From the appearance of parking lots and check out lines at local retailers Friday, participation in this year’s sales tax holiday is big.

For some, the three-day shopping event is a chance for tremendous savings but for some, the weekend is no different than any other.

Red Level’s Brandy Beverly is a mother of two. She said before heading out Friday, she scoured sales papers and checked online sales.

“I priced everything,” she said. “And I decided to wait until (Friday) so I could get the most for the least.”

Beverly said she plans to shop local for all her back-to-school purchases.

“We came out today to get the free haircuts from JC Penney’s, then we’re headed to Walmart — like everybody else, I’m sure,” she said. ­

Leslie Jones of Opp, who was shopping with her daughter Sydney Grace, said she didn’t wait for the sales tax holiday.

“I like to shop local as much as I can,” she said. “To be honest, the sales tax holiday kind of bothers me a bit. It’s taxes that I’d rather go to the county and the cities.”

Candy Grice of Opp and Rebecca Ainsworth of Andalusia said they had to shop when it was convenient for them – it just happened to coincide with the tax-free weekend.

“I’m unemployed, so I have to make the most of what I have for my kids,” Grice said. “I’m shopping for two, so I had to buy for one this week and buy for the other next week. I definitely shop the sales, but I’ve been a bit disappointed that some of the stores don’t have the advertised merchandise.”

Ainsworth, who was shopping for her daughter who will be a junior at Andalusia High School, said she plans to shop local “all the way.”

“It coordinated that it was my weekend off, so it worked out,” she said of the shopping experience. “Thankfully, I only have one to buy for.”