Downtown merchants vie for loveliest streetscape in Flowers On Main competition, community has until June 30th to vote on their favorites
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Historic Main Street has come alive with an explosion of flowers and greenery this summer, thanks to the efforts of the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County and the individual downtown merchants. Now, the program’s organizers are turning to residents and visitors to pick who has the prettiest posies.
On the recommendation of an urban development expert in 2022, the Heritage Foundation’s Downtown Franklin Association is hosting “Flowers On Main” this summer. Potted plants and flowers have been placed next to the benches along historic Main Street, to be refreshed and maintained seasonally by Container Creations, a locally owned small business.
Beyond the container gardens and plantings, Main Street merchants and restaurant owners were encouraged to add their own greenery and floral displays to further enhance the Main Street shopping and strolling experience. Inviting streetscapes that include street flowers have been proven to encourage people to linger and shop longer, and Main Street’s merchants took up the challenge enthusiastically.
“Downtown Franklin is one of the great historic Main Streets in America, and we’re proud to continually find new and exciting ways to make it an even better experience for all,” said Heidi Hood, Managing Director of the Downtown Franklin Association. “We’re proud of Flowers On Main and of our members who did such an incredible job participating. We hope the community will join in and vote in our poll, so we can recognize those that went above to make Flowers On Main truly memorable.”
Which downtown merchant or restaurant did the best job?
You get to decide! Through June 30, residents and visitors are encouraged to visit Main Street peruse the downtown plantings, then vote for their three favorite displays via DowntownFranklinTN.com/FlowersOnMain.
Winners will be announced via the website on July 3rd.
To add even more green space and color to the downtown streetscape, the city of Franklin has also enhanced the planters and hanging baskets that adorn downtown lampposts. Ten new baskets have been added in 2023, for a total of 32, as well as five new landscaped beds containing an average of 300 plants apiece.
About the Downtown Franklin Association
As a division of the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, the Downtown Franklin Association is a nationally accredited Main Street America program, invested in supporting the promotion, economic vitality, organization (connection of stakeholders), and design of our special district. The DFA supports the continued revitalization and purposeful evolution of downtown Franklin, in the context of historic preservation, by maintaining a diverse economic base, promoting a unique local shopping experience, fostering accessible and attractive public spaces, and forging partnerships across all sectors.