As you likely know, back in February of 2023 and to kick off a year of celebration, the Town of Apex created a call to action: Go all in to celebrate Apex’s 150-year story. The now familiar refrain is: Celebrate Apex’s Sesquicentennial! Reaching the Peak through our Past, Present, and Potential.
Of the myriad events included in this year-long celebration is the “Let It Snow” event slated for Saturday, December 2. Collectively, the Rotary Club and local merchants, or the ‘downtown family’ as they are more commonly known in some circles, is creating a flurry of fun while showcasing their heart during the holiday season—through a “snowball fight!” The Town of Apex is celebrating 150 years and the local downtown merchants are accepting the challenge to “go all in” to celebrate. And if that wasn’t enough, the downtown family of businesses is investing in the potential of youth by partnering with the White Oak Foundation to fill the shelves of their new daycare center which is scheduled to open this November.
By working together, the downtown merchants and the Rotary Club of Apex are amassing an avalanche of delight with an immersive experience that’s a 150-year story of our past, present, and potential. On Saturday, December 2, the Rotary Club will “Let it Snow” in the Depot for two hours prior to the start of the annual Christmas parade. From 3p.m.-5p.m., Santa and Mrs. Claus will embrace the wintry mix of free photos and interactive family activities. Make sure to note the snowball sponsors displayed in the Depot. Historically, Rotary funds raised at the holiday kickoff event help local organizations. This year, the club has six beneficiaries:
NC Jaycee Burn Center (Apex Fire Department)
Special Olympics NC (Apex Police Department Torch Run)
Santa & Friends
Wake Tech Foundation
Western Wake Crisis Ministry
Kraft YMCA—We Build People
In keeping with the theme, ‘snow’ will continue to fall downtown throughout the holiday season as merchants launch a snowball fight which commences the night of the annual Town of Apex Tree Lighting (December 1). Each participating business is ‘fighting’ to get at least 150 snowballs displayed in their windows, challenging their patrons to demonstrate their heart and belief in community through the purchase of at least one snowball. The recommended donation is $15 per snowball, but they are grateful for any and all donation amounts. Every penny of these donations will stock the shelves for the new White Oak Foundation preschool. Businesses will have a list of ways you can volunteer, a sprinkling of special offers for believing and be the only place to secure one of the exclusive “Apex 150 Believe in Community” beanies.
White Oak Foundation has deep roots in giving back to the Apex community. Supporting the preschool program will create a solid start and strong foundation for youth, an essential step in developing the potential of our future generations and community leaders.
To understand how this all came together, I sat down with Olivia Scott, a passionate business owner in Apex, who clearly cares deeply about the community. She is also the owner of Promotional Partners, a local downtown Apex business which celebrated its 16th year on Salem Street in 2023.
She noted how a group of local Apex businesses downtown started brainstorming ways to bring back more fun and interaction during the holidays. Historically, Christmas on Salem Street hosts horse-drawn carriage rides and the much-anticipated visits with Santa Claus during the night of the town’s tree lighting. The following morning, the downtown businesses sponsor professional photo sessions with Santa during the annual Rotary Pancake Breakfast.
Of course, over time, traditions change especially if the number of hands to facilitate goes down while costs go up. In addition, considerations around the need for improved crowd safety as the population of Apex grew impacted these traditions with some falling by the wayside.
When new residents of Apex heard about the town’s holiday traditions of the past, they asked if there were ways to increase the fun? But who would create the fun? Who would facilitate the fun? What would the fun look like?
Since the town of Apex turned 150 at the end of February and as stories started to unfold on the town’s Apex 150 website (apex150.com), some ideas started to take shape. The local Apex merchants form a unique family and cultivate a palpable synergy as business owners. New visitors to downtown Apex and locals alike talk about the feeling they have as they make their way in and around this charming downtown. With this in mind, how could the downtown businesses show their collective heart and tap into this feeling, the experience and the vibe of downtown? The challenge: how best to marry the charm and friendly welcoming feel while showcasing their collective heart during the holiday season?
Brainstorming sessions led to thoughts of snow—what says holidays more than the frozen white stuff? But snow in the south? Where there’s a will, there’s always a way. Snow led to discussions about how to cover the costs and when to make it snow. Should it be the night of the tree lighting? And where should it snow?
“Then like an avalanche it hit us—the Depot space. It would be contained, safe to access and would not require additional work in the footprint of downtown if we had snow in the Rotary Village from 3p.m. to 5p.m., prior to the parade. The flurry of activity would then lead to bringing people down earlier to play, shop and dine while waiting for the parade,” Scott shared.
As a Rotarian in the Apex Rotary Club working with the parade efforts, Scott was already aware that the club’s parade committee was seeking a way to elevate this year’s experience. The Depot would be perfect for an immersive holiday experience.
The Rotary Club has always donated proceeds from the Apex Christmas Parade to local organizations. This year the goal is to put a spotlight on six of those programs and tie into the Apex 150 partnerships. This is where the town celebration comes in. With the collective work of the Rotary Club and the downtown merchants, they are working to weave together a living Apex 150 story of past, present, and potential.
Partnering with title sponsor Trust Company of North Carolina, the Rotarians were able to secure Foam Fabulous to create an enhanced holiday experience for this year’s attendees.
Scott noted that while the discussions around an immersive experience started with downtown businesses, it was in working with local partners that the Apex 150 story started to take shape. The connections to snow themes and 150-themed elements created a snowball effect, if you will. One way to celebrate the heart of the community and provide an exciting, interactive and engaging downtown holiday event is to make it snow, both literally and figuratively.
“It was collective energy, brainstorming and discussions that realized the plan we have now. It’s a story of collective heart! Working together. As of today, all the logistics are in the works and all elements are 100% covered financially through the generosity of local businesses stepping up to help. The plans are super easy to implement and are of high impact visually. Which means, the snow will blanket the landscape of Apex—demonstrating our community heart,” Scott closed.
