Things to Do Idea: Explore Arizona's Local Businesses During Independents Week!

Local First Arizona’s Independents Week returns June 29 through July 7, 2026 — a statewide, nine-day campaign celebrating the independent businesses that power Arizona’s economy and give its communities their character. This year, the campaign shines a spotlight on Local First Arizona’s coalition businesses, giving Arizonans a cheat code to discover the certified local independents already woven into the fabric of their neighborhoods.

Local First Arizona represents thousands of independent businesses across the state, and local isn’t just small. Businesses span every sector of daily life: the mechanic who has serviced your family’s cars for decades, the accountant who knows you by name, the chef putting Arizona flavors on the map, and the boutique your friends keep asking you about. They are listed in the Local First Arizona directory at localfirstaz.com/directory, a free, searchable resource for Arizonans who want to put their dollars to work in their own communities.

“Supporting local businesses is one of the most direct ways Arizonans can invest in each other,” said Kimber Lanning, founder and CEO of Local First Arizona. “Independents Week is about making the breadth of that community visible and making it easy for people to find and celebrate the businesses already doing the work in their own backyard.”

Every purchase with a certified local business recirculates dollars back into the community, supports local jobs and sustains the culture that makes Arizona’s cities, towns and Tribal communities distinct. Independents Week is a reminder that those choices add up and that supporting local is supporting your neighbors and your economy.

During Independents Week, Local First Arizona is calling on Arizonans to flood social media with Arizona pride. Posts using #IndieWeekAZ and #LocalFirstAZ will be reshared by Local First Arizona throughout the week, amplifying locally owned businesses to Arizonans looking for local alternatives.

To find certified local businesses, visit the directory at localfirstaz.com/directory.

For full campaign details, visit localfirstaz.com/indie-week.

About Local First Arizona

Local First Arizona is a nonprofit organization fiercely dedicated to driving inclusive community and economic development throughout Arizona. Its work shapes the future of Arizona by advocating that every individual and community deserves the opportunity to thrive, and that entrepreneurship is at the core of any lasting economy. In rural, Tribal, suburban and urban communities across the state, Local First Arizona is delivering resources to ensure a future focused on economic opportunity for all.