Conference Program
Rooted & Rising celebrates the strength, character, and resilience of New Jersey’s downtowns. As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, this year’s conference will explore how downtown leaders can honor the people and places that shaped their communities while responding to changing consumer habits, economic pressures, workforce challenges, and evolving retail markets. Through sessions focused on economic development, placemaking, redevelopment, business support, and current issues, Rooted & Rising will highlight the ideas and partnerships helping downtowns adapt, grow, and shape what comes next.
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | 8:00AM to 5:00PM
Registration, Breakfast, & Networking (8:00AM - 9:00AM)
Enjoy continental breakfast and networking with colleagues and exhibitors.
Welcome & Words from the Host Community (9:00AM - 9:30AM)
Welcome & Words from the Host Community
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Morning Breakout Block A: Sessions A1 and A2 (9:30AM - 10:45AM)
MORNING SESSION A1
Local Roots, New Growth
Building Resilient Downtown Economies in a Changing Market
A forward-looking economic development session exploring how downtown leaders can strengthen existing businesses, encourage entrepreneurship, and create sustainable growth amid changing consumer behavior, rising operating costs, workforce challenges, and an evolving retail landscape.
MORNING SESSION A2
Old Places, New Purposes
Adaptive Reuse and the Future of Historic Downtown Properties
A planning and redevelopment session examining how historic buildings, vacant storefronts, upper floors, and underused properties can be repositioned for new uses while preserving the character and identity that make downtowns distinctive.
Morning Breakout Block B: Sessions B1 and B2 (11:00AM - 12:15PM)
MORNING SESSION B1
Small Business, Big Data
Using Market Intelligence to Make Better Downtown Decisions
A practical session focused on using demographic information, market analysis, visitor data, business surveys, retail leakage, pedestrian counts, and other tools to guide business recruitment, programming, investment, and district strategy.
MORNING SESSION B2
More Than a Moment
Turning Events, Arts, and Public Spaces into Lasting Downtown Impact
A placemaking-focused session exploring how events, public art, cultural programming, and activated public spaces can support local businesses, strengthen community identity, increase visitation, and create benefits that continue long after an event ends.
Keynote Lunch: America at Street Level (12:30PM - 1:30PM)
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Current Issues Roundtable: The Downtown Reality Check (1:45PM to 3:00PM)
An interactive current-issues roundtable examining the pressures facing downtown businesses and communities, including economic uncertainty, changing consumer spending, workforce disruption, immigration enforcement, rising operating costs, and challenges within the restaurant, hospitality, and service industries. The conversation will focus on what downtown organizations are seeing, how communities are responding, and what practical role district leaders can play in supporting businesses, sharing reliable information, building partnerships, and maintaining welcoming and economically vibrant downtowns.
- Facilitated discussion featuring multiple practitioner and stakeholder perspectives.
- Audience participation through moderated questions and table-level discussion or report-out.
Emphasis on practical responses, partnerships, communication, and economic resilience.
Transition to Awards/Happy Hour Venue (3:00 pm to 3:30pm)
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Downtown Excellence Awards & Networking Cocktail (3:30PM - 5:00PM)
Wind down the conference with us by celebrating your peers and their outstanding projects acknowledged at the Downtown Excellence Awards and Networking Happy Hour!
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