Representatives from communities of all sizes discovered solutions for enhancing their Main Streets initiatives through storytelling and preservation at the 2025 Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference. Get Your Kicks on Main Street presented the power of a good story for cultivating community pride, attracting visitors, and preserving local heritage. Attendees learned how to collect and share their district’s stories, empower volunteers to implement experiences that foster community connections infused with history and character, and feature the unique qualities of their district as a great place to live, work, invest, and play.
Attendees can access photos from the 2025 Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference as part of their complimentary photo pass that came with each registration. Click the link below to view the pictures. If there are other pictures you think our photographer captured and are not included in the photo pass selection, please contact Logan Breer at logan@momainstreet.org.
Please use these photos when reporting to your local Main Street board or promoting your attendance at our conference in your newsletter or social media posts.
Leading up to and following Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference, Missouri Main Street Connection published a series of featured articles that highlighted various things to do at the conference and a wrap up of the wonderful time attendees had:
- Get Your Kicks in St. Charles (February 28, 2025)
- Get Your Kicks on Main Street at Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference (March 25, 2025)
- Eight Reasons to Attend the 2025 Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference (April 24, 2025)
- Scholarships and Partnerships: How to Fund Your Trip to Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference (May 30, 2025)
- The 2025 Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference: Enlightening Missouri Main Street’s on the Power of Storytelling and Preservation (August 22, 2025)
You can access conference session handouts and slide decks in our Dropbox folder by clicking on the button.
Board Leadership Deep Dive: Leading with Purpose – A Jeopardy-Style Guide to an Effective Main Street
Held on Tuesday, July 22, Main Street Board Members participated in an interactive professional development experience with a Jeopardy-style game show format hosted by Dr. Steven Hoffman and Norma Ramirez de Miess. During this experience, they tested their knowledge, tackled real-world scenarios, and gained key insights—all while competing for bragging rights! Topics that were discussed included strategic thinking, governance, fundraising, representative leadership, refining messaging, setting measurable benchmarks, and aligning strategic planning with community needs.
Deep Dive Sponsored By:
Evening Opening Reception
The kick-off party for Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization was an entertaining evening of exploration and networking. Attendees started off with a behind-the-scenes tour of Craftsman Industries, Inc., where they walked through their warehouse. This tour provided a wealth of inspiration for communities to R&D, including unique storytelling projects, banners, food trucks, pop-up experiences, and more. Following the tour, attendees networked together at the Odd Fellows Hall, a historic property in downtown St. Charles, with a fun “Find a Friend” Activity.
Evening Opening Reception Sponsored By:
Missouri Arts Council One-On-One Consultations
Throughout the conference, attendees visited with the Missouri Arts Council during no-cost, one-on-one consultations to learn how the arts could be used to revitalize their community or Main Street districts. This included how the arts, creative placemaking, creative districts, and Arts Councils can drive visitors, new businesses, and economic vitality. This opportunity was provided through appointments communities scheduled ahead of the conference and onsite during times that were still available.
Main Street Clinic
The Main Street Clinic offered attendees an opportunity to talk with Main Street and historic preservation professionals and answer questions like: Do you need to develop an idea for your downtown or the organization? Do you need advice from Main Street professionals? There were no appointments needed!
Signs of the Times Gallery
The “Signs of the Times” Gallery was open throughout the 2025 Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference. Conference attendees voted for their favorite sign and story to be featured on a poster for Preservation Month 2026. Learn more about the “Signs of the Times” signs at www.momainstreet.org.
“Get Your Kicks” Stamp Passport Raffle
During the conference, attendees could participate in a new twist on a raffle through MMSC’s “Get Your Kicks” Stamp Passport. The “Get Your Kicks” Stamp Passport was an interactive experience that encouraged attendees to visit downtown St. Charles, eat at local restaurants, shop at local businesses, and participate in conference activities in order to get stamps. If they gathered 15 or more stamps, they could turn in their passport to be entered into a raffle to win an amazing sign or many other great prizes. Congratulations to Old Town Cape for winning the grand prize!
ShowMe Bash & Pitch Party
The ShowMe Bash & Pitch Party was held at OPO Startups, a restored 1909 “Old Post Office” that serves as an incubator space. Conference attendees enjoyed a “Taste of St. Charles,” with an array of food provided by local restaurants, including Della Vino Wine Bar & Tapas, The Main House, Lewis & Clark, and Grandma’s Cookies. They then listened to three skits presented by the Creative Space Activation Grant finalists and selected Salisbury Main Street as the winner to receive $10,000 for its project. Following the Pitch Party, attendees were able to explore, eat, and shop in downtown St. Charles.
ShowMe Bash & Pitch Party Sponsored by:
Evening of Excellence Awards Ceremony & Dinner
The annual Evening of Excellence Awards Ceremony and Dinner provided an elegant opportunity for attendees to recognize and celebrate each other’s use of the Main Street Approach™ to revitalize traditional downtowns and neighborhood business districts.
Evening of Excellence Awards Ceremony & Dinner Sponsored By:
This conference is a private and public partnership with the Department of Economic Development, the State of Missouri, USDA, Missouri Humanities, and MMSC.
