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Wayne Downtown Development Authority:
The year 2024 in review
By Sarah Shurge
Throughout the year, the City
Wayne Downtown Development Au-
thority (DDA) has partnered with
many businesses and sponsored
many events for the City of Wayne.
As we ring in the new year, it’s im-
portant to highlight the DDA’s in-
volvement from the previous year
and give them the recognition they
truly deserve.
The DDA has many purposes,
some of which are to correct and pre-
vent deterioration of business dis-
tricts, promote economic growth and
revitalization, and to encourage his-
toric preservation. The goal is to
bring business into the City of Wayne
and do it in a fun and exciting way
for the public.
Almost every month of the year
was packed with DDA events, such
as: Egg-cellent Adventures in March,
Restaurant Week in April, Indie Art
& Craft Jam in May, Food Trucks at from businesses about an increase
Wayne City Hall in May and June, in street traffic and sales,” said
Crusin’ US 12 in July, Family Movie Gouin.
Night in June and August, Scare- Holiday Night at the Museum has
crow Fest in September, and Holiday become a highlighted event in Wayne.
Night at the Museum in December. The DDA continues to collaborate
“With the addition of Lisa Kubany with the Wayne Historical Society
as our Marketing and Events Direc- and the event has grown every year.
tor, we’ve continued to see an in- “Despite the frigid temperature
crease in the number of new events this year, the event went very well
each year in the city and we antici- and was very well attended,” said
pate that to continue thanks to her Gouin.
work,” said Lori Gouin, DDA Direc- Something you have to experi-
tor. “Having someone specifically ence in Downtown Wayne are the
designated to event planning has Concerts at Goudy Park in July and
been a game changer.” August. The free summer concerts
The 18th annual US12 Car are made possible through a partner-
Cruise is an event the City of Wayne the DDA serves as a partner with the tainment, and food trucks. ship with the Rotary Club of Wayne.
always looks forward to. Pit stops businesses to help with the organiza- “It was great. We added more lo-
have been added for four years, and tion of all the extra activities, enter- cations and received great feedback See DDA, page 7
The Wayne Dispatch · January 2025 · 5