Downtown Brighton Prepares for the Plunge

Thirty Brighton merchants are banding together for the second year running to raise additional money for the Polar Plunge which will take place Saturday at Leith Lake behind Brighton High School.

Last year, merchants raised a little more than $9,000 for Special Olympics with week-long fundraisers. The goal this year is to raise between $10,00 and $12,000, according to Lindsay Palizzi, owner of Downtown Main Martini Bar & Grill and one of the event planners.

Festivities will begin on Thursday with a Polar Bear Pub & Shop Crawl.

Customers can visit any participating store or restaurant to pick up a punch card and receive punches for each purchase or donation made. After reaching five punches, they may drop off the cards at Downtown Main Martini Bar & Grill to be entered int oa drawing at 9 p.m. Prizes are donated by the stores and restaurants.

In addition, most individual stores or restaurants will feature their own small fundraiser.

The Plunge itself will take place on Saturday from 1-4 p.m.

Lastly, on Sunday, the 2nd Annual Polar Plunge Afterglow Fashion Show will take place at Downtown Main Martini Bar & Grill from 5-9 p.m. This year's event will include a DJ and silent auction.

The show will feature local models showcasing fashions from Ally's Boutique, Ally & Amy Accessories, Bink & Babs Boutique, The Brighton Tux Shop, Cooper & Binkley Jewelers, Elite Feet, Hush Intimate Apparel, Talula and The White Dress.

"We have a wide range of boutiques that will be showing their fashions and we have a bunch of salons that will be doing fun, funky make-up and hair," Palizzi said.

Tickets to the fashion show cost $50 per person, and will include hors d'oeuvres and one alcoholic beverage. 100 percent of ticket prices will be donated to the Special Olympics Area 27.

Palizzi said they hope to sell between 100 to 150 tickets.

"It's a huge deal and a fun way to raise money," she said. "We made it even better. We're trying to make it not only fun for just an hour, but fun for three to four hours, with having a DJ and dance floor and making it more of a party and celebration for how much money we've raised for this cause."

Tickets can be purchased at Ally Boutique, Bink & Babs Boutique, Cooper & Binkley Jewelers, Downtown Main Martini Bar & Grill or at Hush Intimate Apparel.

Palizzi said a lot of planning went into these week-long events, but they had a lot of the basics down already from last year.

"I think that overall, we have made good improvements because we were able to say 'alright this is what worked last year and this is what didn't,'" Palizzi said. "We've been able to grow on that. So I think this eyar the fashion show is going to be even better. I'm hoping to raise even more money."