Birmingham, Ala. (July 8, 2025) — Registration is now open for Main Street Alabama’s 2025 LAB Conference. All are invited to join fellow downtown and commercial district revitalization professionals in Jasper from August 20-22, 2025, for an engaging learning and networking experience that will inspire and equip attendees to make an even greater impact in their communities.

 

This annual Main Street Alabama conference is a much-anticipated event, providing downtown revitalization practitioners with opportunities to gather and learn innovative methods and techniques that make the Main Street Approach™ one of the most impactful preservation-based economic and community development tools in the country. 

 

During this three-day conference, experts in technology, economic development, community identity and branding, and placemaking will guide attendees in how to build a future-focused plan for their organizations and communities, including Keynote Speaker Krista Neher of Boot Camp Digital as well as Erin Barnes, CEO and President, Main Street America. Opportunities to enjoy trolley tours of Jasper will also be available between sessions, along with downtown tours and curated evening events.

 

The Awards of Excellence Banquet is also scheduled to take place, celebrating the best in Alabama’s designated Main Street communities.

 

New this year will be the announcement of the first Alabama Bright Ideas $25,000 winner. Held in conjunction with this year’s LAB conference, five winning businesses—including three regional and two “Wild Card” businesses—will represent their respective districts and make their "Bright Ideas" pitch on expanding and growing their business at the organization’s statewide competition, culminating in the announcement of the winner on the last day of the conference.