, there has been much about "branding" and "brand positioning" and the value of a destination's "Quality of Place". That's partly the "feeling" you get when you visit a place or think about what it would be like to go there.
It is important to define a destination's Quality of Place in experiental terms in order to engage the potential visitor. Defining Quality of Place is often as difficult to do as it is important.
People often ask me what there is about Freeport that makes me so animated and passionate in talking about it. Unfortunately for them, this often results in a more effervescent and expanded dialogue about Freeport's charismatic offerings. It is, after all, a combination of many things.
Right now it's the Great Pumpkin. It's the fact that within five minutes of the downtown of this major tourism destination is Wolfes Neck Farm, a non-profit preservation trust operating on 600+ pristine oceanside acres. And every weekend in October, residents and visitors alike can go there and take a hayride up to the pumpkin patch and come back with a pumpkin and a great memory.
It's the fact that in the middle of this high-quality, world class shopping mecca, full of famous national brands and unique Maine business icons, almost everything will magically change from 4 to 6 pm on Halloween. During that time, more than a hundred downtown merchants will be focused on treating a cavalcade of adorable ghoulies and ghosties, princesses, wizards, pirates, pumpkins and the like.
For me, those are two pretty good representations of Freeports Quality of Place experience.
There's lots going on in this newsletter, so please read on. The little round-headed kid and I will be out in the pumpkin patch with Linus, sitting there waiting for you-know-who.
FMA Annual Meeting - Save the Date...
This year the FMA Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 14th at the Harraseeket Inn. The evening beqins at 5:00 pm with cocktail hour, displays and a silent auction.
New FMA marketing plans will be introduced for 2008, many of FMA's dynamic marketing partners will be on hand, you'll meet our new officers for 2008, enjoy great Harraseeket cuisine, and there will no doubt be some fun surprises as well.
All FMA members and Freeport businesses are invited! This is a fine opportunity to really know all that FMA does, find out all the new happenings in Freeport and have a great time doing it. We hope to see you there!
Sparkle Events Listings needed ASAP...
You know it's almost Christmas - it is around here anyway. We're already getting lots of calls from customers about Sparkle Weekend Store Events. Sparkle is, of course, an eagerly anticipated holiday tradition for Freeport residnets and visiting shoppers.
It's time to get your plans together for any Special Sales Events, in-store games, demos, special promotions, refreshement offerings and the like for Sparkle Weekend, which is November 30th , December 1st and 2nd.
Your Sparkle event goes in both our printed brochure and our online Sparkle Events page, so don't delay. Get your info to us as soon as you can. If you have questions or new ideas, call Kim or Dick at the FMA office, 865-1212 or email info@freeportusa.com
Speakin' of Sparkle and Holidays...
Along with your instore events, sales and such, it's also time to plan for all the other Sparkle events, such as the Sparkle Electric Light Parade on Friday night, November 30th, Santa's arrival, the Jingle Bell Fun Run/Walk for the Arthritis Foundation, strolling carollers, Free Hot cocoa stops and all.
Volunteers are critical to make all these things happen. We need lots of volunteers and its lots of fun! Please conact the office to get on the volunteer list. 865-1212 or email to info@freeportusa.com
And Sparkle is only part of it! The Holiday Season in Freeport gets a BIG, BRIGHT start with L.L.Beans Northern Lights Celebration on November 17th (see the Calendar of events at www.Freeportusa.com for details). From then on, right through to New Years, there are constant holiday happenings in Freeport.
This year FMA will have it's biggest holiday media campaign ever. We will be partnering with the undisputed leader in holiday music, WHOM 94.9. This multi-media campaign will tie the Holiday in Freeport experience together with the WHOM for the Holidays experience, reaching all of Northern New England and beyond.
The plan features chances to win $1000 shopping sprees in Freeport, and includes not only broadcast, but national reach through digital streaming promotion and interent components. There are great co-op participation opportunities available for this campaign. For full details email dcollins@freeportusa.com
Freeport Creative Arts News...
Great things are in the works for the developing Freeport Creative Arts (FCA) Group. After a long effort, the pieces are beginning to come together with increasing momentum! Several new people have recently gotten involved in the organization of FCA. A number of new artists have expressed eagerness to become involved, and FCA has outlined several positive action steps to move the organization forward.
An open meeting for all interested artists of any discipline, visual or performing, is being held on November 6th at 7:00pm at the Freeport Community Center. During this time information will be shared and everyone will have the opportunity to become involved in FCA.
To help guide things along, FCA, along with FMA, has come up with a survey (yes, another survey) to gather input and ideas from the creative community in the Freeport area. You can find the online FCA Survey version here or at FreeportUSA.com, on the Arts in Freeport page.
FCA has been fostered in part by the Creative Economy Initiative and the efforts of the Freeport Economic Development Corporation (FEDC) and Freeport Merchants Association in working with a growing number of visionary artists. This is a very exciting time for the creative arts in Freeport. Please spread the word to every painter, printmakerer, potter, prestidigitator or performer you know!
Get ready for the Freeport eClub Holiday blast...
Every day more people are signing up for the new Freeport eClub. We're working on our first Holiday eClub newsletter right now. If you have sales events going on for November and December, now is the time to let us know. Just email your sales events info to info@freeportusa.com or call the office at 865-1212 for details. |
