City of Dahlonega

The Main Street and Downtown Development Office is located within Dahlonega City Hall, just a minute from the historic downtown square. The Main Street Program & DDA is dedicated to the revitalization of economic development in Dahlonega's downtown district. Our office is your point of contact for prospective downtown projects, grant programs, as well as promotion and marketing. Our focus is on creating opportunities for residents and visitors to engage with our businesses in a way that will keep them coming back. Our office plans many exciting community events to draw crowds to downtown, including our First Friday Concert Series, Art in the Park, and Appalachian Jam. 

“Downtown Dahlonega is a sparkling example of how careful planning, small business support, and historic preservation can combine to create a thriving downtown,” says Patrice Frey, president, and CEO of the National Main Street Center. “Its downtown district, art galleries, restored theater and courthouse stand out in North Georgia, making Dahlonega a truly distinctive shopping and dining destination and a charming place to call home.”

In its years of operation, Dahlonega Main Street distinguished itself as a vital downtown partner in several ways. When a fire devastated several businesses in 2014, the organization led the effort to assess the damage, create an action plan and relocate displaced businesses and 40 employees. In partnership with the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce, local and state government agencies, and the University of North Georgia, Dahlonega Main Street has facilitated 180 building rehabilitations, 108 new business openings and a reduction in retail vacancy rates from 20 percent in 2000 to 2 percent today.