Sanford Main Street

10/10/2026

THANK YOU, THERESA & EARL! 🧹✨

We caught these two hard at work last Tuesday morning keeping our city looking sharp!

At Sanford Main Street, we deeply appreciate the dedication of our City of Sanford employees. We see you out there working hard every single day to keep our community beautiful, and we are so grateful for everything you do! 🙌

Feeling motivated to help keep downtown looking its best?

You can jump in and do your part! Join us for the Dan Lewis Memorial Community Clean-up! https://www.facebook.com/events/1107786791506961/1107786808173626/

When: First Sunday of the month at 9:00 AM

Where: Corner of 2nd & Palmetto

What: 1 hour of picking up trash followed by time to connect with great neighbors

👇 Drop a comment below to show Theresa, Earl, and our city crew some well-deserved love!

10/07/2026

A cleaner Sanford starts with caring neighbors. 💚

Huge thanks to the volunteers of all ages who came out for this month’s Dan Lewis Memorial Community Cleanup ! Every piece of litter collected helps keep our community beautiful
Thank you to everyone who came out to give your time and make a difference!

Want to join the next cleanup? Bring your family, invite a friend, and join us:

📅 First Sunday of every month
🕘 9:00 AM
📍 Corner of 2nd Street & Palmetto Avenue
🧹 One hour of picking up litter, followed by time to connect and socialize

It’s a family-friendly way to give back, meet your neighbors, and show kids how small actions can make a difference right here at home.

Follow the Dan Lewis Memorial Community Cleanup for updates.
See you November 1st for the next cleanup!

Thank you to this month’s crew!
Chris McCloed
Steve King
Rob Paul
Victoria Huggins
Delene Fedder
Danielle Pandline
Sara Walker
Dallas Williams
Lynn Mohn
Chris Alt
Jessica Stokes
Rebel Handley
Ryan Handley
Travis Handley
Levi Handley
Jessie Handley
Matt and Lana Wallis
Jessie and Kevin Fitzpatrick
Matt and Shannon Rolfe
Rosalyn and Resse Hines

10/03/2026

SANFORD SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT 🌟

Meet the Waters family—Zach, Kim, Claire, and Teddy!

If you spend any time in downtown Sanford, you've definitely seen them out and about. Whether they're grabbing dinner, cruising in their golf cart, or jumping into community events, they live and breathe what is all about.

They are also always finding ways to give back. Zach serves on the Sanford Main Street Board, Kim is one of the founding sisters behind Sanford Porchfest, and as a family, they show up every month for the Dan Lewis Memorial Cleanup. In fact, you can catch them out helping tomorrow morning!

And if you know them, you probably know about their legendary neighborhood party, Watoberfest! 🍻

We are so lucky to have such kind, fun, and dedicated neighbors right here in downtown Sanford. Let's give a big shoutout to Zach, Kim, Claire, and Teddy today!

Want to join the Waters family tomorrow morning? Meet at 2nd & Palmetto from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM for the Dan Lewis Memorial Cleanup! You can also sign up for the 77 Army at https://www.sanfordmainstreet.com/volunteer.

👇 Drop a comment below to show the Waters family some love!

10/01/2026

Looking to give back, connect with neighbors, or rack up those community service hours? Join us this Sunday for a morning of making Sanford shine!

📍 Meeting Location: Parking lot behind WilSol Wellness (Corner of 2nd Street & Palmetto Ave)
📅 When: This Sunday 10/4/26
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM

Whether you're a high school student needing service hours for school or just want to network with some of Sanford’s finest community members, all hands are welcome!

Bring a friend, grab a pair of gloves, and let’s keep Sanford beautiful together. See you there!

09/28/2026

⏰ Attention Sanford Seed Cardholders! ⏰

If you purchased a Sanford Seed card and received a bonus $50 or $100 Yiftee gift card, this is a quick reminder that your bonus funds expire soon!

Bonus $50 or $100 Yiftee Gift Card: Must be spent in full by the end of business on September 30, 2026. Make sure to redeem it at any participating location before it's gone!

Initial $100 Purchase: Don't worry, your initial $100 balance does not expire on this date and remains good to use anytime.

Don't let free local shopping dollars go to waste! Head out to your favorite participating local spots and use up that bonus balance today! 🛍️✨

09/28/2026

09/26/2026

SANFORD SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT 🌟

​Meet sisters Julie Murphy and Joan Clowney!

​For this week’s spotlight, we are thrilled to celebrate a dynamic sister duo who bring so much heart, warmth, and energy to downtown Sanford!

​Whether they are greeting visitors with warm hospitality at the Sanford Welcome Center or rolling up their sleeves all across town, Julie and Joan are always right in the middle of the action. You can count on these two to jump in together wherever a helping hand is needed, making a difference in every corner of our community.

​Both Julie and Joan are true 5-star, gold-standard citizens and the absolute definition of what anyone could ever hope for in neighbors. Thank you so much, ladies! Everything you do for Sanford is noticed, deeply appreciated, and makes our town a brighter place. ❤️

​👇 Want to follow Julie & Joan's lead and give back to our community? Join the 77 Army at https://www.sanfordmainstreet.com/volunteer!

👇 Drop a comment below to show these incredible sisters some well-deserved love!

​

09/25/2026

🏛️ Why "Shop Local" Also Means Banking Local 🏦

Ever wonder how your favorite boutique on 1st Street, that cozy coffee shop, or a beautifully restored historic brick building in Sanford got off the ground? Behind almost every vibrant block, there is a strong financial relationship making it possible.

We often talk about supporting local shops and restaurants, but community banks and local financial partners are the unsung backbone of Main Street:

✨ Big Impact for Small Business: Even though America's four largest mega-banks hold massive assets, community banks hold double the amount of small business loans nationally ($220 billion vs. $110 billion).

✨ Fueling Entrepreneurship: Over 80% of small business owners who secure financing rely on local or regional banks to open or expand.

✨ Preserving Local Charm: Local banks and credit unions finance over two-thirds of Main Street real estate acquisitions and building renovations—often acting as the only lenders willing to back creative, transformative hometown projects.

When you deposit your money with local lenders, your dollars stay close to home—directly funding the neighbors, entrepreneurs, and local restoration projects that make Sanford such a vibrant place to call home.

Whether you’re looking to open a business, buy a home, or simply switch up your personal checking account, choosing relationship banking keeps our community strong.

📖 Read the full story on why local banking access is essential to thriving Main Streets below 👇

Community banks play a key role in sustaining Main Street programs, small businesses, and small-scale developers. But they're disappearing at an alarming rate, and they need our support.

09/23/2026

SANFORD'S ROOTED HISTORY ON NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN DAY

Native American Day invites us to reflect on the deep, enduring history of the Indigenous peoples who lived along the shores of Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River long before Sanford was established.

The St. Johns River was a vital highway, fishing ground, and home for Indigenous communities, and later, the Seminole people. In the 1830's, during the Second Seminole War, our waterfront became a central backdrop in Florida’s history:

Camp Monroe (1836): U.S. forces established Camp Monroe along the southern shore of Lake Monroe (where Fort Mellon Park sits today) as a strategic staging post along the river.

The Battle of Lake Monroe (February 8, 1837): Legendary Seminole leaders—including Coacoochee (Wildcat), King Philip (Emathla), and Osceola—led a major attack on Camp Monroe in defense of their homelands. It became one of the most fierce clashes of the war in Central Florida.

Fort Mellon: Following the battle and the death of Captain Charles Mellon, the encampment was renamed Fort Mellon. The early riverport settlement of Mellonville grew around this fort before eventually becoming the city of Sanford we know today.

The Seminoles are known as the "Unconquered People" for their resilience and refusal to surrender their connection to this land. Today, as we walk along the Riverwalk or gather downtown, we honor the original stewards of the St. Johns River and remember the complex stories embedded in our community's soil.