News
Christmas Crown Trail: #CrownTrail
Help us celebrate 900 years of Christmas in Norwich with a city-wide Christmas Crown Trail, creating a free, fun activity to drive footfall and increase dwell time in the city centre this Christmas.
Inspired by a visit to Norwich Castle by medieval king Henry I, our festive campaign ‘Journey Through Christmastime’ takes a look back through 900 years of Christmas in Norwich: celebrating the city’s unique history and promoting city centre visiting.
As part of this campaign, we are asking businesses to take part in our Christmas Crown Trail by hiding crowns in their window and in-store displays. Launching on November 16 in partnership with the Norfolk Museums Service, this Crown Trail will create a colourful and engaging Christmas experience in Norwich as residents and visitors alike traverse the city to ‘spot the crowns’.
We’re asking businesses to get involved (and get creative) with crown displays. All we ask is that your crown display is up and ready by 16 November, and that you let us know that you’re participating by 15 October. Our Christmas Crown Trail will encourage footfall, shopping in person rather than online, and create a fantastic festive experience in the city centre.
The trail will be promoted across our channels, as well as with the distribution of 20,000 printed trail maps across the region.
Getting involved is really easy…
- Crowns can be big or small, hidden in plain sight or obvious, one crown or a 100
- You can use lights, cardboard or stock to create your crown
- Window and instore displays must be ready by 16th November
- To be included in our printed trail map, you must confirm participation by 15th October
- You can still participate if you confirm after the 15th, however you will only be included in our online trail map
- To confirm participation, simply email isabel.cutler@norwichbid.co.uk
- Take pictures and share your creativity online by tagging Norwich BID (@NorwichBIDUK on Instagram & Twitter) and VisitNorwich (@VisitNorwich on Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook).
- Use the hashtag #CrownTrail
- Norwich BID and VisitNorwich will share your images and messages, promoting businesses to a wide audience. Our channels have a combined audience of over 75k.
- If you choose to do additional crown themed activity, let us know for PR opportunities
Why we are doing this…
Norwich BID is inviting businesses across Norwich to join our Christmas Crown Trail initiative and help celebrate Norwich’s history this Christmas, encouraging locals and visitors into the city for this key season.
The trail aims to:
- Encourage shopping in person rather than online
- Encourage footfall and promote the city centre to local residents and tourists
- Promote visits to local businesses during the Christmas period
- Help to tell the story of King Henry’s journey to Norwich, and engage visitors with the city’s history
- Provide a free, fun, family event that businesses can benefit from
- Provide businesses with a cost effective and creative reason for enhancing their shop windows in this key selling season
- Create conversations on and offline, securing media coverage about the city
Using our VisitNorwich and Norwich BID channels we will…
- Create and distribute 20,000 printed trail maps
- Create an online trail map, hosted on the VisitNorwich website
- Provide businesses with a toolkit to help make the most out of participation in the trail
- Promote Christmas in Norwich through a dedicated ‘Journey Through Christmastime’ section on visitnorwich.co.uk
- Work with local media, promoting the campaign to drive visits to Norwich
- Promote through our social media channels (75k+ audience)
- Run a paid social ad campaign
- Run a paid print advertising
- Use our VisitNorwich City of Stories e-newsletters and blogs to promote the trail and wider Christmas activity
King Henry I’s Journey to Norwich Castle
In 1121 – 900 years ago – King Henry I chose Norwich Castle as the venue for his Christmas court, a significant event in the history of the city. In celebration of this event Norwich Castle is running a series of activities and events from Christmas through to 2022 including ‘The King’s Christmas’ projection on Norwich Castle and Christmas at the Castle: The Story of the King.
Inspired by the Norwich Castle 900 project and the castle’s activity, our festive campaign Journey Through Christmastime takes a look back through 900 years of Christmas in Norwich. As well as promoting Norwich as a destination for short breaks and days out for shopping, food and drink, places to visit and events.
Our main campaign activity will be the Christmas Crown Trail, as well as a fun festive installation at Norwich Market for visitors to see Christmases in Norwich over the years. Keep an eye on our social media and comms for more information to follow.