The Downtown Strong: Building Resilient Economies grant is a grant provided by the U.S. Economic Development Administration through Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) that continues to impact Missouri communities. During the application phase of this grant, the Downtown Excelsior Partnership saw this as their opportunity to apply for assistance, and thought outside the box to consider how they could leverage current activities, additional funds, momentum, and partnerships to get the most out of the Downtown Strong Grant.  As a result, Downtown Excelsior Springs received two unique services that will assist in gaining new businesses, utilizing empty properties, and directing people to all downtown businesses.

Excelsior Springs is a naturally beautiful city, with reminders of the City’s historic mineral water resources reflected both inside the city and in its surroundings. Because of these influences, the street layout is unique resulting in many businesses being located off the main corridors but within the downtown Excelsior Springs district. Downtown Excelsior Partnership’s first service was to find solutions to showcase the downtown businesses located on these side streets. This is being accomplished through developing a Wayfinding Plan that could outline their signage needs and layout, with a strategic focus on making sure people knew where the businesses are and how to get to them. This was due to their current signage’s limitations and narrower focus which didn’t necessarily direct people to businesses and parking. Through the grant, the Downtown Excelsior Partnership and its volunteers are working with Fora Planning and the City of Excelsior Springs to develop a plan that everyone can utilize, and that the city will help implement.

Downtown Excelsior Partnership has also been able to updated their Market Analysis and built a Real Estate Development Strategy including business recruitment ideas with their second service. These services were completed by Joe Borgstrom of Place + Main. Both of these enhance Downtown Excelsior Partnership’s ability to strategically impact their downtown’s economic base by knowing the needs and having a plan to address them. Then, Downtown Excelsior Partnership took these plans and invested, through additional funding with the City of Excelsior Springs’ grant program, in developing the plans further through Joe Borgstrom to provide in-depth market analysis, detail strategies on improving business and real estate development, and finally, provide strategies to develop and recruit business
specifically for some of their high-profile empty buildings.

Leveraging their resources and building partnerships allowed the Downtown Excelsior Partnership to multiply their results from this grant! These plans will realize results into the future as they continue to be utilized by every entity involved. Leveraging, diversified budgeting, and utilizing available resources is integral to how local Main Streets continue to have extraordinary and long-lasting impacts in their communities. Without opportunities like the Downtown Strong: Building Resilient Economies grant and many others, that 501(c)3 nonprofit main street organizations can apply for, many communities would not have the capitol or equity to access community-saving services or implement community revitalizing strategies.

The services included in this article were prepared by Missouri Main Street Connection, Inc. using Federal funds under award 05-79-06056 from Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The City of Canton, Missouri and the local Main Street program, Canton Main Street, boldly joined forces to enhance their community economically and socially.  Canton is located in the northeast corner of the state on the Mississippi River with a population of 2,455 and is home to Culver-Stockton College.  It is a rural community with farming as one of the main industries, which serves as a port for grain distribution using the river and railroad. 

The local Main Street program began in late 2013 with a group of downtown stakeholders wanting to improve the trajectory of their downtown.  Like many downtowns, Canton saw years of deferred building maintenance, absentee property owners, and increased storefront vacancies.  Other issues were commercial retail space used for storage or part-time or hobby business owners with very limited store hours.  The goal of the small group was to start a Main Street program and turn that situation around. 

Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC), using the Affiliate Grant Program (now called the Community Empowerment Grant), partnered with city officials and district stakeholder to form a not-for-profit Main Street organization using the 40-plus year template of the National Main Street Center to form a board of directors, utilize Main Street Approach^TM committees, and implement projects and initiatives using economic development-based action plans.  This partnership and implementation of the Main Street Approach™ created Canton Main Street. Canton Main Street utilized additional grants and services from MMSC to gather economic and market demographics, provide board training and support, assist in developing a list of priorities, and strengthen stakeholder relationships.  All of these activities lead to the community wanting more.  The leadership in downtown and throughout the city wanted to use the Main Street Approach^TM to provide a focused direction for the future of the entire community.  That is where the idea of a community-wide master plan was born. 

Through a partnership with the City of Canton, Canton Main Street, community stakeholders, and Missouri Main Street, the process of planning began in February of 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic began.  This first meeting set the foundation for the Master Plan by meeting with various stakeholder groups for a larger community input session to gather viewpoints of the current community assets, what the community would like to see in the future, and how the community and downtown can be activated.  The consultants, representing the Main Street comprehensive approach to vibrant community development brought their expertise to the input sessions but also began formulating themes or focus areas.  Main Street calls these focus areas Transformation Strategies which help guide the community development activities from brainstorming to funding to implementation. 

Future visits both virtually and in-person helped to refine these strategies and put more detail to the plan with the outcome being a 96-page document with visuals for potential projects, guidelines of how to implement, and recommendations on potential funding sources.  The report was presented in November of 2021 to a packed house at the new City Hall building.   Wayfinding signs, building renderings, new branding for downtown and the community, and business recruitment tactics were included in the plan and were featured during the presentation. 

Following the adoption of the plan, MMSC checks in with the leadership of Canton on their implementation progress, helps to remove obstacles, or assists with partnerships as the community moves through the timeline of implementation as outlined in the plan.  

This year at Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference’s ShowMe Bash & Pitch Party, Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) will be awarding the Creative Space Activation Grant to one local Main Street organization. As Missouri communities continue to evolve in response to the changing circumstance of the COVID-19 pandemic, MMSC sees a continued need to activate outdoor spaces through placemaking projects in historic districts as a way to support small businesses, local citizens, and community vibrancy for all ages.

The Missouri Main Street Connection Creative Space Activation Grant has been designed to support one local Main Street organization in activating their historic district’s public spaces to build community connections and create activity that encourages customers to support local small businesses. Creative solutions to promote places and fill them strategically with opportunities for citizens to enjoy their community, enhance civic and community pride, and create a place for visitors to linger and to enjoy local businesses and restaurants at their leisure has a huge impact on your community’s economic vitality as well as sense of place. From small to big, every project matters when it comes to creating a vibrant community for all ages.

Applications are being accepted for this grant opportunity until July 8, 2022. If you are a Missouri Main Street program that has an agreement with MMSC, and are in good standing, you are eligible to apply. Five communities will be selected as finalists to attend the Pitch Party where they will have time to present their project to the live audience and a panel of judges. Each of the five finalists will receive a box of placemaking materials that may include lawn games, paint/chalk, signs, lights, placemaking educational materials, etc., but only one will walk away with the grant of $10,000 to implement their project!

If you are eligible to apply and interested in getting the application email info@momainstreet.org. 

Cleaning exterior masonry walls not only improves the overall appearance of your building, but also helps maintain the wall's structural integrity. Embedded dirt keeps in moisture and hosts harmful microorganisms, both of which damage a building's surface over time. However, inappropriate masonry cleaning can also cause irreparable damage to the masonry, so the decision to clean the masonry comes with these considerations: 

1. Mortar | The mortar between masonry units may need to be repointed before any cleaning method is undertaken. Otherwise, water will seep through deteriorated mortar, damaging exterior surface, inner metal support, and wall finishes. Infiltrating water can additionally cause salt deposits on or below a wall's surface upon evaporation, known as subflorescence and efflorescence, respectively.  Water itself can contain minerals which discolor or stain masonry, as can dissolved de-icing salts from adjacent sidewalks. An expert can help you determine if such salt deposits on your building are indicative of a need to repoint.

2. Masonry Type | The term "masonry" encompasses a multitude of building materials (i.e., brick, limestone, granite, cast concrete, glazed terra cotta, etc.), each with their own respective cleaning methods. Knowing the type of masonry is important because certain cleaning agents are incompatible with certain types of masonry. Ideally, multiple methods should be patch-tested to assess compatibility with your building's geological composition.

3. Building condition | Do you know what has changed since your building's construction, or prior treatments? What exactly needs to be removed, and where did it come from? These answers affect the type of cleaning agent is the best fit for your building and preventing future deterioration depends on the nature of the building's damage. Other potential cleaning prerequisites include replacing damaged masonry units, sealing doors and windows, investigating your building's architectural history and assessing environmental conditions.

4. Paint | As a rule, unpainted brick should remain unpainted. Paint is notoriously difficult to remove from bricks to the point where it is generally more practical to leave it on. Reasons for having painted a building range from design choice to protective coating; in some cases, buildings were painted later on to cover repairs and alterations. More information can be found in our one-pager, "Painting Your Building".

The importance of identifying your building's history, environment, and materials cannot be overstated, along with doing test patches. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that some stains remain impossible to remove, and environmental conditions can impact the effectiveness of many cleaning methods. Resources exist to help you determine appropriate cleaning methods. The Technical Preservation Services (National Park Service) website, local historic commission, independent preservation consultants, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street Center are among many that can provide guidance. 

Ultimately, the goal is to clean as gently as possible, and that means different things for different materials. As a rule, abrasion is an inappropriate cleaning method for historic materials because of the irreparable damage it will cause to the surface of the masonry; sources of abrasion include metal bristle brushes, high pressure washing, and sand blasting (as well as blasting with other mediums, such as pecan shells, dry ice, crushed glass, etc). Seek verification from reputable resources before attempting anything more than a simple low-pressure water cleaning to ensure masonry surfaces remain intact and pollutants stay out of the environment.  

How To Clean Masonry Buildings 

1. Make sure all openings are watertight prior to cleaning, caulking around windows and doors. If using chemicals, protect the surrounding flora with a water-resistant material and line up appropriate receptacles to collect chemical runoff, also known as cleaning effluent. Also make sure all automobiles are removed well away from the building to avoid etching their paint finishes since these chemicals can be carried by even a light breeze!

2. Spray building with water using a low-pressure nozzle at least 18 inches from the surface. Pressure should be below 600psi – not much more than a garden hose jet spray nozzle. Research the mineral composition of your city's water supply to understand how it will affect your building, as some minerals have been known to stain.

3. Water is one of the gentlest cleaning agents, often paired with a non-ionic detergent and natural or synthetic bristle brush. This method is often the most economical. For particularly acid-sensitive masonry, steam cleaning is an effective, yet expensive option, but constant misting is a more affordable alternative.

4. Alternatively, use water to soften dirt before applying an appropriate chemical solution, using either a low-pressure sprayer, roller, or paintbrush. Leave cleaner on masonry for the time recommended by the manufacturer.

5. Start cleaning at the bottom of the wall and work your way up. Periodically check surface for signs of abrasion - pock marks, rough surface texture, rounded edges, or disintegration.

6. Graffiti removal often requires a cleaning agent separate from traditional paint and tar removal methods. The best product will depend on the type of masonry and graffiti, as well as the surface dimensions. The methods range from paste of inert clays to cellulose products mixed with water or other appropriate solvent. If applying paste, cover with plastic sheet to prevent evaporation.

7. Thoroughly rinse off any chemical treatment with water. Residue left behind can cause efflorescence. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for capturing the run-off to prevent polluting local waterways.

8. Make sure that all cleaning effluent is safely and legally disposed of after rinsing. Masonry walls can take several weeks to dry completely, at which point paint can be applied.

Safety First 

Painting can be one of the most dramatic improvements you make to your building. However, only paint a building that has been previously painted to maintain the historic look of the building. Measures should be taken to remove old paint from brick to restore the original brick, if applicable. In addition, if repointing must be done to prep the façade, before painting, consult with a mason experienced with using the type of mortar for the age of your building. If the building is metal or has metal components, we recommend consulting with a  professional company for cleaning and preparatory work. The following steps will help smooth the way for a successful paint job on your historic building:

1. Evaluation. Determine what you need to prepare for painting. Check all the wood. Is it sound or rotting? Does it have insect damage? Repair or replace any damaged areas that you find. If you need to repaint your masonry building, first check the mortar. Make sure the surface is prepped correctly before proceeding, including looking for moisture damage or possible areas where moisture could come in. If the building needs repointing, do that before painting.

2. Timing. Plan a painting schedule. Some times of the year are better than others for painting. Good weather usually ensures a better paint job. Ask your local paint dealer for assistance.

3. Windows. Check the condition of your windows. Glaze and repair windows as necessary. Replace any deteriorated putty with a glazing compound; be sure to put it all around the window. Wait two or three days for the compound to dry before painting.

4. Old Paint. Prepare the surface adequately. Be sure to remove all peeling and loose paint. A variety of tools can be used: a wire brush, a scraper, a blow torch, or an electric heat gun. Use these last two devices carefully; employ only enough heat to soften the paint so that it can be easily removed. Do not blast masonry as this can ruin the old brick; instead, use a chemical application to help remove the old paint.

5. Primer. A primer should be used for all bare wood surfaces as it helps the final coat adhere. Mix a little of the finish coat paint with the primer to achieve a richer color. If working with metal, primers need to be chemically compatible with the type of metal material before painting; be sure to choose a paint that is rust-inhibiting as well.

6. Building Material. Determine the type of paint best suited for your building. Stone, brick, wood, concrete block, and metal all require different paints and primers.

7. Oil vs. Latex. Which kind of paint should you use, oil or latex? That can depend on the material!
We recommend reading more about this from Preservation Brief 11 from the National Park Service. There are advantages and disadvantages to each:

8. Shine. Be aware that there are three degrees of shine for paint: gloss, semi-gloss, and flat/matte.

9. Quality. Remember that quality paint will last longer than a cheap brand. It will not fade or peel as quickly and usually gives better coverage.

A Note on Lead Paint

If your building is more than 50 years old, it may contain lead-based paint. If you are removing the existing paint as part of the repainting process, have a sample tested. It is imperative that the testing be done by a reputable company or by a state testing lab. If there is a problem, contact your state environmental department for information on options for removing or encasing the lead-based paint.

An important reminder: Once you use latex, you must continue to use it. It is difficult to switch back to oil. If you have been using an oil-based paint, it is best to continue with oil.

The color you paint your building, window trim, or door is, to some extent, a personal decision. It is an expression of yourself and your commercial establishment. However, there are other people and things to think about. The following procedures can help you decide what colors to use on your building.

1. Look Around! Be a good neighbor and look at your building in the context of the entire block or downtown. The color of your building can affect the overall character of Main Street.

2. Investigate. Decide whether you'd like to return your building to its original paint colors. If you are seeking historical accuracy, carefully scrape a small area to reveal different layers of paint. Please note that over time, the original color may have faded. To get a better idea of the true color, wet the original surface. The base color will appear more accurately when moist.

3. Research. Color schemes for commercial buildings differ by region of the country. They also differ according to the period when the building was constructed. Scrape a small area of the building to determine its historic color. Sherwin Williams also has a line of historically-used colors to choose from. Choose a swatch that fits with the era of your building and what it was historically painted.

4. Sunlight. Think about how the sun strikes your building. The amount of sunlight can change the hue of paint color. Hold a paint splotch against your building on cloudy and sunny days. To be certain about your color choice, invest in a quart of paint and apply it. There is a great difference between a small color spot and an entire wall.

5. White Paint. It is important to remember that white paint was not used as widely during the Victorian period as it is today. White is a glaring color that does not blend in readily with most downtown environments. Historic downtown buildings traditionally used dark colors, especially on the window’s trim and architectural features.

6. Trim. Traditionally, building trim was painted as decoration, often in a contrasting shade lighter or darker than the primary building color. This paint treatment defined the trim, but it was not so overpowering that the trim colors dominated the buildings.

7. Aluminum Frames. Today, aluminum frames have frequently replaced traditional wood doors and windows. The shine and metallic color of the aluminum do not complement historic buildings. Paint them a more neutral color or choose darker, anodized frames if the original window has to be replaced or the original window has previously been replaced.

8. Accent. Paint color should be used to tie together all building elements, including the cornice, upper facade, windows, storefront, and doors. Use at most 4 colors to accent the features of your building that bring character.

9. Express Yourself! With these procedures in mind, express the identity of your business through paint color. It adds to the richness and variety of Main Street.

 You can download this article as a PDF by clicking this link: Painting 101: Historic Buildings & Paint Color.

This "Painting 101: Historic Buildings & Paint Color" is brought to you by: 

Awnings are fabric structures on a metal frame or roller system that are bolted to the front wall. Canopies are usually flat projections that are suspended over the sidewalk entry usually built with beams extending into the interior of the structure, usually at the ceiling joists, to support the canopy and often with chains or rods tied back to the second-floor wall for additional bracing. Canopies would not be a good choice for new storefront improvements if they didn’t exist already as they can cause a major structural stress load on the front wall of the building.

An awning or canopy can be both a decorative and functional addition to your storefront. It serves as an energy saver by regulating the amount of sunlight that enters your window. Shaded by an awning or canopy, shoppers are enticed to stop, look, and step inside. Awnings contribute color and variety to the building design and can soften the transition between the lower and upper portions of the façade. Original awnings or canopies found on buildings should be maintained, be structurally sound, and should not be removed from the building. There are a variety of new awnings and canopies that could be appropriate to use, depending on the building’s time period of construction. 

Canopies were generally not used on downtown storefronts until about the 1920s or 1930s. If there is currently a canopy, then one may consider taking it off and using a canvas awning, which might be acceptable if it is not the original treatment on the building. However, owners may also focus on repairing or refinishing an existing canopy. Some canopies historically served as the ledge for signage with lettering resting on top of the edge of the canopy or by placing lettering on the edge/face of the canopy. The following points will help determine the best solution when selecting an awning or canopy for your historic building: 

1. Atmosphere: An awning or canopy creates a pleasant space in front of your building. It provides shade, shelter, and a resting place where pedestrians can pause and get out of the flow of traffic.

2. Temperature Control: Awnings and canopies regulate the amount of sunlight that comes in your windows. Buildings facing north probably don’t need an awning or canopy but for a south facing building, awnings and canopies can be excellent climate control devices.

3. Type: Operable or fixed? An operable, roll-out awning shades your window during the hot, sunny days. It also lets sunlight into your building on cold days, allowing the heat into the interior. Granted, operable awnings are more expensive; however, the reduced energy consumption utilizing one could offset the extra cost.

4. Visual Appeal: As a visual element, an awning or canopy can add character and interest to your storefront. Be sure to look at the neighboring buildings and imagine what impact the addition of an awning or canopy will have on the character of the streetscape. Generally, flat awnings are more appropriate to match the style of the building.

5. Materials: Awnings can be constructed from a variety of materials. The choices are endless with canvas, vinyl, metal, and acrylic. A vinyl awning can be very attractive but be sure to consider the look with the rest of your building. Vinyl is also shiny most of the time and tends to be inappropriate for buildings on Main Street.

6. Fastening: Canopies are usually constructed of metal and wood. They should be securely fastened to the façade typically with steel beams and rods or chains angled back to the wall for added support. Be sure to position these rods or chains so that they blend into the design of the upper façade.

Before choosing a color for your awning or canopy, look at the entire building. If your building has minimal architectural details, then a bright colored awning or canopy may be appropriate. However, if your building is more decorative, then a subtler colored awning or canopy would be more appropriate.  

• Select an awning or canopy color that enhances the existing building features and colors.

• The choice of pattern would depend on the character of the façade.

• Awnings and canopies have long been used to display the names of businesses. Keep the message simple and direct. Signs are best located on the sides and flaps of the awnings to be visible to pedestrians and be sure that they are attached at the fascia of the canopies.

• Make sure the material that you choose is guaranteed weather resistant. Most woods and metals used in canopies should be painted to resist weathering. Sun bleaching is another aspect of weathering that needs to be fully considered.

• Awnings or canopies are not appropriate solutions for every storefront design. However, when they are well-designed and properly placed, awnings or canopies can save money, protect window display merchandise, spruce up the storefront, and create a pleasant sidewalk space for shoppers.

• Ensure proper placement for awnings by placing them at the edge of display window and entry openings. They may not need to extend to the outer edge of the façade.

*Please refer to Preservation Brief 44 for additional information*

You can download this article as a PDF by clicking this link: Shading Downtown: Awnings and Canopies

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Through “$1 Billion and Rising” Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) has featured completed projects across Missouri. These projects have won awards at Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference, been recorded in Missouri Main Street communities’ quarterly economic data submitted to MMSC, developed into reports by the local programs to showcase their impact, and transformed their downtown in numerous ways from their local economies to downtown offerings. Now to conclude “$1 Billion and Rising,” we will focus on the rising future Missouri Main Street sees in our communities as they continue to champion their Main Streets from the old historic buildings to the businesses that inhabit them and people who live in and visit downtown.

Elevate 114 is an ongoing large-scale housing development that is located at 114 NE Douglas St. in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. This property spans a full city block encompassing four acres, which became vacant after the Methodist church moved to another site a few miles away about five years ago. Ryan Adams, Vice President of Cityscape Residential and lead on this development remarked, “[We saw this] as an opportunity to bring some class A, upper-end apartments to the downtown Lee’s Summit area.” To put it into context, Donnie Rodgers, Executive Director of Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street remarked on the impact of this project coming to Lee’s Summit as, “[ending] a decade long drought of new apartment development.” While many would see new housing coming downtown as a good thing since more people living in an area will raise the tax base and grow the economy, there was some initial hesitancy in the community that took partnerships and rallying community members to make this happen. This community collaboration with Cityscape and Elevate 114 representative is what forged the community buy-in and garnered the city’s approval as Adams adds:

“The retailer association and downtown business owners were hugely supportive… [and] we met with Donnie and his group early on… and [were] involved in our city planning commission and zoning meetings. It’s a great relationship. One of the best experiences with Main Street because of the level of vested interest from all the local owners.”

While the development is in the middle of construction, the effort the community put in to support bringing this development to Downtown Lee’s Summit is starting to see its returns as Elevate 114 is already welcoming residents into downtown with the completed apartments buildings. The renovated church houses the leasing office and amenities which add to the uniqueness of this property and draws tenants in as construction work continues on the rest of the apartment buildings. There are major benefits to having a growth in population downtown as Rodgers adds:

“The new residents bring a breath of fresh air… they are at the farmers market and walking their dogs down 3^rd Street. It’s just great to have. We estimate that the new residents will generate an additional $5 million in taxable revenue for the district.”

The returns to the community are no accident. This is the economic outcome from a community coming together to support the development of housing, which had been identified as a need in the community. Coupled with the natural economic outcome of more residents living downtown, which at this point has increased by 400 according to estimates by Downtown Lee’s Summit, Elevate 114 has a commitment to the community. Craig Ladines, the Property Manager of Elevate 114 shared, “This is our community. One of [our] main goals in being involved in the neighborhood is to collaborate with local businesses and thank them for the support they have shown us.” This symbiotic relationship between development and downtown is exactly how sustainable development is supposed to go. As the Main Street district grows and strengthens, there becomes more vibrant and attractive places for development and as development comes to Main Street, there are more resources, both financially and with increased residents, to strengthen the community, district, and organization. Ridgers adds to this sentiment by stating, “This has proven downtown as a vibrant place [and shows that Elevate 114] saw the strength we had here in downtown Lee’s Summit with our restaurants and retail and knew this was a community ripe and ready.”

This development wasn’t recorded in Downtown Lee’s Summit quarterly data submitted before the end of 2020 which resulted in MMSC’s network of local Main Street communities reporting $1 billion in public and private investment raised in 15 years, but has started to be reported as the project is nearing its completion. Projects are reported in economic data submissions to MMSC during the quarter when the project has been completed, with multi stage projects like this development reporting data each quarter a stage is completed. The gravity of this development is summed up by Rodgers as, “upon the completion of the project the over $50 million investment… [will be] the largest single private investment we have seen in downtown.”  

Local Missouri Main Street communities will continue to see development and investment in their downtown further contributing to “$1 Billion & Rising.”

Main Street is all about the collective effort of the community to develop and implement downtown revitalization. It takes dedicated volunteers that work hours on end to make Main Street work because success never comes easy.  While Main Street is only one facet of peoples’ lives alongside their family, job, hobbies, and more, volunteers are impacted through volunteering with opportunities to grow and explore new callings.

In appreciation for his work, Love the Harrisonville Square has nominated Barrett Welton for “I Spy…Great Work”. This nomination enters Barrett into the running for Volunteer of the Year at the 2022 Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference in August. The nomination was submitted by Amanda Stites, Executive Director from Love the Harrisonville Square:

“Barrett has been an enthusiastic member of the Promotion Committee for the past several years, and we think he truly discovered his volunteer calling over the summer of 2021 when he took on the role of event emcee for our Bicentennial Birthday Block Party on August 7, 2021. Barrett did a great job introducing the performances during the event, while also leading the effort in booking and managing the acts and arranging for the sound equipment that was needed. His hard work over many months culminated in a public bluegrass concert by three regional acts (Matchstick Sellers, Unfit Wives, and Whiskey Mash Band) which was well received by the community and well attended.”