Moonlight Madness is now Black Friday in Sioux Lookout
Tim Brody - Editor
Moonlight Madness, a long-standing holiday shopping initiative of the Sioux Lookout Chamber of Commerce, is going by a different name this year, Black Friday in Sioux Lookout, which will take place this Friday (Nov. 26).
The initiative has historically promoted shopping locally and helps people get a head start on their holiday gift buying.
Christine Hoey, Sioux Lookout Chamber of Commerce Manager and Board Member, shared, “The Chamber Board had some discussions last year after we had Moonlight Madness, because there was COVID and things changed significantly, there was lots of discussion, should we do it in conjunction with Black Friday, which happens all over the world now, pretty much… what they thought this year was let’s change it up. We’ll host our evening shopping on the same day as Black Friday, which hopefully will encourage people, instead of shopping online, to shop local.”
Ten local retailers will be participating in Black Friday in Sioux Lookout from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“We then thought we would do a market for all of the home-based businesses that don’t have the opportunity to be out and about, so we’re having a market on the same day at the Legion, in the Upper Hall from 4 (p.m.) to 9 (p.m.), so it will run in conjunction with Black Friday in Sioux Lookout. So two events happening at the same time, one focusing on the retailers and asking people to come out and support running it all day, so for people that can’t get out in the evening, it gives people more time to shop, and then also the market, which will be only in the evening, at the Legion, and there is access to the elevator if people can’t walk the stairs. Right now, we have 14 different vendors that are all local, home-based businesses, that will be there,” Hoey said.
Visitors to the market will be required to wear masks and show proof of COVID-19 double vaccination.
Hoey said each purchase gets shoppers aged 18 and over an entry into a draw for a prize basket for a Sioux Lookout shopping spree worth approximately $600.
