Annual Conference

2025 Georgia Downtown Conference

August 25-28
Gainesville, GA

The Georgia Downtown Association (GDA) is excited to announce that it will be hosting the 2025 Georgia Downtown Conference in Gainesville August 25-28. This annual conference attracts over 200 downtown professionals from across the state to network, learn, and grow through a variety of session topics and tours. This conference is designed to further educate individuals on issues affecting downtown development on a national and statewide level, reinforce existing downtown development efforts, and help plan for future initiatives. It is a conduit to promote downtown and economic development through public awareness, governmental relations, and education. A highlight of the conference is the Georgia Downtown Awards Ceremony where the accomplishments of organizations and individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and improvement in Georgia’s traditional downtowns are celebrated.

For additional information, contact Renee Coakley.

​Previous Georgia Downtown Conference Locations

2025 Gainesville
2024 Thomasville
2023 Canton
2022 Macon
2021 Brasstown Valley
2020 Virtual
2019 Jekyll Island
2018 Braselton
2017 Columbus
2016 Athens
2015 National Main Street Conference in Atlanta
2014 Decatur
2013 Savannah
2012 LaGrange

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Conference Information


Click
here for 2024 Conference Recap Video

2025 Session Presentations or Notes:

    • 30 Little Ways in 60 Minutes: Big Ideas to Take Your Downtown to the Next Level (presentation)
    • 30 Little Ways in 60 Minutes: Big Ideas to Take Your Downtown to the Next Level (handout)
    • Guiding Growth: How DDAs & MSABs Shape Small Area Plans
    • How Co-working & Remote Work is Transforming Small Towns
    • Main Street to Main Feed: How Social Media Revitalized Downtown Lavonia
    • Mindset Matters: Cultivating Growth in Yourself and Others
    • Public Art Gainesville Presentation
    • Unlocking Growth: Understanding and Leveraging Tax Allocation Districts (TADs)
    • Using Your Local History
    • Weathering the Storm: Disaster Preparedness and Recovery for Georgia Downtowns
    • Working the Plan: (re)Development Strategies for Successful Implementation