Buy Nearby Weekend 2026

Buy Nearby Weekend is celebrated the first full weekend in October each year. The statewide event gets consumers shopping at local retailers, eating at local restaurants, and supporting local businesses to kick off the holiday shopping season. With messaging focused on "Keep Your Money in Michigan," the weekend shines a light on the importance of supporting local retailers and businesses of all kinds, and the impacts of shifting just 10% of our state's out-of-state eCommerce purchases back to a local storefront.

With new ways to participate each year, Buy Nearby Weekend has been observed since 2014. 

Everyone in Michigan! 

Businesses: Retailers, restaurants, and Michigan-based businesses of all kinds can join in on the celebration. Businesses can request a FREE Party Pack with promotional materials, including punch cards for shoppers to participate in the Shop 3 Challenge Punch Card Contest during Buy Nearby Weekend.

Shoppers: Buy Nearby Weekend features opportunities to engage shoppers with "Keep Your Money in Michigan" messaging. The 2026 celebration includes the "Shop 3 Challenge Punch Card Contest" with a $500 prize for one lucky shopper, and prizes for THREE businesses! Each business listed on the winning shopper's card will receive either a $100 gift card (for MRA member businesses) or a 1-year MRA membership (for non-member businesses). No purchase is required to participate.

• Request a FREE Party Pack
• Display your Buy Nearby Weekend poster leading up to the celebration
• Display your Buy Nearby infographic, featuring powerful statistics about the importance of shopping locally
• Encourage your shoppers to take the "Shop 3 Challenge" and enter the Punch Card Contest
• Post to social media about Buy Nearby Weekend and tag Michigan Retailers Association and Buy Nearby 
• Send an email or marketing blast to your customers, inviting them to come celebrate Buy Nearby Weekend at your store
• Donate to the Buy Nearby program, or become a sponsor of Buy Nearby Weekend 2026