Promotions & Events

Main Sreet Biloxi Celebrates 10 Years

Today marks the tenth anniversary of Biloxi becoming a main street community. It’s a time of celebration and reflection. Where were we in 1992? The Vieux Marche’ was a walking mall with rusty metal canopies and no walkers; Downtown became a ghost town everyday at 5:15; and safety was a real concern for area residents and visitors. Where are we today? The Vieux Marche’ is reopened to traffic, the canopies are gone and businesses and shoppers are returning to the area; there is life after 5:00 thanks to new restaurants and night spots attracting visitors; and with new lighting and increased patrols the area is safer than it has ever been. Are we where we need to be? No, far from it. Vacancy rates in the area are too high; retail while improving still is well below the level needed to compete with the malls and other areas; and the loss of the Federal Courthouse in downtown is going to adversely affect the whole area. That is why Main Street Biloxi exists and why their work is never ending.

So who is Main Street Biloxi and what do they do? Main Street Biloxi is a organization of area business owners and citizens that was founded to revitalize historic downtown Biloxi through enhancing the physical appearance of the area, strengthening the area’s economic base and promoting the area to customers, businesses, local citizens and visitors through marketing and special events. The Main Street District covers all of downtown from Porter Avenue to Bellman Street and from Beach Boulevard to the railroad tracks.

How can you get involved? Main Street is a volunteer driven effort and constantly in search of new volunteers. We need help at our regularly scheduled events such as the Brown Bag Lunches in Margaret Tremmel Peresich Park or the “Drive-in” Movies on the Town Green. Both events are highly successful and could be done more often if we had more help. Volunteers are also needed to help with our downtown business survey that will later be used to create a directory promoting downtown businesses. You might even have an hour or so once a week where you can help in the office. To learn how you can get involved come by the Main Street office on the Town Green or call 435-6339. Remember to mark your calendar for Friday for the Brown Bag Lunch in Peresich Park from 11 am to 1 pm. You bring lunch and we will bring the entertainment, Stevie “Maroono” Sekul and great door prizes.