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JERSEY SHORE -- The 4th Annual Autumn at the Shore, an event to highlight local businesses and community involvement, will be held on Saturday.
The event was started by Kimberely Martin, owner of The Sparrow's Nest Mercantile, and Tiffany Kilpatrick in 2020.
"Right after COVID and all the shutdowns, the businesses were just in a mess," said Martin, who owns a trademark on the event's title, "and we were looking for ways to encourage people to get out and about."
The entire affair is organized by Martin and a five-person committee comprising of Tina Cooney, Brandi Kunes, Nicole Tate, Abby Welker and Dottie Eisenhauer.
The event has grown significantly since that first year when 10 vendors set up at the gazebo downtown to this year's festivities, which will include 30 vendors.
Due to the chance of rain in the forecast, this year's staging area will be Bald Birds Brewing Co., located at 220 Shaffer Lane.
But, the main driver of the day will be the local businesses involved with a punch card raffle.
"When Tiffany and I started talking about doing something down at the gazebo, I said, 'why don't we do a punch card run,' which is what we do," Martin said.
To participate, patrons must visit all eight businesses listed on the punch card to receive a sticker from each. After which, the holder is eligible for the grand prize drawing.
There is no set order that businesses must be visited in, and a punch card can be provided by any business attendees choose to visit first.
Participation in the punch card run is free, and features local businesses, including Iconic Vape & Tobacco, Clover Crown Boutique and Martina Guerra Jewelers, to name a few.
New additions this year include Erv's Meat Market and Lingle's Neighborhood Market.
The winner of the punch card raffle will win all baskets from the eight punch card businesses, usually totaling around a $400 value.
"We feature a different master of ceremonies to do the drawings each year," Martin said. "Last year it was Caleb Leone, and this year it will be District Magistrate Denise Dieter. We always try to get somebody local that people know to do our drawings."
Additionally, there will be a vendor raffle featuring baskets from each of the 30 vendors.
In the lead up to the event, those that visit the four participating restaurants also have the chance to win a gift certificate bundle containing a gift certificate from each restaurant.
For a chance to win, those interested must visit Pizza 2 Go, Venture Inn, D'Agostino's Pizza & Subs or Jiffy Market & Deli Inc., spend a minimum of $20 and drop your receipt with your name and number on the back into the red Autumn at the Shore box.
There will be one winner each for the punch card raffle and restaurant grand prizes, while there will be one winner for each of the individual vendor baskets.
Joining in on the fun this year will be Bean's BBQ and The Empanada Shack, who will be on hand serving up their respective goodies.
While the focus is entirely on the local community, the event's reputation has spread far afield.
"A lot of people that come to my store are not local," Martin said. "So it's like a destination event. A lot of people will get together and come up from Lancaster, York or Bellefonte, and even Centre County."
Though Autumn at the Shore takes place during the run-up to the holiday season, Martin stresses this is not the focus of the event.
"It was never meant to be a fall festival," Martin says, "it was always an event to highlight and promote local businesses."
"For one business to have an event that highlights the other businesses right around the corner is huge for this area. I wanted to benefit the entire town," Martin said. "This is why it is so community-minded. Right now we all need to have each other's back."