As you well know, once the clock strikes midnight on Thanksgiving night the focus turns exclusively toward Christmas shopping.
Black Friday has been a thing for a long time, where people wake up well before the crack of dawn, go to (insert name of big-box store here) and wait in line for the doors to open. In the last few years, the crazy shopping tradition even spilled into Thanksgiving night.
But who wants to end their holiday throwing elbows to get the latest toy or standing with other grumpy TV enthusiasts? Doesn’t really seem to fit in with the whole Thanksgiving experience, don’t you think?
So we have an idea. Why don’t you enjoy that second (or third) turkey sandwich and get a few extra hours of sleep and head to downtown Concord for your annual day after Thanksgiving shopping trip.
Plaid Friday, as it has been cleverly coined, is a national movement to get people to support their local downtown merchants on the day after Thanksgiving instead of those insert name here stores.
“Plaid Friday is not exactly the anti-Black Friday, but you shouldn’t have to get up at 6 a.m. to have a great shopping experience,” said Liza Poinier, operations manager for Intown Concord.
And it just so happens that Plaid Friday kicks off the second year of Discover Downtown, a series of events designed by Intown Concord to get people to, you guessed it, shop and enjoy downtown – which also includes a little thing called Small Business Saturday.
“It’s a way to draw people down to Concord to discover and see what there’s to do downtown,” said Susan Sokul, Intown Concord’s communications and events coordinator.
Poinier and Sokul didn’t think up the whole Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday thing, although it’d be cool if they had for pure storytelling sake, but they’re certainly jumping on the opportunity to promote its presence in Concord.
“Big shopping with downtown charm,” Sokul said.
Now you might be wondering ‘If I wear plaid and shop downtown this Friday will it get me anything in the perks department?’ Well, the answer is yes ’cause anytime you wear plaid you instantly gain lumberjack type respect from bystanders and some of the local shops will even offer discounts.
Many of the merchants will also have special things like drinks and snacks for shoppers to give people that extra personal touch.
“It’s the opportunity for the merchants to get creative and give them a unique experience,” Sokul said.
Friday is also the first day you can start filling out your Win the Window passport for a chance to win one of four prize packages. All you need to do is get 28 stamps from the more than 50 participating businesses (no purchase necessary) and turn the passport in by Dec. 16 at one of the two drop locations. Winners will be chosen Dec. 16 and must be able to pick the prize up by Dec. 18.
“The intent is to take your gift cards and go downtown,” Sokul said.
The slogan for Small Business Saturday is “shop small,” which is just what it sounds like – spend your money at the local stores. Stores will be handing out free things like tote bags, paper crowns and balloons.
“Spending your money on Main Street is an investment in our community,” Poinier said. “In a way it’s an extension of Plaid Friday.”
Intown Concord and Merchants Roundtable also got together to purchase 100 wreaths to hang double sided on the new light poles along North Main Street. The wreaths will be hung before Thanksgiving just in time for Plaid Friday, Small Business Saturday and the annual Christmas tree lighting on Friday.
“When people come downtown, our downtown sells itself now more than ever,” Poinier said. “And we couldn’t miss the opportunity to add some holiday bling.”
Holiday music will be played on the streets on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. and you might see some carolling groups.
You may also notice that more than 40 downtown businesses have their windows decorated as part of the second annual window decorating contest, which will be judged Dec. 3 and announced at Midnight Merriment on Dec. 4.
Stay tuned for more next week on Midnight Merriment and other Discover Downtown events. For more information, visit intownconcord.org.
