Imagine your community worked together to identify key strategies that provide a clear sense of priorities and direction for your revitalization efforts? What would that look like? As a passionate advocate for your Main Street community, you are on a mission to harness all the things you love about your community for its future, a … More Where to Start for a Clear Sense of Priorities
Harrisonburg is halfway through their 10-week summer concert series featuring a diverse line-up of national artists. Thousands of residents and visitors have enjoyed the concerts that covered wide range of genres including jazz, soul, bluegrass, indie rock, hip hop, and mariachi. Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR) received a $90,000 Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Award to … More The Shenandoah Valley is for Live Music Lovers!
This summer has seen a wave of pink splash onto Main Streets across Virginia. The new Barbie movie has inspired several of communities and their small businesses to participate in the phenomenon that has been growing worldwide. The buzz has provided a fun and creative means of promoting Main Street businesses, while joining in on … More Barbie’s Main Street Takeover
In most communities, there are buildings that are currently unoccupied for a variety of reasons. We all can agree they’re bad for downtown, and if they sit vacant for too long, these properties can have serious negative effects, harming the district’s image, economy and overall activity. They can result in: Lost Revenue: Vacant buildings mean … More The Cost of an Empty Building: Revisited
Join Virginia Main Street (VMS) for an immersive half-day workshop that digs into Main Street America’s (MSA) fifth Accreditation Standard, Preservation-Based Economic Development. Led by Kathy Frazier, co-founder and Principal-in-Charge of Frazier Associates, this workshop will cover how successful Main Street efforts are built on the guiding principle that district economic development is obtained by … More Registration Open for VMS Regional Rev Up Workshops: Preservation-Based Economic Development
Every year, the first full week of August (8/6 – 8/12) is recognized as National Farmers Market Week! It’s a time where local farmers and others are provided with a special opportunity to market the goods they grow and/or make, as well as a chance to highlight the vital role farmers markets play in fostering … More It’s National Farmers Market Week!
Are you a rural business facing challenges with retaining employees, workforce productivity and a quality environment? If so, Virginia Tech’s Agricultural and Applied Economics Department, in collaboration with the Center for Cooperative Problem Solving and the Center for Economic and Community Engagement, is ready to help. They are conducting Small Business Health and Organizational Wellbeing … More Virginia Tech Workshops Support Rural Small Businesses
During the month of July, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) team published seven blog posts, highlighting the latest community vitality-related news, events and more! Here’s a recap: VMS Program News Virginia Main Street published its 1000th blog post! Click here to learn more! VMS Grant Project Highlights With support from a VMS Downtown Investment Grant a few … More In Case You Missed It: July 2023 Digest
Last month, Culpeper Downtown businesses and Culpeper Renaissance Inc. (CRI) staff members joined together for a dementia awareness training session hosted by Aging Together and the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce. The session provided guidance to help restaurant, retail and service establishments feel more comfortable and capable assisting patrons living with dementia. Dementia Friendly Culpeper is … More Dementia Friendly Culpeper
Last week, Virginia Main Street (VMS) published its one thousandth blog post on the VMS blog! Hooray! The publishing of Kyle Meyer’s Why Main Street Programs Need Firm Boundaries blog post helped the VMS team reach this great milestone. To all those that have helped impart knowledge and inspiration to our audiences in Virginia and … More Virginia Main Street Publishes One Thousandth Blog Post
