The state of Iowa has officially announced the Iowa Great Places redesignation as well as the newly designated Iowa Cultural & Entertainment Districts of which now Decorah is one.
There are only 18 Cultural & Entertainment Districts in the State of Iowa. This year only two were added – Decorah and Burlington. (The 18 includes the two new communities)
To receive the designation, the community must demonstrate walkability, exceptional vibrancy, a robust arts and culture scene, and an established entertainment portfolio.
Through these designations, the State of Iowa recognizes communities dedicated to improving their quality of life and quality of place. These communities have demonstrated their commitment to stakeholder engagement and long-term planning while cultivating and lifting up authentic assets in neighborhoods, districts, communities and regions. The designation lasts for 10 years and requires an annual report submission.
The application team included City of Decorah Mayor Lorraine Borowski, Chair of the Decorah Historic Preservation Commission Mark Muggli, Director of Administration for Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum Marcia McKelvey, Board Director for Downtown Decorah Betterment Mike Harman, Executive Director for ArtHaus Shannon Dallenbach Durbin, Visit Decorah expert and Marketing & Community Engagement Specialist for Northeast Iowa RC&D Alyssa Ritter, Executive Director for Winneshiek County Development & Tourism, Inc. Stephanie Fromm, and Executive Director for Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce Jessica Rilling.
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