Nov. 20—POTSDAM — Small Business Saturday is celebrated Thanksgiving weekend, this year on Nov. 26, across the country as a day of appreciation for small and locally owned businesses.

Small Business Saturday is not so much an event as a movement, according to Benjamin R. Dixon, executive director of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce.

"Everybody knows about Black Friday, but SBS is basically a movement to try and redirect some of those consumer dollars into small and locally owned businesses," he said. "It's a way to encourage people to 'shop small' during the holiday season."

When people keep their money local, Mr. Dixon compared it to a form of community investment, whereby everyone in the community benefits as those dollars recirculate into the local economy.

"That's one of the major reasons to shift one's spending from multinational, large corporations engaged in Black Friday to small, locally owned shops through Small Business Saturday," Mr. Dixon said.

He said it's also important because many local shops depend on the holiday shopping spree for profitability. "This season is one of their greatest sources of revenue generation," he said.

The chamber is doing what it can to raise awareness for the day as well as the movement.

"First off, we're spreading the word," Mr. Dixon said. "We're also allowing our member businesses to share deals and promos through our website, and we'll rebroadcast that information to local and regional markets."

The chamber is encouraging local businesses to offer deals and promotions in order to attract local spending.

"Shout out how your business supports the communities we call home," he advised.

One of the local organizations celebrating SBS is SLC Arts, 6 Raymond St., Potsdam.

The arts center has planned a full day of events.

"Small Business Saturday is one of those events around the holidays after Thanksgiving that's celebrated across the country," SLC Arts Executive Director Maggie M. McKenna said. "We will be celebrating our one-year anniversary in the arts center space as part of SBS, and there will be all sorts of fun activities there throughout the day."

From 10 to 11 a.m., there will be a pastel painting demonstration by local artist Becky Harblin.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be papermaking, printmaking and art activity tables.

At 2 p.m., a new exhibit called "Where The Heart Is" will debut, with work from a few different local artists.

From 2 to 4 p.m., there will be a live jazz concert with local musician Joshua Barkley.

"It will be a really fun day, so we hope people come down to shop with us," Ms. McKenna said.

She added that everything at the store will be 10% off Saturday.