FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Karen Beasley, Vice President of Marketing & Communications
Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association
PHONE: 256.350.3500 / 800.648.5381
EMAIL: karen@northalabama.org
Gadsden Invites Shoppers to Celebrate “Plaid Friday” and Shop Downtown on Black Friday
Decatur, Ala. (November 6, 2026) – Downtown Gadsden merchants are embracing the holiday spirit and inviting shoppers to take part in Plaid Friday, a fun and festive alternative to the hustle and bustle of Black Friday, created to promote the unique experiences and personal connections that come with shopping small and supporting local businesses. The date for this year’s Plaid Friday in Gadsden is November 27, 2026.
To show support, shoppers are encouraged to wear plaid while exploring Gadsden’s locally owned shops, restaurants, and galleries. Many downtown merchants will offer special promotions, refreshments and door prizes throughout the day and Santa will pop in for visits between noon and 3 p.m. Shoppers are invited to share their shopping experience on social media and use hashtags on social media, such as #plaidfriday, #shoplocal and #dinelocal.
Plaid Friday is a movement that offers an alternative to the fast pace of big box shopping while showing support for local merchants. It originated in Oakland, Calif. in 2009 and the name was chosen from the idea of weaving individual threads of small businesses together to create a strong fabric that celebrates independent businesses. Plaid Friday promotes the diversity and creativity of local and independent businesses and aims to transform holiday shopping for family and friends into a more connected, pleasurable activity than Black Friday. Downtown Gadsden has promoted Plaid Friday for many years, making it a distinctive holiday shopping tradition in Alabama.
Plaid Friday precedes Small Business Saturday, meaning holiday shoppers can turn their two-day, post-Thanksgiving shopping excursions into 48 hours of opportunities to support small businesses.
For a list of Downtown Gadsden Inc. member businesses, visit https://downtowngadsden.com/member_type/retail/. Downtown Gadsden is also filled with a nice selection of local-owned restaurants that are sure to please the whole family. Visit https://downtowngadsden.com/member_type/restaurants/ to see what is available and make a plan ahead of time.
For more information, visit www.downtowngadsden.com.
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About Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA)
The official destination marketing organization for Visit North Alabama, AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the $4.9 billion North Alabama travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. It is supported by 500-plus members consisting of attractions, campgrounds, festivals, chambers of commerce, convention & visitors bureaus, communities, golf courses, restaurants, accommodations, local retailers and vendors. Counties included within the AMLA region are Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston. Additional information on North Alabama destinations, accommodations and special events is available by calling 800.648.5381, visiting www.NorthAlabama.org and following us on social media @VisitNorthAL.
