What began as a competitive bracket battle is evolving into a cross-state partnership.
Mayor Kerry Devine and Fredericksburg Main Street Executive Director Chris Allen will travel to DeLand, Florida, July 23-25 to meet with Mayor Christopher Cloudman and Main Street Director Stephanie Garcia Mullins.
The trip follows Fredericksburg’s victory in Garden & Gun magazine’s “Best Main Street of the South” contest earlier this year. DeLand was the final opponent.
City officials framed the visit as a natural next step. “What started as a little friendly competition is turning into a great opportunity for collaboration between the City and DeLand, Fla.,” the city said in a press release Tuesday.
The itinerary includes a media event, a public appearance, and working sessions between the two mayors and Main Street directors. Officials plan to exchange ideas on downtown revitalization, celebrate both communities’ award-winning Main Streets, and build ongoing connections.
The relationship has been cordial since the contest ended. Shortly after Fredericksburg was named the winner, DeLand Main Street reached out with congratulations on social media and by email. At the April 14 city council meeting, Allen noted the sportsmanship and floated the possibility of a cultural exchange.
“It might actually lead into some sort of a cultural exchange where DeLand comes up here to check out our main street. Maybe I’ll go down there,” Allen told council at the time.
That exchange is now happening in reverse.
The April contest win itself was the product of a citywide push. Residents, city staff, the Economic Development Authority, local media, Delegate Joshua Cole, the University of Mary Washington Alumni Network, and even international voters helped propel Fredericksburg past DeLand in a multi-week public voting campaign. The winning Instagram announcement drew more than 195,000 views.
Allen and Devine are expected to share lessons from that community mobilization effort, along with Fredericksburg’s approach to events, public space activation, and downtown programming.
