Celebrating 20 Years of inspiring great Connecticut downtowns,

Main Street by Main Street.

Thank You for Supporting Downtown!

A number of people contact us as a result of reading our Downtown Update newsletter, including communities who want to become members in our Main Street network. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your readership and support of CMSC. Together we're raising the profile of Connecticut's downtowns & Main Streets, encouraging and educating each other through our workshops and member & professional network, and championing Connecticut's Main Streets - from small town squares to large urban centers - to leaders at the state and local level.

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CMSC Staff News

There are some big changes coming to CMSC, and we couldn't be happier!

▪ Please join us in welcoming Judith Stahl, our new Administrative Assistant. Judith will be working part time, taking over the day-to-day office operations. Judith brings experience in office management, computer programming, data analysis and organization. Stay tuned for more staff news - we will also be introducing our new VISTA volunteer this summer!

▪ Have you noticed all the great social media around our 2016 Awards Gala? That's because

CMSC has engaged Carlota Charles, a UConn Digital Media and Design junior,

who is studying Web Design & Development and Social Media Marketing. Carlota is managing our social media campaign for the Awards Gala, providing an insider's view of all the great things Storrs Center has to offer. Be sure to join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtags #MainStMadness, #TourTheStorrs and #MainStMeans.

▪ We also want to offer a sincere thank you and best wishes to our intern Sadie Colcord. Sadie is entering her final year in the Masters of Public Policy program at UConn. She just completed undergraduate work in Economics and Urban and Community Studies. Sadie was with us for the last several months doing research on tax increment financing (TIF) best practices and different models for main street management. After taking a short break, Sadie will begin a summer internship at the Town of Windsor. This fall, as part of her Masters program, Sadie has been selected for an internship at CERC.

2016 Awards Gala in Downtown Storrs

Everything you need to know about this interactive exploration of the new Storrs Center.

Monday, June 6, 2016 ▪ Storrs Center, Mansfield ▪ Festivities begin at 4:30 pm.

Click for more info & to register

Award of Excellence Winners

This year's winners span the state, representing large urban centers and small town squares. And our Founder's Award winners showcase a thriving town-gown partnership while the Jack Shannahan Prize for Public Service highlights the indefatigable efforts of a legislative commission to create communities that enrich and enable people of all ages.

About this extraordinary event

This year's Awards Gala promises to be an event unlike any we've had before. We'll still begin with a welcome reception at E.O. Smith High School, where guests can enjoy a performance by the high school Jazz Band and view student artwork before we present this year's Awards of Excellence.

Then we take this celebration to a new level as giant puppets from the Ballard Institute of Museum and Puppetry lead us across the street to the new town center. Here the party hits the streets as guests are free to shop and explore on their own, grab a bite from one of the downtown's many tasty eateries, or just enjoy a warm summer night on the green. For those who want to delve deeper, we're offering three guided tours with a behind the scenes look into the development of the Center, the partnerships it took to make it happen and a viewing of the popular mixed-use housing development, The Oaks on the Square. The Ballard is also offering a mini puppet-slam featuring performances by UConn grad students and an exhibit, The Bureau of Small Requests.

Also new this year is a Virtual Scavenger Hunt! Test your powers of observation while discovering the new Storrs Center. We'll provide the clues - pictures with a snippet of a Storrs Center location - the week before the event on social media and our event app (download it here). Then, while you're exploring Storrs Center during the Awards Gala, take a selfie in front of one of the photo locations. The first ten people to show their selfie to one of our Downtown Ambassadors gets a prize!

What else is should you know about the Awards Gala in Storrs Center?

This event is free, but registration is required - Registering is easy, and lets us know which tour or event you'd like to participate in. Click to register now.
There's an app for that! - Click here to download our event app, with tons of helpful information on parking, directions, and a map of the area. You can also view the clues for the Virtual Scavenger Hunt, follow our Twitter feed, and learn more about our event sponsors.
Event Map Available - With so many fun choices, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Check out our event map with helpful info like where to park, where to eat, and where to meet for the tours.
Parking - We're encouraging everyone to park in the Storrs Center Parking garage at the Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center. Parking is free for the first two hours, $1/hr after that, and it's a quick, five-minute walk across the green to the Welcome Reception at E.O. Smith High School. There will also be limited and handicapped parking available at E.O. Smith.
Join us on social media - Be sure to join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtags #MainStMadness, #TourTheStorrs and #MainStMeans.

2016 Awards Gala Sponsors

This event would not be possible without the tremendous support of our sponsors! Please take a moment to visit their websites here and on our event app.

United Illuminating
Welcome Reception Sponsor

Fuss & O'Neill