Council hears Sidney Alive update

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SIDNEY — The Sidney City Council heard a Sidney Alive presentation Monday evening reviewing 2021 and upcoming events for 2022.

Sidney Alive Executive Director Amy Breinich provided the annual update on the organization to council members at Monday’s workshop session. Her presentation began with information on Sidney Alive’s organizational chart, which is comprised of those who work for organization, the board of trustees, and its executive committee.

Breinich also gave a brief background of Sidney Alive, which was created in 2016 after it evolved from a MainStreet Organization.

“Now,” she told council members, “after two years of a global pandemic, its time to pick back up where we left off.”

Over the last five years at Sidney Alive, the following events have occurred, Breinich said:

• 23-plus businesses have opened or expanded;

• Over $9.5 million in investment;

• Continued involvement of private sector to help progress the Downtown and Riverfront Redevelopment Plan, along with the help of downtown developer/consultant CityVisions Associates, of Louisville, Kentucky, which has been helping strategize the vision for downtown.

Although she didn’t go detailed through the report, Breinich provided the PowerPoint on the Downtown and Riverfront Development Strategy for council members to review at a later time to become refreshed on the plan. The Sidney Alive team included a sample testimonial from the owner of Moonflower, a downtown business, about its journey beginning at the farmer’s market to evolving into a brick and mortar business.

• From zero staff to four (two full-time and two part-time);

• Strategically working with other community leadership and organizations to further placemaking efforts, economic development, and brand for the downtown area;

• Strategic marketing to increase visibility of our downtown and its businesses. Social media, webpage, billboards, cross marketing, print.

A list of events for 2022 was the next part of Breinich’s presentation, which began in January with the organization’s annual prom dress consignment sale.

Other events planned for downtown in 2022, include the following:

• St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl — begins on Thursday, March 17, and will go through Saturday, March 19.

• Easter Egg Hunt on the Square — April 16 at 11 a.m.

• Flowerpot workshop — April 18, during which volunteers build flower pots for around the downtown as well as one to take home themselves.

• Kentucky Derby Affair on the Square — May 7.

• The Amazing Downtown Race — Aug. 20 — Teams are tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselves around the downtown area and race to complete challenges at each stop. The top three finishing teams will be awarded, Breinich said.

• The Great Sidney Farmer’s Market opening day — May 28, runs on Saturday mornings through Oct. 15.

• Sidney Music & Arts Festival — June 17-18.

In partnership with Raise the Roof for the Arts, the organizations plan for the Sidney Music & Arts Festival to bring local, regional, and artists to downtown Sidney.

The public is invited to immerse themselves in the great music, the talented artists and makers, the United Way Kids Zone, the Great Sidney Farmers Market and more, which was initially planned for the summer of 2020.

• Paddles, Peddles and Pints — Aug 13. This event, in conjunction with Sidney Parks Department, includes a bike tour, kayak trip, kickball tournament, food trucks, activities, craft beer and soda tasting. The goal is to raise money for the Great Miami Riverway Bike Trail construction and maintenance, and for downtown Sidney revitalization.

• Open Air Dinner on the Historic Ross Covered Bridge —Sept. 15.

• Annual Downtown Chocolate Walk — Oct. 6.

• Boos & Brews Fall Festival — Oct. 15.

• Murder Mystery Dinner — Oct. 29.

• Holiday Shop Hop — Nov. 9-12.

• Downtown Sidney Holiday Lights Grand Illumination — Nov. 23.

• Winter Wonderland Parade/Christmas of Yesteryear — Dec. 3.

In other business at the end of the meeting, Public Works Director Jon Crusey announced orange barrels are beginning to appear for the next phase of the state Route 47 beautification project commencing at Fourth Avenue.

By Sheryl Roadcap

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