October 21-22, Reedsport, OR
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association is thrilled to announce the next in our lineup of keynote speakers for the annual People’s Coast Summit, taking place from October 21-22 in Reedsport, OR.
Learn more and Register here!
Breakfast Keynote: Revitalizing the Heart of Community: The Power of Oregon Main Street
Downtowns are the heartbeat of Oregon’s communities, rich in character, culture, and potential. Yet many face challenges, from underutilized spaces to shifting economic trends. In this inspiring keynote, hear how the Oregon Main Street Program is helping communities across the state reimagine and reinvigorate their downtowns whether they’re just getting started or building on existing momentum.
You’ll hear from Sheri Stuart of Oregon Main Street, who will share the importance of the program and how it supports communities through hands-on technical assistance, training, and access to the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant, a competitive funding opportunity that helps bring downtown visions to life.
Joining Sheri are two recent grant recipients:
- Stephanie Wilson from the City of North Bend, which was awarded nearly $200,000 to support critical safety and accessibility upgrades to 17 commercial properties in the city’s Main Street district.
- Rosa Solano from the City of Reedsport, which received $400,000 to rejuvenate the main street stretch to improve local landscapes and create tangible economic upshots
Together, these speakers will share how the Main Street approach, combined with strong local leadership and strategic investment, is breathing new life into Oregon’s downtowns, creating spaces that are economically resilient, socially vibrant, and uniquely reflective of their communities.
Meet the Presenters
Sheri Stuart
Sheri Stuart is the state coordinator of Oregon Main Street (OMS) which is in Heritage Programs of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Sheri worked for the National Main Street Center for eight years working primarily with small and midsize communities across the country. Before joining the NMSC, Sheri served as executive director of the Port Townsend Main Street Program (WA) for eight years and also served as the assistant state coordinator of Washington Main Street. She was a recipient of the 2025 Mary Means Leadership Award. This prestigious award is Main Street America’s top honor recognizing individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership in the field of comprehensive preservation-based economic development and commercial district revitalization.
Rosa Solano:
Rosa Solano is the Tourism & Main Street Program Director for the City of Reedsport. She moved to Reedsport in December 2015 and immediately became a Main Street volunteer. She has been working with the community and community partners in promoting Reedsport as a great place to live, play, and work, years before being hired in her current role. Rosa has over 30 years of community relations and business development experience. In 2013, she took a year off to serve in the Peace Corps as a business advisor and educator. Her love of rural communities came full circle when she moved to Reedsport. She and her husband enjoy thrifting for treasures, the outdoors, and gardening.
The People’s Coast Summit is a campus style event taking place across multiple venues in Reedsport. This year’s full agenda (coming soon) will feature a line up of speakers and workshops that will offer big-picture thinking and topics valuable to tourism stakeholders from all over the coast. Attendees can expect to takeaway valuable knowledge and resources around destination marketing, technology, sustainability, and more!
Get ready for the Oregon Coastal tourism event of the year.
Register here!
Sponsorship
Thank you to Cardwell Creative, Oregon Coast Today, Media America, and Pelican Brewing for their sponsorship of the 2025 People’s Coast Summit.
For partners who want to get even more involved, we are offering various sponsorship levels to suit your goals and budget, including exclusive benefits such as logo placement on event materials, complimentary summit registrations, and opportunities for direct engagement with attendees.
Sponsorship offers a great opportunity for you to gain brand visibility, engage in networking opportunities, be seen as an industry leader, and make a community impact.
View our sponsorship opportunities here, and contact Deputy Director Arica Sears for more information about becoming a sponsor of the 2025 People’s Coast Summit.
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association organizes this event to keep coastal businesses, leaders and nonprofits up to date on new trends, studies and topics for the tourism industry while providing plenty of casual networking and fun entertainment. Stay tuned for details on workshops, speakers, and more for this year’s Summit.