Main Street Now 2024: Building Bridges and Main Street Marvels

The 2024 Main Street Now Conference in Birmingham, AL, was full of connections, insights, and shared passions for revitalizing main streets and downtown areas. One of our Government Affairs Representatives, Jonathan Wise, represented Soofa at the event.

As attendees mingled and networked, Jonathan made connections with industry leaders like Josh Collins from Main Street Matters, Elijah Davis from Urban Impact Birmingham, Jonathan Desmarais from Downtown Inc/Jon & Stover, and Eric Esteves from Boston Main Streets Foundation, among others.

Themes that emerged throughout the conference emphasized the shared challenges and aspirations of the attendees. Discussions revolved around ways to enhance way-finding, increase pedestrian traffic, and create inviting outdoor spaces through events like concerts and markets. The overarching goal? To cultivate vibrant communities that people are proud to call home, while utilizing grants and modern approaches to achieve this vision.

During the award ceremony, heartfelt cheers from the crowd honored three main street organizations that were recognized for their excellence in comprehensive preservation-based commercial district revitalization. Witnessing firsthand the profound passion people harbor for their local main streets was a powerful reminder of the importance of these spaces in our communities.

From enlightening sessions on making communities more walkable to the camaraderie over shared goals, the Main Street Now Conference was a resounding success. The most valuable aspects of the event for Soofa were making in-person connections with people from all over the country, and learning first-hand how we can improve our signs to better benefit communities.

Interested in a better communication tool for your city? Fill out our landowner interest form or email hi@soofadigital.com to learn what Soofa can accomplish for your community.