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Date: 4/19/2022
HOLYOKE – A new campaign to bring visitors to the city’s eateries was announced last week as part of a larger effort to promote tourism to Holyoke.
Director of Office of Planning & Economic Development (OPED) Aaron Vega Ileana Carrion, OPED senior project manager, explained to Reminder Publishing that seven new restaurants have opened in the last year and a half and new Explore Holyoke Restaurant Week (EHRW) will spotlight not only new restaurants but established favorites as well.
Vega said the city completed a tourism plan in 2019 but was not able to implement it due to the coronavirus pandemic. Vega has been having regular meetings with restaurant owners to discuss ways the city can support that industry.
Carrion explained right now the city is looking for restaurants to sign up for the program, which will be June 6 through 12. The deadline to join the effort is May 6. There is no charge for restaurants to participate.
As noted in a press release, diners “will have the opportunity to track their food journey with a ‘food passport’ that lists all participating restaurants. After visiting a participating EHRW restaurant, the participant will obtain a stamp to confirm their visit. At the end of EHRW, the passports will be utilized as a coupon, and the number of stamps obtained during EHRW will correspond to a discount that can be applied after EHRW.”
The restaurants’ only requirement to participate is to agree to the “food passport” and honor coupons after EHRW; coupons are set to expire three months after the event.
The week is a collaboration with Glammoré Premier Events.
Holyoke Community College (HCC) Culinary students will be teaming up with local restaurants to create pre-fixed meals for EHRW.
Vega acknowledged that Northampton and Amherst are frequently seen as dining destinations and this new event is designed to showcase what the culinary offerings are in the Paper City.
He said the restaurants are a key part of the city’s tourism portfolio. “You could take a hike at the reservoir or go to the Children’s Museum or the Volleyball Hall of Fame and then eat in a restaurant,” he said.
Part of EHRW includes cooking demonstrations, at the restaurants and at the HCC MGM Culinary Institute at the Cubit Building on Race Street.
Restaurant owners interested in participating in the program should contact Carrion, at carrioni@holyoke.org or 322-5655.