If you missed the Newport Downtown Development annual meeting last Thursday, you missed something special. Actually, you and about 100 other people who did show up experienced something pretty remarkable: a room full of neighbors who genuinely care about where this downtown is headed.
On September 25th at the Eastside Restaurant, there wasn’t an empty seat to be found. Business owners sat next to longtime residents. New faces mingled with familiar ones. And everyone was there for the same reason: they believe in downtown Newport.
That kind of turnout doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when people see real progress and want to be part of what comes next.
Newport’s new promotional video played for the first time. It’s one thing to hear about all the work happening downtown—it’s another thing entirely to see it captured beautifully on screen, telling Newport’s story in a way that makes you proud to call this place home.
The applause that followed said it all. This isn’t just a marketing tool (though it’s definitely that). It’s a reflection of our community, and it’s going to help us share what makes Newport special with visitors and potential businesses who haven’t discovered us yet.
While celebrating wins is important, the evening wasn’t just about looking back. Stephanie Clarke from White and Burke shared insights on the strategic planning happening right now for downtown’s economic development. This is the nuts-and-bolts work that turns vision into reality—the planning that determines which businesses thrive here, how we attract investment, and what downtown Newport looks like five or ten years from now.
Felicia Updyke, NDD’s Associate Director, captured the mood perfectly:
“Seeing over 100 people dedicate their time to our downtown is profoundly encouraging. It reinforces our belief that a strong downtown is a collective effort, and the energy in the room was palpable.”
And she’s right—you could feel it. There’s a momentum building in Newport that’s hard to put into words, but you know it when you’re in a room full of people who are making it happen.
So what exactly has NDD been up to? Let’s talk numbers—and projects that make those numbers matter.
Revenue jumped by 201% this year to $541,300, fueled primarily by grant funding that skyrocketed from $83,200 to $427,800. But here’s the thing: grants aren’t just money on paper. They’re the 11 illuminated sculptures created by North Country Career Center students that now light up downtown. They’re the $200,000 in Vermont Outdoor Recreation Committee grants that NDD helped coordinate for 10 local organizations. They’re the new Master Plan that the Newport City Council approved, giving us a roadmap for the future.
The organization has been busy on multiple fronts: advancing housing initiatives, expanding community events like the Winter Saturdays Series and the Forage & Flourish Festival, and supporting the ongoing East Main Street house project where career center students are getting hands-on renovation experience.
If you couldn’t attend but want to know what NDD has been up to, the full Annual Report is available online. It’s not just numbers and statistics (though those are in there too). It’s the story of what we’ve accomplished together and where we’re headed.
You can check it out at discovernewportvt.com/about-newport.
Downtown revitalization isn’t something that happens to a community—it’s something a community does. And if last Thursday’s meeting is any indication, Newport is doing it together.
NDD is committed to keeping that momentum going, and we want you to be part of it. Because this is our downtown. Let’s keep building it together.
