For the tenth year, independent businesses and community members in the Monadnock Region will celebrate Plaid Friday on the day after Thanksgiving. This year’s event falls on Friday, November 29, 2019.
Individuals will wear plaid on Plaid Friday to show support for the local economy and their commitment to spending more of their dollars at locally owned businesses during the holiday season. Last year, nearly 400 community members pledged to participate in Plaid Friday.
To amplify this year’s event, Savings Bank of Walpole will host a Plaid Friday Week from Friday, November 29 to Tuesday, December 3. The bank will set up information tables at each of their branches with Plaid Friday swag to inspire more people to participate in this year’s event. Community members are encouraged to wear plaid throughout this week and stop by the bank’s Marlboro Street branch to take a selfie in front of the bank’s Plaid Friday backdrop. Savings Bank of Walpole will then share these photos on social media to further promote this event.
“With Savings Bank of Walpole (SBW) being the community’s local bank, we want to show our support for our local businesses,” said Danielle Ruffo, Savings Bank of Walpole’s new Community Engagement Coordinator. “SBW serves many customers in our community — and keeping your money local is what we are all about. Supporting Plaid Friday and the ‘Shop Indie Local’ movement is all part of helping our local community thrive and grow.”
Plaid Friday celebrates the diversity and creativity of local and independent businesses. It’s a fun and festive alternative to the “Black Friday” consumer frenzy perpetuated by big box stores. This event originated in Oakland, CA with the intent to bring back the times when shopping for friends and family was a pleasurable and leisurely activity.
A growing list of locally owned businesses will serve as Plaid Friday Hubs, photographing customers decked out in plaid and answering questions about this event. View a list of Plaid Friday Hubs.
Local photographer Kim Peck will host a Plaid Friday Photo Booth outside of The Toadstool Bookshop at 12 Depot Square in Peterborough (times TBD). In Keene, Ted’s Shoe & Sport at 115 Main Street will host a Plaid Friday Photo Booth inside his store with Luxury Box Photo Booth, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The photo booth will then move to Elm City Brewery at 222 West Street (times TBD). Photos will be added to a Plaid Friday collage, celebrating all who wore plaid: bit.ly/MBLplaidfriday.
A number of participating businesses will offer specials to honor the day and thank community members for their support. View these specials.
Plaid Friday is part of the “Shop Indie Local” movement growing throughout North America. From November 1 to December 31, Shop Indie Local encourages residents to choose local and independent businesses for more of their holiday purchases.
The Monadnock Region’s Plaid Friday event is sponsored by Beeze Tees Screen Printing, CC&D’s Kitchen, Cheshire Horse, Creative Encounters, Cultural Cocoon, The Dragonfly Shop, Elm City Brewery, The Farm Cafe, Food Connects, Frogg Brewing, Hannah Grimes Marketplace, Joseph’s Coat, Korvin Appliance, LuvINK&Paper, The Luxury Box Photo Booth, Marcia Kayser, Mayfair Farm, Monadnock Food Co-op, One Stop Country Pet Supply, Peterborough Art Academy, Prime Roast Coffee, Savings Bank of Walpole, Ted’s Shoe & Sport, Toadstool Bookshops in Keene and Peterborough, Tribals – Rugs by Hand and The Works Cafe.
The Local Crowd (TLC) Monadnock will launch online on Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at noon with two 30-day campaigns focused on supporting sustainable agriculture:
Each campaign will offer a limited number of rewards to individuals who give at certain financial levels. For example, Archway Farm offers a Sausage Club to individuals who give $75. Sausage Club members receive one pound of four different kinds of Archway Farm sausages, each featuring an ingredient from a local farm. The first sausage is a Cheddar Smoked Bratwurst made with Stonewall Farm cheese.
Yarden of Eatin' 