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NILES — A popular holiday event will be returning to downtown Niles next Saturday.

The Niles City Council approved the Niles Downtown Development Authority Main Street’s request to host the annual Small Business Saturday event from 10 a.m. to dusk Saturday, Nov. 25 in downtown Niles.

Hosted annually the Saturday after Thanksgiving, SBS is a day where small businesses nationwide are celebrated and promoted by their communities.

Local businesses will be working to make their business a destination on that day by offering specials, entertainment and refreshments.

The Niles Fire and Police Departments as well as the Howard Township Fire Department will be downtown collecting funds for the Salvation Army as well as providing fire safety information to children. Red Chuck Productions’ Rockin’ Small Business Saturday Music Festival will also be featured. Four tents with local musicians will be set up downtown from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Headlining the festival will be Abbie Thomas, a singer-songwriter and Goshen, In. native who won “Female Artist of the Year” from the 2022 Josie Music Awards. The Grand LV will be hosting its Holly Jolly Artisan Market from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and horse-drawn carriage rides will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. The event will end at dusk when Santa arrives to light the decorations and take photos.

Event organizer Justin Flagel has been involved with SBS in some way shape or form for more than five years and hopes the community comes out to shop for gifts and support local businesses.

“It’s been our goal to make this the kickoff for the holidays in downtown Niles,” he said. “The River Essence Group does a great job decorating the downtown area. It’s a great way for the community to come together to kick off the holiday season.”