by guest contributor Linda Roth
Photo credit: LRA PR
Downtown DC has rallied its small business and larg(er) business battalion of hoteliers, restaurateurs, photographers, politicians, influencers, concierges and elves to take over the media story of what to expect when you venture downtown this holiday season. This diverse group filled Carmine’s restaurant in downtown DC for breakfast and a festive preview of Downtown BID’s bigger, better and safer Holiday Market. BID Executive Director Gerren Price welcomed over 100 guests and led the cheer of anticipation of this year’s Downtown Holiday Market. “Last year we saw over113,000 people from the year before – that’s over 11,000 market guests each day.”
In a country where DEI has been stricken from web sites and speeches, Gerren pointed out, “The vast majority of our market vendors are locally owned, women-owned, BIPAC-owned and LGBTQIA+- owned.”
Police Chief Pamela Smith, Gerren Price, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Rosemary Suggs-Evans
To punctuate the point, Police Chief Pamela Smith took the microphone to highlight DC’s finest and review the safety features the city has incorporated into this festive holiday market that runs from November 21 through December 23. Mayor Muriel Bowser was speaking to the choir when she bragged about the 27 million visitors to the nation’s capital last year. This was all while being greeted by a holiday elf bearing a festive holiday market gift that previewed the exciting new food and beverage.
Dale MacPhee, Kiryn Hoffman, Jeffrey Morgan
Need proof? Moon Rabbit by Kevin Tien and festive cocktails at the new Winter Chalet by Dirty Habit DC are on the market menu. Guests of note in additional to Mayor Muriel Bowser and Chief of Police Pamela A Smith, included: Sharon Kershbaum, Director of District Dept of Transportation (DDOT), Rosemary Suggs-Evans, Director of Dept of Small & Local Business Development(DSLBD), Aileen Fuchs, Executive Director of National Building Museum, Dale MacPhee, General Manager of Conrad Washington DC, Kiryn Hoffman, President & CEO of Capital Children’s Museum, Jeff Morgan, Chief Concierge of Conrad Washington DC, Ernie Arias, Area VP of Willard InterContinental Washington
