Shop Nac First

The Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau is gearing up for the 3rd annual El Camino Real “Sale on the Trail.” One of the most famous roadways in America, the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail, will be the site of the 200-mile long “Sale on the Trail” the weekend of May 6-7, 2011.

The Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau encourages all residents, businesses, churches, and organizations along Hwy. 21 as well as in Nacogdoches County to participate in this year’s “Sale on the Trail” whether it be as a seller, shopper, or trail rider.

A limited supply of “Sale on the Trail” signs will be available free of charge for sellers at the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau starting Monday, April 25th as well as red and yellow balloons, the official colors of the El Camino Real “Sale on the Trail.” The signs and balloons will provide continuity among all partners along the trail and will let shoppers know which locations are part of the sale. Event organizers ask that all sellers contact the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau at (935) 564-7351 so all sale locations can be featured and promoted to shoppers on www.VisitNacogdoches.org and www.elcaminorealtx.com.

“Sale on the Trail promises to be a wonderful event this year. The sale is a great way to make extra money for yourself and your organization, and we hope that people along Highway 21 and in the community will participate in this annual event,” said Melissa Sanford, executive director of the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We are excited to once again show off a landmark that is so important to the history of our town and the great state of Texas.”

Historic Downtown Nacogdoches will participate by hosting their “Saturday Sidewalk Sale” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7. Merchants will feature a variety of great finds, unique specialty items, and one-of-a-kind antiques. “We encourage everyone to come out and enjoy a beautiful day of shopping in historic downtown Nacogdoches,” says Sarah O’Brien, City of Nacogdoches Main Street Manager. “You never know what treasure you might find!”

The Nacogdoches CVB and the City of Nacogdoches Main Street Program are excited to announce that new to this year’s sidewalk sale will be free booth rental spaces available around the downtown square. Booth spaces are limited and on a first come, first serve basis. Vendors can pick up forms at the Visitor Center, 200 E. Main, or download a form at www.VisitNacogdoches.org or www.ci.nacogdoches.tx.us. Vendors must register by Friday, April 29th at 5 p.m.

Organizers of the event encourage all churches, clubs, organizations, and individuals to participate.

The “Sale on the Trail” event, planned and promoted by the El Camino Real Caddo Region Trail Partners, which includes the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, has been scheduled to promote tourism and acquaint participants with the beautiful highway so important to early history in Louisiana and Texas.

Land owners and businesses from Natchitoches, LA to Crockett, TX will hold yard sales, flea markets, festivals, trade shows, sidewalk sales, etc. along this famous trail, providing a wonderful weekend of touring and shopping.

For more information about Nacogdoches County’s “Sale on the Trail,” please contact Melissa Sanford at (936) 564-7351 or visit www.visitnacogdoches.org. For more information about the downtown sidewalk sale and booth space rentals, contact Sarah O’Brien at (936) 559-2573. Be our friend on facebook @ See Nacogdoches.

The Nacogdoches Convention & Visitor’s Bureau is bringing back the second annual Great Gas Giveaway just in time for the 2011 Nacogdoches Azalea Trail! Visitors to Texas’ Oldest Town have an extra incentive to Shop Nac First. Over the course of the next three months, March through May, visitors can stop by the Visitor Center, located at 200 E. Main Street, and fill out an entry form to be registered in the current month’s prize drawing for $75 in free gas!

“With the rising price of gasoline, we wanted to do something to help offset costs for our visitors,” said Melissa Sanford, executive director of the CVB. “What better way to do that than to host another Great Gas Giveaway!

We had such great participation last year and hope to have an even better turnout this year especially since many people will be coming to Nacogdoches to enjoy the azaleas.”

To qualify you must bring in a receipt from any Nacogdoches merchant of at least $25 or an overnight receipt from any of Nacogdoches’ lodging establishments to accompany each entry. There is no limit to the amount of entries a person can submit, but only one winner will be drawn each month. Drawings will be held on the first day of each month. After each drawing the contest will start over for a new group of participants and entries.

“This is also a great way to entice tourists to stop by our wonderful Visitor Center, stroll around downtown, support our local businesses, and get information on everything Nacogdoches has to offer,” said Sanford.

For more information on Nacogdoches’ Great Gas Giveaway, call the Nacogdoches Convention & Visitors Bureau at 936-564-7351 or log on to www.visitnacogdoches.org. Be our friend on facebook @See Nacogdoches.

The top prize winner of the Shop Nac First for the Holidays contest was selected in late December with Danielle Goff receiving the $1,000 grand prize.
Goff was one of 116 people who participated in the program, which tallied more than $80,000 in Nacogdoches County receipts to the Daily Sentinel offices.
“This was a sizable participation rate for our first year of this contest,” said Chamber President Bruce R. Partain. “We look for an even bigger splash in 2011.”
Partain thanked Daily Sentinel Publisher Rayanne Schmid for initiating the contest, and NEDCO President Bill King and Nacogdoches Main Street Director Sarah O’Brien for their organizations’ cash prize investments.
“We’re glad the shoppers had a great time with the contest,” he said. “Our point, of course, is to encourage keeping dollars circulating in our economy, where they can help support public service projects and local employment.”
Individual shopper totals ranged from $32 to more than $8,500 spent in Nacogdoches County between Nov. 26 and Dec. 16.
Shop Nac First for the Holidays was the culmination of local organizations and businesses banding together to offer extra incentives for those who shop in Nacogdoches County.
Lead sponsors include The Daily Sentinel, Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce, Nacogdoches Downtown Business Association and the Nacogdoches Economic Development Foundation.
To participate, readers were asked to keep their original receipts for items purchased in Nacogdoches County between Nov. 26 and Dec. 16, and brought them into The Sentinel office, along with a completed entry form. Copies were made of the receipts, with a copier and supplies donated by Xerographics East Texas.
For every $25 spent at any store in the county, shoppers received one chance for the drawings.

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Other winners drawn in the final week included:

Katherine Jordan – $700 hall tree, USA Floors N-More;

Velma Douglas – A gift certificate for one medium Safe Deposit Box from Citizens 1st Bank for 2011;

Betty Sanders – One-night stay, value $139, from Hampton Inn of Nacogdoches;

Joe Donnell – One month membership from Court Club valued at $80;

Jill Carrington – One microderm abrasion facial valued at $60 each from Aesthetic concepts;

Janie Ramsey – A free portrait setting and two 11×14 portraits valued at $230 from Silver Lion Photography;

Mike Bay – A Skagen watch valued at $125 from Kennedy’s Jewelers;

John Krueger – Mini cell phone, value $146, from Cellular One;

Frank Weise – Electric Pressure Washer, value $150, from Sears of Nacogdoches;

Mary Ann Derby – $25 gift certificate from ThirtyOne Gifts and Angie Hermenitt;

Linda King – Customized facial, value $50, from Julia’s Salon;

Claire Robbins – $50 gift certificate, Party N’ Things;

Bennett Montes – Lotus Home Sanitizing System from Tersano, valued at $155, from The Mushroom;

Mercedes Franks – $50 gift certificate from Heart of Texas;

Barbara Sloane – One-hour massage at Magical Therapist, value $50, from Hettie Legg and Associates Speech Pathologists.

Katy Engle – $125 in shipping and boxing from The UPS Store.

Susan Washburn – Full auto detail, valued at $160, from Rex Perry Autoplex.

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Dec. 17 weekly winners:

Martha Holt – manicure and pedicure from Julia’s Salon.

Margaret Russell – Arthur Court platter and footed bowl donated by BancorpSouth Insurance Services.

Jimmy Lee Huff and Kathryn Clark – $50 savings bonds each from Austin Bank.

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Dec. 10 weekly winners:

Kristen Lunsford – $100 “Shop, but don’t Drop from Hunger” package donated by Citizens 1st Bank that includes gift certificates for Jalapeno Tree, Peking and Donut Palace.

Mary Ann Brown – a microderm abrasion facial valued at $50 from Aesthetic concepts.

Debbie Carr – a one-hour massage, valued at $60, from Julia’s Salon

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Dec. 3 weekly winners:

Rhonda Dickerson – a $39 gift certificate from Julia’s Salon, which is good for a haircut and style and brow wax.

Darvine Havpert – a $40 Scentsy gift certificate donated by consultant Katie Payne.