NoDa Arts District: Explore NoDa Bingo Aims To Help Reconnect Neighborhood After COVID Closures

Press release from the NoDa Arts District:

Whitney Stein

August 7, 2021

Charlotte Strength, a gym on Anderson Street, launched the game in July in collaboration with more than 20 NoDa businesses as a way to connect the community and support small business.

Each participating business had 100 bingo cards to pass out, and one square on the card with a task for participants to do at that business, like grabbing a coffee at Smelly Cat or eating a slice of pizza at Benny’s. Once a task is completed, the business gives out a stamp. Participants had the month of July to get as many bingos as possible, with each bingo equaling one entry in the grand prize drawing. On Aug. 2, a winner will be chosen to receive one prize from each participating business.

“With COVID, we wanted to come up with a way to help get people back into the businesses that were forced to either shut down, adjust their hours, or any other shift that was no fault of their own,” said Chris Yandle, fitness director at the gym. “With the idea of tasks and prizes involved, we thought it would encourage people to try places they had never been to or places they haven’t been to in months. We envisioned it as people getting back into the community!”

Yandle said the game has garnered a great response from the NoDa community, so much so that they hope to make it an annual event.

If you missed it this year, don’t worry – while there’s no set date for the next one, Yandle said it would likely be next spring or summer.

This press release was produced by the NoDa Arts District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.