News & Events

Construction is still underway but downtown businesses are still open! Use the directory of downtown businesses to find parking options. Learn More [tnc-pdf-viewer-iframe file="https://www.wabashamainstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/Wabasha_Downtown-Business-Map_Sign_FINAL-digital.pdf" width="100%" height="450" download="true" print="true" fullscreen="true" share="true" zoom="true" open="true" pagenav="true" logo="true" find="true" current_view="true" rotate="true" handtool="true" doc_prop="true" toggle_menu="true" language="en-US" page="" default_zoom="auto" pagemode=""]

Project Update A preliminary phasing plan has been developed for the project to aid in managing access during construction. The specific timing of each phase is dependent on the constructor’s schedule of work. Once the contractor is selected in the spring more information on specific timing of phasing will be provided. View the preliminary phasing plan newsletter View project FAQs Take the business questionnaire Reminder: We encourage businesses that front the project area to fill out the Business Questionnaire if this information has not been provided yet. Please feel free to reach out with any questions to Katy Gehler, Katy.Gehler@bolton-menk.com or at (507) 513-9066. Visit the project website!

Wabasha Main Street has announced their kick off to the holidays with a great lineup of Christmas activities for Wabasha on December 3rd. They have added many more events for you and your family and included highlighting the local organizations, churches and businesses celebrating the season with Open Houses and Holiday Sales - inviting you to spend the entire day downtown and at Heritage Park. Perhaps check out a Bazaar or Cookie Sale, grab lunch at a local restaurant or coffee and head over to Heritage Park for the Annual Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting and Santa event under the bridge at Heritage Park downtown. Come for any or all events and spend the day all over town during Wabasha’s Christmas Day- everyone is invited!!! This year’s events include: Annual Christmas Bazaar at UCC from 8:00am-1:00pm, along with Faith Lutheran’s Cookies, Candy & Crafts Sale from 9:00am-3:00pm. There will be Holiday Shopping specials and Open Houses all over town including: Turning Waters B & B&B, Local World Gallery, Hoppy Girl Brewing, Driftless Books, , LARK Toys, SVJ Creatives, National Eagle Center, Barb’s Breakery, and Hill’s Hardware. Herb + Arrow (across from Heritage Park) is offering again this year an Outdoor [...]

The Wabasha area is full of small businesses participating in Shop Small Saturday. Check out a list of specials below!

Wabasha Main Street celebrates the 2022 holiday season and 13th Annual Small Business Saturday® by promoting Shop Local, Dine Local events as an American Express® Neighborhood Champion. Wabasha, MN November 14, 2022. Wabasha Main Street announced today that, as a member of the American Express® Neighborhood Champion Program, it will be partnering with American Express again for its 7th year in promoting Shop Small, Shop Local this Holiday Season as part of Small Business Saturday, which takes place on Nov 26th and all holiday season long. Created by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday celebrates the impact small businesses have on communities across the country. Wabasha Main Street encourages you to Shop Local, Dine Local and Stay Local first either in person, curbside, delivery, online or virtually. Supporting local helps keep these businesses alive during the holidays and all year long. In order to drive shoppers to Shop Small® this Nov 26th, Wabasha Main Street is participating in the American Express® Neighborhood Champion Program to spotlight small businesses and the impact they have on communities. According to the 2019 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, 97% of consumers who shopped on Small Business [...]

(Wabasha, Minn. Oct. 5, 2022) – The City of Wabasha will use a $50,000 Blandin Foundation Leadership Boost Grant to help local leaders and emerging leaders to return to much of the organizing that was disrupted by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Leadership Boost Grants were launched to encourage Minnesotans living in rural and Tribal communities to be visionary and creative as they move their communities forward after two years of snowballing challenges.Wabasha’s “Happier and Healthier in Community” project will support a return to collaboration among community members on projects which lead to successful strategy and planning for the community’s future. “Rather than funding a one-time project, we seek to build enduring community capacity that will perpetuate collaboration for future work,” says Mayor Emily Durand, adding, “The Blandin Foundation truly understands the dimensions of rural communities that need support and realizes barriers small communities face when seeking funding.”“The last two years of complex crises have taken a toll on leaders across rural Minnesota,” said Sonja Merrild, director of rural grantmaking at Blandin Foundation. “In times like this, of great challenge and opportunity, the resilience and fortitude of rural people and places shines through. Yet, we recognize the critical need for more [...]

As part of their transformational strategy, Wabasha Main Street continues to make improvements in the downtown historic Main Street district. The City of Wabasha installed two 6 foot benches at Popcorn Park for locals and visitors to rest and enjoy this tiny park in the downtown area. Wabasha Main Street has done the following improvements in the downtown area over the past five years: purchased Wabasha Main Street banners and Artist on Main banners, started an Adopt a Planter Program and maintenance of 40 of them, coordinated the efforts of purchasing and starting a free Bike Share Program and continue investing in updated software, signage and brochure printing, along with investing in the purchase of new water fountain in Heritage Park. Wabasha Main Street has also infused over $30,000 worth of Artist lead programs and projects over the past 3 years highlighting the Artist on Main Program with a Capstone installation- the “Community Roots” Mural painted by Artist Sue Mundy. Poet Pamela Larson wrote the poem that is also on the mural describing community and placing roots. Wabasha Main Street Director, Mary Flicek is searching for more grants to continue another round [...]

Widespotarts WideSpot? New Spot! WideSpot has relocated to their new venue at the Broadway Theater in the Mittel Schule building in Wabasha at 611 Broadway Avenue, Wabasha, MN. Celebrate the Grand Opening on September 10th at 7pm with live entertainment by Davina and the Vagabonds! Learn More

Wabasha Main Street has been recognized by the  National Main Street and Minnesota Main Street Programs for achieving their 2022 Affiliate level. Wabasha Main Street has gone through multiple levels of criteria to continue this affiliation status and continues to lead with Transformational strategies, 4 - point programming of organization, design, promotions and economic development in the downtown Main Street District. Our board and steering committee members have also had attendance at state and national conferences for the past 5 years, along with submitting quarterly statistics of reinvestment in the Wabasha Main Street district from businesses, organizations and city reinvestments in our downtown area. Wabasha Main Street does an annual housing survey each summer and will be submitting those statistics to RETHOS, our umbrella organization to Minnesota Main Street. If you want to learn more about projects or programs that Wabasha Main Street has done, or would like to part of our efforts please join us through memberships, donations, or volunteering.

Emily Durand, mayor of Wabasha, won the Emerging Leader Award in 2022 from the League of Minnesota Cities. Learn more about this award at: https://www.lmc.org/awards