Next Roundtable: STREET TREES
The Super Heroes of Main Street -- Part 2!
Thursday August 28, 2025, 12-1PM Featuring: Cassie Tharinger,
Executive Director of the Providence Neighborhood Planting Program
| | “Trees are truly the “super heroes of Main Streets” – as we heard all about in last summer’s roundtable: Street Trees Part 1 (if you missed it, check it out here.) There’s also a LOT to consider about planting and maintaining trees in commercial corridors – and we’re not going “out on a limb” to say it was too much for just one discussion! We’re thrilled to welcome Cassie Tharinger, Executive Director of the Providence Neighborhood Planting Program (PNPP) to get more “in the weeds” with us about their community-based approach to tree planting. CONTINUE READING > | | This program is made possible with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS.) The contents do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS or the U.S. Government. | | | |
PRESENTING
MAIN STREET: A Power of Place Podcast
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Downtown Woonsocket Invites You to Visit -- and Stay
The city that once said ‘bienvenu’ to French Canadians seeking mill jobs now welcomes new businesses and residents as part of its historic Main Street district revival.
The Downtown Woonsocket Collaborative recently hosted our Main Street Network on a tour of their downtown Main Streets, and we were lucky to have our new guest columnist Lisa A Watts join us! She writes all about the revival of downtown Woonsocket in her first of many feature stories to come for our new Grow Smart RI Blog!
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We're Looking for Main Street Champions Across Rhode Island. Can You Help? | We'd like to get to know more of the Main Street practitioners in Rhode Island -- that's anyone who is invested in strengthening their walkable commercial district, whether as a seasoned professional, business owner, engaged community member, or new volunteer. Is that you or someone you know? | Please help introduce us so that we can connect RI's Main Street Champions to the resources we're building and to each other. Don't worry, we won't add anyone to our mailing list without asking first! (Or, please forward this email directly to them?) | | We Celebrated the RI General Assembly's Support of our Statewide Main Street Coordinating Program! | That's right! The RI General Assembly allocated $125K in the next fiscal year in support our Statewide Coordinating Main Street program, which means big things for Main Streets across RI. We gathered at the Guild in Pawtucket to celebrate with some of our biggest champions including our guest of honor, Senator Lori Urso pictured at right. | | | |
Above: The Pawtucket Arts Festival celebrates the city's creative and cultural life through a vibrant series of programs, from music and dance to theatre and film, spread across Pawtucket between August 29 -- September 7.
Other Events:
Wickford Harbor Fire August 14, Sept 12 and Oct 17 from 5:30-9 PM
Twilight on the Blackstone dinner on the Court Street Bridge in Downtown Woonsocket,
Aug 23 from 6-10 pm
Pawtucket Empanada Fest, Pawtucket, Aug 31 from 4-9pm
PVDFest - the People's Festival of Art, Music, and Culture, Providence, September 5-6
| | Upcoming Partner Webinars | | |
Powering Up Main Street: What You Need to Know About EV Charging
Connecticut Main Street Center Free Webinar, August 14,11am
From Vision to Reality: Guided Tour of Main Street America's Academy,
Main Street America Free Webinar, October 6, 2pm
This exciting new platform offers accessible, engaging, and strategically aligned learning experiences to support your work and your program's success. This webinar will guide you through the Academy's features and course offerings.
| | HAVE A MAIN STREET EVENT OR OPPORTUNITY YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? Email Caroline Stevens to be included next time. | | Thank You to our Main Street RI Founding Sponsor: | | Additional Main Street RI Program Support Provided By: | | Why the focus on Main Street? | | |
Main Street America
Main Street America leads a national movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. Founded in 1980, they have helped over 2,000 communities across the country bring economic vitality back downtown, while celebrating their history and culture and bringing communities together.
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Dear Dairy King,
From beneath your wide, retro eaves, you've watched as Cranston St. changed and changed again -- different stores and different people calling the street home over your many decades in business. But you've remained much the same. No matter who is behind your window, they greet your customers with delicious ice cream and the biggest smile, making us all feel like we belong right where we are.
With Love,
Caroline
From: Caroline Nye
To: Dairy King on Cranston St.
Location: 472 Cranston St. Providence, RI
| | LOVE THIS? Share Your Love with Main Street RI by Making a Donation Today. | | | Grow Smart RI | www.GrowSmartRI.org | |
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