It's time to buy new jeans, new shoes and a whole new wardrobe to start school with later this month.

Details • The sales tax holiday is from 12:01 a.m. Friday through midnight Saturday. • For more details, go to www.state.ia.us/tax/

And just in time, parents and other shoppers will get a break this weekend on clothing prices because of an annual tax holiday. The Iowa Sales Tax Holiday is Friday and Saturday and allows shoppers to buy clothing under $100 without paying sales tax.

The tax-free event is one of the busiest shopping times of the year for area retail outlets, including Coral Ridge Mall. Mall officials are planning a 10:30 a.m. Friday ribbon cutting for a new soft play area. At 10 a.m. Saturday, shopping bags filled with coupons and store specials will be given to the first 100 shoppers.

"And one lucky winner will receive a $500 gift certificate to shop at the mall," said Sheila Boyd, spokeswoman for Coral Ridge Mall.

Sycamore Mall and the Old Capitol Town Center officials also expect to see a bump in customers this weekend.

"We get a pretty good increase in traffic during those days," said Kevin Digmann, who manages both malls.

"It's good for the stores who qualify, but our malls are not as heavily into the apparel as Coral Ridge."

Horace Mann parent Erasto Torrez said his family might go shopping during the tax holiday weekend, but is not sure what clothes his children will need for school.

During the state's first sales tax holiday period in 2000, consumers saved $1.6 million in state sales tax, and stores sold $31.1 million of qualified clothing and footwear, according to state revenue officials.