Main Street

Community Development

Downtown Elkin Pumpkin Festival - Copy

Creating a Vision for Downtown

Our Main Street comes alive throughout the year with festivals, cruise-ins, and holiday gatherings. The Main Street Advisory Board focuses on many things which enhance the community and visitor experience including improvements in downtown, finding ways to increase the notoriety of Elkin's Main Street as an exciting place to spend some time, and encouraging community involvement and appreciation of Elkin's history and uniqueness for future generations.

    



















Below are examples that focus on the four main aspects of the NC Main Street Program consisting of Organization, Design, Promotion and Economic Vitality. You can also learn how downtown Elkin has incorporated these 4 elements successfully by watching Leverage NC's webinar where Elkin was honored to be the first town featured in the Successful Small Town Series in North Carolina! 

Successful Small Town Series - Elkin Webinar from Leverage NC on Vimeo.


Main Street Advisory Board Projects (Design)


The Main Street Advisory Board has completed numerous projects downtown using the Municipal Service District funds to enhance all areas in the downtown district. You'll find photos and descriptions of the most current projects by visiting our photo gallery

Farmers Market (Economic Vitality)

The Main Street Advisory Board sees the Farmers Market shelter as an example of a great asset to downtown vitality. It is a community gathering spot that started with a few farmers gathering to sell their goods, then the town built a shelter for the market. However, today it is also used as a bus stop, an event space for Explore Elkin live music and food truck events, and it can be rented for private events. 

The  MSAB focused on enhancing and growing market success and supported and contributed to the Farmers Market success in many ways. The board funded the accessories at the market shelter such as picnic tables, waste can, bulletin board, Elkin Farmers Market sign and added landscaping along Bridge Street.  Recently, they invested in four Yadkin Valley Seed Company seed packet murals on two sides of the tower at the market, and added ceiling fans and strung festoon lighting underneath the exposed trellises.

Farmers Market FM Food Truck Friday

The Main Street Advisory Board is also hoping to add awnings along the east and west sides of the shelter.  If you are interested in contributing funds to cover some expenses, please let us know!

Visit this link to our Farmers Market page to learn more about the market. 


Visual Marketing (Promotion)

The banner project started in 2014 when the Board decided to bring a different vibe to downtown.  A new color scheme was chosen along with images to tell Elkin's story and showcase various experiences that occur in downtown throughout the year. 

mural meeting banners 008























Winter/Spring banners offer a vibrant apple green with images of dining, wine tasting, fiddle conventions, and cycling (a new initiative in Elkin).  
Summer/Fall showcases a deep purple with images for Shop Local (with a photo from the Farmers Market), cruise Elkin, a musician playing guitar (symbolizing our live music venues throughout downtown), and a trail cairn (the NC Mountains to Sea Trail and the Overmountain Victory Trail come through downtown Elkin).  This also honors the Elkin Valley Trails Association for building fabulous trails from downtown Elkin towards Stone Mountain State Park.


Community Involvement (Organization)

The board has formed partnerships with numerous local organizations to make downtown a better place to work, shop, play and dine. Here are just a few:

  • Elkin City Schools students
  • Explore Elkin
  • Chamber of Commerce
  • Watershed NOW
  • Surry County Tourism Development Authority
  • Elkin Tourism Development Authority
  • Surry Wineries
  • Surry County Farmers Market
  • Downtown Merchants Association
  • Foothills Arts Council
  • Elkin Valley Trails Association
  • Lowes Home Improvement
  • Walmart
  • Prism Medical
  • Numerous volunteers for Light up Elkin and Explore Elkin events held in downtown
  • Adopt-A-Street volunteers

Mailing Address

Post Office Box 857 Elkin, North Carolina 28621

Street Address

226 North Bridge Street Elkin, North Carolina 28621

Facebook: Elkin NC, Explore Elkin  
Instagram: Elkintourismecdev   Twitter: #ExploreElkin,  #ElkinNC