By Annabel Taylor 

Georgetown Cookie Tour participants sought shelter from the cold, stopping into one independent business after another along Wisconsin Avenue. Friendly volunteers greeted them and handed out locally baked cookies at each shop. 

The Georgetown Cookie Tour, hosted by Georgetown Main Street, took place on two Saturdays, Dec. 6 and 13. The event was inspired by a similar concept in Harrisonburg, Virginia as a creative way to bring shoppers into small businesses during the holiday season. The tour began at Addison/Ripley Fine Art, where volunteers greeted participants and handed out colorful cookie boxes and maps.  

Photo by Annabel Taylor.

“It’s always just some goodwill and fun to bring people to the Wisconsin Avenue corridor through the tour,” said Georgetown Main Street volunteer Melanie Hayes.

From there, participants strolled up and down Wisconsin Avenue NW, turning down P Street, O Street and Prospect Street along the way for more goodies. Cookie tour participants also received special discounts and gifts with a purchase at several locations. 

Many of the Georgetown Main Street volunteers handing out cookies were high school students from the nearby Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Student volunteer Naomi Kelly enjoyed the community aspect of the event. 

Photo by Annabel Taylor.

“I loved giving out the cookies and seeing new faces,” Kelly said. 

The event paired cookies from Georgetown-based small bakeries with independent retailers in Georgetown, such as home design stores The Georgetown Garden Shop and Pillar & Post, boutiques Saint Valley and Reddz Trading, as well as book and stationary stores Just Paper and Tea and The Lantern Bookshop. Shoppers could be seen sampling a variety of delectable treats at each stop, from Call Your Mother’s black and white cookie to Green Almond Pastry’s lemon almond cookie. As a bonus stop, Arcay Chocolates offered participants cups of hot chocolate for a moment of warmth along the route. 

Participant Eng Gin Moe returned for her second year on the tour. After grabbing a cookie from Flor Coffee and Books at Tilley’s Pet Supplies, Gin Moe was excited to search for stocking stuffers for her dog. 

Photo by Annabel Taylor.

“It’s always great to go into small businesses,” Gin Moe said. “I love seeing what new things they have for the holidays.” 

For small businesses, bakeries and patrons alike, the tour was a culmination of the community Georgetown is known for. 

 Participating stores included:

Participating Bakeries included:

tagsCall Your Mothercaspian crustDog Tag BakeryFlor.GeorgetownGeorgetown Cookie TourGreen Almond PantryMamanNicole’s KitchenOlivia MacaronOsteria MozzaPatisserie PouponRosewood Hotel’s CUT by Wolfgang PuckTatteYellow