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08/09/2016 02:45 PMBefore the days grow too short, Madison residents and visitors will have a chance to enjoy some local shopping and food vendors as summer winds to an end. The Madison Chamber of Commerce is hosting the seventh annual Beachcomber’s Night on Thursday, Aug. 18 from 5 to 8 p.m. and promises shopping, entertainment, and plenty of food.
Local shops and visiting vendors will line the streets of Boston Post Road and Wall Street with plenty of things to buy and try. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Eileen Banisch said this event is a nice way to support local vendors.
“The main reason we do this is to create awareness, to have a fun evening in town for residents and visitors,” she said. “Maybe it is not a shopping night per se, but a lot of times people will be going in and out of stores that they do not normally go to and they will say, ‘Gee, I am going to come back here.’ It is also a nice way to show off the new downtown.”
Shops in the downtown area will be bolstered by a collection of food trucks and local vineyards and breweries.
“The downtown restaurants are opening and most of them will have a special, most often right out front,” said Banisch. “For example, Grand Apizza has pizza slices out front of his place.”
Food trucks will include High Tide, Meriano’s Bakery & Cannoli Truck, and Bowl’d Creations, among others. Alcohol vendors such as the Madison Wine Exchange, Stony Creek Brewery, and Thimble Island Brewing Company will be set up along the street offering tastings as well.
“Everybody is asked to purchase a wrist band for $10 and that gets you free wine and beer tastings,” Banisch said.
The event will include live music from local groups including Blues on the Rocks, The Shoreline Connection, and Mike Piccione. Banisch said it is a nice atmosphere.
“It is just a nice night because it’s not like a concert where everybody is standing in one place, you walk around and listen to a variety of music and do different tastings,” she said.
While the event offers good exposure for businesses, it also has a charity aspect. Half of the proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to the Madison Ambulance Asssociation.
“We are splitting the proceeds with Madison Ambulance and they really do need money this year,” she said. “It is an inexpensive way to both support a charity and get out and visit with friends and neighbors.”
For more information, visit www.madisonct.com.