News

News

2023 Street & Utility Reconstruction Update – January 23, 2023

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.

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.

Mayor Tree Lighting and Mr. & Mrs. Santa Saturday – December 3rd

Tree Lighting Event 2022

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 Market from 10:00am – 3:00pm for local crafters and vendors. The festivities continue at Heritage Park at 3:30 cocoa and cookies and Santa & Mrs. Claus visits from 4:30- 5:30.

Mayor Emily Durand will have the honors of lighting up the City Christmas Tree at 5:30. Fire pits will warm your toes and hot beverages will be provided for all sponsored by Gwaltney Group RE/Max Results at Old City Hall. Please join us for a festive day in Wabasha.

For more details see: www.wabashamainstreet.org. Or find us on Facebook & Instagram for updates of Holiday events this season.

Wabasha Celebrates 7th Annual Shop Small Saturday November 26, 2022

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.

Small Business Saturday

According to the 2019 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, 97% of consumers who shopped on Small Business Saturday agree that small businesses are essential to their community and 95% reported the day makes them want to shop or eat at small, independently-owned businesses all year long, not just during the holiday season.

Wabasha Main Street has been hosting Shop Small Saturday for the past 6 years. This will be our combined 5th year as an American Express Neighborhood Champions promoting Shop Local on the Saturday following Thanksgiving.

This year’s event will have more participating merchants and local businesses promoting Holiday sales, registrations for door prizes and open houses as well as giving away free Shop Small gifts and swag to customers as a way to thank them for shopping local first. See our Facebook page and Instagram account for more business highlights and events. Follow the Wabasha Main Street at www.wabashamainstreet.org.

Merchants and consumers can learn more about Shop Small, Small Business Saturday and how to get involved by visiting ShopSmall.com

Contact:
Mary E. Flicek, Wabasha Main Street Director 651-380-9035
wabashamainstreet@gmail.com

About Small Business Saturday
November 26th, 2022 marks the 13th Annual Small Business Saturday, a celebration of small businesses and the positive impact they have on communities across the country. American Express, having created Small Business Saturday in 2010, proudly works with organizations and independent businesses to provide solutions that support communities and uplift local economies. Learn more and connect with us on ShopSmall.com, Instagram.com/ShopSmall, and Facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday.

City of Wabasha receives $50,000 Blandin Foundation Leadership Boost Grant

(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 resources to move small communities from where they are to where they want to go.”

More than 300 Letters of Interest were submitted for funding, far more than anticipated. Based on the type of requests received, Blandin Foundation opened three grant rounds for Community Planning, Capital Projects in small towns under 3,000 people, and Creative Placemaking. To better support the many strong requests, the total amount of funding available increased from $1 million to $5.5 million after Blandin Foundation’s board approved an additional $3 million in June and a $1.5 million grant was secured from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.

“Rural and Tribal places simply don’t get their fair share of funding and resources,” said Merrild. “When we see stats like only 5 percent of philanthropic dollars and 10 percent of federal small business loan funds go to rural, this creates resource roadblocks to future opportunity. While the leaky pipes intended to bring resources into rural communities need a complete overhaul, Leadership Boost Grants are one way we can spark energy and action toward sustainable rural futures.”

The City of Wabasha was invited to submit a full application for a Community Planning grant.

The City intends to foster projects that support capacity building with this award. “With a locally-led committee reviewing project possibilities, we will also plan to assist applicants to engage other local funding partners such as the Wabasha Kellogg Area Community Foundation, Wabasha County Statewide Health Improvement Partnership, and Wabasha Main Street when appropriate to seed and expand projects that arise from this program,” said Durand, “Collaboration will be key at every step.”

For more on Blandin Foundation’s Rural Leadership Boost Grants, and to see other grantee projects, visit https://bit.ly/RuralBoostGrants.

Media Contacts

City of Wabasha
Emily Durand, Mayor
mayor@wabasha.org
651-262-8736

Blandin Foundation
Alie McInerney, Senior Rural Advocacy Associate
ammcinerney@blandinfoundation.org
218-910-8677