Where’s Waldo, you ask? In this town, he’s everywhere. Celebrating Waldo’s twenty-fifth birthday and in support of local businesses across the nation, the WHERE’S WALDO LOCAL campaign in Oxford got off to a great start through the Oxford, Mississippi, Downtown Council. Twenty-five businesses around the town square agreed to participate – hiding a small Waldo figure in their stores in a new place each day so that children could come in, find Waldo in twenty out of twenty-five stores, and get vouchers which they could turn in for a Waldo button and a chance to win prizes.
The promotion began July 1 and by Monday, July 9, seventy-five children already had turned in their Coupons. And the momentum continues to grow, according to WHERE’S WALDO LOCAL coordinator Alissa Lilly, who works at Square Books. “We went along with the Waldo thing just because it sounded like a neat idea,” said one business owner, “but we never dreamed it would bring so many people in our store!” A mother was reported looking around for Waldo because “my daughter is away at camp and begged me to go find Waldo.”
Lilly was contacted for comment but was too busy making new “I Found Waldo” cards and rounding up more prizes, many of which will come from participating stores, because the Waldo buttons are running out fast. The promotion, which continues through July 31, also features numerous appearances around the square by a real-life Waldo.