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BY NIC MILLER
STAR STAFF
nic.miller@elizabethton.com

Main Street Elizabethton saw a busy 2021 as organizers were able to finally put into action a full year of work and projects..

“Main Street Elizabethton began in October 2019 and launched a new downtown brand and vision in September 2020 after a whole year of learning, listening, and collecting data from the community,” said Courtney Bean, director. “So 2021 was a big year in terms of putting action to our first-year work plan and downtown goals,” said Bean.”The majority of 2021 was working on that plan with our members and community partners to accomplish our goals and objectives.

“We were excited to create and provide marketing materials based on our brand and vision for the community to utilize, such as a Downtown Elizabethton tri-fold brochure that contains a list of downtown retail and dining, as well as downtown parking locations and important landmarks. These brochures are currently located at the Elizabethton Chamber and Tourism Office. We look forward to expanding to more locations in 2022,” said Bean.

While 2020 saw quarantines and lockdowns, restrictions eased in 2021 to the delight of the downtown community.

“Since 2020 was so focused on navigating COVID and supporting our small businesses, it was exciting for Main Street to host large events for the first time in 2021,” Bean said. ” We were especially excited to bring back a community favorite, the Elizabethton Christmas Parade. We were also excited to add new events, such as the Firefly 5K and First Friday Celebrations. We loved offering these family-friendly events for the community to get involved with downtown.

“We were also able to really connect with the community in 2021, especially compared to 2020 where our main goal was awareness and education about the Main Street program,” Bean said. “This past year we were able to really build deeper relationships with our members, sponsors, and community partners.”

Bean said relationships are critical in the community. “Our community partnerships are so important to the success of Main Street and the success of our downtown, and we are looking forward to those continued partnerships and new partnerships going forward.”

While Main Street Elizabethton accomplished so much during 2021, there is still more to be done to improve the community in the new year.

“In 2022 we have goals to continue elevating our downtown in new and creative ways, connecting outdoor recreation to our downtown district, and providing a warm, family-friendly atmosphere for our community. Be on the lookout for improved outdoor dining spaces and new public art displays,” Bean said.