Join us for a party in Monument Square!
Drive Less, Do More kicks off Tuesday, September 24th

Break for coffee, not traffic. Connect with people, not your GPS. Better the planet, not your gas mileage. We invite you to join the movement toward a happier, healthier Portland – and you'll find that once you drive less, you'll do more!

To celebrate the launch of our snazzy new multimodal marketing campaign – Drive Less, Do More – we're throwing a party in Monument Square! The event is free to attend, and all downtown residents, visitors, and employees are welcome to join the fun!
WHAT: Drive Less, Do More Launch Party

WHEN: Tuesday, September 24, 2019 • 8:00am-10:00am

WHERE: Monument Square in downtown Portland, Maine

WHY: To celebrate the launch of our new multimodal marketing campaign: Drive Less, Do More . Bring your friends and co-workers and enjoy:

  • Free goodies including stickers, postcards, and swag from your friendly neighborhood transportation organizations.
  • "Ask a Transportation Guru" – Got a burning question about taking the bus, train, plane, boat, or trail? We've got you covered!
  • Raffle prizes and interactive games (Plinko, anyone?)
  • Brief remarks at 9am.

Come via foot, bus, bike, carpool, pogo stick...you get the idea! RSVP on Facebook (not required).

Take a quick survey; win a prize!

Our Board of Directors is undertaking a strategic planning effort that will guide the coming years at Portland Downtown – and we need your help!

Please complete this brief  online survey  to help us collect a wide range of feedback from downtown stakeholders including residents, property owners, employees, business owners, and visitors. The survey should take as little as 5 minutes to complete and, at the end of the survey, we invite you to enter to win one of four  $50 Buoy Local Gift Cards !
Meet Amy Geren
A Q & A with our Program Director

How long have you worked for Portland Downtown?

I celebrated my three-year anniversary in May!

What makes the Portland Downtown mission meaningful to you?

Assisting with cleanliness and safety in an urban environment is never dull! The amazing partnerships at Portland Downtown – whether it’s our designated City of Portland Public Works crew keeping the sidewalks swept and free of snow and ice, our Downtown Cadet program , in partnership with the Portland Police Department, responding with knowledge of local ordinances, or our Peer Outreach Worker program , in partnership with Amistad, Inc., connecting people in need to community resources – make my job look easy. Not a lot of people realize it, but these people work tirelessly behind the scenes to make our city shine. 

What makes your job fun?

I love inspiring the next generation of urban district management professionals! Being a host-site for Junior Achievement of Maine’s Job Shadow Day with King Middle School students in the winter, taking Portland High school students on a tour of downtown in the spring, meeting with Gateway to Opportunity youth on their City of Portland summer internship, and attending Maine College of Art’s resource fair this fall, make my year full of opportunities to share information and to learn from these amazing young people.

What are some of your favorite things to do downtown?

I’m well known by my colleagues for my unsolicited thrifty tips, and there plenty of opportunities to enjoy downtown without overextending your budget – or even getting out your wallet! Two of downtown’s ten public parks are seasonally programed by organizations that bring fun, informative, and engaging experiences to downtown for FREE! Friends of Congress Square Park provides ample opportunities to engage and have fun in the heart of downtown, including movie nights and live music for entertainment seekers, and knitting and chess for quieter times to connect with neighbors. In the midst of an historic renovation, Friends of Lincoln Park programmed a concert series in the park this year, opening up another night for enjoying music in the open air. Both parks, as well as several others downtown, are seasonally decorated with Pandora’s Winter Lights in partnership with Portland Downtown, and I’m looking forward to having these beautiful and whimsical structures illuminate my walks downtown as the days get darker. And as the days grow shorter, Friday happy hour for me would not be complete without a visit to the Portland Museum of Art , where admission is FREE on Friday evenings.