EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) – Across the nation and in the Chippewa Valley, people shopped locally as part of Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday takes place the first Saturday after Thanksgiving to highlight shopping locally for the holidays.

In Eau Claire, Chelsea Higley organized her first-ever in-person vendor market through a group she created called Wisconsin Makers Market.

“This is the Winter Wonderland event,” Higley said. “it’s actually the first in a series of events I’ll be organizing throughout the year through Wisconsin Makers market.”

Higley is a small business owner herself with her online store, Essential Healing.

Twenty-five mostly online vendors set up booths at the Oxford in Eau Claire to provide people with gifts this holiday season.

“There’s so much passion in these makers and these authors and these bakers that you can literally when you touch their product or taste their product or read their product, you know they’re putting all their heart and soul into it,” Higley said.

For Rebecca Cooke, the owner of Red’s Mercantile in downtown Eau Claire, having a day like Small Business Saturday highlights those local artists, talents, and businesses that make-up downtown.

“When you shop local, you’re supporting your friends, your neighbors, and neighbors in your community,” Cooke said. “So, I think it helps our whole community thrive. I know that dollars that are invested in small businesses and spent locally and regionally, you know, stay in our communities and continue to help it flourish.”

Higley says at times locally made products can be on the more expensive side, but it’s worth it.

“Each person that creates this item puts in hours and passion and you can just feel that when you look at their product and that’s what’s important to them,” Higley said.

Higley says when small businesses owners see an order come through, it makes them happy.

“There’s literally someone doing a happy dance,” Higley said. “You’re supporting families and you supporting dreams and you’re helping keep money in the local economy, which is extremely important.”

Higley says she plans to put together more vendor markets through Wisconsin Makers Market. To learn about some of the small businesses that were at the Winter Wonderland Vendor Market, click here.

If you have a small business, you can Facebook or Instagram Message Higley on her Wisconsin Makers Market profiles.