How to celebrate Plaid Friday in New Hampshire
Want to escape Black Friday madness? Celebrate Plaid Friday in New Hampshire. Here’s where and how.
Do you really want to start the holiday season in a sterile big-box store or an overheated mall, or by spending hours on a soulless website buying mass-produced gifts? Instead, consider donning your warmest plaid and heading out to celebrate Plaid Friday, an appealing alternative to the Black Friday frenzy the day after Thanksgiving.
Lucky for Granite Staters, there are plenty of locally owned shops, restaurants, and museums participating in Plaid Friday on November 28, offering special deals, discounts, giveaways, and in some cases, holiday treats. Not only do you get to shmooze and shop with neighbors and local purveyors, but your shopping dollars go straight back to your community.
Wearing plaid isn’t mandatory, but it is kind of fun. Why plaid? Tartan is a metaphor for the colorful fabric of community. Santa would approve.
Here’s a list of some of the state’s participating businesses.
Nashua Plaid Friday
November 28, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Downtown Nashua
This city-wide event, sponsored by Great American Downtown, starts at Fortin Gage Flowers and Gifts, where you can also pick up a map. The first 100 shoppers can grab a special Plaid Friday tote filled with goodies and special offers from participating businesses. The bags are free, but donations to Great American Downtown are appreciated. The event headquarters will be in the Nashua Center for the Arts lobby at 201 Main Street. Parking is available at the Elm Street Garage.
Dozens of downtown businesses are participating, including the following businesses and restaurants:
- Retro Rollo Collectibles, 176 Main Street
- Scontsas Fine Jewelry and Home Décor, 169–173 Main Street
- Design Wares, 206 Main Street
- Fortin Gage Flowers & Gifts, 86 West Pearl Street
- Fresh of Nashua, 178 Main Street
- Myoptic, 204 Main Street
- The Grey Nuns Thrift Shop, 11 and 15 ½ Main Street
- Local Street Eats, 112 West Pearl Street
- Odd Fellows Brewing Co., 124 Main Street
- Martha’s Exchange Restaurants and Brewery, 185 Main Street
A full list of all the participants will be posted here by November 25.
Monadnock Plaid Friday
The Local Crowd Monadnock is the organizer of this Plaid Friday event, which “celebrates the diversity and creativity of local and independent businesses … and offers a way to show support for building a stronger local community,” according to their website. Participants are encouraged to wear plaid and can get their photos taken with their plaid outfits when visiting the participating venues, some of which are listed here:
- Birdies, 18 Main Street, Keene
- Cheshire Children’s Museum, 149 Emerald Street, Keene: Wear plaid and get a dollar off museum admission for guests. Members will receive a small treat for wearing plaid. The museum will also offer paid, by-appointment childcare drop-off for those who want to shop during the day.
- Cheshire Horse, 8 Whittemore Rd., Swanzey, is offering online discounts on the day.
- Grand Monadnock Maple Farm, 149 Breed Hill Rd., Harrisville, will have an open sugar house and holiday shopping.
- Hearth Magick, 43 Grove Street, Peterborough, will offer 20% off total purchases and $10 off aura photos on Small Business Saturday.
- Rabbit Ridge Artisans at the Summit Winery, 719 RT. 12, Westmoreland
- Ted’s Shoe & Sport, 115 Main Street, Keene, will give away free socks (a $14.99 value) for every purchase of $150 or more.
- Madame Sherri’s Lounge and Cabaret, 82 Main Street. From 5 to 10 p.m., during the city’s tree lighting celebration, the establishment is offering a discounted menu for Madame’s Mac & Cheese, donuts, Margaritas, Clausmos, hot chocolate, and a special kids’ menu. Also, from Plaid Friday through Christmas, buy a $100 gift card and get a $20 gift card for free.
Hanover Plaid Friday
Still North Books & Bar (located at 3 Allen Street in Hanover) is combining Indie Bookstores Day and Plaid Friday, offering 15 % off all merchandise and books for those who wear some form of plaid when they visit the shop on Friday, November 28. The shop is also offering a raffle ticket for those who spend $100 to win a Still North tote bag, hat, and other book-related swag through Cider Monday on December 1.
The History of Plaid Friday
Plaid Friday was created in 2009 by Kerri Johnson in Oakland, California, as an antidote to the shopping frenzy of Black Friday. Its mission is “to bring back the time when shopping for friends and family was a pleasurable, leisurely activity,” and to support local, small businesses, according to the American Independent Business Alliance.
The Local Crowd Monandock posted ways local businesses can celebrate the day, including photographing customers wearing plaid, creating displays with locally made products, using plaid ribbon, tissue paper, or special buy-local bags to package purchases. Happy shopping!
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