Your guide to local events and shopping for Delaware’s Small Business Saturday 2021

Small Business Saturday (SBS) is coming up on November 27, and it might be the biggest one yet, with events happening all over, from the the beaches to Wilmington.

This is a big year for SBS, for multiple reasons: in-person public events, which were a no-go during the 2020 holiday season, are back (with the recommended precautions); supply chain issues have put a damper on the “traditional” Black Friday hype and a lot of people are in a mindset to support members of the their local community instead of spending all of their holiday dollars at mega corporations.

The Small Business Development Center Delaware (SBSC) has put together a fabulous website featuring the 2021 SBS events and initiatives of SBSC and its partners.

Did you know that, if you’re an online holiday shopper, you can get free shipping from downtown Wilmington small businesses like LaFate Gallery, Spaceboy and Al’s Sporting Goods courtesy of Downtown Visions? Or that the YWCA Delaware has an online marketplace where you can support local, socially conscious businesses on SBS and year-round?

If you miss in-person SBS marketplaces, you’re in luck — SBSC is part of an SBS event in each county:

• Wilmington — The Downtown Holiday Village in the 500 block of N. Market Street from about noon (after the Jaycees parade) to 2:00 p.m., during which time the street will be closed off for pop-up shops, entertainment and activities. Also look for SBS events at the DuPont Building, Maker’s Alley and Spaceboy. The Holiday Village will return every Saturday during the holiday season from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Middletown — JAKL Beer Works’ Christmas Market is an open-air event featuring local small businesses including 2-Sisters Little Shop, Fetch Pet Care and Songbird Creations from 1 to 5 p.m. (Also in Middletown: An SBS event hosted by The Local Buzz)
• Rehoboth Beach — The Rehoboth Beach Holiday market at the Grove Park will feature carols sung by the Camp Rehoboth Chorus, winter vegetables, breads, artisan foods, crafts and artwork from local artisans including Delmarva Bay Clay, Lavender Fields and Derby Mill.

These are the bigger SBS events in Delaware, but they won’t be the only ones.

Artzscape on Lower Market Street in Wilmington has a full day planned:

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The Delmarva Peninsula is encouraging residents to shop locally and urging local small businesses to put themselves on the map for SBS:

Small Business Saturday on Delmarva is celebrating the independents right here in our own community. Share what's happening in #Delaware and the eastern shore of MD & VA @ https://t.co/rkjcoVdO75 #SmallBizSaturday #buylocaldelmarva pic.twitter.com/Q1xWXkJHpn

— Delmarva, USA (@delmarvalocal) November 22, 2021

And book publishing can be a small biz too — Delaware’s Tivishe Publishing is the home of local authors including Liz DeJesus, Emma Tibbet and J.L. Jackola. Genres include fantasy, romance, horror, children’s and YA.

#SmallBusinessSaturday will be here before we know it on November 27th, and as a #smallpress #publisher we're asking for you to #ShopLocal #Authors and #ShopSmall with us! We're located in #Delaware but we want to reach #readers far and wide! https://t.co/xuItYWufO4 pic.twitter.com/99sSm9QMoJ

— Tivshe Publishing (@tivshe) November 16, 2021

Finally, don’t forget WilmingtonMade powered by Wilmington Alliance. It has a list of Wilmington small businesses broken down by type, so not only can you find holiday gifts, you can also find restaurants, salons, marketing agencies, printers — all kinds of small businesses, all local.