Milledgeville Main Street celebrated the start of summer with its annual Hometown Celebration in the heart of downtown Milledgeville.
The event began in 2014 as a community celebration for winning the national title of a Great American Main Street City by the Main Street America organization. This award is given to communities whose success serves as a model for comprehensive, preservation-based revitalization efforts in their historic downtowns and commercial corridor districts. Since then, the celebration has served as a way to welcome in summer and connect the community through various events.
With a street shutdown and many businesses throughout downtown opening to offer talent showcases, game nights, and more, locals and tourists were able to enjoy the rich atmosphere that downtown has to offer.
Events included live music from Nu South Playaz, community groups, and Highway 49 alongside other minor concerts in select businesses. The artisan market stretched in two rows down the center of the street with selections ranging from handmade pens to baked goods. At the end of the market was the Family Fun Zone with an inflatable slide, inflatable ax throwing, basketball, and cornhole to play.
'The Hometown Celebration encompasses what makes Milledgeville special, our community and our culture,” said Carlee Schulte, director of Milledgeville Main Street/ Downtown Development Authority.
The Hometown Celebration is a special event that focuses on highlighting local talents, local businesses, and encouraging everyone to share what they love about Milledgeville. The event is promoted using the hashtags #Ilovemilly and #HometownCelebration, so pictures and videos from the event also reconnect. Throughout the event, connection- based activities can be found like the chalkboard asking attendees’ favorite movies and what they enjoy about their hometown.
The event also served as a close to National Small Business week, which Milledgeville Main Street promoted from April 28-May 4 to encourage everyone to shop local and support “the heartbeat of the community.”
Overall, the event served to showcase the close-knit community of Milledgeville and its downtown area that brings together people, whether they are a college student, a visitor from across the state, or were born and raised in Baldwin County.