Virginia Main Street

This summer, the Town of St. Paul reached an exciting milestone in its ongoing downtown revitalization and elevation of natural assets. The community was selected to participate in the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) program, a nationally competitive initiative designed to help small towns harness the power of outdoor recreation as a driver of … More RERC Advances St. Paul’s Main Street Revitalization & Outdoor Rec.

Community surveys and market data only matter if people use them. Last month, Leesburg Movement hosted Downtown Decoded, an educational event that gave downtown business owners direct access to consumer and market insights and practical ideas they could implement right away. Through a short presentation and round table discussions, business owners learned that visitors spend … More Downtown Decoded: How Leesburg Informs Businesses Through Data

Every downtown has a story to tell. Whether it’s the businesses that have shaped the community for generations, the volunteers driving revitalization efforts, or the new investments transforming vacant buildings into thriving destinations, these stories help define a place and inspire others to become part of its future. This fall, Virginia Main Street invites community … More Rev Up Your Community’s Storytelling This Fall with Virginia Main Street

After 26 years of service to the nonprofit sector, 14 of which with the Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE), Cindy Colson, Deputy Director of Partnerships, Consulting & Impact, will be retiring effective June 30, 2026. Since Virginia Main Street (VMS) and CNE began their partnership in 2018, Cindy has played a vital role in building … More Celebrating CNE’s Cindy Colson’s Nonprofit Service and Welcoming New Leadership

The Town of Clarksville was bursting with color, creativity, and community spirit this spring as Historic Downtown Clarksville‘s (HDC) inaugural Flower Crawl welcomed visitors from across the region for a unique shopping experience. The Flower Crawl began at Town Hall, which served as the official event check-in location, where participants received a vase, greenery, and … More A Downtown in Bloom: Clarksville’s Flower Crawl Connects Visitors with Local Businesses

Many communities know something isn’t working in their downtown, but struggle to pinpoint what. It’s not a lack of ideas. More often, it’s a lack of shared perspective of what’s happening on the ground. Without that clarity, it becomes difficult to prioritize improvements, move projects forward, or connect physical changes to broader goals like business … More Understand Your Downtown with an 8-Point Check

The City of Winchester‘s Taylor Pavilion is emerging as a vibrant hub for community life, arts programming, and public events. Recently unveiled improvements have brought new energy to Old Town, creating a more welcoming, connected gathering space for residents, visitors, and local businesses. The revitalization effort grew from a broader community conversation about the future … More From Vision to Vibrancy: Winchester Reactivates Taylor Pavilion

Sometimes, Main Street organizations are associated only with events or seen as the “party planners.” Although that’s definitely not all we do, it is a part of what we do; it’s always front and center in the heart of the community. Let’s be honest, events can drag staff and volunteers down, especially if they are … More Building Better Downtown Events Through Collaboration

Economic Vitality is one of the four pillars of Main Street work, and this spring, Main Street leaders and community partners from across Virginia gathered for the Virginia Main Street Spring Rev Up: Retail and Small Business support to learn new strategies for strengthening their downtown districts. Presented by the Retail Alliance, this year’s Spring … More Supporting Business on Main: A 2026 Spring Rev-Up Recap