This year, up to 10 grants will be awarded to qualifying downtown businesses, offering a
reimbursement of up to $150 for decorating supplies to enhance both interior and exterior
storefront displays. Apply here!

Eligibility Requirements:

Location: Your business must be within the C1 zoning district

Storefront: Businesses must be brick-and-mortar or nonprofit with a public-facing
storefront

Special consideration will be given to businesses participating in the Winter Walk!

Submit your application by November 15th, and selected businesses will be notified by
November 18th with all the program details and next steps.
Applying is quick and easy! Click here!

For those who participated in last year’s Merry Microgrants, we’re pleased to let you know that
previous recipients are absolutely welcome to apply again!

Plus, we’ve made the reimbursement process even simpler this year.

All you need to do is send us a photo of your receipt(s) with this year’s date clearly visible. Purchases may be made any time in 2024, even before applying for the grant.

For questions or assistance with the application, reach out to us at
friends@downtownnorthfield.com.

Up to 10 grants will be awarded to participating downtown businesses for up to $150 reimbursement for interior and exterior storefront decoration supplies.

Eligibility:

• Location: Your business should be within the C1 zoning district. A map is available for reference.

• Storefront: Your business must be a brick-and-mortar establishment or a nonprofit with a public-facing storefront.

• Priority consideration will be given to businesses actively participating in the Winter Walk event.

Apply in minutes using the online application form.

Don’t miss the opportunity to add a touch of festivity to your business. Ensure your applications are submitted by November 27th. Selected businesses will be notified by November 28th. At that time, you’ll receive comprehensive program details and next steps.

For any inquiries about the program or assistance with the application process, please feel free to contact us at info@friendsofdowntownnorthfield.com.

Mosaic Unveiling – October 2: Join Michael Sweere at the Northfield Public Library starting at 4:00pm for the unveiling of his mosaic, Your Mind is a Magic Wand.

Poets at the Depot – October 7: Join us at the Northfield Depot from 2:00pm – 4:00pm for a free poetry reading.

Paper Mosaic Workshop – October 19: Join artist Michael Sweere for an introduction to paper mosaics at the Northfield Public Library at 5:30pm. Learn more and register online.

The banner depicts different kinds of corn that bear significance and speak to cross-cultural connections: Joaquin and Emiliano’s favorite Oaxacan corn (purple), sweet corn (yellow), and heritage Native American popcorn (red). The sun represents both the beautiful sunsets as well as the joys of eating corn tortillas with every meal.

The banners will be displayed on light poles along Division Street in time for Northfield’s sixth annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration on September 15, remaining for Hispanic Heritage Month and into November.

A brief dedication will take place at the Third Thursdays Downtown event hosted by Friends of Downtown Northfield and Riverwalk Market Fair on September 21 at 6:30 p.m. Remarks by Mayor Rhonda Pownell and Arts and Culture Commission Chair Paula Granquist will be provided in Spanish and English.

Hispanic Heritage Month, observed September 15 to October 15, is an annual celebration of the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America or other regions that identify with the aforementioned cultures.

Learn more about the artist and design in the banner’s virtual dedication video.

To comment on the projects, there are a few options.

• In person during the meeting (2 minutes per Open Public Comments and/or Regular Agenda items)
• Virtually during the meeting (2 minutes per Open Public Comments and/or Regular Agenda items)
• Use the eComment feature on the online agenda item (available from the time the agenda is published until noon the day of the meeting)
• Email the city clerk
• Mail the city clerk
• Contact Council members directly

Your comments will be part of the official public record.

To stay up to date and learn more about the various downtown projects, view the Construction & Development projects page. 

Art-Train is a virtual technical assistance program for artists, municipal agencies, and community-focused organizations in all sectors, in communities of all sizes across the nation. With trainings taking place throughout the year, Art-Train provides proven strategies that will help you reach and engage more people, increase community relevance and connection, and find innovative ways to be more effective—creating authentic, equitable and lasting change.

There are four upcoming Art-Train trainings this fall.

Tuesday, August 8, 2023, 1:00-4:00 PM
Tuesday, September 12, 2023, 1:00-4:00 PM
Tuesday, October 3, 2023, 5:00-8:00 PM
Tuesday, November 14, 2023, 1:00-4:00 PM

Learn more and register online at: https://springboardforthearts.org/art-train-training-artists/

The committee received 19 strong proposals and, after careful review, selected the following eight projects to receive a total funding amount of $32,000. “Placemaking is all about how art can build strong communities by creating spaces where people linger and connect with each other,” said Library Director Natalie Draper. “We are excited to see how the selected artists will apply their talents to activate spaces downtown throughout the summer and into the fall.”

The selected projects, which include performances, sculpture, participatory art experiences and murals, are “Storm Drain Art: Remembering the Cannon” by Rocky Casillas Aguirre and Mike Provancha, “Random Acts of Art” by Shona Brooks, “The Catrina Chalchiuhtlicue” by Gustavo Boada, “Lady Cannon” by Maya Kenney and Raquel Santamaria, “Poets at the Depot”, submitted by Becky Boling and D.E. Green, “Creatures and Features of the Cannon” by Kathy Ness and Kate Woodstrup, “Your Mind is a Magic Wand” by Michael J. Sweere, and “River Light” by Andrew Wykes.

The artists will begin their work during this summer and fall. Visit our website to learn more about the selected artists and their projects. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund and residents of the City of Northfield through the Percent for the Arts Initiative. 

The Friends of Downtown Northfield has again been designated as an Accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of Accredited programs to recognize those programs’ exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.

“We are very proud to acknowledge this year’s 862 Accredited Main Street America programs, and their steadfast dedication to nurture economically and culturally vibrant downtown districts,” said Hannah White, Interim President & CEO of Main Street America. “The increase in the size and impact of our network speaks volumes to the power of the Main Street movement to respond to the needs of local communities and drive innovative solutions.”

Christopher Tassava, president of the board of the Friends of Downtown Northfield, said, “I am thrilled that the Friends have been reaccredited! It’s great to see that Main Street America has once again recognized the efforts of the organization and our allies and partners all around Northfield to help maintain a vibrant downtown.”

The Friends of Downtown Northfield’s performance is annually evaluated by Rethos, a Minnesota-based organization which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify local programs that meet rigorous national performance standards. To qualify for Accreditation status, communities like Northfield must meet a set of standards that include commitments to building grassroots revitalization programs, fostering strong public-private partnerships, nurturing economic opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and actively preserving historic places, spaces, and cultural assets.

During the past year, the Friends have formed a partnership with Riverwalk Market Fair to combine the Bridge Square Block Party series and the Saturday Riverwalk Market Fair into a new event, now known as Third Thursdays Downtown. The event features live music, specials from downtown shops and restaurants, family fun activities, and the mix of fine art, crafts, cottage foods, and farmers market that makes Riverwalk notable. Additionally, the Friends relaunched the Artists on Main Street program, which will take place over the summer of 2023 and create new public art works throughout the downtown area.  

In 2022, Main Street America programs generated $6.2 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 7,657 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 29,174 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,688 historic buildings, and leveraged 1,528,535 volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, it generated $24.07 of new investment back into their downtown communities.

Collectively, 2 million people live or work within the boundaries of designated Main Street America districts. An estimated workforce of 1.1 million people contributes their skills and expertise to advancing the missions of these historic downtowns and commercial corridors. 

Learn more about Main Street America.

There is still room for a few more vendors, if you are interested, contact the Riverwalk Market Managers to sign up!

To celebrate, the City of Northfield created two videos for Preservation Month. These videos also highlight two of the Friends of Downtown Northfield board members! Thank you to Aaron and Cody and all those who are stewards of our historic buildings.

This May also brings good news as the Minnesota House of Representatives and Senate have each passed an Omnibus Taxes bill that includes the reinstatement and extension of the state Historic Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credit! The final bill makes the HTC retroactive to the previous sunset date and extends it until June 30, 2030. The next stop is Gov. Tim Walz’s desk, where he is expected to sign it.

Thank you to everyone, especially the RevitalizeMN folks, for advocating so tirelessly for the historic tax credit.