GEDP Invites Visitors to Spring Back to Easton!

GEDP Invites Visitors to Spring Back to Easton!

As the warm weather returns, the Greater Easton Development Partnership (GEDP) has a number of socially-distant ways to welcome families back to Downtown Easton.

Two of GEDP’s new promotions, an ArtsPath and an Easton StoryWalk, offer outdoor ways of exploring Downtown Easton.

“As much as all of us want life to be back to normal, we know we’re just not there yet,” said Kim Kmetz, manager-Easton Main Street Initiative. “We know everyone’s comfort level is different, but there is a growing desire to get out of the house now that the weather is warmer. We purposely designed these new tours to be self-guided so that visitors can explore our city safely and on their own terms.”

Visitors are reminded to wear masks, and heed local and state guidelines when visiting.

Discover local art through ArtsPath

Downtown Easton is filled with art — murals, wall poems, sculpted bike racks and artist-designed Little Free Libraries. Led by volunteers on its Design Committee, Easton Main Street Initiative has created a new ArtsPath featuring 30 pieces of art, and will unveil it this month. 

Visitors can access a map on Shopdowntowneaston.com/Explore that offers three different self-guided outdoor art tours:

  • A walking tour geared toward families.
  • A path that takes you past all 30 pieces of art.
  • A flat, more compact route.

Visitors can explore the public art at their own pace, and are encouraged to make a day of it as they window shop, and enjoy lunch or dinner at one of Easton’s delicious restaurants. By using a smartphone on the tour, visitors will be able to pull up details about each piece along with the route.

Read along on a StoryWalk

The StoryWalk will kick off April 23 and feature the pages of a favorite children’s book spread throughout 11 windows of Downtown Easton shops. Sidewalk decals will denote the start and end of the StoryWalk. Families can find the path at Shopdowntowneaston.com/StoryWalk. 

The family-friendly tour features the story of “Daniel Finds a Poem” by Micha Archer which talks about finding poetry around you. Visitors who are inspired by the book’s lyrical lines can create their own poems about Downtown Easton and submit them to the Easton Area Public Library. Poems can be dropped at the library, 515 Church St., for inclusion in the library’s poetry display. Visitors are also encouraged to share photos of their tour or poems with Easton Main Street Initiative through social media.

Spring Back to Easton

The Special Events & Promotions team at GEDP is launching a new retail campaign encouraging neighbors and visitors to support local businesses. Spring Back to Easton will reward shoppers who upload a photo of their receipt from a retail purchase in Downtown Easton by entering them in a contest for a chance to win one of 10 restaurant gift cards. The contest will kick off during Easton Out Loud on April 23. Easton Out Loud is presented by Highmark and will be held live 6-8 p.m. on Facebook.com/EastonOutLoud.

Shoppers can submit their receipts at Shopdowntowneaston.com/springback from April 23 through the end of May. Each week in May, two winners will be announced through Easton Main Street Initiative’’s social media and will each receive a $50 gift card for a Downtown Easton restaurant.

“This is the perfect time to start shopping for those gifts for Mother’s Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, Nurses’ Week and graduations,” says Marcy McKinney, manager-Special Events & Promotions. “Shop local and find the perfect gift waiting in the shops and boutiques of Downtown Easton.”