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Main Street: Creating Livable, Lovable Communities
2025 NC Main Street Conference
March 11-13 | Mooresville, NC
The North Carolina Main Street Conference is an annual three-day conference, held within the downtown of a beautiful rural community of NC. The venue changes each year, as do the speakers, sponsors, vendors, tours, and sessions. The conference is open to anyone interested in learning about downtown economic development. Attendees gain knowledge from networking with other downtown enthusiasts and attending sessions facilitated by a handpicked lineup of notable speakers.
- KEYNOTE SPEAKERS -
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The Science of Loving Where You Live
Keynote Speaker - Katherine Loflin, The City Doctor
The Science of Loving Where You Live will explore the factors that make downtowns not just livable, but lovable. Drawing from her pioneering research that earned national and international acclaim, Dr. Katherine Loflin will delve into how place attachment—the emotional bond between people and their environment—can be grown by optimizing three community qualities to foster local economic growth and resident thriving. She will provide examples from her latest work in heritage tourism.
Katherine Loflin, The City Doctor
Speaker Bio
Dr. Katherine Loflin, known as "The City Doctor," is a pioneer in the field of place science, exploring the emotional connections people form with cities and the profound impacts on local economic development and personal well-being. Her work has been credited with enhancing the quality of life for millions globally.
Through her company, The City Doctor Productions, Dr. Loflin creates innovative tours, productions, and events that bring local history to life, fostering rapid and unique connections between people and place. These initiatives have garnered national and statewide accolades, reflecting their popularity and impact. Her extensive background in the entertainment industry includes roles as an award-winning Executive Producer for ABC, playwright, live theater producer and director, professional actress, and event producer.
Currently, Dr. Loflin holds multiple leadership roles in historic preservation and community engagement and is also the author of the forthcoming book The Hidden History of Cary.
Civic Pride & Civic Apathy
Keynote Speaker - Jeff Siegler, Revitalize or Die
Communities across the country have been devastated by apathy, and unless we take drastic action, the problem will continue to worsen. Apathy destroys everything it touches, and it can’t be fixed by planning or money alone. The lack of care and concern among residents won’t change if we stay on the same path. We need a fresh approach to restore people’s connection to their town. Only by fostering a sense of civic pride can we combat apathy. This means bringing people together, restoring beauty, fostering affection, and giving meaning to people’s relationship with their community. A small-scale, simple, and incremental approach can help replace apathy with pride. The key is to start working—there is no silver bullet, and no one is coming to fix it for us. Every resident, every day, must do their part to make the community just a little bit better. When everyone participates, we can create something truly special: a community we can all be proud of.
Jeff Siegler, Revitalize or Die
Speaker Bio
Jeff Siegler is an author, speaker, elected official, and consultant concerned with the powerful role “place” plays in our lives. He is the founder of the civic pride consulting firm, Revitalize or Die and co-founder of the organization Proud Places. After obtaining his Master’s in Urban Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University, Jeff went to work on Main Street. First as a downtown manager, and later as the Ohio Main Street State Coordinator. His first book, “Your City is Sick” was published in September of 2023. Jeff and his two children call Pittsburgh home.
- PLENARY SPEAKER -
Building Strong Destination Businesses: Leveraging the Power of the Main to Main Trail
Plenary Speaker - Jon Schallert, President, The Schallert Group
In today’s competitive market, creating a distinctive, memorable business experience is key to attracting customers and ensuring long-term success. This session will showcase how businesses are transforming themselves into must-visit destinations through the guidance of Jon Schallert's 10-Step Destination Creation Training course. In FY 2024-25, Jon worked with over 500 small businesses across North Carolina, helping them achieve the coveted Certified NC Destination status. These businesses, along with their community partners, are now harnessing the power of the Main to Main Trail—a NC Main Street Program initiative designed to promote regional economic growth and tourism. By becoming key attractions in their communities, these businesses are not only boosting their own success but also contributing to the revitalization of their local economies. We’ll introduce you to some of the Certified NC Destination businesses and the Main Street Directors who have been instrumental in guiding these businesses toward their destination success.
Jon Schallert, President, The Schallert Group
Speaker Bio
Jon Schallert is the only business consultant teaching businesses and communities how to reinvent themselves into Consumer Destinations. When Jon is not speaking around the country, he conducts his 2½ day Destination Business BootCamp in Colorado and oversees his online training network, DestinationUniversity.com. Prior to starting his company, Jon spent ten years with greeting card giant Hallmark Cards.
- SCHEDULE OVERVIEW -
Day | Time | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
3/11 - Tuesday | 7:30 am - 5:30 pm | Registration | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 9:00 am - 1:00 pm | Shop and Explore | Downtown |
3/11 - Tuesday | 9:00 am - 10:00 am | Toolkit Sessions | Main Building |
3/11 - Tuesday | 9:00 am - 10:00 am | Don’t Be a Nonprofit Offender | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 9:00 am - 10:00 am | Be The Worst Kept Secret! | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 9:00 am - 10:00 am | Is Your Project Ready? | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 9:00 am - 10:00 am | Funding Diversity: Meeting Business Owners Where They Are | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 9:00 am - 10:00 am | We Are the Champions | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 10:00 am - 10:30 am | Time with Exhibitors | Main Building |
3/11 - Tuesday | 10:30 am - 11:30 am | Toolkit Sessions | Main Building |
3/11 - Tuesday | 10:30 am - 11:30 am | Economic Acceleration Thru Transformation | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 10:30 am - 11:30 am | Carolina on My Mind | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 10:30 am - 11:30 am | Rethinking Social Media: How to Cultivate Civic Pride and Downtown Investments Through Your Social Media Strategy | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 10:30 am - 11:30 am | Thinking About Main Street? | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 10:30 am - 11:30 am | Tap Into Federal Programs for Downtown | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 11:30 am - 1:30 pm | Exhibitors & Lunch | Main Building |
3/11 - Tuesday | 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm | Breakout Sessions | Main Building |
3/11 - Tuesday | 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm | Affordable Housing on Main Street | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm | Size Doesn't Matter: Transforming Small and Overlooked Spaces into Memorable Downtown Features | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm | Building Visitor Itineraries that Start and End in Downtown | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm | Tips to Equip, Empower and Retain Volunteers | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm | The Most Creative Uses of a Downtown Building: Revitalizing Downtown | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 2:45 pm - 3:15 pm | Time with Exhibitors | Main Building |
3/11 - Tuesday | 3:15 pm - 3:45 pm | Opening Remarks | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 3:45 pm - 4:15 pm | Special Announcements | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 4:15 pm - 4:30 pm | Break | Main Building |
3/11 - Tuesday | 4:30 pm - 5:15 pm | Keynote - Katherine Loflin | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 5:15 pm - 6:45 pm | Welcome Reception | Room # TBD |
3/11 - Tuesday | 6:45 PM | Dinner on Your Own | Downtown |
3/12 - Wednesday | 7:30 am - 5:00 pm | Registration | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 7:30 am - 8:30 am | Time with Exhibitors | Main Building |
3/12 - Wednesday | 8:30 am - 9:00 am | Welcome | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 9:00 am - 9:30 am | Plenary - Jon Schallert | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 9:30 am - 10:15 am | Keynote - Jeff Siegler | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 10:15 am - 10:45 am | Time with Exhibitors | Main Building |
3/12 - Wednesday | 10:45 am - 12:00 pm | Breakout Sessions | Main Building |
3/12 - Wednesday | 10:45 am - 12:00 pm | Fabulous Findings: Finessing Downtown's Future with Market Data | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 10:45 am - 12:00 pm | The Importance and the Art of Third Places: Gathering Spaces within the Downtown Context | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 10:45 am - 12:00 pm | Imagine the Impact: Gaining Local Government Support for Downtown Revitalization | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 10:45 am - 12:00 pm | Hit the Trail from Downtown: Enhancing Outdoor Recreation with Vibrant Downtown Amenities | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 10:45 am - 12:00 pm | When Disaster Hits: Lessons in Preparedness and Recovery | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm | Exhibitors & Lunch | Main Building |
3/12 - Wednesday | 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm | Breakout Sessions | Main Building |
3/12 - Wednesday | 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm | Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A Place-Based, Collaborative Framework | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm | Generational Design Concepts: Creating Healthier, More Inclusive Outdoor Spaces | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm | The Write Stuff 2.0: The Words We Write about the Places We Love | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm | The Power of Culture and Inclusive Community Engagement | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm | Big Ideas for Big Projects: Revitalizing Historic Spaces | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 3:15 pm - 3:45 pm | Time with Exhibitors | Main Building |
3/12 - Wednesday | 3:45 pm - 5:00 pm | Tours | Downtown |
3/12 - Wednesday | 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm | Cocktails | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm | Awards Ceremony | Room # TBD |
3/12 - Wednesday | 6:30 PM | Dinner on Your Own | Downtown |
3/13 - Thursday | 8:00 am - 9:15 am | Tours | Downtown |
3/13 - Thursday | 9:15 am - 9:30 am | Break | Main Building |
3/13 - Thursday | 9:30 am - 10:45 am | Breakout Sessions | Main Building |
3/13 - Thursday | 9:30 am - 10:45 am | Does Quirky Get Your Community Noticed? | Room # TBD |
3/13 - Thursday | 9:30 am - 10:45 am | Planning for a Main Street Project: Collaboration, Design, and Flexibility | Room # TBD |
3/13 - Thursday | 9:30 am - 10:45 am | The 15-Minute Economy in Rural Downtowns: Can You Access What You Need Within 15 Minutes? | Room # TBD |
3/13 - Thursday | 9:30 am - 10:45 am | City Parks with Big Impact: Transforming Urban Spaces for Health, Sustainability, and Community | Room # TBD |
3/13 - Thursday | 9:30 am - 10:45 am | Empowering Small Businesses with Knowledge: Unlocking Tools for Success | Room # TBD |
3/13 - Thursday | 10:15 am - 11:00 am | Champion Registration | Room # TBD |
3/13 - Thursday | 10:30 am - 11:15 am | Coffee with Champions | Room # TBD |
3/13 - Thursday | 11:15 am - 12:45 pm | Champions Ceremony | Room # TBD |
3/13 - Thursday | 12:45 pm - 1:00 pm | Closing Remarks | Room # TBD |