.png){kind=small}
Call For Speakers
2025 NC Main Street Conference
March 11-13, 2025 | Mooresville, NC
Main Street: Creating Livable, Lovable Communities
What makes a community livable? When critical needs are met, such as food security, availability of affordable housing, opportunities for education and healthcare, good jobs and economic growth in a community, and the infrastructure and connectivity to easily access services and resources? What makes a community lovable? When innovative and inclusive quality-of-life amenities are available, such as arts and cultural experiences, community engagement opportunities, and access to recreation to live a healthy lifestyle?
​
Main Street: Creating Livable, Lovable Communities, the theme of this year’s conference, explores the downtown elements that are essential in creating great towns and cities, and how North Carolina communities are implementing economic development strategies that are bringing these livable, lovable elements to fruition. Rehabilitated buildings and compatible new construction provide the built environment for quality retail businesses and services, dining and drinking establishments, government and professional offices, and unique residential and lodging options. Public and private gathering places that encourage downtown visitors to walk, bike, dine, play, celebrate, and visit with friends and family, are equally important in creating livable places that we love. Public art, downtown foliage, and colorful streetscape furnishings and banners add to a downtown district's vibrancy.
The 2025 conference celebrates 45 years of the Main Street program in North Carolina and the United States. Local Main Street programs and their public and private sector partners are creatively leveraging strategic economic development planning, tools, and resources, resulting in investment, business growth, and job creation.
​
The North Carolina Main Street Conference is the country’s largest statewide downtown revitalization conference. Attendees include downtown economic development professionals, elected officials and local government staff, rural leaders, volunteers, business and property owners, consultants, vendors, and sponsors interested in trends, initiatives, and success stories they can use to maximize downtown and community revitalization at home.
​
This premier event will be held in downtown Mooresville, North Carolina. Designated as a North Carolina Main Street community in 1988, the Town of Mooresville and its Main Street management partner, the Mooresville Downtown Commission, utilize the Main Street framework to create, and promote opportunities, advance a downtown strategic economic development plan, guide redevelopment, facilitate partnerships, and attract residents and visitors to the downtown core. Downtown Mooresville is the heart of a happening community with a mix of vibrant retailers, cool bars, delicious dining, coffee shops, stylish places to live, extraordinary events, public art, and heaps of Southern Charm. Since the program's inception, downtown Mooresville has leveraged more than $117 million in public and private investment, resulting in a net gain of 141 new businesses and nearly 600 new jobs.
Join us for inspiring keynote and plenary addresses, and innovative strategies presented in carefully curated breakout and toolkit sessions. Experience the Mooresville story through a collection of tours that highlight local assets. Bring a group of community leaders, Main Street board members, city and town staff, elected officials, and volunteers to get the most out of the conference experience. The North Carolina Main Street downtown revitalization conference is second to none in the Southeast and, perhaps, in the nation.
​
We can’t wait to see you in Downtown Mooresville!
Information
The NC Main Street Annual Conference offers leaders in commercial district revitalization a unique opportunity to share their successful and innovative solutions with a statewide network of volunteers and professionals.
​
The audience includes a mix of new and seasoned downtown economic development professionals, elected officials and local government staff, rural leaders, volunteers, business and property owners, consultants, vendors, and sponsors Selected presentations will directly relate to the conference theme and address new ideas and opportunities for the audience
A broad range of topics will be presented. Topics in downtown revitalization, urban planning, organizational development, image and promotion, historic preservation, real estate development, marketing, economic development, retail trends, and development, or any other topic related to the conference theme and downtown revitalization is encouraged. Sessions highlighting innovative solutions to common challenges, ways to motivate staff, board members, and volunteers, keys to operating successful programs, and sessions that simply share great ideas based on the conference theme are welcome.
Educational session formats will include 60 and 75-minute education sessions. Sessions must be non-commercial. Promotion of your company or product during an educational session is STRICTLY prohibited. Failure to follow this guideline will result in disqualification from future speaking engagements with the NC Main Street Annual Conference.
​
Benefits of presenting include visibility among industry professionals and increasing your role as a leader in your profession.
​
Terms and Conditions
-
60 and 75-minute educational sessions are requested at this time.
-
Keynote and plenary sessions are not accepted through this platform.
-
A speaker is rarely asked to present more than one session; therefore, speakers are encouraged to submit one (1) high-quality session for consideration.
-
It is highly recommended that the maximum number of presenters proposed for a session is four (4).
-
All presenters must agree to the terms and conditions for participation.
-
Submissions must be submitted electronically. If selected, we will follow up with a HARD deadline for your presentations.
-
Session submitter will serve as the primary contact for proposed session.
-
NC Main Street does not reimburse expenses or pay speaker fees for educational sessions.
-
Presenters are offered a complimentary registration fee for the three-day conference.
-
For all accepted submissions, NC Main Street reserves the right to edit the title and description.
-
Educational sessions are non-commercial. Presenters may not promote a product, service, or anything else representing monetary self-interest. Failure to comply will affect future consideration.
-
The schedule is determined by balancing topics and target audiences. Individual schedule requests are considered only in extreme circumstances.
-
Co-presenter(s) must agree to all terms and conditions for participation.
-
The submitter is responsible for communicating with co-presenter(s) regarding acceptance, rejection, deadlines, and all other session details.
Submissions
​​
Deadline: August 2, 2024
Evaluation Criteria:
-
Clarity, quality and organization of ideas.
-
Speaker's experience/knowledge of subject.
-
Concepts - useful, practical, and visionary.
-
Timeliness/relevance of topic.
-
Opportunity to contribute to a well-balanced program.
-
Completion of all requested information.
​
Notification:
Thank you for submitting a session. Submissions will be reviewed in August and staff will notify you about your submission in September. Please know it is always a hard decision and we appreciate all who took the time to submit.
​
Please fill out the form below. We look to hearing from you!
* Are required fields
​