WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2
Registration open
8:00am - 5:00pm
Location: Veramendi Pre-Function E
Exhibitor area open
8:00am - 5:00pm
Location: Veramendi Pre-Function E
Learn about services and products for your downtown and community.
Anice Read Fund Silent Auction Dropoff
8:00am - 3:00pm
Location: Veramendi Salon A
Dropoff items for the Anice Read Fund Silent Auction.
Welcome
8:30am - 9:00am
Location: Veramendi Salon E
Katelyn Brown
Texas Downtown Board of Directors President, Destination Bryan
Opening Keynote: Sharing your Destination’s Story So it Gets Passed Down for Generations
9:00am - 10:00am
Location: Veramendi Salon E
Every downtown has a unique story that the world needs to hear. The best way to get that story out is to let the people around you do the work so that your downtown tale is passed down from destination to generation across the world for years to come. We’ll share best practices to help create the storytellers, including those in your own town, as well as the tourists who visit, who will spread your story further, faster, and with as much enthusiasm. After all, the best stories are those that we share with each other.
Sponsored by Opportunity Strategies, LLC
Jessica Serna
My Curly Adventures
Networking Break
10:00am - 10:30am
Location: Veramendi Pre-Function E
Grab a snack, visit with exhibitors, and network with downtown professionals.
Sponsored by the City of Nacogdoches
Downtown Revivals: Are they sustainable?
10:30am - 11:30am
Location: Veramendi Salon B
As young professionals and empty nesters migrate to small town city centers and surrounding neighborhoods small to mid-sized towns are experiencing a renaissance. These prospective residents are seeking a human scale environment that can still provide cultural entertainment, a third place to call their own, still be around the hustle and bustle of a city center without the high stress, and to return to their hometown roots. Is it sustainable? We will explore this trend by looking at the value of residents inside of revitalizing downtowns, understand what prospective residents are looking for in housing, explore the risk and the viability of boutique real estate developments, the economic struggles of small downtown businesses, and the role events play in the revival.
Breakout room sponsored by the City of Palestine
Katie Neason
Renovation Wranglers
Human Centered Design for Place Organizations
10:30am - 11:30am
Location: Spring Lake Salon C
This talk is designed for cities and place-based organizations so that they may foster a culture of impact and doing. Human Centered Design is about moving forward and responding to changing ideals, expectations, needs, and wants. In order to truly thrive, your organization needs both a clear sense of direction while simultaneously finding ways to bring about forward movement and change.
Breakout room sponsored by the City of Conroe
Field Session: Public Art & Placemaking
10:30am - 11:45am
Location: Downtown San Marcos
Transportation provided
Downtown San Marcos has a vibrant and thriving public art scene. Learn about murals, vacant building activations, banners, signage, wayfinding, and more.
Lunch on your own
11:30am - 1:00pm
Location: Downtown San Marcos
Transportation provided
Explore all the great food choices Downtown San Marcos has to offer.
Diversity, Inclusion, & Accessibility in Your Downtown
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Location: Veramendi Salon B
As the heart of your community, your downtown should be welcoming and accessible to all. This panel discussion will explore the hows and the whys of expanding DEI efforts in your organization, downtown, and community.
Breakout room sponsored by the City of Palestine
Anthony Betters, Sr.
Dr Pepper Museum
Chris Dyer
Dr Pepper Museum
Sharon Newhardt
Morgan's Wonderland
Shane Sorenson
Texas Travel Alliance
Stories from the Past, Lessons for Tomorrow
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Location: Spring Lake Salon C
This entertaining and conversational style session will highlight how much hasn’t changed over the last thirty years. The old adage “the more things change” rings true as we continue to navigate the myriad of challenges amidst the continuum of unprecedented events facing downtown professionals. A snapshot in time, this informative and strikingly relevant discussion will help attendees on their leadership journey regardless of where they are on their path. The downtown veteran leaders with over a century of experience will showcase the most basic yet innovative downtown revitalization techniques and personal stories connected to downtown training materials circa the 1980s. Everything you ever needed to know to lead the change in your community, was basically learned in kindergarten or in this case presented by Anice Read. #TXDT22 attendees will enjoy hearing about the leadership savvy needed to navigate the complexities of downtown management in this conference session.
Breakout room sponsored by the City of Conroe
Molly Alexander
ITP Consulting
Dick Ryan
Retired Texas Main Street Architect
Field Session: Upper Story Residential Development
1:00pm - 2:15pm
Location: Downtown San Marcos
Transportation provided
Downtown San Marcos is home to over 3,000 residents, several of whom live on the second floor of historic buildings. During this field session, attendees will tour examples of successful upper story development projects.
Networking Break
2:00pm - 2:30pm
Location: Veramendi Pre-Function E
Grab a snack, visit with exhibitors, and network with downtown professionals.
Sponsored by Freese & Nichols
Mixing Preservation with Modern Demands in Public Spaces
2:30pm - 3:30pm
Location: Veramendi Salon B
Many downtowns have public squares and plazas with historical significance, including layouts and various features. Some features may be on the National Register of Historic Places, while others might be on the local register of emotional connections and community identity. At the same time, people have growing and changing expectations for their public spaces, and their activation is vital to downtown success. This presentation will explore design and engagement approaches used to resolve these conflicts, featuring examples from cities like Victoria, TX and Edmond, OK, San Marcos, TX as well as other cities. We plan to make this interactive, asking the audience what they might've done and then taking them through what actually happened.
Breakout room sponsored by the City of Palestine
Chance Sparks
Freese & Nichols
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
2:30pm - 3:30pm
Location: Spring Lake Salon C
When we think about downtown revitalization and maintaining a unique part of our communities, we tend to forget about what's out of sight: the physical infrastructure on which Downtown relies for its success. It is easy to understand why these elements are so often forgotten until they become urgent, hidden away they often work exactly as you expect, right up until they don't. But this unintended neglect results in a scramble for funding as competing agencies and organizations are faced with insufficient resources to meet every need. It is critical that cities of all sizes understand how to quantify the impact of the expenditures they are considering, and objectively compare them to the other items seeking funding. Wouldn’t it be easier if there was a common language that could be used to compare all needs and determine how to get the best bang for the buck? The good news? There is. Learn how to bring this language to your own community and help your own downtown receive the same level of consideration that the new development that expands is getting.
Breakout room sponsored by the City of Conroe
Field Session: Downtown Infrastructure
2:30pm- 3:45pm
Location: Downtown San Marcos
Transportation provided
Over the past few years, San Marcos has invested in downtown streetscapes. See several projects in person during this field session, including pedestrian improvements and amenities, low impact development, and the city's first two-way cycle track.
Festival and Event Emergency Management and Action Planning
3:30pm - 4:30pm
Location: Veramendi Salon B
If you plan events, then this session is for you! Attendees will learn about developing a local emergency action plan, what each ICS form means, what types of insurance to consider, and developing an effective chain of command.
Breakout room sponsored by the City of Palestine
Tina Israel
City of Bay City
Downtown Arts & Culture
3:30pm - 4:30pm
Location: Spring Lake Salon C
Public art can transform your downtown. In this session, city staff from Georgetown and San Marcos will provide an overview of efforts to engage the arts community, develop strategic plans, identifying funding sources, and celebrating successes.
Breakout room sponsored by the City of Conroe
Amanda Still
City of Georgetown
Amy Thomaides
City of San Marcos
Charlotte Wattigny
City of San Marcos
Anice Read Fund Silent Auction
5:45pm - 7:00pm
Location: Spring Lake Salons B & C
Show your support for the Anice Read Fund and bid on some amazing auction items!
All proceeds from the silent auction benefit downtown projects and programs across Texas. Since 1999, the Fund has awarded over $180,000 in grants to Texas downtowns, allowing communities to leverage over $7 million in funding from other sources.
President's Awards Gala
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Location: Veramendi Salon E
Join us in recognizing the BEST of Texas downtowns.
*Not included with registration. Separate ticket required. Business wear.
Sponsored by MyCurlyAdventures