Cold weather puts chill on Chocolate Stroll, but raffle for prize basket drew more entries than last year

Strollers had to bundle up. This was the kettle corn booth.
(Photos by Korrie Harris, UK School of Journalism)

By Akhira Umar

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Cold temperatures seemed to play a big role in this year’s Midway Chocolate Stroll. With a high temperature of no more than 35 degrees, fewer people than last year – when it rained but the temperature was about 20 degrees higher – were willing to brave the weather for a little chocolate and shopping.

Those who did make it for the annual event, though, were not disappointed. Main Street had both local and visiting faces strolling around for the day. Families, the young and old, and even dogs, made their way to the Stroll.

One of these families was that of Liles Taylor, the new magistrate for the Midway district on Woodford County Fiscal Court. He brought along his wife, Robin Taylor, and their kids. This was not the family’s first time at the stroll; they’ve made it a point to keep coming back for it.

“We want to support our community and the merchants, Midway downtown merchants,” Liles Taylor said. “And even though it’s a little cold, we’re excited to be out as a family.”

Robin Taylor said she loves the event because it gave her an “excuse to shop” and to get chocolate. She went on to explain how their children enjoy the ticket process.

Raffle tickets were deposited at Sweet Tooth.

The Chocolate Stroll provides a chance to enter a raffle for a prize basket of gifts from all of Midway’s shops and restaurants. Everyone vying for the prize, or those who simply enjoy the prize process, spent the stroll visiting businesses and getting their tickets marked up. All completed tickets with names and phone numbers on the back were taken to the Sweet Tooth candy store for the drawing.

“I think it’s really fun because you get to explore the stores and get chocolate as well,” Arissa Keith, a 15-year-old local said.

Though not all shops cater to chocolate – or food at all, for that matter – the Stroll still worked to their benefit. Thanks to the raffle process, many downtown businesses are visited by customers they otherwise wouldn’t see.

This was Emma Frazier’s first Chocolate Stroll. Even though she didn’t get to participate like others, since she was working as a newly-hired sales associate at Freedman Harness Saddlery Inc., she still saw see the effects of the event.

“I think it’s gone over very well. It’s brought a lot of new people into stores that they normally wouldn’t go into,” Frazier said. “Since our store is primarily horse-related horse stuff, it brings a lot of non-horse people in here which lets them kinda discover new things about Midway.”

As predicted by Cortney Neikirk, president of the Midway Business Association and co-owner of 2 Ladies and a Kettle and Midway Sweet Tooth, the Chocolate Stroll was still a success, despite the smaller crowd. After talking to many of the businesses as the event wound down, she said “Everybody’s happy with today’s turnout.”

UPDATE, Monday, Feb. 11: After counting the completed tickets submitted for the raffle, the total came out to 516, more than last year’s 485, Neikirk said. Despite the cold and the appearance of fewer people, the Stroll was well attended.

“After talking to all the stores,” Neikirk said, “most said this was the most successful Chocolate Stroll they had had.”