25 Years of Educational Excellence at the Nation’s Leading Statewide Downtown Revitalization Conference

North Carolina community and economic development leaders will convene in downtown New Bern for the 2026 North Carolina Main Street Conference March 10-12. Registration is now open for the 25th annual meeting where community leaders can gather inspiration, practical tools, and proven strategies to advance their local revitalization efforts.  Organized by the North Carolina Department of Commerce and its N.C. Main Street and Rural Planning Center, the three-day annual conference hosted by the City of New Bern will explore innovative strategies for downtown revitalization and economic development.

As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the N.C. Main Street Conference, the largest statewide downtown revitalization conference in the country, we reflect on the transformative journey that has shaped North Carolina’s downtown districts. More than 850 attendees representing over 150 communities are expected to attend the three-day session.

This year’s theme, Main Street: Inspiring Impactful Change, focuses on how the Main Street program drives meaningful transformation in communities. For decades, the North Carolina Main Street program has guided transformative journeys from Murphy to Manteo, revitalizing downtowns, preserving historic assets, and strengthening local economies. The conference is a testament to the resilience and vision of communities that have embraced the Main Street approach, turning challenges into opportunities and inspiring impactful changes across the state.

New Bern, one of the original Main Street communities, is an exceptional community to host this year’s anniversary celebration. Since 1980, the City of New Bern and its nonprofit Main Street program, Swiss Bear, Inc., have led efforts to revitalize its historic downtown through preservation, economic development, and public engagement. These efforts have transformed downtown New Bern into a walkable, bike-friendly destination enhanced by public art, beautification projects, and cultural events. Historic buildings have been rehabilitated, new development has complemented the city’s heritage, and local businesses have flourished, making New Bern a model for Main Street success.

The conference offers communities an opportunity to hear from practitioners across the state and country, with inspirational keynote and plenary sessions from the following:

Keynote Speakers

• Edward Erfurt, Strong Towns, presenting Strong Communities Begin Downtown 
• Joe Minicozzi, Urban3, presenting The Economics of a City and the Power of Downtowns! 
• Joe Borgstrom, Place+Main Advisors, presenting Modern Magnets: Powering Downtowns with Today’s Anchor Destinations 

Plenary Speakers

• Plenary Conversation with Edward Erfurt and Joe Minicozzi, moderated by Reginald Speight, Assistant Secretary of Rural Economic Development, on Dollars & Density: Unpacking the Price of Place
• Erin Barnes, Main Street America, presenting Main Street Forward: Where Lessons Learned Power the Future

In addition to the keynotes and plenaries, there will be 10 Toolkit Sessions and 18 Breakout sessions, an awards ceremony showcasing 13 of the best projects completed in designated Main Street communities on March 11, a Main Street Champions Recognition Ceremony on March 12, and guided tours of historic New Bern.

For more information and to register for the conference, visit the N.C. Main Street Conference.  Early bird registration pricing ends on February 16, 2026.