As the holiday season kicks into full gear, here’s how you can skip the big-box frenzy on Black Friday and share a more eco-friendly day at local holiday events and shops with makers, artists, fair-trade vendors.
Across the country, local retailers will be celebrating Small Business Saturday on November 27. Shoppers can find local stores near them by entering their city or zip code in the Shop Small business map locator.
If you do decide to do some online shopping, some companies are making donations to non-profit organizations on Black Friday. Made Trade, a women-owned, online sustainable marketplace, is donating 10 percent of all Black Friday sales to The Giving Grove, a Kansas City based non-profit that plants fruit and nut orchards in communities experiencing food insecurity.
Here are a few holiday events in Kansas City, MO and Lawrence, KS:
KANSAS CITY, MO
Brookside Small Business Saturday
Saturday, November 27, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
More than 20 local stores in this historic district will feature Small Business Saturday sales. The boundaries of the Brookside business district are Wornall Road to the west, Main Street to the east, 62nd Terrace to the north, and Meyer Boulevard to the south.
Friday, December 3: Times vary by location
Art galleries, studios, organizations and even alleys will feature local, national and international artists. The evening includes local craft breweries, food trucks and more. The Crossroads is located between downtown and Union Station.
Fridays 4 – 8 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sundays 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
November 26 – 28, December 3 – 5, 10 – 12 and 17 – 19.
The City Market, 20 E. 5th St., Kansas City, MO
This free, open-air market features more than 90 artisans and makers curated by The Strawberry Swing, plus street food, holiday drinks, entertainers and other festivities. Participating makers specialize in ceramics, printing, painting, photography, woodworking, metal smithing, leather crafting, fiber and textile arts, jewelry and clothing.
Waldo Small Business Shopping Crawl
Saturday, November 27 – December 3, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The Waldo business district will host Small Business Saturday, as well as a week-long Small Business Shopping Crawl. Waldo is home to 300+ businesses, many of which are locally owned. Shoppers will receive a free 12 oz. Waldo tumbler when they spend more than $50 in the district and take receipts to the Waldo Area Business Association office, 7222 Wornall Road on Saturday, November 27 or December 3 between 9am – 4pm. The Waldo business area stretches along Wornall Road from Gregory Street to around 85th Street.
LAWRENCE, KS
Friday, November 26, 5 – 9 p.m. and Saturday, November 27, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Lawrence Arts Center, 840 New Hampshire St., Lawrence, KS
Local artists and makers will feature their goods at this annual event.
Saturday, December 11: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Prairie Moon Waldorf School, 1853 E. 1600 Road, Lawrence, KS
This free event will feature family-friendly entertainment, artisans, crafts and holiday treats.
Photo: Brookside Shopping District