Pink Weekend Returns to Promote Local Shopping in Hazard
Pink Weekend will take place in Hazard on November 21 and November 22, encouraging residents to shop at local merchants before Black Friday. The two day event aims to boost sales for small businesses, highlight local artisans and vendors, and draw visitors to Main Street for holiday activities.
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Hazard will host the third annual Pink Weekend on November 21 and November 22, a community driven effort to keep holiday shopping dollars circulating within Perry County. Organized by Hazard Perry County Tourism, the event will fill the tourism board building with local arts and craftsmen for two days and stage seasonal activities on Main Street to attract families and shoppers.
Terry Feltner, chairman of Hazard Perry County Tourism, framed the event as an economic as well as a cultural initiative. “The tourism board is going to have local arts and craftsmen in our building for two days,” Feltner said. “We’re going to have local food vendors there. Santa Claus will be there and then we’re going to have the hayrides start there that will go down and see the Christmas decorations on Main Street.” Those elements are intended to increase foot traffic for nearby retailers and restaurants in the critical holiday period before Black Friday.
Small business focused events such as Pink Weekend matter in a county where local merchants face competition from larger regional stores and online platforms. By concentrating activity over two days and offering family friendly attractions, organizers hope to generate incremental sales that otherwise might flow out of the local economy. Local spending tends to recirculate through the community, supporting payrolls, vendors and local tax receipts that fund public services.
Beyond immediate sales, the event seeks to reinforce Main Street as a center for commerce and community life. The hayrides and holiday decorations are designed to extend the length of visitor visits, which can translate into broader spending at retailers and eateries. For vendors and artisans, participation provides direct exposure to residents and to any visitors who come for the festivities, potentially establishing repeat customers during the rest of the holiday season.
This will be the third consecutive year for Pink Weekend, reflecting a modest but sustained local effort to shift some holiday spending back toward independent businesses. The timing before Black Friday is deliberate, as organizers aim to capture early gift buyers and families planning weekend activities. Local leaders say these kinds of events can also bolster tourism by highlighting the county as a place to shop and celebrate during the holidays.
Residents and visitors can join Pink Weekend activities on November 21 and November 22. The tourism board will host the arts and craft vendors inside its building while Santa and the hayrides offer seasonal entertainment along Main Street, creating a weekend that blends shopping support for small businesses with traditional holiday attractions.
