From Wayne Purser of 365 Things to Do in Edmonds and Frank Yamamoto, president of the Downtown Edmonds Merchants Association, here’s an invitation to celebrate the sparkle of the season as stores offer a weekend of treats and special offers.

Starting Thursday night with the Edmonds Art Walk through Sunday, local businesses will feature sales and specials to jumpstart your holiday shopping. Several merchants will also be handing out free cookie cutters and family recipes.

Remember to shop local and do your part to promote a strong, vital economy. For every $100 spent in Edmonds, $68 remains in the community — that’s 37 percent more than money spent in national chain stores.

For more information, visit https://www.edmondswa.com/events/first-dibs.html