The traditional holiday season is still months away, but Foley Main Street has decided that is no reason to wait.
On Thursday, July 16, Downtown Foley will host a “Christmas in July” Third Thursday event — the launch of what the organization intends to become a new annual tradition for the downtown district.
The Logic Behind It
The idea is a straight response to a shift in how people actually shop. Holiday buying has been creeping earlier for years, and Foley Main Street is leaning into that rather than fighting it, turning its monthly Third Thursday into an early start on holiday lists.
“We all know people are starting their Christmas shopping earlier and earlier, so we thought, why not July?” said Darrelyn Dunmore, executive director of Foley Main Street. “We’re inviting everyone to celebrate the season with a summer twist — think tropical vibes, cool drinks, and a very special guest from the North Pole.”
What’s Planned
- Summer Santa photo op: Forget the heavy velvet suit. A beach-ready Santa will be stationed downtown for photographs, offering a distinctly Gulf Coast holiday memory.
- Tropical elves on shelves: Sun-loving elves will be making appearances throughout the district.
- Early holiday shopping: Downtown merchants will be open for the evening.
Why Third Thursday Works
Foley’s Third Thursday is a recurring downtown event that gets people out of their cars and onto the sidewalks of the historic district — the single hardest thing for any small downtown to accomplish.
Main Street programs across the country exist for exactly this reason. Independent retailers in a historic district cannot compete with a big-box store on price or parking, so they compete on the thing a big-box store cannot manufacture: an evening worth leaving the house for. A Santa in board shorts on a July sidewalk in Baldwin County is, in that sense, a serious economic development strategy wearing a very silly hat.
If You Go
The event takes place in Downtown Foley on the evening of Thursday, July 16. It is free to attend, and families are encouraged to bring a camera for the Santa photos.