Buy Nearby Weekend 2026
Featured Events and Activities:
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Visit Participating MRA Member Retailers and Small Businesses listed on the Map for Buy Nearby Weekend shopping fun. 🛍️
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See the Buy Nearby Guy during the Buy Nearby Weekend Roadtrip in Elk Rapids, Port Huron, and Marine City!
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Enter the Shop 3 Challenge Punch Card Contest by October 9 for a chance to win a $500 gift card 💰
- Plus, the three Michigan-based businesses listed on the winning punch card will also win a $100 gift card OR a free 1-year MRA membership.
Participating Members
& Destinations Map
Sponsored by: Foresight Group
Participating Destinations & Downtowns
Buy Nearby Guy's
Weekend Road Trip
Roadtrip Pit Stop Sponsor:
Downtown Port Huron
See the Buy Nearby Guy in Port Huron!
🚙 Pit Stop Destination #1 – Port Huron, MI
Friday, October 2, 2026
5:00-6:00 pm
The Buy Nearby Guy will be visiting Port Huron on Friday, October 2 to kick off Buy Nearby Weekend! Thank you, Downtown Port Huron, for inviting the Buy Nearby Guy to visit your local retailers.
Roadtrip Pit Stop Sponsor:
Marine City Chamber of Commerce
See the Buy Nearby Guy in Marine City!
🚙 Pit Stop Destination #2 – Marine City, MI
Friday, October 2, 2026
7:00-8:00 pm
The Buy Nearby Guy will be visiting Downtown Marine City on Friday, October 2, for a twilight shop to kick off Buy Nearby Weekend! Thank you, Marine City Chamber of Commerce, for inviting the Buy Nearby Guy to visit your local retailers and explore downtown.
Ultimate Destination Sponsor:
Elk Rapids DDA
See the Buy Nearby Guy in Elk Rapids!
🚗 “Ultimate Destination” – Elk Rapids, MI
Saturday, October 3, 2026
1:00-3:00 pm
This year’s road trip Ultimate Destination is Elk Rapids! Thank you, Elk Rapids DDA, for bringing the Buy Nearby Guy back to your beautiful city this year. He is excited to visit more retailers and local destinations on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Shoppers: Enter the Shop 3 Challenge
Punch Card Contest
Visit three Michigan-owned businesses on Buy Nearby Weekend and enter to win a
$500 gift card!
How to Enter:
Pick up a punch card from over 500 retailers across Michigan! See participating Michigan Retailers Association members listed on the map above, explore your local downtowns for retailers with punch cards across the state, or print one of your own.
Visit three Michigan-owned retailers or small businesses during Buy Nearby Weekend between Oct. 2-4, 2026. Fill out your punch card and get a stamp or initial from each business.
No purchase is necessary for entry. Any Michigan-based business is eligible to participate and stamp/initial your punch card.
To complete your entry, upload a photo of your completed punch card to the form on this page by October 9, 2026. Alternatively, you may mail your entry to 603 S. Washington Ave. Lansing, MI 48933. Mailed entries must be received by October 14, 2026.
The $500 gift card winner will be contacted after October 15.
Why Keep Your Money in Michigan?
Michigan is home to over 90,000 retail establishments that employ 11% of our state’s workforce! It’s estimated that Michiganders spent $33.4 BILLION on out-of-state eCommerce in 2025.
Shifting 10% of our out-of-state eCommerce purchases back to a local business would generate:
- $1.7 BILLION in gross economic output
- 14,000 new jobs
- $674 MILLION in labor income
Want to learn more about the impacts of shopping locally in Michigan? Read this year’s Buy Nearby Economic Impact Study for the latest.