Did you know that when you shop in a locally-owned business, $73 of every $100 you spend stays in the community, compared to just $43 of every $100 spent in a business that is not locally owned? From Highway 99 to Five Corners to Firdale Village to Westgate to downtown Edmonds, here’s your chance to make a difference by shopping and/or eating in your home town, starting with Small Business Saturday Nov. 26 — and throughout the holiday season.

For Edmonds, Saturday is more than a day to celebrate Small Business Saturday, a national event sponsored by American Express and embraced by the business communities of many local cities, including Edmonds. It also signals the start of holiday festivities in our town, with holiday caroling and a tree-lighting ceremony, followed by photos with Santa at the Edmonds Conference Center.

Centennial Plaza at 5th and Bell is the focal point for Saturday’s events, starting at 11 a.m when radio station 95.7 FM will be broadcasting live and interviewing shoppers and small business owners. At noon there will be a brief Small Business Saturday ceremony with a Mayoral Proclamation, after which local businesses hope you will SHOP EDMONDS until 4:30 p.m. That’s when the caroling starts, followed by a visit from Santa Claus and the official Edmonds tree-lighting ceremony.

After the tree lighting, you’re invited to follow Santa to the Edmonds Conference Center for more festivities and photos with the jolly man himself.