Beginning this Spring, EscapeMaker.com, who is celebrating their 15-year anniversary as NYC’s guide to local getaways and farm escapes, will expand its partnership formally with Greenmarket, a Program of GrowNYC. EscapeMaker will not only educate shoppers about agritourism-themed activities, local vacations and weekend getaways to wineries and craft breweries, but also promote farmers already selling in Greenmarket.
Drawing a 250-mile travel radius around New York City from New England to the Mid-Atlantic States, EscapeMaker offers getaway ideas within a few hours of New York City by car or by train. They have a special focus on agritourism-themed destinations and mass transit or car-sharing to encourage lowering one’s carbon footprint while traveling.
From March-October 2016 in various outdoor Greenmarkets in Manhattan and Brooklyn, including Union Square, EscapeMaker will represent several long-time partners like Vermont Tourism, Dutchess Tourism and Westchester Tourism in the Hudson Valley and Steuben County Conference and Visitor’s Bureau in New York’s Finger Lakes region. Not only will they be promoting their destinations, food events, beer and wine trails, but also focusing on specific Greenmarket farmers, producers and winemakers from their particular areas. Marcel Van Ooyen, Executive Director of GrowNYC commented,
“EscapeMaker’s service appeals to our Greenmarket shoppers – families, foodies, wine and beer enthusiasts, community-minded and planet-conscious people who just want to escape the city for some fun and fresh air, make a difference or learn about their food source.” He added “It’s important that we support our farmers and growers both in online and boots–on-the-ground marketing however we can, so this partnership makes sense. At no additional cost to them, our growers are now able to leverage EscapeMaker’s manpower in getting people up to their farms and wineries to go apple picking or wine tasting.”
Caylin Sanders, President and Founder of EscapeMaker since 2000, said
“our goal is to add value to the Greenmarket community and their shopping experience by educating them on agritourism, offering information on vacation packages and hosting special ag-themed interactive events within the market. “In addition,” she added, “a percentage of EscapeMaker’s revenue goes back to the farmers themselves.”
As part of a New York Agriculture and Markets grant last Fall to the New York Apple Association, EscapeMaker hosted two successful “Applepalooza” events, where they gave away thousands of New York State apples, and held apple cider donut-eating contests, Apple Twister and trivia games. On the heels of their success, EscapeMaker has scheduled three more events. A “Maple Fest” is slated for March 18th, a “Berry Jam” for June 24th and another “Applepalooza for September 16th – all to be held within the Union Square Greenmarket again. All events will feature fun activities and demos throughout the day, free tastings and local travel information. In addition, EscapeMaker’s new website is slated to launch in late Summer.
For more information or to join EscapeMaker’s roster of agritourism destinations, call 877-997-2726 email info@escapemaker.com or download kit at //www.escapemaker.com/