The holidays come early for 22 Distillery Winter Village vendors thanks to Google Canada

TORONTO, Nov. 16, 2022 /CNW/ - Google Canada today surprised the seasonal merchants of The Distillery Winter Village with an early holiday gift: $10,000 each, towards their booth rental and operating costs over the six weeks of the holiday market.

Natasha Walji, Managing Director, Google on behalf of Google Canada today surprised the 22 seasonal vendors of The Distillery Winter Village with an early holiday gift: $10,000 each, towards their booth rental and operating costs over the six weeks of the holiday market. The early morning “A Little Help from Google” surprise complements their year-round support in helping small businesses get online and reach holiday shoppers. This year’s Distillery Winter Village kicks off with the official tree lighting Thursday, November 17th and runs through to December 31st. (CNW Group/The Distillery Historic District)

"The Distillery Historic District has always been an advocate of supporting locally-owned, small businesses and wants to thank Google Canada for the generous monetary gift they've given our seasonal vendors, just in time for the official opening of The Distillery Winter Village on November 17th," said Rik Ocvirk, Vice President, The Distillery Restaurants Corp and Director, Experiences and Events, The Distillery Historic District. "This time of year is so important for our merchants, and this financial assistance from Google Canada is going to go a long way to making their holiday season that much merrier."

The early morning "A Little Help from Google" surprise complements their year-round support in helping small businesses get online and reach holiday shoppers.

"Small businesses mean so much to all of us here in Canada - not only are they the economic engine of the country, but oftentimes they are the heart and soul of their communities," said Natasha Walji, Managing Director, Google. "It's no secret that the past few years have been tough for everyone, especially small businesses, so we hope that this takes a little bit of stress off the businesses during the busy holiday season."

The 22 small businesses receiving the $10,000 gift are:

1. Aunt Beth's
2. Chippi & Co
3. COPS Donuts
4. Cracked Knot
5. Crimson and Clover
6. Designs by the Yard
7. Floorplay Socks
8. InstaCookie 
9. Lobster Made Easy
10. Marquin
11. More Natas Please
12. Panchos Bakery
13. Pierogi Miska
14. Provence en Couleur Home Décor Ltd.
15. Real Empanada
16. Salem's Lott Hot Sauce
17. Smells Like Flowers
18. SowSweet Greetings Inc. 
19. Super Marché Express
20. Tea Freak Fine Teas
21. Urban Island
22. Wish Stars

Known as one of the country's most magical holiday shopping and dining experiences, The Distillery Winter Village provides an opportunity for Canadian small businesses to sell unique gifts, seasonal items and food to festival goers.

This year's Distillery Winter Village kicks off with the official tree lighting Thursday, November 17th and runs through to December 31st. No tickets are required for opening night.

To plan your visit to The Distillery Winter Village go to www.TheDistilleryWinterVillage.com or follow @distilleryTO, #DistilleryWinterVillage

Be sure to follow Google Canada as they continue to spread cheer this holiday season @GoogleCanada, #ALittleHelpFromGoogle.

About Google Canada
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. As a global technology leader, Google's innovations in web search and advertising have made its website a top internet property and its brand one of the most recognized in the world. Google Canada has offices in Waterloo, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa with employees working on teams across Engineering, AI Research, Sales and Marketing.

About The Distillery Historic District
The Distillery Historic District opened in 2003 and is today widely regarded as Canada's premier arts, culture and entertainment destination. It's a national historic site, originally founded in 1832, brimming with creativity and creative people, that can inspire dreams and help them come true. The 13-acre walking district is a dramatic fusion of old and new. An inspired blend of the largest collection of Victorian Industrial architecture in North America and stunning 21st century design and creativity. The result is an internationally acclaimed village of one-of-a-kind stores, shops, galleries, studios, restaurants, cafes, theatres and more, which was named one of The Coolest Shopping Districts Around the World by The Guardian. Visit www.thedistillerydistrict.com for more information.

SOURCE The Distillery Historic District

Laurie Weir / Will Lamont, Next Public Relations Inc., [email protected], [email protected], 416-735-6919 / 647-382-7882