10 Unique Initiatives of the Downtown Frederick Partnership

Founded in 1990 as a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization, the Downtown Frederick Partnership has managed downtown Frederick’s Main Street program for over twenty years.

The Main Street Program is a preservation-based, downtown revitalization approach. The goal of the Main Street Program is to strengthen the vitality of traditional main streets and neighborhoods. 

What does that mean for Frederick?

Below we highlight just 10 of the many, MANY initiatives of the Downtown Frederick Partnership that help make our community a vibrant place to live, work, and play.

  1. Alive at Five

As the weather warms up, the first initiative on our list is a downtown Frederick summer classic — Alive @ Five! The long-running, wildly popular outdoor happy hour series takes place every Thursday from 5 - 8 PM in the Carroll Creek Amphitheater. The 2024 season will run through October 3rd and feature local brews, food trucks, and a new band every week.

Not only is the event a great way for community members to unwind and connect, it is also the Partnership’s biggest fundraiser event. All proceeds of the series are reinvested back into the community through the Partnership’s work.

Learn more here.

2. Holiday Lights

While Alive at Five brings Frederick’s summers to life, its the ‘Holidays Lights’ that help make Frederick sparkle in the winter. The Downtown Frederick Partnership coordinates the installation of holiday lights on nearly 200 downtown trees each year.

The beloved light canopy is jointly funded by The City of Frederick and the Downtown Frederick Partnership. To raise the balance of the funds, the Downtown Frederick Partnership offers opportunities for community members to ‘Sponsor a Tree.’ The Partnership is also responsible for much of the holiday programming that occurs on the streets below these twinkling branches, including Frosty Friday.

Learn more here.

3. Place making

The Downtown Frederick Partnership knows the positive impact of building a connection between people and the places they share. The organization is a leader and/or advocate of many of the unique touches that draw visitors and residents attention downtown.

In addition to the holiday lights, a couple recent placemaking projects by the Partnership include the pavement art piece, Maxwell BiblioFlow by the C Burr Artz Library, and last winter’s Disco Garage. Next on the to-do list: Seventh Street Fountain Park improvements!

Learn more here.

4. Building Improvement Grant Programs

Another part of what makes downtown Frederick so special is its historic character. The Downtown Frederick Partnership recognizes the importance of preserving these irreplaceable assets, while also understanding the higher costs associated with doing so.

The Downtown Frederick Partnership offers three strategic grant programs designed to attract reinvestment into these buildings. These programs include: the Facade Improvement Program (for exterior building improvements), Mission: Interior (for interior improvements at downtown retail establishments) and the Fire Suppression Program (for the installation of protective sprinklers).

Learn more here.

5. Downtown Ambassadors

It’s hard to miss the neon uniform of Frederick’s Downtown Ambassadors — but did you know this is another initiative coordinated by the Downtown Frederick Partnership?

With funding assistance from The City of Frederick and other sources, the Downtown Frederick Partnership works closely with Block By Block (a company that serves more than 100 urban districts, parks and transit systems across the United States) on the day-to-day management of Frederick’s Ambassador Program.

The ambassadors are dedicated to making downtown Frederick clean and safe all year long. The team provides essential services including cleaning downtown sidewalks, removing graffiti & stickers, pulling weeds in public places, distributing dog waste bags, providing directions & information to visitors, and more!

Learn more here.

6. Bring a Broom Saturday

While the Ambassadors keep the downtown area clean year-round, it is a massive team of volunteers (organized by the Downtown Frederick Partnership) that pull off the community’s annual spring-preparation efforts.

Each spring, ‘Bring a Broom Saturday’ gives hundreds of community members an opportunity to come together to sweep sidewalks, mulch tree wells, plant flowers, and make Downtown Frederick look its absolute best for the start of a new season.

Learn more here.

7. Launch It Frederick

Speaking of seasons of new life, the Downtown Frederick Partnership is also the force behind ‘Launch It Frederick,’ a program that helps celebrate the entrance of new businesses to our community.

The special marketing package helps new business owners generate some buzz around their opening through a formal ribbon cutting ceremony —complete with high quality photos, press releases, visits by local VIPs, and special social media coverage.

Learn more here.

8. Downtown Frederick Gift Card

The Downtown Frederick Gift Card is a joint effort by the Downtown Frederick Partnership and Visit Frederick. The program is designed to drive customer-traffic to local businesses while offering an easy way to give a great gift to family, friends, and colleagues.

The gift cards are valid at more than 190 Downtown Frederick stores, restaurants, theaters and galleries.

Learn more here.

9. Craft Beverage Passport

Also designed to promote special access to downtown businesses, the Craft Beverage Passport offers coupons and discounts to craft beverage establishments throughout Frederick County (including those downtown).

With only 500 printed each year, these passports typically sell out within just hours of being posted on the Downtown Frederick Partnership’s website for sale.

Learn more here.

10. Fire in Ice & first Saturdays

And last, but certainly not least, the Downtown Frederick Partnership is the mastermind behind the impressive Fire In Ice celebration. This year, the event kicked off on Friday evening with Fire Performances and a Live Ice Carving, as well as the opening of the Polar Lounge and Ice Games Center. Saturday, visitors were invited to view 130+ ice sculptures displayed all over town while also enjoying live ice carvings, an Ice Putt-Putt course, roaring fires, and more!

Fire In Ice is the largest of the ‘First Saturday’ events — a year-round series hosted (you guessed it) each first Saturday of the month by the Downtown Frederick Partnership to drive foot traffic downtown. Many downtown businesses celebrate First Saturday with their own unique events. From in-store tastings and gallery openings, to artist and vendor exhibitions… there’s always something new to explore!

Learn more here.

And so much more!

For as long and impressive as that list was, it really is just a fraction of the work that the Downtown Frederick Partnership does to make our community special.

If you are interested in their work, we encourage you to reach out to learn more about their volunteer and sponsorship opportunities. With a staff of just four, the organization is always excited to welcome any and all that are interested in contributing to Downtown Frederick!

Explore more at: downtownfrederickpartnership.org.