Sanford Main Street

08/22/2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 🎉🎂🎊🎈🎁

Extra! Extra! Did you know that 118 years ago this month, the voice of our city was officially born? On August 22, 1908, published its very first issue! 📰Dubbed the "Industrial Edition," that first print highlighted Sanford’s booming orange groves and vibrant local business community, cementing our town’s title as the "Gate City to Florida". Decades later, our historic downtown is still making headlines as one of Central Florida's favorite destinations to shop, dine, and explore!

💬 What’s your favorite historic detail or memory about Downtown Sanford? Tell us in the comments...

08/22/2026

SANFORD SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT 🌟

Meet Doug and Janet McClendon!

For our very first spotlight featuring a community duo, we couldn’t think of two people who better represent our town.

If you’ve spent any time in downtown Sanford, chances are you’ve seen Doug and Janet in action. They are everywhere—always jumping in, lending a helping hand, and bringing non-stop positivity to our streets. They are truly the epitome of and the exact definition of what you hope for in a neighbor.

On top of everything else they do, Doug and Janet are an integral part of the 77 Army!

We are beyond lucky to have them as part of our downtown family. Thank you, Doug and Janet, for always going above and beyond to make Sanford such a special place to live! ❤️

👇 Go to sanfordmainstreet.com to learn more about the 77 army 💪
👇 Drop a comment to show Doug and Janet some love!

08/19/2026

🦥 COMMUNITY POWER IN ACTION! 🦥

When we launched our Sloth T-Shirt Fundraiser for the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, we hoped for a great turnout—but our incredible community completely blew us away.

Thanks to your overwhelming support, we officially sold over 3,000 shirts to supporters in more than 40 states! 📦✨

Processing, packing, and shipping thousands of orders across the country is no small feat. It took an absolute army of dedication, hustle, and heart. We could not have pulled this off smoothly without our unbelievable team of volunteers who showed up, rolled up their sleeves, and packed every single shirt with love.

We want to give a massive, heartfelt thank you to these absolute rockstars:

Chris Alt

Alex Babcock

Amber Babcock

Sandra Gatti

Anna Gibbs

Madison Gibbs

Jenny Hawk

Carole Hinshaw

Michelle McCann

Abbey McCulloch

Jane Miller

Kayla Mitchell

Michelle Palmer

Rebecca Parker

Mark Pidal

Sue Ruwe

Judi Schuyler

Claudia Urzua

Zach Waters

Each one of you made a direct impact in raising vital funds for the zoo's sloths, proving once again why our community is second to none. We are recognizing every single one of you at today’s board meeting because your hard work deserves to be celebrated!

Want to help make great things happen in our city?
We are always looking for passionate community members to get involved! Whether you'd like to join our 77 Army or step into a committee role with Sanford Main Street, we would love to have you on board. Check the comments below for all the details on the 77 Army, or shoot us a message anytime to chat about how you can plug in!

From the bottom of our hearts—thank you for helping our sloths hang in there! ❤️🦥

08/14/2026

🏛️ Sanford Main Street was thrilled to host last month's mayoral debate for our community at the historic Ritz Theater Sanford

As a nonpartisan, non-affiliated organization, we were proud to offer this event as a civic service to our citizens, ensuring everyone had open access to hear directly from candidates.

This event was 100% free to attend for the public, made possible through the generous support of our sponsors!

🙌 A huge thank you to our sponsors for making this possible:
• WASTE PRO
• Miller Construction Services LLC
• Solar-Tech Windows

We also want to give a special shout-out to the incredible staff and board at the Ritz Theatre. You were so welcoming, helpful, and wonderful to work with—we are so glad to have you in town! And big thanks to Derrick Andre Daniels for moderating ❤️🎭

🗳️ Primary voting is happening this week! As a friendly reminder to cast your ballot, access official voter info and election resources directly at voteseminole.gov

08/12/2026

Go see this awesome display at City of Sanford, FL Government city hall!

As part of the City of Sanford’s Celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary—and in partnership with the Puzzled Peace Initiative—we are proud to present a special new exhibition honoring artist and community volunteer Francine Levy!

For over 40 years, Francine has captured Sanford's landscapes, historic architecture, and waterways, transforming our city into lasting expressions of peace, gratitude, and belonging. 🖌️💙

Curated by historian and storyteller Valada Flewellyn, the exhibit explores three core themes:
🕊️ Peace – Seeing the humanity in one another.

🏡 Place – Preserving the stories of our community.

🌟 Possibility – Inspiring future generations through art and service.

Visitors can view original paintings, historic documents, and personal memorabilia tracing Francine’s journey from post-war Belgium to becoming one of Sanford’s most cherished artists.

📍 Location: Sanford City Hall (Main Lobby) | 300 N. Park Ave

⏰ Hours: Monday – Friday | 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM

🎟️ Admission: FREE & open to the public

Stop by City Hall to experience this beautiful tribute to local history and community service! 🎨✨

08/11/2026

Did you know that Sanford was once the orange capital of the WORLD? 🍊🍊🍊

Run to the comments and take a peek at this story!

#

08/10/2026

🧱 LOOK UP & LOOK DOWN: The Stories Beneath Our Feet. Have you ever wondered why Historic Downtown Sanford has such incredible architectural charm? Every brick has a story! After the Great Fire of 1887 destroyed much of the downtown wooden storefronts, Sanford rebuilt with fireproof brick, giving birth to the classic 19th-century commercial district we know and love today. From Magnolia Avenue's historic theater history to First Street's historic storefronts, taking a walk through downtown is like stepping into a living museum. Support historic preservation by shopping, dining, and strolling local this week! Go enjoy yourself a day of ❤️

08/05/2026

🍻 SANFORD BEER WEEK IS BACK! 🍻

And the Main Street Pour Tour is officially the crown jewel and highlight of the week! 👑

Get ready for the ultimate craft beer experience this Labor Day Weekend! Drink, eat, shop, and wander your way around beautiful Historic Downtown Sanford at your own pace across 4 full days of flavor and fun! 🌴✨

🗓️ Event Details
📅 When: Labor Day Weekend | Sept 4th – 7th (4 Days)

📍 Where: Historic Downtown Sanford

🎟️ Tickets: $25 Presale | $35 Day-of (Limited availability—grab yours now!)

🔥 What’s Included?
🍺 3 Samplings per Stop featuring an amazing mix of local & non-local craft breweries!

🏆 Grand Finale Beer Summit at Celery City Craft, where you can enter to win FREE BEER FOR A YEAR! 🎉

📍 16 Unique Breweries & Bars to Visit:

🍸 The Capital Room BAR

🍺 Dees Brothers Brewery

🍷 The District in Sanford

🍻 WopsHops Brewing Company

💦 The Wet Spot

🌿 Celery City Craft

🎶 West End Trading Co.

🌊 The Sullivan Public House

🍟 Buster's Sanford

🕹️ Throwbacks Sanford

🎵 Tuffy's Music Box & Lounge

🍻 Brewlando Sanford

🐺 Deviant Wolfe Brewing

🎯 The Yardery Sanford

🥨 Hollerbach's German Market

🍺 Community Brewhouse

🎟️ Tickets are limited and will sell out fast! Don't wait until prices go up at the door—secure your $25 presale pass today!

🎟️ Get Tickets: https://www.sanfordmainstreet.com/sanford-beer-week

📲 RSVP & Invite Friends on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17y35x7j9Y/

Let's go Sanfording and support local in Historic Downtown Sanford, FL.