Twelve businesses from the historic village are taking part in the initiative each Friday in the lead-up to Christmas to encourage people from across the region to visit for a shopping experience with a difference.

Millthorpe Business Committee member Laurie Williams said locals were usually the only people who got to see the beauty of Millthorpe at sunset, and participating businesses would share their experience by keeping their doors open until 8pm.

“The idea has been embraced with enormous enthusiasm, so we’re hoping that shoppers are just as enthusiastic as we are,” Mr Williams said.

“We want to make it into an evening instead of Christmas shopping being a bit of a chore, which sometimes it can be.

“The number of specialist shops in Millthorpe and the range of things they sell has greatly increased in the past couple of years so that we now offer a wide range of gifts, homewares, clothing and lots of items that are out of the ordinary.”

Mr Williams said because the village was in competition with larger centres, shop owners went out of their way to find stylish and quirky products, new and old, to give them a point of difference.

VineVenture Tours will do pre-arranged pick-ups and drop-offs if people want to avoid driving. 

For more information visit  www.millthorpevillage.com.au.

tanya.marschke@fairfaxmedia.com.au