Downtown Missoula Street Decór Program
One of the primary assets that differentiate Downtown Missoula from others is the street décor in the public right of way.
What Is the Downtown Missoula Street Decór Program?
The Downtown Missoula Street Décor Program is managed by the Downtown Missoula Partnership (DMP) and allocates significant time and financial resources to beautify public spaces in the downtown district. These beautification efforts include the installation of flower baskets, holiday décor, boulevard banners, and garbage removal initiatives.
What Are the Benefits of the Downtown Missoula Street Decór Program?
Street décor enhances the vitality of Downtown, keeps it interesting, and is ever-evolving throughout the year. Well-maintained street décor showcases investment, community pride, loyalty, and attraction for consumers. Street décor additionally inspires the independent beautification of storefronts and buildings, encourages place-making initiatives, and helps to reduce crime.
What Are the Downtown Missoula Street Decór Programs the DMP Oversees?
The Downtown Missoula Partnership manages several street décor programs that help keep Downtown beautiful, welcoming, and well-maintained. These include:
Downtown Flower Basket Program
The Downtown Flower Basket Program has been adding color and vibrancy to Missoula’s streets since 1981. Each year, 150 handcrafted flower baskets are installed in May, just in time for UM’s Commencement, and are carefully maintained through the fall. These blooms not only beautify the Downtown area but also reinforce Missoula’s reputation as the Garden City. Learn more about this program, its history, and how they are maintained.
Downtown Missoula Boulevard Banner Program
The Downtown Banner Program allows local non-profits to book out banner space across seven zones in Downtown Missoula. This helps bring vibrant color and energy to the light posts and streets of the Missoula downtown district while helping these impactful organizations advance their local reach. Better understand this program and book banner space today.
Holiday Décor
The Downtown Missoula Partnership has invested in its holiday décor program for over 40 years, wrapping light posts with garlands, hanging larger décor pieces like trees, snowflakes, and candlesticks, and encouraging the downtown business community to get involved. Read more about Downtown Missoula’s holiday décor and how you can help support this initiative.
Downtown Holiday Tree
In addition to the holiday streetlight décor, Downtown Missoula is fortunate to have a live tree in the middle of Higgins Avenue that is decorated annually by Washington Corporation. The Lighting of the Tree takes place the first Saturday of December during Holidays on Higgins and remains lit until mid-January each year.
Lighting of the Bridges
Following a trip to Europe and seeing the lighted bridges in several countries, a group of Missoulians initiated a campaign to illuminate the river crossings in Missoula.
Led by Dan Lambros and Tom Boone, the group partnered with the Missoula Downtown Foundation and raised $200,000 to light both the Van Buren and Madison pedestrian bridges with white lights that turn on every evening.
The Van Buren Bridge was lit in November 2014, and the Madison Bridge was illuminated in June 2015. An enhancement for both safety and beauty, the Lighting of the Bridges will likely expand to other bridges across the Clark Fork River.
Garbage & Recycling Bins
Street décor also includes practical and useful items such as garbage cans and recycling bins. Learn how the Downtown Missoula Partnership has helped keep Downtown Missoula clean and the receptacles provided to do so.