Everything melted together perfectly as C.J. Mugavero, the president of the Downtown Bordentown Association (DBA), said when the association brought back its annual Chocolate Walk fundraiser on Dec. 3 in Bordentown City.
After not being able to hold the fundraiser last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mugavero and her DBA colleagues had a “wonderful success” restarting the event this year to get residents back into the holiday spirit and to help increase sales for all local businesses in the city.
“I was so happy to bring back the walk this year,” Mugavero said. “This fundraiser is about helping to support our local businesses and to continuing to bring a sense of community to the downtown. We had a great team of DBA members that worked hard to make it happen.”
The DBA sold more than 500 $5 passports to individuals who had access to receive a sweet treat at any participating small business downtown when shopping in the city from 5-8 p.m.
A total of 24 DBA small businesses participated, including the Bordentown Historical Society, which recently set up an outdoor exhibit in front of its Friends Meeting House in honor of Clara Barton’s 200th birthday.
With the purchase of a passport, attendees could get a stamp from any 10 of the establishments participating in the event and return the passport to the DBA to enter a drawing to receive Bordentown Bucks.
Bordentown Bucks are gift coupons that can be used to shop, dine or play at any DBA business.
Several other attractions were part of the 2021 Chocolate Walk.
The Green Dragon Chinese Martial Arts School, which holds its classes at the Consolidated Fire Company on Crosswicks Street, performed a Lion Dance that is used in Chinese culture to bring good luck.
The Lion Dance is traditionally performed during the Chinese New Year.
While attendees shopped downtown, they were able to admire the gingerbread houses that are participating in Bordentown City Creative Team’s Gingerbread House Challenge and to vote for the creations they liked best. Guests could also see Santa Claus strolling the streets.
With all that was happening that evening, Mugavero said it was a “gorgeous” night that helped bring the city together for a more normal holiday season.
“The town looked so gorgeous,” Mugavero said. “We had perfect weather. Everything melted together perfectly.”
Mugavero said the DBA is planning to host a Valentine’s Day version of its fundraiser on Feb. 11 and a “Speakeasy Pub Crawl” on Feb. 12.