A local giveaway is coming soon.
One local business. One winner. No giant hoops.
Enter free.
Already get The Local Detour? You can still enter. Newsletter signup is optional and is never required to enter.
Enter first. Then invite local friends.
After you enter, we’ll show your personal referral link on this page. Share it yourself by copy, text/share or email. Each new eligible local reader who uses your link, enters this giveaway and chooses to subscribe to The Local Detour adds one bonus entry for you, up to 5.
We don’t ask for or collect your friends’ email addresses.
You’re in.
Your entry has been recorded.
Want more chances?
Invite local friends with your personal link. You earn one bonus entry when a new eligible local reader uses your link, enters this giveaway and chooses to subscribe to The Local Detour. Maximum 5 bonus entries.
Sharing happens through your device or email app. The Local Detour does not collect your friends’ email addresses. A referral only counts after the friend completes the qualifying steps.
Quick answers
Do we have to subscribe to enter?
No. Newsletter permission is separate and optional. You receive one base giveaway entry whether or not you subscribe.
What counts as a referral?
A new, eligible local reader must use your personal link, enter the current giveaway and choose to subscribe to The Local Detour. Existing subscribers, self-referrals and duplicate/fake signups do not count. Referral bonuses are capped at five per giveaway.
How do I invite someone?
After you enter, your personal referral link appears on this page. You can copy it, use your device’s share options or open your own email app with an invitation already drafted. The Local Detour does not ask you for your friends’ email addresses.
Where do I get my referral link later?
Come back to this page and enter again with the same email. Your original entry stays intact and your personal referral link and current bonus-entry count will be shown.
Do I get a bonus just for sending the link?
No. A bonus entry is earned only after a qualifying new local reader uses your link, enters the giveaway and becomes an active Local Detour subscriber.
What counts as local?
This is meant for Illinois residents in the Chicago suburbs and surrounding Chicagoland communities. We do not use a rigid suburb list or ZIP-prefix cutoff. If you are drawn, we may verify that your home address is reasonably within the Chicagoland area before awarding the prize.
How is the winner picked?
After the giveaway closes, our private admin system uses a secure server-side random draw. We verify eligibility before contacting the winner.
Does the local business get entrant emails?
No. The Local Detour keeps the entrant/subscriber information. Partners receive aggregate campaign results, not your email address.