It was a proud day for NC Public Power as 18 leaders and six communities were awarded North Carolina Main Street Conference awards earlier in March in New Bern, North Carolina.
The three-day conference (March 10 – 12, 2020 in New Bern) is held annually in a rural community of North Carolina. The conference is open to anyone interested in downtown economic development. Attendees network with other downtown enthusiasts and attend conference sessions facilitated by an impressive lineup of downtown professionals.
The N.C. Annual Main Street Conference is one of many offerings provided by the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center (a division within the state’s Department of Commerce). The Main Street Awards Ceremony showcases the top economic development projects in the state. The Main Street Champions Ceremony recognizes citizens and groups that have made an impact in their community’s downtown revitalization efforts.
The 2019 Main Street Award Winners included the following projects in six NC Public Power Communities or Universities:
- Best Public-Private Partnership in Downtown Revitalization, Award of Merit: “The View at Hotel Concord,” awarded to Rehabe Development, the City of Concord, Concord Downtown Development Corporation, and Cabarrus County in Concord, N.C.
- Best Public-Private Partnership in Downtown Revitalization, Award of Merit: “Tis the Season,” awarded to Tis the Season Leadership Team, the City of Laurinburg, and Downtown Merchants and Property Owners in Laurinburg, N.C.
- Best Innovation: “Elite to Lil Elite Boutique,” awarded to Elite Boutique, Lil Elite Boutique, Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation, East Carolina University Miller School of Entrepreneurship, and the City of Goldsboro.
- Best Public Relations Effort: “Downtown Edenton ‘Follow the Dollar’ Commercial,” awarded to Destination Downtown Edenton, Kyle Kettler, The Taylor Theatre, and Downtown Edenton Businesses in Edenton, N.C.
- Best Downtown Special Event or Event Series: “The Cherry Bounce Festival,” awarded to Explore Forest City, Town of Forest City, The Agency Group, Artifacturing, LLC, Foundation Performing Arts and Conference Center, Banfield Gallery, Russell Wicker, WNCW 88.7 FM, and WGWG Streaming, in Forest City, N.C.
- Best Downtown Special Event or Event Series: “NC Gravity Games,” awarded to Lenoir Main Street Program, City of Lenoir, Google, Appalachian State University Department of Physics, Appalachian State University Graduate School, NC Science Festival, UNC Morehead Planetarium, NC Space Grant Academic Consortium, and GBW Strategies.
The 2019 Main Street Champions included the following award-winners from 18 NC Public Power Communities:
- Peter Asciutto, Albemarle
- Bob Barker, Cherryville
- Cabarrus Arts Council, Concord
- Candace Thompson, Edenton
- James Flanigan and Kevin O’Leary, Elizabeth City
- Melissa Cantrell, Forest City
- Frank Stewart, Kings Mountain
- Cory Hughes, Laurinburg
- Robin Bivens, Lexington
- Angela Shores, Morganton
- Bill Faulkenberry and David Griffith, New Bern
- Angela and Neal Powell, Newton
- David White, Shelby
- Jud Patterson and Suzanne Taylor, Smithfield
- Steve Hill, Statesville
- Douglas Pearce, Wake Forest
- Alex McKay, Waynesville
- Wilson City Council, Wilson
To learn more about the N.C. Main Street Conference and get information on next year’s event, visit: https://www.ncmainstreetconference.com/
You can view the press release from the N.C. Department of Commerce here.