Annapolis, MD - The kick off of shop local promotions starts with the 15th Anniversary of Small Business Saturday on November 30th in downtown Annapolis. This event showcases over 200 unique, locally owned, small businesses including about 95 retailers, and 75 restaurants in a beautiful city that has been ranked by multiple publications as a top 10 Christmas Town in the USA. Downtown Annapolis is known for having an old-fashioned Charles Dikens feel during the holiday season. It is a place where the local shops have not been taken over by self-checkout lanes and still offer customer service and a unique product mix.
"Small Business Saturday supports the local small businesses that make your community unique and special and that traditionally give back to the community at a higher rate than companies headquartered out of area " says Erik Evans Executive Director of the Downtown Annapolis Partnership and the Annapolis Arts District." Downtown Annapolis is filled with locally owned retail, restaurants and entertainment options along Main Street, Maryland Avenue, State Circle, West Street, and the City Dock area. The area is beautifully decorated and ready for everyone to feel welcome to enjoy a festive downtown for the holiday season.
New this year the Downtown Annapolis Partnership is asking people to take pictures or videos of their favorite downtown businesses while shopping during Small Business Saturday and use the hashtag #ShopLocalAnnapolis for a chance to win a gift card to a local restaurant.
The following day is Artist Sunday on December 1st. This grass roots campaign encourages you to shop from local artists, musicians, authors, and performing arts organizations. "Annapolis is filled with a vibrant arts community with fine art and craft galleries and shops, artist studios, bookstores, a record shop, entertainment venues and performing arts organizations that all offer the ability to buy gifts for friends and family to support the Annapolis arts scene." says Evans. “The gift of giving an experience to a local concert, or performance or purchasing something created locally will be more appreciated by the receiver of the gift than a gift mass produced in another country.”
On December 1st you can also enjoy the Chocolate Binge Festival and the Grand Illumination of the Downtown Annapolis Christmas tree. Additional fun days to shop in downtown Annapolis include Midnight Madness on December 5, 12, and 19, Hanging of the Greens on December 7, Annapolis Holiday Market December 12 to 19, Santa Speedo Run Dec 14 and the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade on Dec 14. There is also a wide range of holiday performances throughout the month at Rams Head On Stage, Maryland Hall, Classic Theatre of Maryland and other local venues. All of these events create a fun time to shop local, keep jobs in Annapolis and support the businesses and the arts community that make Annapolis a unique place to live, work or play.
Free Parking is available every day in downtown Annapolis at the Calvert Street Parking Garage (19 St Johns Street) on Weekdays after 6pm or all day on the Weekends. Plus, from Friday, November 29, through January 1, 2025, drivers can enjoy two hours of free parking at metered or kiosk spaces when using the ParkMobile app. Hillman Garage, located at 145 Gorman Street, will also offer one hour of free parking when using the Premium Parking or ParkMobile app. Users can extend their parking time at the regular rates if needed. Additional discounted parking is available at the Whitmore Parking Garage which is a flat fee of $4 every day after 4pm.
