Black Friday is Nov. 27 and Small Business Saturday Nov. 28, when the City Market Holiday Market opens and Barracks Road holds its parade. Parking and hours.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Store and center hours come from each center’s own website, and market, parking and closing details from the City of Charlottesville. We do not list deals or prices.

Black Friday is Friday, Nov. 27, and Small Business Saturday is Nov. 28. Saturday is the bigger day in Charlottesville: the City Market’s Holiday Market opens on Water Street, and Barracks Road Shopping Center holds its Holiday Parade in the morning. As of Oct. 19 none of the city’s shopping centers had posted Black Friday hours; we will add them as each one does.

At a glance

  • Fri. Nov. 27: Black Friday. City offices are closed; trash runs a day late after Thanksgiving.
  • Sat. Nov. 28: Small Business Saturday. Holiday Market opens, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 100 E. Water St.
  • Sat. Nov. 28: Barracks Road Holiday Parade, 9:30 a.m., 1117 Emmet St.
  • Parking downtown: first hour free in the city garages.

Where to shop

The Downtown Mall. The brick pedestrian mall on East Main Street is the city’s main stretch of independent stores, galleries and restaurants. Friends of Charlottesville Downtown keeps a shopping directory and runs the free Magic on the Mall holiday program. Last season that included Letters to Santa from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15, the Elves in Cville scavenger hunt from Nov. 15 to Jan. 11, free photos with Santa at the Paramount Theater on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and a Downtown Holiday Express ride along the Mall on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The 2026 schedule had not been posted as of Oct. 19.

Barracks Road Shopping Center, 1117 Emmet St., north of the University of Virginia, has a merchant directory on its site. Its Holiday Parade is at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 28; expect the center’s lots and Emmet Street to be busy that morning.

The Shops at Stonefield, 2100 Hydraulic Road, is an outdoor shopping center on the U.S. 29 corridor just over the city line in Albemarle County. Its directory lists national chains and local boutiques.

Dairy Market, 946 Grady Ave., is a food hall with shops. Its posted hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; it is closed Monday. Individual merchants keep their own hours.

Holiday Market, Nov. 28 to Dec. 19

The City Market’s Holiday Market runs from Nov. 28 to Dec. 19, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 100 E. Water St., the regular City Market site a block south of the Downtown Mall. Questions go to the City Market at 434-970-3371 or citymarket@charlottesville.gov. See our farmers markets guide.

Parking and getting there

  • City garages: Market Street, 550 E. Market St., and Water Street, 200 E. Water St. The first hour is free, then $1 per half hour, up to $12 a day. Both are camera-entry: you register a plate and payment with Metropolis, or pay at the kiosks in each garage.
  • Free garage days: the garages are free on Thanksgiving Day, but not on Black Friday or Small Business Saturday.
  • On the street: parking around the Mall is free, but most spaces closest to the Mall have a two-hour limit.
  • Buses: Charlottesville Area Transit is fare-free. Check its holiday schedule for the weekend’s service. See our getting around guide.

What else is happening that weekend

What this means for you

  • Shop the Holiday Market early on Saturday, Nov. 28; it closes at 1 p.m.
  • Avoid Emmet Street around Barracks Road on Saturday morning unless you are going to the parade.
  • Downtown, a quick stop under an hour in a city garage costs nothing.

Related guides: new businesses, things to do this month and farmers markets.

Frequently asked questions

When is Black Friday 2026 in Charlottesville?

Black Friday is Friday, Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving. Small Business Saturday is Nov. 28. Each shopping center and store sets its own holiday hours.

When does the Charlottesville Holiday Market start?

The city’s Holiday Market runs from Nov. 28 to Dec. 19, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the City Market site, 100 E. Water St.

Where should I park for holiday shopping on the Downtown Mall?

The city’s Market Street garage, 550 E. Market St., and Water Street garage, 200 E. Water St., give the first hour free, then charge $1 per half hour up to $12 a day.

Is there a parade on Small Business Saturday in Charlottesville?

Yes. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 1117 Emmet St., holds its Holiday Parade at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 28.