Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — July 24, 2025 — The Downtown Jonesboro Alliance (DJA) was honored by Main Street Arkansas (MSA) Wednesday during an award presentation at the organization’s downtown office.
During the ceremony, DJA executive director Sarah Doss accepted the 2025 Excellence in Downtown Revitalization Award for the DJA’s work on installing string lights throughout Main Street.
According to MSA director Greg Phillips, when Main Street Arkansas opened its 2025 award process last September, it decided it would take the awards to the community, so the awards would have a bigger impact and so more people could celebrate.
“We’re ending today with the award that you all received, and it was for your string light project, which I know is still probably ongoing, but I know the impact has been really, really wonderful for downtown,” Phillips said.
The project started back in 2018 under Doss’s predecessor, and the DJA has continued to grow the project ever since, investing over $80,000 into the project, she said.
“Now obviously we love how beautiful and aesthetic these string lights make our downtown, but it’s just such a multi-faceted where our safety and just the place making… so many wonderful things come from what seems to be such a simple project,” Doss said.
After the presentation, Doss told JRN it was exciting to get an award like this.
“We’re thrilled to have been one of those in general. But the fact that it’s our lighting project feels so exciting because it’s something that we’ve invested in and have felt passionate about for so many years. So, it’s really exciting to see all that hard work paying off,” she said.
The Downtown Jonesboro Alliance is a nonprofit organization established in 2010. It seeks to provide community outreach and to promote downtown Jonesboro, as well as increase pedestrian traffic and shopping in downtown Jonesboro businesses.