I list all the key events for your retail business in 2025 and provide a free retail marketing calendar template. Learn how to use it for your business.
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If you run a retail business, you know how promotion and marketing are key to successful events and profit increases. Those that plan and prepare well in advance often reap the benefits of their efforts. This is why a retail marketing calendar is key to helping you achieve your sales goals this year.
A retail marketing calendar is an annual calendar that includes all major events, holidays, and seasons that businesses plan to market around for the year. It’s a simple tool whose primary function is to help you plan for key marketing initiatives around significant dates, map out your buying schedule or trade shows, and prepare for peak seasons.
I give marketing tips on some key retail events this year and guide you on how to effectively use our free retail marketing calendar downloadable below
Always be one step ahead when it comes to special dates this year so you can plan your merchandise and product line, create a well-thought-out promotion, and execute a well-oiled machine of a marketing campaign. I’ve listed some key dates for each month below.
Note that there are many more events to participate in and plan your marketing around. And while some events may not fit your store’s product offerings, the season itself (the hype, readiness, and willingness of consumers to buy) can lend an atmosphere conducive to promotion and marketing.
January
- January 1st: New Year’s Day
- January 20th: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- January 29th: Chinese New Year (Year of the Snake)
- January 27th (something fun!): Chocolate Cake Day
With the Christmas rush being over, it is a misconception that January is the least profitable month when it comes to retail. It definitely isn’t, if you play your cards right!
Plenty of shoppers are likely to be spending their Christmas money and looking for bargains in post-holiday sales. It’s as good a time as any to have a post-holiday or clear-out sale (to get rid of surplus holiday products) and introduce new items (for cross-merchandising and as an upsell strategy).
While saving money is the top resolution for most Americans, they still spend on their New Year’s resolutions. Take staying fit, for example. People who resolve to stay fit or be healthier in the new year enroll in subscription programs, buy workout clothes and equipment, and more. Plan your promotions around money, health, and physical fitness. We list the top New Year’s resolutions last year in our guide.
February
- February 2nd: Groundhog Day
- February 9th: Super Bowl Sunday
- February 12th: Lincoln’s Birthday
- February 14th: Valentine’s Day
- February 17th: Presidents’ Day
- February 9th (something fun!): National Pizza Day
- February 17th (something fun!): Random Act of Kindness Day
February, also known as the love month, has February 14th as a key date for many retailers. Valentine’s Day spending has always been historically strong, and our Valentine’s Day numbers show that while candy is still the most popular gift, non-romantic gifts are on the rise.
And most interestingly, online is the most popular place to shop. It might be time to activate your online stores (or socials) for selling, and definitely plan creative and eye-catching marketing campaigns around this key date.
February is also Black History Month. Plan something around this month-long event with an informational campaign or a promotion.
March
- March 4th: Mardi Gras / Fat Tuesday
- March 8th: International Women’s Day
- March 9th: Daylight Savings Start
- March 17th: St. Patrick’s Day
Always seen as the beginning of spring, March campaign ideas almost always seem to center around the promising change of the season and the blooming of greens. St. Patrick’s Day, an event also associated with hue, has also contributed to the color dominance for the month.
Most retailers also take the opportunity to ramp up Easter promotional efforts this month (as there are years when Easter is celebrated during March). Also, spring break typically falls between March and April. So, planning some fun campaigns around family activities can be a smart move.
April
- April 1st: April Fool’s Day
- April 12th: Passover begins
- April 18th: Good Friday
- April 20th: Easter
- April 21st: Easter Monday
- April 22nd: Earth Day
- April 10th (something fun!): Siblings Day
- April 11th (something fun!): National Pet Day
While you might be busy focusing on Easter promotions, inserting a creative and witty marketing tactic on April Fool’s can be a hit, too. Just make sure to do it in good taste.
And don’t forget about Earth Day. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing sustainability and making efforts for the occasion. Whether it’s to support a cause, highlight your sustainability practices, or offer eco-friendly alternatives, these approaches will go a long way to increase brand awareness for your shoppers.
Read more:
May
- May 5th: Cinco de Mayo
- May 11th: Mother’s Day
- May 17th: Armed Forces Day
- May 26th: Memorial Day
- May 4th (something fun!): Star Wars Day
This month’s highlight for retail spending would undoubtedly be Mother’s Day. Retailers often see an uptick in sales leading up to and during the special day, as 84% celebrate the holidays according to our Mother’s Day statistics research.
Planning around this holiday will benefit your sales—the National Retail Federation estimated a $254 spend per person last year.
June
- June 1st: Graduation season begins
- June 8th: Pentecost
- June 9th: Pentecost Monday
- June 14th: Flag Day
- June 15th: Father’s Day
- June 19th: Juneteenth
- June 21st: Summer Solstice (Summer officially begins)
June marks month-long celebrations for graduation and wedding season. It’s also Pride Month and the start of summer. If you are looking to support Pride Month, congratulate graduates, and acknowledge wedding season, engaging in a month-long event will be a good marketing move.
Don’t forget about Father’s Day, too. Not as hyped as Mother’s Day, it holds its own with most families spending for the main man of their lives. It’s also the start of summer, so introducing summer products and promotions should start this month.
July
- July 4th: Independence Day
- July 27th: Parents’ Day
The third quarter of the year is typically seen as a slow month for retailers as summer kicks in full bloom and families go on vacations and do a little less shopping.
However, take advantage of the slow month to audit your inventory and plan ahead for the upcoming busy months—the back-to-school and holiday seasons.
August
- August 1st: Back to School Season begins
While there aren’t any holidays this month, August is the start of back-to-school season. It’s one of the busiest and most important seasons for retailers. In fact, it’s the second-biggest event on the retail calendar, after the winter holidays.
And while back-to-school season stats show that parents are shopping earlier, there is still much shopping to be done at this time. I have plenty of back-to-school marketing ideas in my article—simplifying with shopping guides, promoting online, running special discounts, and more.
September
- September 1st: Labor Day
- September 7th: Grandparents’ Day
- September 11th: Patriot Day or September 11th
- September 16th: Stepfamily Day
- September 17th: Citizenship Day
- September 22 or 23: Autumnal Equinox (Autumn begins)
- September 26th: Native American Day
Summer officially ends with Labor Day weekend and with most kids going back to school this month. And the next season, Autumn, officially begins. Seasonal changes always mean a lot of new merchandise coming in and end-of-season sales for existing offerings.
Take note also that, in September, you should be preparing for the hectic final quarter with the winter holidays coming up.
October
- October 13th: Columbus Day
- October 16th: Boss’s Day
- October 18th: Sweetest Day
- October 31st: Halloween
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and having an educational campaign to support the cause will appeal to customers who love brands that have a social mission.
The biggest event for this month though is undoubtedly Halloween. Our Halloween stats show that 91% of those surveyed plan to celebrate the holiday in one form or another, and it’s easily the holiday that starts the holiday season.
Bottom line? Every retailer should make an effort to get involved in Halloween even if their business doesn’t have products for the holiday. Posting spooky memes on social media, having Halloween retail displays, and keeping out for Halloween trends go a long way to support the event.
November
- November 2nd: Daylight Saving (End)
- November 11th: Veterans’ Day
- November 27th: Thanksgiving
- November 28th: Black Friday
- November 29th: Small Business Saturday
Retail sales have the highest uptick in November and December. The Thanksgiving holiday weekend, beginning on Thanksgiving Day and ending on Cyber Monday the following week, is one of the busiest times of the year for retailers.
These are huge opportunities but tough competition as well. I suggest going through the data from last year’s events, check what worked and didn’t, and then apply Black Friday marketing strategies we recommend.
Don’t forget about Small Business Saturday, too. It’s your time to shine as consumers are encouraged to support local businesses on this day. Read our guide about Small Business Saturday ideas for promoting your business.
Read our articles to learn more about how last year’s Thanksgiving holiday weekend fared in numbers:
- Thanksgiving Spending Trends: What to Know for 2024
- 2024 Black Friday & Cyber Monday Results & Statistics
- Black Friday Statistics to Know: 2024 Sales Data
December
- December 1st: Cyber Monday
- December 7th: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
- December 8th: Green Monday
- December 14th: National Free Shipping Day
- December 20th: Super Saturday
- December 25th: Christmas Day
- December 31st: New Year’s Eve
It’s crunch time. Don’t lose momentum after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. After the Black Friday sales, Cyber Monday happens online. In recent years, it has even extended to Cyber Week. As most people will likely be shopping online for last-minute purchases, ensure your holiday promotions are front and center in your online store.
Consumers are also not sure what to buy during these times. Gift guides and product bundles are ways to help them (and increase sales). Put up Christmas retail displays if you haven’t yet, too.
The days leading up to Christmas, especially Super Saturday, will be insanely busy. Ensure you have enough staff to handle the foot traffic and a well-stocked inventory. After Christmas sales are also going to be a hit as people are looking to spend their Christmas money.
In short, prepare to be busy, busy, busy.
Read more:
How to Use a Retail Store Marketing Calendar
Once you download our retail marketing calendar template, you can either print it and write in your dates or fill in dates and timelines directly from your computer.
Step 1: Add in your dates
Fill out your calendar with key dates and events that you will market around, your buying trips, and peak seasons.
- For holidays: In the retail marketing calendar template that we provide above, all of the major national holidays are already inserted—think Christmas, Mother’s Day, Passover, etc. You can also reference unofficial holiday lists to find niche holidays that your business could benefit from marketing around.
- For events: Seek out a neighborhood or local calendar and add in any community events you may want to join. Add additional events you plan to host or participate in for the year.
- For trade shows: Check out our guide to the best retail trade shows of the year to find ones that carry relevant products.
- For peak seasons: Review your sales data (your point-of-sale (POS) system is a good source) to identify what times of year are your busiest, so you can prepare with adequate staff and inventory.
Step 2: Decide on your timeline for preparation and promotion
Once you have your retail marketing calendar template filled out, set up a timeline and make all the preparations needed for the different events and seasons. Click through the options below as I show how you can line up your retail calendar to prepare for holidays, peak seasons, events, and seasonal buying.
For most retailers, holidays are the main focus of their marketing initiatives. A lot of planning and preparation are involved in marketing campaigns. For mapping out campaigns, I recommend this timeline for your retail holiday calendar:
Timeline | Actionable Steps |
|---|---|
4 to 12 months in advance | Order holiday products. The earlier you can acquire the product, the better, as this will give you a cushion against shipping and production delays. ***Generally, larger holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.) will need you to buy closer to 6 to12 months in advance, while smaller holidays (Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day) can be closer, around 4 to 6 months in advance. |
2 to 4 months in advance | Acquire your decor and other store supplies. As with products, larger holidays will have decor options available sooner than smaller holidays will. |
2 months in advance | Determine your retail store hours and staffing. Release a holiday schedule to your staff about the upcoming holiday. Offer them holiday pay if needed. |
1 week to 2 months in advance | Roll out holiday decor and merchandise and begin advertising holiday offerings. Send emails, hang flyers in neighboring shops, and feature your holiday products on your website. |
Another thing to take note of on your retail marketing calendar is your peak shopping season(s)—the time of the year when you sell the most merchandise or get the most customers. For instance, for the stores in my town, peak seasons correspond with summer hiking (June and July) and peak ski season (December, February, and March).
To prepare for peak seasons, following this timeline will keep you organized and prepared:
Timeline | Actionable Steps |
|---|---|
12 months in advance | Analyze data. Take a look at all of your sales and foot traffic data for the season in question. Look at what products were the most popular, take note of any stockouts, and get insights from your staff about which were best sellers and whether they felt like there were enough employees for the traffic. |
4 to 12 months in advance | Order products. From your data analysis, you will have a good grasp of the product types and that will sell well during peak seasons. Order these at least six months in advance to ensure they arrive in time for the uptick in traffic. |
2 months in advance | 2 months in advance Nail down hours and staffing. You will likely need some additional hands on deck for your peak seasons. |
1 week in advance | Begin outreach marketing. Customers are itching to shop at your store at the time in question, so capitalize on this buying potential with an outreach marketing campaign. Show off your new products, offer a deal, and get customers excited to visit your store. |
Learn more about how to prepare for peak seasons with these expert-written resources:
Another type of marketing initiative that you will likely note on your calendar is events. This might be a Sip and Shop, as we did at my store, or an anniversary sale. Essentially, events include anything you are hosting specific to your store designed to bring in customers and get them shopping.
To ensure that you are adequately prepared for your events, use the timelines below:
Timeline | Actionable Steps |
|---|---|
1 to 2 months in advance | Begin in-store marketing. Depending on the size of your event, you should start hanging in-store flyers and information one to two months in advance of your event. |
1 months in advance | Look for additional staffing. You will likely need some additional help running your events. To ensure your current employees are prepared and have time to make adjustments, release a schedule for your event day(s) at least one month in advance. |
1 week to 1 day in advance | Begin outreach marketing. To ensure that you are reaching your customers and they know about your event, you should reach out to your customer via text and/or email to let them know close to event day. |
The final thing you want to include on your retail marketing calendar and create campaigns around is your seasonal merchandise. For many retailers, your product selection will change with the seasons to meet seasonal needs.
The timeline below will help you answer those questions:
Timeline | Actionable Steps |
|---|---|
6 to 12 months in advance | Review historical season data and look into past trends. Tune into forecasts about upcoming trends. |
4 to 6 months in advance | Acquire seasonal products. When in this timeframe you should order the next season’s products will largely depend on your industry and production times. |
1 to 3 months in advance | Start displaying your seasonal products in-store and change up your merchandising to match the season. Our piece on visual merchandising strategies to improve your store can guide you. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Click through some of the most frequently asked questions below to learn more about retail calendars for marketing.
Include key events in your marketing calendar, like regular holidays, month-long events, and your store’s planned sales or product launches. From there, go backward and plan your promotion schedule.
The different retail calendars are the 4-5-4 and 4-4-5 calendars. The 4-5-4 calendar is the most widely used by retailers and endorsed by the National Retail Federation (NRF).
Black Friday remains to be the biggest retail day each year, with Cyber Monday being the biggest online spending day of all time.
The months of November and December are the busiest months of retail, with the winter holidays—Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas—happening during these times.
Bottom Line
A retail marketing calendar is one the simplest yet most effective business tools to ensure you are capitalizing on every marketing opportunity and doing so in a measured and well-planned way.
In this guide, we provided you with a 2025 retail marketing calendar that you can customize to your needs, a breakdown of how to set up reasonable timelines for achieving your goals, and some key dates with an overview of what marketing campaigns look like during each month.
With the tools at your disposal, you are ready to set up your business for success and create marketing campaigns to help it flourish.
