Black Friday may be the official start to the holiday shopping season, but Small Business Saturday is the big day for mom-and-pop shops, and Central Florida business districts and stores are offering deals, markets, freebies, activities and more to lure customers in.

Saturday morning was all about shopping small and supporting local.

It all comes at you so quickly: One minute, you’re making grocery lists and setting the menu for Thanksgiving, and then, in the blink of an eye, the holiday has arrived, only to be followed by Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday -- and then your tree goes up and Christmas morning is here.

Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses and communities across the country.

When you walk into LiveTrends Boutique in Downtown Winter Garden, you'll see all sorts of plants, from small ones to big ones.

Small Business Saturday is a big day for local shops and owners are hoping for large sales.

While thousands hit the big stores for Black Friday, local shop owners are hoping the crowds will turn out for Small Business Saturday.

This year, more business groups are going into Small Business Saturday as a unified force.

After a year of pandemic woes, small businesses are hoping to make a good money on Small Business Saturday.

SANFORD, Fla. – For the first time, a popular stretch of downtown Sanford allowed shoppers to walk around with open containers as part of an event promoting Small Business Saturday. Christina Hollerbach serves as the President of Sanford Main Street and is also the CEO of Hollerbach’s Willow Street Cafe on East 1st Street. Hollerbach told News 6 she’s optimistic Sanford won’t repeat Orlando’s mistakes. “Probably the biggest [Small Business Saturday] yet,” he said. Seminole County and Sanford have been primed for an open container [event] for quite some time.”To learn more about Sanford’s Small Business Saturday, click here.

LEESBURG, Fla. – In downtown Leesburg, instead of Black Friday, they’re calling it Plaid Friday, encouraging people to shop local. “It’s been quieter, but we still have customers that are faithful,” said Dell Ross, owner of Doggibags Boutique. [TRENDING: Trump says he will leave if ... | Tropics still bubblin’ | Disney to lay off thousands more workers]Doggibags Boutique has been in downtown Leesburg for nearly 40 years. Leesburg is encouraging people to shop local through the "Plaid Friday" event. (WKMG 2020)Outside her shop, vendors are setting up for the Christmas Stroll event with live music and activities.

That’s why small businesses still open hope to survive the end of year by getting a big boost during Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday is celebrated nationwide to encourage supporting small businesses after Black Friday. Small Business owners, like Tina Butler of Driftwood Market in Winter Garden, said it’s usually one of the biggest days of the year. For free, it connects small business owners with ambassadors and exports in all the available grants and resources out there. They are the backbone of our economy, so really encouraging people as we look to Small Business Saturday to shop local.”