support local this holiday season!

Shop Local Weekend celebrates local businesses with four days of events and giveaways featuring Black-owned businesses, independent artists, and other local businesses in and around Cambridge.

How to participate:

• Explore the weekend’s events and participating businesses on this webpage.
  
• Each event tab includes important event logistics, provides a list of participating businesses and individuals, and directions on how to enter various giveaways.
  
• Out of town this weekend? No problem. You can participate in most of these events virtually!

Move over, Black Friday! Celebrate the diversity and creativity of local, independent businesses with this alternative to the big box store consumer frenzy. Check out local promotions here.

Did you know 3x more of your dollars circulate locally when you shop at a local business instead of a chain? Celebrate Small Business Saturday this

Click here to learn more about events all around the city now through the end of the month. Located in Cambridge? Check out holiday markets and in person events near you this Saturday, November 26, including:

• 10 am – 8 pm | Rococo Floral Co’s Holiday Affair & Small Business Saturday Maker Market at Bow Market in Somerville. Make merry under the glow of twinkling lights at a fire-pit table or sip hot-cocoa while shopping 45+ plus small businesses across Bow Market, in our courtyard, and inside Union Tavern.

  Featuring food & drink specials, entertainment, prizes and more! The event includes courtyard festivities, a Maker Market, and local business AMA.

• 10 am – 10 pm | SoWa Artists Guild Small Business Saturday

• 11 am – 4 pm | Small Business Saturday market at Warehouse XI in Union Square. Shop over 30 vendors from New England for handmade jewelry, kids gifts, candles, framed artwork, pottery and so much more; enjoy live music, and; get your gifts wrapped at a gift-wrapping station!

• 1 pm – 5 pm | The SHOP THE BLOCK Marketplace kicks off at Nubian Black Market with 30 businesses, live music, and plenty of beautiful gift ideas, brought to you by the folks behind the “BUY BLK MOVEMENT” in New England since 2017.
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Gift art this holiday season and celebrate the impact local artists have on our community.

On November 27, 500 communities across the nation will participate in Artists Sunday to support local artists and promote the giving of the arts during the holidays. Give something special, unique, and handcrafted this holiday season and support local artists and the local economy.

To find artists and creatives near you – you can explore our member directory or this handy list and map from CreativeGround, featuring over 500 creatives around the city.

Explore local arts businesses here.

Cyber Monday deals can be hard to resist. (Our bank accounts, sometimes to their detriment – will agree). You probably have noticed that many of the post-Thanksgiving weekend price slashes we look forward to come from big box behemoths and online retailers.

This year, we’re making your online shopping experience local (goodbye world wide web, hello…local wide web?) by spotlighting gifts available online from local businesses in and around Cambridge. You can also check out our list of local holiday promotions, some still ongoing, here. We’re also thrilled to be partnering with the Sustainable Business of MA to feature some top-notch specialty food businesses in our Local Gift Guide.

So what are you waiting for? Kick back and relax, practice consumerism in moderation (we really want to help you be thoughtful and intentional about your purchases!), and explore online stores from the independent retailers that make Cambridge and Massachusetts so special.

Make your Cyber Monday a local one!