Christmas comes early to Amherst, N.S., to support local businesses

As a heat wave continues across the Maritimes, one Nova Scotia community is already embracing the winter to come – and the holiday season.

Businesses in Amherst are holding a Christmas in July event to bring some foot traffic back to the downtown area.

Many Victoria Street businesses in the border town are in holiday mode this week to attract tourists and to get the community out and about.

Business owner Dwayne Ripley co-organized the event in the hopes that people would come see what the area has to offer.

"We're just trying to drive business down here and say, 'Hey, you can stop at the border and visit the first town in Nova Scotia,' which is us,” said Ripley.

Many of the stores had their window fronts decorated and Christmas trees up, despite the high temperatures this week.

For business owner Kathy Leger, it's all about bringing everyone in a small community together.

"If we've got everybody in the community sort of throwing in the hat saying, 'Guess what, Christmas in July in downtown Amherst,' then that brings people from other communities as well,” she said.

And that's part of the reason for the event – to get shoppers from across the border to come visit them.

"Westmorland [county] is our community, that’s part of our community. Sackville, Cap-Pele, Shediac, Memramcook – we kind of blend over within the two, with Cumberland County," said Legere.

Ripley adds that the two border towns are like one community.

"We're only a hop and a skip and a jump from the border. We do have a lot of people choosing from Sackville to come shop here, rather than go to busy Moncton, where we're a little less busy, but still have a lot to offer here.”

Dale Kearney and his wife Sherrie moved their Maritime Tartan Company business from Halifax to Amherst in May because they wanted to open a physical store. They're offering up seasonal sales for the faux holiday season.

"We're doing tax free. There's a lot of people doing specials, discounts. There's a couple of places doing games. A lot of people are decorated for Christmas, already. It's really neat," said Kearney.

Donna White has been in business in downtown Amherst for nine years. The florist calls the area a “quiet, hidden gem.”

"It is. It really is,” she said. "We see a lot of people walking the streets and we have a nice little park there and people have picnics there, so it's really nice. It’s a nice small town."

Christmas in July is scheduled to end on Monday, but Ripley said it would likely be extended to the end of the week.