Staff photo by Fritz Busch Saturday Crazy Days shoppers get their hands in the air, ready to catch ping pong balls with discounts written on them, dropped from the roof of Inspire Wedding + Event Center, 126 N. Minnesota St.

NEW ULM — A crush of Crazy Days shoppers surrounded the new Inspire Wedding + Event Center Saturday morning as ping pong balls with discounts written on them were dropped from the building rooftop.

Late Saturday morning, shoppers were still milling about the Guten Tag Haus, a German specialty import shop with cuckoo clocks, steins, glass Christmas ornaments and other items from Germany.

“I think we had a great Crazy Days sale. Most of our customers came from out of town. Lots of them starting coming on Thursday,” said store owner Cindy Stabenow. “We had people come from the Twin Cities, Omaha and North and South Dakota.”

Bailey Creek Boutique owner Sandy Reinke said business started picking up Friday. She said Saturday morning shoppers included people from Wisconsin, southern Iowa, Rochester and Austin.

Jeanie Hinsman of New Ulm’s Own Fair Trade and Art store, with local art and fair trade gifts from around the world, talked about the importance of shopping local.

“My personal philosophy is a strong community supports its own businesses,” Hinsman said. “We need a busy downtown. It’s a wonderful opportunity for people.”

“Retail is changing. Some big box stores are not as popular as they were. Some people like smaller boutique shop,” said Peg Sundell at the New Ulm’s Own store. “Lots of people here have a strong attachment to small stores.”

Crazy Days was a three-day event this year in New Ulm.

Sidewalk sales began Friday, continued Saturday and into Sunday for some businesses. Saturday featured the Farmers Market on German Street and food trucks. The market continues 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursdays in the Cash Wise Foods parking lot.

The New Ulm Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a free New Ulm newcomers event from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 4 at Turner Hall.

For more information, visit the New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce on Facebook and online at newulm.com.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.)