Ready, set, shop Small Business Saturday!

Let’s show our small businesses love (and sales) this Saturday

Small Business Saturday is much more than a catchy marketing slogan. The first Saturday after Thanksgiving is the financial bread and butter for many of the nation’s more than 34 million independent businesses – it generated $17 billion in sales in 2023, according to the US Small Business Administration.

Buying local matters – more than half of money spent at small businesses stays local and gets reinvested into the community.

If you’re looking for great local places to shop (or take a break with awesome food and drink), the shopping guide from our friends at Naturally McHenry County is a great place to start.

All but one of the stories in this week’s edition of McH Thrive are geared toward small businesses, so keep reading!

McHenry County is the place to find your family Christmas tree

McHenry County is home to great farms that make finding the perfect tree a family tradition through hot beverages, rides out to the tree fields, ornament shops, and more. Don’t worry if you’ve never cut your own before and don’t know where to begin, their staffs are eager to help.

If you’re looking for a list of local Christmas tree farms and some helpful hints, click here!

The Craft Beverage Trail returns for the holidays

There’s something special about enjoying a drink during the holiday season.

And following in the “spirit” of this week’s edition, we think you should drink local – as do our friends at Naturally McHenry County. In fact, they just launched the Holiday Cheers Edition of their popular Craft Beverage Trail!

Stop to enjoy the great local brews and cocktails at any of the 11 participating locations – you’ll get a commemorative sticker if you visit at least six of them.

Click here to download the free Naturally McHenry County app and participate – the trail ends Dec. 31.

Holiday Market returns to McHenry Riverwalk

Looking for some small businesses to support this Saturday? The Riverwalk Shoppes business incubator is home to 10 of them – and they’ll be open this Saturday and next Saturday. from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You can learn more about the event and the Riverwalk Shoppes on its dedicated Facebook page.

Sheriff’s Office offers free snowmobile safety course

The Sheriff’s Office is hosting free safety courses in December and January; snowmobilers ages 12 to 16, and adults without a valid driver’s license, are required under state law to complete a safety course.

All classes take place at the Sheriff’s Office, 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock. Click here to register.

Ice Sculpture and Cocoa Crawl coming to downtown Huntley

The third annual holiday event takes place from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 on the Huntley Square. Tickets are $18 for a mug and s’mores, $15 for a mug only, and $5 for s’mores only. But you only have until Sunday, Dec. 1 to buy them, and they won’t be on sale at the event.

If hot chocolate and s’mores aren’t your thing, there’s no cost to come and admire the custom-carved holiday animation-themed ice sculptures that will be on display.

You can purchase tickets by clicking here.

If you like what you see, you can help us reach more McHenry County residents and businesses by sharing it!

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What is McH Thrive?

McH Thrive is a collaborative initiative being implemented by McHenry County and the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) in partnership with the McHenry County community, including cities and villages, businesses and residents.