Make It an Event: Who Says Only Regular Calendar Holidays Are Worth Celebrating?

Who says that only the holidays marked on the calendar are worth celebrating? Certainly not consumers, who have fully embraced marketer-created days like National Pizza Day (Feb. 9), National Margarita Day (Feb. 22), and National Hamburger Day (May 28). These “unofficial” holidays are often accompanied by special deals at fast-food chains and local bars, making them irresistible for consumers looking to indulge.

For retailers, the potential to make any day feel like a celebration is enormous. By highlighting seasonal ingredients, local traditions, or just adding a fun twist to an everyday grocery trip, there’s no wrong time to bring excitement to the store. Celebrating these nontraditional special occasions not only gives shoppers something to smile about but also inspires fresh meal ideas and encourages them to spend a little extra.

“Special occasions and celebrations are times when consumers are willing to splurge a bit more,” says Anne-Marie Roerink of 210 Analytics. Retailers are getting creative by launching events that focus on seasonal delights. For instance, when soft-shell crab season returns, many retailers aren’t waiting for consumers to ask for them—they’re throwing CrabFest to showcase the delicacy. Similarly, during hatch chile season in late summer, H-E-B in San Antonio roasts chiles in-store and highlights recipes for meals like hatch-and-mustard fried chicken nuggets and hatch pulled-pork enchiladas.

The idea is to interrupt customers’ routine shopping and turn it into an event. Roerink recalls a store owner who hosts an annual “Beef Stampede” event, complete with a mechanical bull and cowboy hats for the staff. This fun promotion attracts customers from as far as 60 miles away, and the sales boost extends long after the event ends.

Retailers can create similar excitement by leveraging special occasions throughout the store. For example, Publix’s “Italy Week” turns the store into a celebration of all things Italian, with themed end caps, sampling stations, and fresh foods. Hershey’s “S’mores Season” is another clever example, where they offer s’mores kits alongside prime placement for chocolate bars, graham crackers, and marshmallows.

Even if consumers are purchasing more affordable hot dogs and burgers or stocking up on steaks during a Beef Stampede, they’re interacting with the meat department—and that’s exactly what’s needed to keep sales strong and counter any sluggishness in the market. Celebrating nontraditional holidays gives customers a reason to shop, create special memories, and—most importantly—come back for more.