Main Street South Carolina recognized Laurens’ Lights Up the Night event with the Excellence on Main Street Award. This award recognizes the top project from among the winners in eight categories of the annual Main Street Inspiration Awards.
Aiming to make its Fourth of July celebration a more accessible community celebration in 2021, the City of Laurens moved the event from its amphitheater to its downtown courthouse square. In addition to a concert, fireworks, food trucks and recognition of local veterans, the celebration featured for the first time a video display projected onto the historic courthouse façade. The display used light mapping, in which the projections are specially designed to fit onto the three-dimensional architectural elements of the building.
The celebration developed as a collaboration between the city, Main Street Laurens, Laurens County and other community partners. Owners of the nearby Bailey Building opened their top floor to the projection equipment, making the display possible. Funding came from repurposed funds the city had budgeted for youth football before the pandemic led to the cancellation of that program, as well as community sponsorships.
In 2021, Laurens Lights Up the Night became the largest single-day event ever in Laurens’ history, attracting 3,000 guests. Downtown businesses and restaurants that stayed open late and offered specials to cater to visitors reported record sales. Because the city now owns the projection equipment, it has used the equipment for smaller-scale displays, including a Halloween-themed display. The city planned a larger event for Independence Day 2022, including a parade representing all of Laurens County.
“Laurens’ Lights Up the Night is the perfect example of what happens when the city, the county, residents and businesses come together to create a successful community-wide celebration,” said Jenny Boulware, Main Street SC manager.
Main Street SC is a program of the Municipal Association of South Carolina. It empowers residents, business owners and local officials with the knowledge, skills, tools and organizational structure necessary to revitalize their downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts into vibrant centers of commerce and community.
Main Street SC follows the National Main Street’s Four Point Approach — economic vitality, design, promotion and organization. Each year, Main Street South Carolina recognizes members’ achievements and successes in downtown revitalization. For more information, visit the Municipal Association’s website at www.masc.sc (keyword: Main Street).
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