Black Friday is Nov. 27. University Mall posts holiday hours on its site; Small Business Saturday is Nov. 28, Iron Bowl day. Plus art markets and parking.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address; the dates below are for the 2026 holiday season. Store hours are listed only as each center publishes them, with a link; we do not list prices or deals.

Black Friday is Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, and Small Business Saturday is Nov. 28. In Tuscaloosa that Saturday is also Iron Bowl day, with Alabama hosting Auburn at Bryant-Denny Stadium, according to the 2026 schedule. Shop early in the day or away from campus, and expect heavy traffic on McFarland Boulevard and around downtown.

What this means for you

  • Thanksgiving Day trash moves to Friday, Nov. 27; City Hall is closed Nov. 26-27 (holiday schedule).
  • Mall hours: check University Mall’s Holiday Shopping Hours page before you go; 2026 hours were not up on Oct. 17.
  • Game day Nov. 28: kickoff time not yet set. Road notes are on our getting around guide.
  • Police non-emergency: 205-349-2121. Emergencies: 911.

Store hours, as each center posts them

Center Where Holiday hours
University Mall 1701 McFarland Blvd. East, 205-553-8414 Not posted as of Oct. 17. Posted hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 1 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday
Midtown Village Tuscaloosa Hours set by each store; see the center’s shop list

University Mall, run by Aronov, calls itself West Alabama’s “IN place to shop” and says it has been open for more than 40 years. Its stores, including department stores, set their own Thanksgiving and Black Friday hours, which can differ from mall hours. Big-box stores along McFarland Boulevard and Skyland Boulevard publish their hours on their own store locators.

We add each center’s 2026 holiday hours here when it posts them.

Small Business Saturday and shopping downtown

Small Business Saturday, the national day for shopping at independent stores, is Saturday, Nov. 28. Downtown Tuscaloosa’s shops and galleries sit along Greensboro Avenue and University Boulevard, and Northport’s along Main Avenue, about four miles away.

  • To-go cups: the city’s downtown Arts and Entertainment District runs Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 9:30 p.m. Adults may carry one drink in an approved cup inside the district boundary; cups stay out of other bars and out of cars.
  • Parking: the city lists free parking in the downtown deck at 2230 Seventh St. for visitors to Holidays on the Plaza.
  • Ice rink: Holidays on the Plaza, with the rink, Santa visits and the Tinsel Trail, runs on Government Plaza from Nov. 23 through Jan. 3, 2027. On Black Friday the rink is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a $10 skate special, and Santa is there from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29, according to the city’s rink calendar.

Holiday markets

  • Kentuck’s Art Market: free, on the third Saturday of each month at Kentuck at Queen City, 1901 Jack Warner Parkway, with local artists, handmade goods and family activities, plus The Deep End gift shop inside, according to the listing. The November market is Saturday, Nov. 21. Call 205-758-1257.
  • First Friday, Dec. 4: downtown galleries, food and drinks from 5 to 8 p.m., centered on the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center, 620 Greensboro Ave. Details: First Friday Tuscaloosa.
  • Tuscaloosa Farmers Market: every Saturday, 7 a.m. to noon, at the River Market, 1900 Jack Warner Parkway, with produce, meats and artisan crafts, the city says.
  • Dickens Downtown: Northport’s free Victorian Christmas evening on Main Avenue was Tuesday, Dec. 2, last year; the 2026 date is on our holiday lights page once it is out.

Holiday markets at churches and schools are added here when the organizer posts the date, time and place.

Shopping safely

To report a problem while shopping, call the Tuscaloosa Police Department’s non-emergency line, 205-349-2121, or 911 in an emergency.

Frequently asked questions

What are University Mall’s Black Friday hours in 2026?

University Mall had not posted 2026 holiday hours as of Oct. 17. Its posted hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Holiday hours go on its Holiday Shopping Hours page.

When is Small Business Saturday in Tuscaloosa?

Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026, the day after Black Friday. It falls on Iron Bowl day, with Alabama hosting Auburn at Bryant-Denny Stadium, so plan for game-day traffic.

Where can I park downtown for holiday shopping in Tuscaloosa?

The city’s downtown parking deck at 2230 Seventh St. is free for Holidays on the Plaza visitors, the city says. Downtown’s to-go cup district runs Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays noon to 9:30 p.m.

Are there holiday markets in Tuscaloosa?

Kentuck holds a free Art Market on the third Saturday of each month at Kentuck at Queen City, 1901 Jack Warner Parkway, including Nov. 21, 2026. First Friday brings galleries and shops downtown out on Dec. 4.