Shop Small, Win Big Contest Official Rules and Regulations

Carroll County Downtowns Shop Small, Win Big Contest November 17, 2025 – December 24, 2025

1. VOID OUTSIDE OF CARROLL COUNTY, MD, AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

2. Contest Overview: Carroll County Downtowns, in partnership with Carroll County Tourism, Carroll County Economic Development, is sponsoring the Shop Small, Win Big Contest (“Contest”) for the public to support the small businesses in the eight Downtowns of Carroll County, Md. This Contest is governed by these official rules (“Official Rules”). Eight prize winners will be selected under the criteria specified in these Official Rules. All interpretations of the Official Rules and decisions relating to the Contest made by Carroll County Downtowns are final.
3. Registration Period: Contest purchase period commences at 12:00 AM on November 17, 2025 and ends at 11:59 PM on December 24, 2025 (“Registration Period”). All entries must be received by 11:59 PM on December 24, 2025, by electronic entry.
4. Eligibility: The Contest is open to anyone making a purchase at a small business in any of the eight downtown communities in Carroll County, MD, who is 18 years or older at the time of entry during the Registration Period (“Participants”). Participants need to make a purchase of at least $35.00 at a Registered Retailer to win. The eight downtown communities in Carroll County, MD are: Hampstead, Manchester, Mount Airy, New Windsor, Sykesville, Taneytown, Union Bridge, and Westminster.
5. Purchases: Any receipt of $35.00 or more from any purchase made in-store at a small business within any of the eight Downtowns of Carroll County, Md. between November 17, 2025, and December 24, 2025, can be entered to win. A small business is defined for this program as an independently owned and operated, legal, brick and mortar business in the eight Downtowns of Carroll County, Md. Multiple entries can be submitted by Participants, but each entry is restricted to one receipt per entry, which must be separate and distinct purchases from their other entries submitted. The odds of winning depend on the number of completed entries. 
6. Participation: By participating in this Contest, Participants: (1) agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by the interpretations of these Official Rules by Carroll County Downtowns and by the decisions of Carroll County Downtowns, a sub-group of Carroll County Economic Development; (2) agree to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, and the Official Rules; and (3) agree to be opted in to email marketing from Carroll County Downtowns, Carroll County Tourism, and Carroll County Economic Development

By participating in this Contest, Participants also agree to indemnify, hold harmless, and release Carroll County Downtowns, Carroll County Tourism, Carroll County Economic Development, the Mayor and the Common Council of Westminster and any entity involved in the creation, operation, or fulfillment of the Contest and their respective agents, employees, elected officials, officers, directors, successors and assigns from and against all claims, injuries, or damages arising out of or relating to participation in the Contest; the use, misuse, or redemption of the prizes; and for any claim, including claims based on defamation, publicity rights, invasion of privacy, copyright infringement, trademark infringement, or any other intellectual property related cause of action.

7. To Enter: Participants must complete the 2025 Shop Small, Win Big registration form online, at https://www.westminstermd.gov/ShopSmallCarroll  in which they are required to provide their first and last name; zip code where you live, email address; phone number; the store name at which they made their purchase between November 17, 2025, and December 24, 2025; the dollar amount spent on the subject purchase; the community in which the purchase was made; take a photo of the subject receipt and attach the photo to the form; and submit the form. There is no limit on the number of qualifying entries one person can submit. Each purchase receipt of $35.00 or more must be entered and uploaded separately.
8. Prizes: There will be eight grand prize Winners selected from the completed registration forms submitted (collectively called “Winners”). The winners will receive $250 cash in a check from the City of Westminster. To claim and receive a prize, certain criterion must be met as explained in Section 9. Selection and Notification. No more than $250 will be given to an individual Winner, as in a customer may only have the chance to win once. If a customer form is selected more than once, a new Winner will be drawn.

Up to eight (8) business winners will be selected, matching the Winners receipts that are selected. A business winner will receive $100 cash in a check from the City of Westminster. To receive a prize, certain criterion must be met as explained in Section 9. Business winners may win more than $100 if more than one Winner entry was from that business. 

Carroll County Downtowns reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal value and to award additional prizes to other Participants other than the Winners. All applicable taxes, and any other costs and expenses associated with acceptance and use of prize not specifically provided for in these Official Rules, are solely the Winners’ responsibility.

9. Selection and Notification: The Winners of the $250 cash prize will be selected from all the eligible entries on January 5, 2026. Each participant is eligible to win up to $250 cash prize. Each business is eligible to win up to $800, if all (8) individual participants are randomly selected from that business. A Carroll County Downtown eligible business owner may also participate in the contest as an individual with qualifying in-person receipts from a business that is not owned by themselves. All Winners will be selected at random by using Random.org. Carroll County Downtowns reserves the right to select alternative Winners if any potential Winner fails to comply with these Official Rules. The Winners and businesses selected will be notified by email the day of the drawing and will be asked to confirm acceptance of the prize, verify their home address, phone number, mention of a check ceremony, and the requirements to submit a valid W-9 form to planning@westminstermd.gov for check processing. At confirmation of the email with necessary information and acceptance of a W-9 Form by the City of Westminster, the prize will be confirmed along with information on the check ceremony date. Every attempt will be made to contact the Winners. Winners, who do not reply within 24 hours of initial contact will forfeit their prize. Prizes will be picked up at Carroll County Government Office, 225 N. Center Street, Westminster, MD 21157. Winners will be invited to a check ceremony at the Carroll County Government Offices. Attendance at the Check Ceremony is not mandatory, but it is encouraged. Winners may waive their right to receive prizes. Prizes are not assignable and non-transferable.

No substitutions allowed by Winners. Submission of an entry grants Carroll County Downtowns, Carroll County Tourism, and Carroll County Economic Development the right, except where prohibited by law, to use the Participant’s name, likeness, picture, address (city and state only), voice, biographical information, and written or oral statements for promotional purposes in marketing or publicizing Carroll County Downtowns and its products or services, without compensation unless required by law.

10. Winner Verification: In the event of non-compliance by a potential Winner, such potential Winner shall be disqualified and all privileges otherwise due as the Winner shall be terminated and an alternative potential Winner may, in Carroll County Downtown’s sole discretion, be chosen from among all of the remaining eligible entries received. Carroll County Downtowns expressly reserves the right to delay the announcement of the Winners for any reason Carroll County Downtowns deems necessary or delay the check ceremony or check processing.
11. General Terms: Carroll County Downtowns is not responsible if the Contest cannot take place or if any prize cannot be awarded due to events outside of the reasonable control of Carroll County Downtowns. Carroll County Downtowns reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Contest or any part of the Contest.

Any violation of these official rules by a Winner will result in such Winner’s disqualification as a Winner of the contest and all privileges as a Winner will be immediately terminated.

There is no limit to the number of completed entries of receipts dated November 17, 2025 – December 24, 2025, submitted by Participants, subject to the conditions contained in these Rules.

All information provided by Participants may be subject to disclosure under the Maryland Freedom of Information Act, court order, or other rule of law.

By submitting an entry in this Contest, Participant represents that (1) he or she has the right to submit the entry; (2) all persons whose name or likeness appear in the entry have unconditionally consented, in writing, to allow their name or likeness in the entry, a copy of such writing will be furnished to Carroll County Downtowns upon request; (3) the entry does not infringe upon any third party’s proprietary or other rights.

12. Sponsored by: This Contest is sponsored by Carroll County Downtowns, in partnership with Carroll County Tourism, and Carroll County Economic Development.
13. Requests for Names of Winners and Rules: For the name of the Winners and/or a copy of the Official Rules check the City of Westminster website at www.westminstermd.gov.