Never miss what is happening in Sussex County
Events, new openings and weekend plans from Newton to Vernon, Sparta to Stanhope. Straight to your inbox, free.
Small Business Saturday 2026 falls on Saturday, Nov. 28, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and Sussex County, NJ has a full day planned around shopping local. The Christmas Village at The Shoppes at Lafayette, Fairview Fest in Stillwater, the Newton Holiday Parade on Spring Street and a gallery full of handmade gifts in downtown Newton all land on the same day.
Our team pulled every date, time and address below from each organizer’s or shop’s own website. Use it to map out a Saturday that keeps your holiday dollars close to home, then check our Christmas events in Sussex County NJ guide for the rest of the season.
Small Business Saturday in Sussex County at a Glance
- What: Small Business Saturday, the national shop local day after Thanksgiving, with holiday markets, a parade and downtown shopping across the county
- When: Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026
- Where: Lafayette, Newton, Stillwater, Andover, Sparta, Stanhope and Layton
- Cost: Free to browse; Fairview Fest admission is free
- Link: Shop Small from American Express, the program behind the day
What Is Small Business Saturday?
Small Business Saturday is the shop local day promoted through the Shop Small program from American Express, built around spending the Saturday after Thanksgiving at independent stores and restaurants. The company’s Shop Small page says the day is celebrated on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in the U.S., which puts it on Nov. 28 this year, two days after Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 26. In Sussex County, where so many shops on the main streets are independent, it is one of the best shopping days of the year.
Events on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 28
Christmas Village at The Shoppes at Lafayette
The Shoppes at Lafayette, 75 Route 15 in Lafayette Township, turns Small Business Saturday into its Christmas Village from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The village of shops around a green adds local vendors, festive food and treats, a cocktail garden and live music. The Shoppes’ events calendar lists photos with Santa from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and the lighting at 5 p.m. Questions go to Lafayette Village Associates at 973-255-9044. Our Lafayette Christmas Village 2026 guide has more.
Fairview Fest Holiday Market, Stillwater
Fairview Lake YMCA Camps hosts Fairview Fest, a free holiday market, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1035 Fairview Lake Road. The camp describes local vendors, handcrafted goods and artisan products, with food and drinks for sale throughout the day. See our Fairview Fest 2026 post for planning tips.
Newton Holiday Parade
The Greater Newton Chamber of Commerce brings its annual Holiday Parade through downtown Newton the same morning. The chamber says the parade can be watched from Spring Street or Moran Street, and its posted staging times have floats arriving by 8:30 a.m. Once the last float passes, you are already standing in Newton’s main shopping district. Our Newton Holiday Parade 2026 guide covers parking and the route.
Where to Shop Local on Small Business Saturday
Spring Street, Newton
Newton’s Spring Street is the county seat’s historic downtown, a walkable stretch of shops, cafes and restaurants between the Town Green and the Newton Theatre. Two stops worth planning around:
- SCAHC Holiday Market, 133 Spring Street: The Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council fills its gallery with its Small Works Exhibition and Sale, on view from Nov. 27 through Jan. 5, with handmade gifts from local artists, crafters and, new this year, vendor tables. Saturday gallery hours are noon to 4 p.m. Read our SCAHC Holiday Market guide.
- Restaurants for a lunch break: Our best restaurants in Newton, NJ list is mostly within walking distance of the parade route.
For everything else downtown, see our guide to things to do in Newton NJ.
The Antiques Trail: Andover and Lafayette
Antique and vintage shops make some of the most original gifts in the county, and several are open on Saturdays. These hours come from each shop’s own website:
- Scranberry Coop, 42 Main Street, Andover: more than 170 dealers in the big yellow building on Route 206, open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Grey Barn Antiques, 134 Main Street, Andover: open year round, Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with more than 25 vendors in 3,600 square feet.
- The Lafayette Mill Antiques Center, Lafayette: open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Mill closes on Thanksgiving Day but is open its regular Saturday hours.
Our full antique shops in Sussex County NJ guide adds more stops in Lafayette, Branchville and Newton. The Lafayette Mill is a few minutes from The Shoppes at Lafayette, so the two pair easily.
White Deer Plaza, Sparta
Sparta’s White Deer Plaza at Lake Mohawk is lined with Tudor style storefronts and a tiered boardwalk, an easy place to walk, shop and grab a coffee on a cold Saturday. Our things to do in Sparta NJ guide covers the plaza, and our Sparta dining guide handles lunch.
Main Street, Stanhope
Stanhope’s short, historic Main Street follows the route of the old Morris Canal and is easy to explore on foot. Start with our things to do in Stanhope NJ guide.
Peters Valley Gallery, Layton
For handmade craft gifts, the Peters Valley Handmade Holiday Event runs through Dec. 31 at the gallery at 19 Kuhn Road in Layton. The gallery expands to its second floor for the season, and its posted hours from May through December are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Our Peters Valley Handmade Holiday Event guide has the details.
Plan Your Small Business Saturday Route
Here is one way to string the day together:
- Morning: Watch the Newton Holiday Parade from Spring Street, then browse the SCAHC Holiday Market once the gallery opens at noon.
- Midday: Head to Fairview Fest in Stillwater, which runs until 4 p.m., or drive south to the antique shops on Route 206 in Andover.
- Afternoon: Finish at The Shoppes at Lafayette for Santa photos until 4:30 p.m. and the 5 p.m. lighting.
- Evening: The Skylands Stadium light show is open that night; our Christmas lights in Sussex County guide has dates and tickets.
A tip from our team: bring a little cash and a sturdy tote. Holiday market vendors are often very small businesses, and a quick cash sale keeps the line moving when the afternoon gets busy. When you find a shop you love, follow it on social media too, since that small step helps local owners all year.
Still planning the holiday weekend? Our Thanksgiving in Sussex County NJ guide covers dinners and turkey trots, and our Christmas markets in Sussex County guide lists every holiday market of the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Small Business Saturday 2026?
Small Business Saturday is the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which is Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026.
What is happening in Sussex County on Small Business Saturday?
The Christmas Village at The Shoppes at Lafayette runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fairview Fest runs at Fairview Lake YMCA Camps in Stillwater from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Greater Newton Chamber of Commerce holds its Holiday Parade in downtown Newton that morning.
Where are the best downtowns to shop in Sussex County?
Spring Street in Newton, White Deer Plaza in Sparta and Main Street in Stanhope are walkable shopping districts, and Route 206 in Andover is home to two large antique shops.
Is the Lafayette Christmas Village on Small Business Saturday?
Yes. The Shoppes at Lafayette hosts its Christmas Village and Small Business Saturday celebration on Nov. 28, with Santa photos from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and a lighting at 5 p.m.
Are antique shops open on Small Business Saturday?
Scranberry Coop and Grey Barn Antiques in Andover are open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and The Lafayette Mill Antiques Center is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Mill closes on Thanksgiving Day itself.
Primary Sources
Details come from American Express Shop Small, The Shoppes at Lafayette, the Fairview Lake YMCA Camps community events page, the Greater Newton Chamber of Commerce parade page, the SCAHC Small Works Exhibition page, Peters Valley Gallery, Scranberry Coop, Grey Barn Antiques and The Lafayette Mill Antiques Center.
Featured photo: The Shoppes at Lafayette via theshoppesatlafayette.com.
Have a Sussex County event coming up?
Share it with Sussex County.
Festivals, fundraisers, 5Ks, school nights, grand openings. Send us the date, time, place and a flyer, and our team will reach out about getting it in front of Sussex County.
Enjoying our Sussex County coverage?
Add us as a preferred source and our stories show up higher in your Google results.
Add as a preferred source
