Little Rock Launches New Holiday Tradition: Think Big Shop Small – Jingle at the River Market

LITTLE ROCK (Oct. 7, 2022) — Think Big Shop Small– Jingle at the River Market is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 26, Thanksgiving weekend, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Little Rock River Market Pavilions.

Little Rock’s annual Think Big Shop Small event is part of the Small Business Saturday national campaign. Beginning this year, it will include a distinct holiday flavor with a community holiday event including live music, a kid’s crafts area and even a visit from Santa Claus.

Kid-friendly action stations will include Letters to Santa, Reindeer Food Making and Holiday Crafts. Plus, Santa will be available with Rudy the Reindeer for pictures from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public. To apply to be a vendor at this event, please visit www.Rivermarket.info/tbss. Accepted vendors include local artisans, local small business retailers and locally prepared foods that are packaged for gifting. See vendor application for more details.

This year will mark the fourth time the River Market has hosted Think Big Shop Small. As always, it will include existing River Market retailers with homemade products, holiday-themed and otherwise, as well as local artisans and other small businesses setting up shop in the pavilions.

Small Business Saturday was created by American Express in 2010 as a way for small businesses to get more customers. It has since become an annual shopping tradition across the country. According to a 2019 study from the American Independent Business Alliance, 48 percent of each purchase at local independent businesses was recirculated locally, compared to less than 14 percent of purchases at chain stores.

“That means shopping local provides more local wealth and more local jobs,” said Diana Long, director of community engagement for the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We wanted to put a fun, holiday twist on the traditional Think Big Shop Small event. This new holiday event is a great way to support small, local businesses and kick off the holiday shopping season at the same time.”

For more information about Think Big Shop Small – Jingle at the River Market, go to RiverMarket.info or #LRRiverMarket.