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Sheridan Downtown Association outlines events, promotions and partnerships for 2025
Summary
The Sheridan Downtown Association reported on last year's volunteer-led programs, promotional shopping sprees that tracked receipt spending, new events and plans to pursue additional National Register nominations and collaborations with local museums.
Zoila Perry, executive director of the Sheridan Downtown Association, told the City Council on March 18 that the association plans to repeat established events in 2025 and add two new promotions while continuing partnerships with Sheridan College and local cultural institutions.
Perry said volunteers transplanted more than 1,000 flowers downtown last May, and the association ran promotions last year that it credits with driving downtown spending during construction. She reported promotional figures the association tracked from receipts: a June shopping-spree entry pool of about 935 entries with roughly $71,927.80 in tracked spending; a July promotion with about 817 entries and $49,327.01 in tracked spending; and a holiday “shop small” event with about 1,531 entries and approximately $107,930 in tracked receipts.
The DSA also summarized last year’s Main Street reopening events, a powwow parade with 370 participants and an estimated 1,500 spectators, a new Monster Mash event that drew large family turnout, and a first annual downtown soup festival that raised funds for the Elk Fire relief, Perry said. She credited partners including Sheridan College (for nursery starts), Frackleton’s restaurant, the Wilde Theatre, the Sheridan Press and area businesses for volunteering and promotional support.
Perry described the association’s 2025 strategic priorities as sustaining leadership and collaboration, strengthening financial foundation, and advancing strategic downtown projects. Planned 2025 activities include a Galentine’s “gnome” promotional event in February, an April shopping-spree repeat, the third-Thursday summer season kickoff in June, and work with the Certified Local Government program to nominate another downtown building to the National Register of Historic Places.
Council members and staff thanked the association volunteers and asked operational questions: Council member Wood asked whether Sheridan College’s nursery was used to start the flowers; Perry said yes and added the association shares watering duties with college partners and volunteers. Mayor Bridger and others asked that the DSA’s online transformation survey be promoted to council members so staff and council can comment on proposed downtown enhancements.
Ending: Perry asked for public and council feedback on downtown transformation ideas and said the association will return with aerial concepts and additional partnership proposals.
