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Columbia Main Street Reaccredited for 2025 – Millions Invested, Jobs Created, and Thousands Attending Events

Issue #444

May 22, 2025

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

☀️ Columbia’s Weather - Sunny w/ high of 78 & low of 54

📰 Columbia Main Street Reaccredited for 2025 – Millions Invested, Jobs Created, and Thousands Attending Events

📌 Sunday: Athenaeum’s “Free Day in May” Event

📌 May 23: Blood Drive at Riverwalk Park

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

🎵 Today’s Live Music

👉 Do You Love What’s Up Columbia??? VOTE FOR US HERE! (Must vote for at least 5 categories to be valid)

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Columbia Main Street Reaccredited for 2025 – Millions Invested, Jobs Created, and Thousands Attending Events

From Columbia Main Street’s post on 5/21…

Columbia Main Street has officially been reaccredited by Main Street America and the Tennessee Main Street for 2025! 

Did you know? - Columbia Main Street was one of the first designated Main Street programs in Tennessee, dating back to 1983. 

For over 40 years, we've championed our historic downtown, and this year we're proud to share downtown Columbia's amazing milestones:

  • 31 building rehabilitation projects

  • $53.5M in private investment

  • $31.5M in public investment

  • 81+ new jobs created

  • Several new businesses opened

  • Over $84 million in total project investments

  • 8% vacancy rate in the downtown district

  • 196,000+ event attendees in 2024 alone!

Columbia Main Street is more than a program—it's a movement to support our community, grow local businesses, and make downtown a vibrant place to live, visit, and love.

Whether you're a longtime local or a new neighbor, there's a place for YOU on Main Street. Come volunteer, shop small, dine local, attend our events, and follow us right here as we keep writing Columbia's success story—square by square.

From Columbia Main Street’s website…

Columbia is proud to be a nationally accredited Main Street Community and off-the-charts excited to be recognized as a TOP TEN BEST SMALL TOWN by Southern Living and Country Living Magazines. Read below to learn about the Main Street America Four Point Approach and what that means for the success of Columbia Main Street.

Columbia is proud to be a member of the Tennessee Main Street Program and a nationally accredited Main Street Community designated by the Main Street America program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, Inc., a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Columbia Main Street is among the first five Main Street communities in Tennessee to receive this national designation. The Main Street program is supported at the state level through TnDEC. 

Columbia Main Street utilizes The Main Street Approach™ which offers community-based revitalization initiatives with a practical, adaptable framework for downtown transformation that is easily tailored to local conditions.

The Main Street Approach is centered on Transformation Strategies, which articulate a focused, deliberate path to revitalizing or strengthening a downtown or commercial district’s economy. A program’s work on Transformation Strategies should be organized in four broad areas known as the Four Points: Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion and Organization.

ECONOMIC VITALITY
Focuses on capital, incentives, and other economic and financial tools to assist new and existing businesses, catalyze property development, and create a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and innovators that drive local economies.

DESIGN 
supports a community’s transformation by enhancing the physical and visual assets that set the commercial district apart.

PROMOTION 
Positions the downtown or commercial district as the center of the community and hub of economic activity, while creating a positive image that showcases a community’s unique characteristics.

ORGANIZATION
Involves creating a strong foundation for a sustainable revitalization effort, including cultivating partnerships, community involvement, and resources for the district.

Sunday: Athenaeum’s “Free Day in May” Event

If you've always wanted to tour the historic Athenaeum Rectory, now is the time! Please join us for our "Free Day in May" event. Come hear the history of this beautiful building as related to the Polk family and a integral part of not one but two "Girls Schools" during the Antebellum period.

The Historic Athenaeum is all that remains of two famous girl schools that flourished in Columbia from the 1830s until the Great Depression. Built in 1837, the Athenaeum served as the rectory for these two schools and was occupied by the same family for over 130 years. Today, the Athenaeum is a historic site and museum open for tours and available as a venue for your next event.

Sunday, May 25th
2:00 - 4:00 PM
808 Athenaeum St.

May 23: Blood Drive at Riverwalk Park

Blood Assurance will be at Riverwalk Park on Friday, May 23rd from 10 AM to 3 PM for a community blood drive. Just one donation can save up to THREE lives.

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Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Thursday, May 22nd

Friday, May 23rd

Saturday, May 24th

Sunday, May 25th

📌 Mark Your Calendars…

May 29 - 31: Music City Rodeo
June 5-8: CMA Fest
June 7-8: Nashville Comicon
June 7-8: Great Tennessee Air Show

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Thursday, May 22nd

Hobo Cain, Puckett’s, 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Todd Ciprian, Tito’s Spring Hill, 6:00-9:00 PM
Beatles4Sale, McCreary’s Irish Pub, 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Friday, May 23rd

Music in May, The Awaken House, 5:00-8:00 PM
Shannon McCue & Friends, The Spot Burgers & Beers, 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Lydia Rae, Buck & Board, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
New Binge Music, Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 8:00-11:00 PM

Saturday, May 24th

Ben Daniels, Keg Springs, 2:00 - 5:00 PM
Carson Phillips, Amber Falls Winery, 3:00 - 8:00 PM
Rett Stocstill, Buck & Board, 5:00 - 8:00 PM
The Def Leprechaun Band, McCreary’s Irish Pun 7:00 - 9:00 PM
The Deltaz, Puckett’s, 7:30 - 9:00 PM
The Petty Junkies, The Mulehouse, 8:00 PM
Grace West Band, Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 8:00 - 11:00 PM
Power Play, The Boondox, 8:00 - 11:00 PM

Sunday, May 25th

Braise Killen, Amber Falls Winery, 1:00-5:00 PM
Brandon Bartley, Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 4:00-7:00 PM
Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6:00-7:30 PM

👇 Click the Links to Learn About our Local Business Sponsors! 👇

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