May 13, 2009
Training opportunities
VMS Spring Feature and VDDA Annual Workshop: Lessons for a Livable
Community and Downtown Housing Options and Opportunities
May 27 and 28: Harrisonburg
Increased demand for downtown housing promises the next leap forward in the revitalization of traditional commercial districts. Seniors, young professionals, pet owners, students, even those choosing to live without a car are all checking out the options. Is your downtown ready? Join Virginia Main Street (VMS) and the Virginia Downtown Development Association (VDDA) in exploring housing options and amenities that create a livable community downtown. More information and registration at: www.dhcd.virginia.gov/mainstreet and: www.downtownvirginia.org. Registration ends Monday, May 18.
VCA Conference: Building Arts and Cultural Districts
May 15, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Fredericksburg
Explore the potential of newly enacted legislation that enables every community in Virginia to create an arts and cultural district. For more information and registration, visit: www.vaartsandculture.blogspot.com.
Virginia Electronic Commerce Technology Workshops
May 20 and 21: Petersburg: Adobe Dreamweaver Two-Day Tutorial
May 21: Lebanon :Websites for Nonprofits
May 26: Farmville: Creating E-Newsletters
More information on additional trainings near you is available online at: www.vectec.org/education/index.php.
Entrepreneur Express Workshops
May 20: Kilmarnock
May 29: Petersburg
June 05: Chesapeake
June 19: Virginia Beach
The series of free Entrepreneur Express Workshops provides interactive discussions and exercises covering key elements of business practices. More information is available online at: www.vastartup.org.
Virginia Main Street Summer Toolkit - Date Change
July 29 and 30: Winchester
Mark your calendar for this rescheduled workshop for communities at more advanced stages of downtown revitalization, VMS will have additional information on topics and speakers for the Summer Tool Kit session soon.
Announcements
2009 Save America’s Treasures Grant Round
Due May 22
Grants are available for preservation and/or conservation work on nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts and historic structures and sites, including historic districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects. For more information, visit: www.saveamericastreasures.org.
NEA Challenge America: Reaching Every Community Fast-Track Review Grants
Due May 28
The arts can play an important role in downtown life. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Challenge America Fast-Track grants enable organizations, particularly those that are small or mid-sized, to extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations - those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability.
Fundable projects begin after Jan. 1, 2010 and include civic design, public art, cultural districts and arts events. Applications are due on May 28, 2009. Visit: www.nea.gov for more information on Challenge America Fast Track Grants.
Virginia Main Street Blog
New posts are added each week to the Virginia Main Street Blog, so mark it as a favorite or sign up for an RSS feed. Recent posts cover recent regional gatherings in Harrisonburg and Marion and the economic value of downtown arts and cultural districts. A new blog page now links to all of the Virginia Main Street communities. Visit the blog and see what’s new in other Main Street communities around the commonwealth.
Virginia Main Street Community Events
· Bedford, Bedford Blues & BBQ
Saturday, June 13, 5 - 10 p.m.
Center & Washington Street
A fun-filled evening of great food and music by Roadhouse and Eli Cook. There will be BBQ cook-off hosted by the Ruritan Club of Bedford that will be cooking their own signature BBQ. They are still accepting applications for the bbq cook-off competitors and food and craft vendors. Admission is $5. For more information e-mail: laura@centertownbedford.com.
BBQ Competitor Application >> URL
Food and Craft Vendor Application >> URL
· Franklin, Patriotism in the Park
Sunday, June 28, 5 - 8 p.m.
Barrett’s Landing Gazebo
For more information on this outdoor performance by the U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet Wind Ensemble, visit: www.downtownfranklinva.org. Music begins at 6 p.m..
· Harrisonburg, Renaissance Night Fundraiser
Saturday, May 16, 6:30 p.m.
Wear your 1960’s best to this dinner dance and silent auction. More information is
at: www.downtownharrisonburg.org.
· South Boston: Ducks on the Dan Derby Duck Race
May 16, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Dan River in Downtown South Boston will be awash in yellow as racing ducks and their adoptive families flock to downtown to watch the big race. More information on how you can volunteer and participate is at: www.ducksonthedan.com.
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· Waynesboro: 4th Annual Muscle Car Show
May 16, 2 - 5 p.m.
Registration begins at 11 a.m. For more information visit: www.waynesborodowntown.org.
· Warrenton: 13th Annual Father’s Day Car Show
June 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
