Candy Cane Main is a month-long campaign focused on celebrating all the holiday events in the month of December while encouraging our community to shop locally through direct retail sales at participating businesses.
The campaign kicks off with the Candy Cane Main Shop Main Street district shopping extravaganza on the first Saturday in December, 11 am – 2 pm, where holiday shoppers can register to participate in the Sweater Stroll and receive a commemorative tote bag for all their shopping finds, a cookie box to stow treats provided by participating businesses, our interactive map of participating businesses, Selfies with Santa, BAAA Humbug Holiday Sheep Scavenger Hunt, Light up Main Street Holiday light contest and so much more!
Make it a total experience by visiting one of our amazing eateries and fuel up in time for the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce Parade of Lights on Main Street starting at 5pm. Spread some holiday joy and revel in the season’s spirit right here on Main.
After the Kickoff shopping event, our Candy Cane Main campaign will continue throughout December, promoting our local businesses and merchants. We have an enhanced interactive map of participating businesses PLUS our Perfect Gift guide of hand-selected favorites from our local merchants to help you find that perfect gift from the heart for your loved one. Scroll down and see last year’s must-haves hand-curated by your local merchants.
Here are some important dates to remember for the upcoming festivities:
- Town of Gardnerville’s Christmas Kickoff and fireworks on December 4th at Heritage Park. This is a family fun event, free to the public with caroling, local dancers, hot cider and cobbler, photos with Santa, electric carriage rides, and of course FIREWORKS.
- Candy Cane Main Shop Main Street Cookie and Cocoa Crawl district shopping event Saturday, December 6th, from 11-2 p.m. Shoppers can preregister to receive a commemorative tote and cookie box.
- Selfies with Santa Saturday, December 6th, 11-2 PM – Santa?!?! We know him! Santa will be downtown and photo-ready, visiting everyone on the nice and not-so-nice list. Find Santa and Snap a Selfie.
- BAAAA Humbug Sheep Scavenger Hunt Participants can follow the flock to find the special festive sheep we will sprinkle throughout the business on Main Street, and win a prize for successfully finding the whole flock.
- Light Up Main Street Holiday Light Contest. We encourage businesses on Main to deck the halls and get lit in time for the holidays. Participants of the Sweater Stroll can enter their favorite business holiday window or exterior display. The business with the most votes receives a Title Sponsorship level of Main Street Gardnerville for 2026
- Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Parade of Lights is on Saturday, December 6th, at 5:00 pm on 395. This year’s theme is “Holiday Hoedown”.
CANDY CANE MAIN SWEATER STROLL SHOPPER PRE-REGISTRATION
$15.00
Register as a holiday shopper and receive a commemorative tote bag for all your shopping finds, cookies, and cocoa from participating businesses.
There will be a walking map of participating businesses, Selfies with Santa, a BAAAA Humbug Sheep Scavenger Hunt, a Holiday Window Display Contest, and so much more.
Make it a total experience by visiting one of our fabulous eateries and fuel up in time for the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce Parade of Lights on Main Street, starting at 5 pm.
Spread some holiday joy and revel in the season’s spirit on Main Street.
Candy Cane Main Business Registration
DECEMBER Candy Cane Main Shop Main Street kickoff shopping event.
Saturday, December 6th 11 am-2 pm
- $25 business registration fee for current 2025 MSG business partners & $50 for non-MSG 2025 business partners, we will provide additional promotion to Shop Main Street and stay local, in addition to what you already receive as a Main Street Business Partner PLUS:
- Participation in the Candy Cane Main Shop Main Street shopping event on December 6th.
- Coupons or ads for the day of the shopping event are placed in the Commemorative totes. (coupons or ads must be submitted by November 28th to ensure placement in totes)
- Inclusion in our Candy Cane Main Walking Guide. Printed and downloadable PDFs will be available.
- Your selected product will be featured in the Perfect Gift Guide. (Must be submitted by business)
- Facebook and Instagram pages and promo mentions throughout the shopping season.
- Logo files as needed for MSGCandy Cane Main Shop, Main Street.
- Giant Holiday lollipop display with QR code link to the Candy Cane Main map, indicating you are a participating business. (Available to brick-and-mortar businesses only.)
DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS DECEMBER 5TH!