The inaugural Candy Cane Business Run this weekend will kick off the holiday season in Bartlett while drawing attention to local businesses.

The open house-style event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday will include more than 20 businesses in the historic downtown Bartlett Station district.

“The idea behind all of this is really to promote local business during the holiday season when there’s so much shopping online and at the mall,” Amy Arrington, co-owner of Rooster’s Chicken Shack, said. “We just want to showcase and highlight the businesses in Bartlett that are run by people who live in Bartlett.”

The event is planned to coincide with Small Business Saturday, which is why it will be exclusive to locally owned small businesses. With a goal of preserving and revitalizing the city’s historic area, the Bartlett Station Commission tasked business owners earlier this year with coming up with a fun Christmas event. This is the result. 

“The Bartlett Station Commission works toward bringing new businesses into that area and provides incentives for them if they meet the requirements, and then we also encourage businesses to do events like this to bring more attention to the area,” Bartlett Station Commission board member Sue Coleman said. “We’re going to have a great event, and we’re really looking forward to it.”

Candy Cane Run attendees will begin at the Candy Cane Headquarters at the Town Square Shopping Center courtyard, 5788 Stage Road in front of Baskin-Robbins. For $2, they will receive a giant candy cane with a ticket attached to it and a map listing all the participating businesses.

From there, they will be able to take advantage of deals and discounts offered at each one. By visiting 15 of the businesses, guests will qualify for prize drawings that will include a 50-inch television, a 19-inch television or other prize packages.

“We’ll have fun holiday decorations with Christmas music playing, and we’ll also have Santa Claus there from 12 until 4, along with a photographer so everyone can get their pictures taken with him (free for ticket holders),” Arrington said.

Santa will also read from his storybook at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Participating businesses will include Side Porch Steakhouse, Marco’s Pizza, Fabric for the Flock, Buttercream Bakery, Bartlett Nutrition, Baskin-Robbins, Dazzle Dazzle You, Sweet Pea’s, Revolve Guitars & Music, Mad Hatter’s Teas & Gifts, Ani Joe’s Karaoke Kafé, Pep Boys, Rooster’s Chicken Shack, Klassy Katz, Pat’s Prints, TJ Massage, El Idolo, Q Sweets and others.

Pat’s Prints, which has been at 2750 Bartlett Boulevard in the Normandie Plaza for 30 years, sells art prints, frames, mirrors and cuckoo clocks as well as offering custom framing. On Saturday, the store will give event participants 40% off of everything except custom framing, and the business provided gift certificates for the final drawing.

“We’re really excited about the event,” said Henry Franks, who owns the shop with his wife, Betsy. ‘We’ve always done a small business sale on Small Business Saturday, but there just hasn’t been that much response since people are always going to the malls.”