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Brooksville Main Street reports tourism and volunteer gains; pushes historic design guidelines and summer programs
Summary
Brooksville Main Street reported growth in engagement, volunteer hours, net new downtown businesses, and new walking‑tour infrastructure; executive director Dawn Draconi outlined design guideline adoption, a pocket park and playground plans, and 2025 economic impact metrics.
Dawn Draconi, executive director of Brooksville Main Street, presented a year‑in‑review highlighting outreach, preservation work, and economic‑vitality metrics for downtown Brooksville. Draconi described the organization as a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit that received state recognition for the Tangerine Festival and has focused on historic preservation and downtown promotion.
“Preserving our past, building our future,” Draconi said, summarizing the organization’s mission and describing volunteer and event metrics: 6,500 volunteer hours in 2025, an economic impact to downtown businesses of about $1.7 million, 10 net new businesses and 47 new jobs, and more than 63,000 event visitors across promotions. She also described a new 10‑tour walking program (tourbvl.com) and partnerships with Florida’s Adventure Coast and local media.
Draconi reviewed design and beautification work (murals, pole banners, brickwork) and noted plans for a pocket park and a Russell Street playground expansion; she said the group is working with city staff and state preservation programs to finalize historic design guidelines. She thanked partners including the Chamber of Commerce and the sheriff’s office and offered to share updated mission and vision documents with council.
Council thanked Draconi for the report and had no further questions; no formal action was required.
