Rock Springs hosts interesting take on ‘Black Friday’ — ‘Plaid Friday’

An interesting twist on Black Friday that puts the emphasis on shopping local is taking place Friday in Rock Springs.

AW
Annaliese Wiederspahn

November 26, 20193 min read

Plaid Bags

An interesting twist on “Black Friday” that puts the emphasis on shopping local is taking place Friday in Rock Springs.

“Plaid Friday,” a creation of Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency, will put shoppers on the street with plaid bags as they visit local businesses, said Trina Brittain the agency’s marketing director.

“Instead of ‘Black Friday,’ we’re doing ‘Plaid Friday’ to encourage people to shop local, to remember to give those mom and pop shops the love they deserve,” she said.This year’s event, the first, is part of a weekend full of activities to launch the holiday season.

At 9 a.m., Friday, First Bank in Rock Springs will offer the first 100 shoppers to enter its offices plaid shopping bags to carry as they stroll through the downtown area. Each bag is filled with special offers, information and gift certificates, Brittain said.

Shoppers are being also being encouraged to wear plaid as they make their rounds.

“We’re encouraging business owners, staff, shoppers and neighbors to wear plaid,” Brittain said. “It’s like having people wear the local high school colors for team spirit.”

Through the weekend, visitors will also be invited to take part in a “plaid rock hunt” and search for rocks painted plaid that have been placed around downtown. The rocks should be turned in to the Rock Springs Main Street offices to earn the finder an entry in a prize drawing.

At 11 a.m. Friday, a Christmas Gift Show will open in Bunning Hall on Main Street, featuring 25 vendors. The gift show will run through Saturday.

Rock Springs Bingo

Other activities planned for the weekend include free horse-drawn carriage rides on Saturday, visits with Santa beginning Saturday and an ongoing “Christmas Bingo” game, where participants will get the chance to earn a prize by taking part in various activities around the community during the holidays. Most of the activities are free, Brittain said.

All of the events are designed to foster good relations between the shoppers and merchants of Rock Springs, Brittain said.

“The whole celebration is a chance for merchants and patrons to feel those positive relations and just have fun,” she said. “That’s our goal here is to get people to gather and make a special connection.”

For more information about “Plaid Friday,” visit the Rock Springs Main Street website or the Downtown Rock Springs Facebook page.

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AW

Annaliese Wiederspahn

State Political Reporter