Grassroots leaders from across the country connected for three days to share new ideas and best practices in their committed movement to develop accessible, prosperous, resilient communities from Arizona to Vermont

BIRMINGHAM, AL (May 22, 2024) – Main Street America’s annual conference took place at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in early May, and a Main Street Now record of over 2,000 attendees visited the region to collaborate and create new strategies to push their communities forward.

By generating more than 4,400 room nights at downtown hotels like the Sheraton Birmingham, touring local attractions such as Railroad Park and Woodlawn Marketplace, and dining in some of the area’s top restaurants, visitors to Main Street Now 2024 generated over $4 million in economic impact for Greater Birmingham.

“We were thrilled to welcome Main Street America and its members to Birmingham,” said John Oros, President and CEO of the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We host nearly 800 meetings and conventions a year in Birmingham, so for an event with the nationwide reach and impact of Main Street to be here is an honor. We are excited that we had this opportunity to show off the revitalization happening in our city and share the Birmingham story with these special guests from all over the country.”

From the Welcome Reception at CityWalk BHAM, with music by the Miles College Marching Band, to the Opening Plenary at the Alabama Theatre, featuring Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Main Street Now 2024 got off to a strong start. Members of the group also toured the 4^th Avenue Historic and Civil Rights District, Birmingham’s Pioneer Downtown Houses of Worship, Pepper Place, Railroad Park, Rickwood Field, and the Rotary Trail over the next three days, before enjoying a closing ceremony at Sloss Furnaces.

“Main streets are a product of delivery, co-creation, that’s rooted in listening and trust,” said Erin Barnes, Main Street American President and CEO. “We can only create inclusive places that are welcoming for everyone when we do it with everyone.”

Sessions at the BJCC fostered discussions around community development, about unlocking economic potential in local neighborhoods, tips to build an effective entrepreneurial ecosystem, how to leverage smartphone location data to improve a visitor’s journey, ways to foster belonging in public spaces through live music, and so much more.

“So much of our work in this room is not only about the physical infrastructure of American communities…” said Dr. Akilah Watkins, President & CEO at Independent Sector. “But part of our work is also about the civic infrastructure of this country…making sure that Americans are able to be deeply involved in their community, that they’re able to build community among their neighbors.”

Birmingham was named host city for this year’s event in 2023, following a collaborative bid process by the Alabama Tourism Department, the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Main Street Alabama.