POTTSTOWN, PA – December 12, 2024 – Thank you to all the businesses/organizations for your participation in this year’s Downtown Pottstown Holiday Planter Competition.
A few thoughts on this annual tradition….
This initiative began back in 2018, and its goals included several aspects:
- bringing the Holiday Spirit to the Downtown
- encouraging creativity and artistic talent in the Pottstown community
- providing a fun, engaging, team-building activity for the Pottstown Business Community
- fill the visual void once the beautiful PART (Pottstown Area Rapid Transit) funded flowers have left for the season
PAED has managed this initiative for the past seven years. At its peak, in 2022, there were 40 planters decorated… businesses/organizations/groups were clamoring to get their planter assignment! Every theme was lively and festive. Listening to the teams choose themes we witnessed team building, decision making, and problem solving. We watched the groups laugh (and maybe disagree!) while they completed their install/decorating… seeing the brilliant creativity and uniqueness of them all – it was special! In 2022, PAED conducted an informal survey, with the help of TCACC Leadership Class (who have judged the winners) to capture what it was about this project that appealed to the groups. Among many positive comments, we heard:
“[Participating in the planters] is a great way to expose our team members to know about all the businesses in the community…”
“[My highlight] was hearing the winners announced at the Tree Lighting while also taking the opportunity to meet the community which is so important for a new business in building relationships…”
“My favorite part about participating was the creative challenge, and it gets our organization name front and center in our community, while also giving back to our original home on High Street…”
This year, in 2024 for its second year in a row, Pottstown Community Arts won “Best in Show” for one of its planters. On the evening of the Tree lighting, and award announcements, Marie Haigh, representing Pottstown Community Arts shared some words from the heart about what this tradition means to the community:
“Pottstown Community Arts is grateful for the art opportunity that PAED offers in their annual Holiday Planter competition. We have been involved in the project since year 1, rallying a small army to make the hundreds of handmade ornaments for the trees… local artists, youth artists, local students attending after school programs, local students attending homeschool programs, and several supportive parents. Our partners that have participated with us each year include ACLAMO, the Ricketts Center, the Pottstown Regional Public Library, and the Pottstown FARM. In 2023 and 2024, our theme was inspired to highlight a business from the 300 and 400 blocks of High Street… Frida’s Mexican Taqueria (2023) and Amazing Handz Barbershop (2024)…Artists and local students proudly see their artwork on display…the community gets joy from seeing their beautiful art. The annual Holiday Planter competition is part of our mission: bringing the community together through art and beauty. We hope to participate for years to come…”
As with many things in “life”, the novelty of traditions can evolve or dissolve, and there can be a need to pivot and change.
- As we listen and consider feedback… for many businesses/organizations they have run out of time, or the “creative ones” are no longer working on their staff, or the funding to provide the décor items was limited, or they were discouraged by rain and snow that disheveled their creations… whatever the various reasons were…the Holiday Planters as they have been for the past 7 years, needs to be re-imagined, so that it can accomplish those original four goals.
- The Planters are filled from May to October with flowers, provided by and maintained by Pottstown Area Rapid Transit (PART), a federally managed and supported operation.
- Last Spring, PAED applied for and received a modest grant from Walmart to provide flowers in the Early Spring from mid-March to Mid-May.
- Moving forward, in an effort to bring beautification and placemaking to the Downtown, PAED will continue to seek solutions, grants and funding for the Planters November – mid May.
- PAED will continue to work together with PART, the Borough of Pottstown, Pottstown Community Arts, and Hearts of Humanity Community Development Corporation in collaboration to find solutions that bring beauty, consistency, and creativity to the 30 planters throughout the Downtown, plus the additional 20+ in Smith Family Plaza and PART’s bus station (The Charles Dickinson Transportation Center).
Thank you to those who have dedicated time and talent to the Holiday Planter competition over the years.