Small Business Saturday in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO --Colorado Springs will kick off the post-Thanksgiving season with Small Business Saturday, Nov. 25. with the Christmas Stroll from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Events revolve around the Old Colorado City Welcome Center, located at 2324 W. Colorado Ave.

Shopping local keeps money and jobs in the community.

Enjoy Original Dickens Carolers, and even Elvis himself! Capulin Productions will be joining the stroll, bringing the Dickens characters to life, featuring appearances by Don Moon. Listen to the sounds of the Pikes Peak Youth Ringers and enjoy special treats while shopping fantastic sales in the shops. Have dinner at one of the area restaurants. Do not forget individual pictures with the Victorian Santa (11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and again from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.) at the Old Colorado City Welcome Center (located at 2324 W. Colorado Ave.), starting at only $10!

In Downtown Colorado Springs, visit the area's specialty shops. Free swag tote bags will be distributed at the Acacia Park welcome booth from 11am-2pm. There will also be Downtown Holiday discount books, stickers and more (while supplies last).

Up the road, Manitou Springs is filled with quaint shops, galleries and restaurants.

Keep your money local and find unique gift items for all those on your holiday shopping list, the Visit Colorado Springs site advises.

Also, The Colorado Dept. of Agriculture wants you to know that Colorado food and agriculture products make great Christmas gifts. Here are some Colorado Springs-based agricultural producers on the CDA's "Season's Eatings" list:

Springs-based Blue Owl Preserves provides low-sugar jams made with organic ingredients sourced from Colorado farmers.

Lockhart Honey Farms sells 100% pure, raw, unfiltered, honey produced on the farm by Colorado bees.

Azteca Gourmet sells Oaxaca style tamales in savory and sweet flavors. All tamales are

Organic, Gluten, GMO, preservative, lard, and soy free.

Ranchlands sells high-end leather products made on a working ranch in Colorado.

Statistics from the Small Business Administration

• There are 28.8 million small businesses in the country.
• Small businesses account for 99.7% of all businesses in the US.
• Small businesses accounted for 64% of new jobs created in the U.S. between 1993 and 2011
• Franchised small businesses employ roughly 8 million people, and make up 40 % of all American retail jobs.

Small Business Stats from Other Sources

• Small businesses donate 250% more than larger businesses to non-profits and community causes (Source: Seattle Good Business Network).
• If you spend $100 at a local business, roughly $68 stays in your local economy. If you spend the same are a large business, only $43 stays in the local economy (Source: Civic Economics Study in Grand Rapids, Michigan).
• 66% of small businesses plan to keep spending money on digital marketing. According to the same study, 66% could not survive without wireless technology (AT&T Small Business Technology Poll 2013).

Small businesses are important to the economy as a whole. Small businesses create jobs, boost Colorado Springs's economy and preserve neighborhoods.
Image via Visit Colorado Springs