Politics

Cawthorn hosts tailgate event to support restaurants and shops

By Lightning Reports, Published: May 9, 2020

Congressional candidate Madison Cawthorn is hosting the nonpartisan Great American Tailgate event from 1 to 3 p.m. today to rally support for downtown restaurants and shops.

“Our restaurateurs have taken a real financial beating during this crisis,” said Cawthorn, a Hendersonville native who faces Lynda Bennett, a Maggie Valley real estate agent and business owner, in a June 23 runoff election for the Republican nomination for the 11th Congressional District. “As North Carolina begins its process of reopening on Saturday, let’s all show the world how North Carolinians do a comeback from a responsible social distance.”

The plan encourages residents to shop downtown Hendersonville businesses while maintaining an appropriate social distance. The tailgate event supports the idea of bringing shoppers back downtown to purchase meals curbside from any of the Hendersonville area restaurants that offer takeout, then taking the food back to their cars to eat in similar fashion to a sports tailgate event.

Additionally, with retail stores also reopening at a 50 percent capacity, shoppers can also enjoy revisiting downtown shops.
“We need to increase consumer confidence,” Cawthorn said, while emphasizing the event is nonpartisan and that spacing would be available to adhere strictly to the statewide phase 1 reopening guidelines.