by Jamilyn Hiskes
LANSING, Ill. (September 28, 2019) – While an autumn afternoon stroll through the heart of downtown Lansing sounds appealing on its own, pairing it with good company and good wine could only be an improvement.
That’s part of the reasoning behind the Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce organizing Lansing’s first annual Wine Walk, which will take place October 19 from noon to 5:00pm.
“We’ve gone to several [wine walks], and we just thought we’d try it here,” Todd said about the Chamber’s decision to offer the event. “It’s kind of half-and-half for the community and for the businesses.”
Todd said the walk will bring participants down the bike path and along Ridge Road into 12 local businesses, mapped out on a “badge” to be worn around the neck. There will be snacks as well as a red and a white wine to taste at each stop, and while there, the participants will also have a chance to look around the business and learn more about the goods and/or services it offers. A variety of businesses will be stops on the walk, according to Todd, including a law office, established business Sandler’s Shoes (3313 Ridge Road) and the new boutique The Hanger (3521 Ridge Road). The walk will end at Santori’s Liquors (3529 Ridge Road), which will be providing the wines for the event. When the event is over, Todd said there will be shuttles available to bring participants back to the beginning of the walk, Fox Pointe.
“This isn’t about drinking or getting drunk,” Todd said. “This is about tasting wine, having some fun, and seeing what these stores are all about. This is what we want to do—bring people into the store, have them see someplace maybe they’ve never seen before.”
Todd said she was inspired by wine walks in other towns such as Frankfort and Naperville, which have larger business districts than Lansing but hold wine walks with roughly the same number of stops.
“I just love the idea that you’re bringing people into your business district—people who may have never been there,” Todd said. “I’d never shopped in downtown Naperville. But I went to [their Wine Walk] with a friend, and I loved it, and I found stores that I loved. That’s what brings people back. …We want to bring awareness to what we have here and keep people in our town and shopping locally.”
Todd explained that, besides hosting an enjoyable community event, the main goal of the Lansing Wine Walk is to bring people into Lansing’s local businesses—even if it’s just for that day.
“It’ll really be just a fun Saturday for the community, and we hope to bring some business to our Chamber members within this downtown area,” Todd said. “Beyond that, it’s our first time, so we’ll see what works and what doesn’t and how we can change things for next year. We’re hoping it’s a success.”
The Lansing Wine Walk is $35 per person for those who register before October 1—and registration is available online. That price includes a wine glass, a “swag bag,” and a $10 coupon to use toward a bottle of wine at Santori’s at the end of the walk. After October 1, registration is $40 with no coupon included.
For more information, visit the chamber’s website, www.chamberoflansing.com.
