Secretary Lee Designates Main Street Marianna as the Florida Main Street Program of the Month

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –

Today, Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee announced that Main Street Marianna has been designated the May 2022 Florida Main Street Program of the Month.

“I am happy to recognize Main Street Marianna as the Florida Main Street Program of the Month,” said Secretary Lee. “Faced with many challenges following the destruction caused by Hurricane Michael in 2018, the entire community of Marianna has shown resilience and determination in rebuilding and returning life to their historic downtown.”

Photograph courtesy of Main Street Marianna

Established on October 1, 1992, the mission of Main Street Marianna is to restore, promote, and maintain the historic character of downtown Marianna, contribute to downtown revitalization efforts, and stimulate economic activity that helps enhance the quality of life for all Marianna residents.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to work and to assist in fostering growth in the community both in terms of physical size and also in terms of human connection,” said Main Street Marianna Executive Director Meghan Basford, a Marianna native. "I value my relationships with each community member that I meet, and we all have this incredible, unspoken, common bond in the way that we have all experienced several life-changing events in this area. I believe that now is the time for us to renew our vision and pump life back into this incredible community."

Main Street Marianna hosts a variety of events throughout the year, such as Pumpkins in the Park, Christmas in Candyland, Lights on the Landing, Shamrock Shenanigans, Melons in the Park, the Annual Independence Day Celebration, and Concerts in the Park.

Since 1992, Main Street Marianna has reported approximately $34,024,673 in public and private reinvestments and welcomed 98 net new businesses and 574 net new full-time and part-time jobs to the district. The organization has reported more than 12,055 volunteer hours.

For more information on Main Street Marianna, visit https://www.mainstreetmarianna.org or Facebook.com/MainStreetMarianna. To learn more about the Florida Main Street program, visit FloridaMainStreet.com or Facebook.com/FloridaMainStreet.

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About Florida Main Street

Florida Main Street is a program administered by the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, which currently oversees 55 communities throughout the state. By implementing the National Main Street Center’s Four-Point Approach®, Florida Main Street encourages economic development within the context of historic preservation through the revitalization of Florida’s downtowns – the community’s heart and soul. For more information, visit floridamainstreet.com.