National Independent Costume Store Day 2026 is fast approaching! It will fall on October 10, 2026. Is your store ready? Here are resources to make NICSD a success!
Press Release: Click here to download a press release that can be easily adapted for your local media. Please share insert your store's name in the appropriate spots, then send this release -- along with a personal note -- to your local media, including TV stations, community websites, newspapers, radio stations, local influencers/bloggers, and anyone else who spreads news in your community.
Logo: Download the official NICSD logo and place it on your website, use it in social media posts, and make it part of your email signature line.
FaceBook Cover Photo: This banner is sized to be used as the cover photo on your store's Facebook page.
Poster: Click here to download a PDF of the official NICSD poster, add your own store's information, and print out copies. Post them in your store, in your neighborhood, and anywhere else your potential customers might see them.
Proclamation: Click here to download a customizable request for a government proclamation. Just fill in the blanks and send it your local and state politicians.
NICSD Ideas for the Big Day: Click here to read about ideas for making NICSD special in your store.
Database: Click here to tell us what you are doing in your store so we can add it to the list on the national site.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Hero Sponsor
Magic Maker Sponsor
Scene Stealer Sponsor
Standing Ovation Sponsors
Description of Day
National Independent Costume Store Day, which falls on the second Saturday of October, encourages consumers to discover the unique experience only an independent costume store can provide. Unlike seasonal retailers, these businesses offer personalized service, professional expertise, theatrical-quality products, rentals, custom fabrication, repairs, makeup instruction, and decades of accumulated knowledge that simply cannot be replicated by online marketplaces or temporary pop-up stores.
The celebration also shines a spotlight on the thousands of talented people working behind the scenes—from costume designers, seamstresses, sculptors, fabricators, wig stylists, and makeup artists to retail professionals and rental specialists—whose creativity makes performances, celebrations, and unforgettable memories possible.
Communities, schools, theatres, businesses, and families are encouraged to participate by visiting their local costume shop, attending special events, sharing stories and memories, supporting local retailers, and celebrating the creativity that costumes inspire.
Whether preparing for a school production, a Halloween celebration, a community festival, a film production, a cosplay event, or simply encouraging imaginative play, independent costume stores continue to prove that costumes do much more than help people dress up—they help people tell stories, celebrate traditions, build confidence, and create lasting memories.
The National Costumers Association is proud to establish National Independent Costume Store Day as a lasting celebration of an industry that has quietly served communities for generations, ensuring that creativity, craftsmanship, and the joy of costuming continue to thrive for years to come.