Special to Iredell Free News

The City of Statesville has been chosen to host the 2021 North Carolina Main Street’s annual three-day conference from March 9-11, 2021.

“Statesville is an exceptional location for the 2021 NC Main Street Conference. With more than 700 in attendance, the N.C. Main Street conference is the largest statewide downtown revitalization conference in the country, and 2021 will be the 20th anniversary of this statewide event,” Elizabeth Parham, director of NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center for the N.C. Department of Commerce, said in a news release. “It is only fitting that we hold this event in Statesville, one of our oldest Main Street programs, and one that has had such shining success through the years!”

The conference will bring hundreds of people to Statesville from all over North Carolina and is open to anyone interested in learning about downtown economic development. Attendees can gain knowledge from networking with other downtown management professionals, enthusiastic volunteers, business owners, developers, and product exhibitors who have used innovative development strategies to transform their downtown districts.

“It is an honor to host the NC Main Street Conference once again in Downtown Statesville,” said Downtown Statesville Development Corporation Executive Director Marin Tomlin. “The last time elected officials, municipal staff, non-profit directors and their volunteers traveled to see the revitalization happening in Downtown Statesville was in 2009.

“We’re ready for conference attendees to come explore the changes that have taken place in Downtown Statesville over the last 10 years.”

The City of Statesville, through its 501c3 partner organization, Downtown Statesville Development Corporation (DSDC), became one of the early Main Street communities. Since that time, DSDC has maintained its national accreditation and state designation as a Main Street Community.