So there I was last weekend, working on the Weekly Update newsletter when I realized, wow, the 200th email was coming up fast. Like this weekend. As of Memorial Day weekend next month, Petworth News will be four years old, is just about to hit 4,000 Facebook Likes (it has 4,176 followers) and the 200th newsletter is about to go out.

That’s 200 hundred emails, 200 weekend nights spent writing it, and more than 2,100 people reading it. Every Sunday. Amazing.

As a way of saying Thanks for supporting the site and subscribing to our free email, we’re partnering with local businesses to do a huge giveaway of 12 gift certificates worth well over $300! What?! I know!

Update 4/16: The giveaway entry time has ended — winner announcement coming soon!

It’s simple, it’s free, and you have a great chance of winning one of the 12 gift certificates! This is a random giveaway, but for a chance to win, you must be a current subscriber of the free Petworth News Weekly Update email newsletter by the morning of April 16th and respond to our “hey, you won!” notification email within 5 days. That’s it.

Here’s what you need to do:

Make sure you’re a current subscriber to our Weekly Update email
Fill out the entry form at the bottom of this article by the morning of April 16th
(Let me know if there’s something you really want to win - no guarantees, but I’ll try)
Wait to see if you get an email from Drew by end of day Tuesday, April 16th
Go pick up your gift certificate and enjoy a local Petworth business!

HUGE thanks to the businesses that quickly said they wanted to support this contest:

Cinder BBQ — Two $25 Gift Cards (two winners)

Cinder opens officially on Saturday, April 13th, and they’re offering TWO $25 gift cards for this giveaway. Once they open, they’ll have happy hour wine specials from 5-7 PM ($5.00 pinot grigio and $7.00 cabernet wines by the glass). Sunday brunch will be coming in the near future, as will delivery and catering. You will be able to do carry out orders as soon as they open on Saturday (normal biz hours will be Wednesday thru Sunday, opening at 5pm). Make sure you stop by and get some good eats!

Fia’s Fabulous Find — $25 Gift Card

Fia rocks. She does, she’s awesome. She has always been a strong supporter of the Petworth community and of Petworth News, and she’s giving away a $25 gift certificate for the store. Fia's Fabulous Finds offers upscale, quality, brand name ladies clothing and accessories in new and nearly new condition at prices significantly below department store pricing while creating an exciting and first class shopping experience. Plus their grab bag promotion sell out because the discounts on great clothes are so good. Go check ‘em out.

She Loves Me / The Lemon Collective — $50 Terrarium Class

We love She Loves Me. Owner Holley Simmons might be one of the newest business owners on the 800 block of Upshur, but she’s been one of the first to jump on community events. Check out Petworth’s newest flower store, along with the Lemon Collective, which offers creative classes at 810 Upshur Street — like the Terrarium class (like this one, but not this exact one) they’re in this giveaway (a $50 dollar value!).

The Pitch Tavern — $25 Gift Card

The Pitch Tavern opens their doors to the community day after day, offering some delicious food (try the lemon pepper wings, seriously) and offering a place for community groups to meet. They graciously hosted the 2nd Petworth News Annual Shindig upstairs and helped make it an amazing night. They’re offering a $25 dollar gift card.

Lulabelle's Sweet Shop — $25 Gift Card

A jewel on the 800 block of Upshur Street (and my daughter’s favorite place to be), Lulabelle’s Sweet Shop has quickly become a community favorite. From candies to little toys, to yummy sandwiches, good coffee and oh yeah, their ice cream. Yum. They’re offering a $25 gift card.

Willow — $25 Gift Card

Willow Fashion has been on Upshur Street for years and is a great community partner. Owner Julie Wineinger (who also owns Lulabelle’s) helped start and run the Upshur Art & Craft Fair, has helped with the Celebrate Petworth Festival, various street cleanups, socials and much more. You’ll find DC and Petworth-centric clothes and tchotchkes, earrings and so much more. Their $25 gift card will get you something awesome.

Petworth Citizen — $25 Gift Card

My booze place. Petworth Citizen has been a stalwart for many years on the Upshur strip, hosting the very first Petworth News Shindig party in 2015 in the Reading Room. I thought we’d get 20 people for the first party? 80 showed up, and owner Paul Ruppert rolled with it and helped put on a great event. They’re offering a $25 gift card.

Loyalty Books — $25 Gift Card

The successor to Upshur Street Books, Loyalty Books continues to the tradition of being an independent bookstore focusing on our community first. From weekly Storytime events, book clubs, community events and a store full of an amazing collective of fiction and nonfiction, owner Hannah Oliver Depp jumped into the Petworth neighborhood with both feet. Check out their upcoming Trivia Night on April 22nd with MoonlitDC in the Reading Room (7-9pm)! They’re offering a $25 gift card so you can sign up for a literary night event and buy a great book.

Taqueria del Barrio — $25 Gift Card

Taqueria del Barrio has become one of the local go-to places for families and hungry people in the neighborhood. Offering Happy Hour specials to Drag Brunches, Día de los Muertos events and more, owner Anna Bran-Leis keeps the neighborhood fully engaged and fed. They go out of their way to support local groups, and they’ve supported this site since the beginning. They’re offering a $25 gift card too!

Timber — $25 Gift Card

Seriously, Timber Pizza bakes addiction-worthy pizza, bagels and more all week, and the lines of people waiting out-front each night goes to show how delicious they are. Owners Andrew Dana, Chris Brady and Dani Moreira love to support the neighborhood, and they’re offering a $25 gift card so you can get your Timber on!

Slash Run — $25 Gift Card

It’s not just hamburgers and waffle fries that owner Christine Lilyea offers at Slash Run — it’s our own local music scene that’s getting famous throughout the DMV. And now they’re serving brunch and have an outdoor patio to get your burger groove on! They’re offering a $25 gift card so you can enjoy all they have on the menu!