Downtown Super Sale Brings Back-to-School Savings, Local Business, and Entertainment
A Bigger Back-to-School Shopping Event
The Belize City Council is preparing for its annual Downtown Super Sale, bringing businesses, shoppers, and entertainment together for a full day of back-to-school deals and activities.
Joining Open Your Eyes to discuss this year’s event were Michelle Smith, Communications Manager at the Belize City Council; Melecia McDougall, Marketing Manager at the Belize City Council; Shanee Reid, Marketing Coordinator at Angelus Press; and Jorge Gentle, Manager of SBDC Belize at BELTRAIDE.
The Downtown Super Sale will take place on Saturday, August 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with participating businesses offering discounts and special promotions. The event is being organized as part of the city’s efforts to encourage residents to shop locally while providing families with opportunities to save during the back-to-school season.
The Council noted that more than 120 vendors are expected to participate, with businesses offering everything from school supplies and uniforms to electronics, food, drinks, and other products.
GST-Free Savings and More Deals
One of the major attractions of this year’s event is the combination of the Downtown Super Sale discounts with the GST-free weekend.
Participating stores are required to offer at least 20% off qualifying items, while eligible back-to-school purchases can also benefit from the additional GST savings. Shoppers are encouraged to prepare their shopping lists and pay attention to which items qualify for the GST-free benefit.
Participating businesses include Angelus Press, A&R, Stationery House, Full Tech, Brodies, and several other downtown businesses.
Angelus Press Marketing Coordinator Shanee Reid highlighted several of the deals customers can expect. An HP printer will be available for $175, while school supplies such as sharpeners, pens, and paper will be offered at discounted prices. Backpacks will also be 20% off during the sale.
The store will also offer discounts on items beyond traditional school supplies, including laptops, tablets, smartwatches, and other electronics.
Full Tech will also be offering incentives, including a free school bag, mouse pad, and water bottle with the purchase of a laptop or iPad.
MSME Road Show Joins the Super Sale
This year’s event will also feature a partnership between the Belize City Council and the MSME Road Show, organized by BELTRAIDE.
Jorge Gentle explained that the partnership was planned months in advance, allowing the MSME Road Show’s Belize City stop to be integrated into the Downtown Super Sale instead of hosting separate events.
The MSME Road Show will bring approximately 30 small businesses, including artisans, food vendors, and service providers. According to the organizers, the businesses participating through the road show will complement the more than 120 vendors already taking part in the Super Sale, with no duplication between the groups.
The road show also includes capacity-building opportunities for entrepreneurs. Activities begin with a business boot camp, followed by a formalization clinic where small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs can get information on taxes, trade licenses, liquor licenses, and other requirements for operating a business.
The formalization clinic will also bring together representatives from several agencies and financial institutions to provide guidance and support to entrepreneurs.
More Than Shopping
While back-to-school shopping remains at the center of the event, organizers emphasized that the Downtown Super Sale is designed as a full-day experience for families and the wider community.
A food court will be located at Battlefield Park, with vendors serving a variety of Belizean dishes, including barbecue, lobster, pork, lamb chops, rice and beans, chimole, and escabeche.
Additional food and drink vendors will also be located within the MSME Road Show area, giving shoppers more options as they move through the event.
Entertainment will include performances from Super Furia Band, Nani Martinez and his group, Super J, and Orchid Zone.
A larger Kids Zone will also be part of this year’s event, extending further down toward Dean Street. Organizers encouraged parents to remain with their children rather than leaving them unattended while they shop.
The event will also feature businesses offering deals on school uniforms and materials, expanding the shopping options beyond traditional stationery and school supply stores.
Planning for Downtown Traffic
With the number of vendors and expected turnout, organizers are also preparing for changes to traffic and parking in the downtown area.
Albert Street will be closed for the event, while sections of Regent Street will also be affected. Shoppers are encouraged to use available parking areas around Water Lane and the canal, the William David Fana parking lot on Regent Street, and parking near the courthouse.
Organizers are also encouraging visitors to consider coming on foot where possible and using taxis to help manage traffic and make it easier to move purchases.
Downtown businesses that normally open earlier will also be operating, meaning shoppers can begin visiting participating stores before the official Super Sale hours.
Supporting Local Business and Economic Activity
Beyond the back-to-school savings, the Belize City Council and BELTRAIDE emphasized the broader purpose of the event: encouraging Belizeans to support local businesses and strengthening economic activity in Belize City.
For the Council, the annual Super Sale has become an event residents anticipate, particularly because of the savings available during the back-to-school season.
For BELTRAIDE, partnering with the Council provides another opportunity to connect small businesses with customers while giving entrepreneurs access to training, formalization support, and networking opportunities.
With more than 150 businesses and vendors expected across the combined activities, the Downtown Super Sale on August 15 is set to bring together shopping, savings, food, entertainment, and opportunities for local entrepreneurs—all while encouraging Belizeans to buy local and support Belizean businesses.