Dublin DDA moving to a new home

The Dublin Downtown Development Authority will be moving into a bigger home when two of its members move to a new office.

Main Street Director Nichole Padgett and Hannah Cochran, marketing director, will be moving from the small offices they currently share with Glenda Berry, director of Theatre Dublin and Dublin Community Theatre, at Theatre Dublin.

They will be taking over at 128 W. Jackson St., Unit B.

“It will improve visibility with people wanting to know downtown or DDA business,” Padgett said. “We will have retail in the front because we will have downtown merchandise to sell. We will have a back part where we can hold our meetings. We just want to be more visible with the merchants.” 

Padgett said they will be working on the move from Nov. 1 to mid month.

“Now I will be able to have places to store stuff,” she said. “Right now we’re crammed in the office.” 

Chairman Rob Miller said they will have a sign letting people know where they can be found.

“I would like to start having our meetings there as opposed to here (the sixth floor of the Skyscraper),” he said. “It is big enough and centrally located. Once we get the lease signed, and find some furniture, we’ll hope to be up and running by the first of December. I think it will be good.” 

Berry will remain at Theatre Dublin while Jason Keyton, director of business development, has an office in the Fred Roberts Hotel. 

New sign for downtown Dublin

Miriam Lewis, executive director for Visit Dublin GA, presented Downtown maps for members to look at during the meeting. The map is located at the intersection of Madison and Lawrence Street behind Bank of Dudley.

“This was a grant partnership to have this and all of the parking signs designed in 2018 and installed at the beginning of 2019,” Lewis said. “We have talked recently about updating it to be more in line with our brands that we have established and also represents all of the new businesses that we have here.” 

The destination guide for Dublin was launched last year. They used the same design and had a design company work up a new map to take the old one’s place. There will be QR codes to lead people to Downtown Dublin and Visit Dublin websites.

“We want people to be able to walk and enjoy the city,” Lewis said. “We want people to interact with this map, scan the QR codes and learn more. Not everything will be on the map, because that would make it cluttered. Someone is going to go to a destination and they will see something else that they are interested in.” 

The top of the sign will be what Lewis calls “the community brand.”

“When you are standing in front of the sign, you will look to your right and see the Skyscraper,” she said. “You will see that icon and see some of the locations around downtown Dublin.”

The board approved the sign. 

Updating the DDA website

Cochran gave an update on the DDA’s website. She asked members to come in for a headshot to go on the website.

“Renia Cook at city hall has been so generous to help us out to do these headshots,” Cochran said.

The November events include a screening of “Gone With The Wind” at 5 p.m. on Nov. 7, Art Dublin Annual Show and Sale on Nov. 13 (a ticketed event from 6 p.m to 9 p.m.) and Nov. 14 (a free event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) at the Carnegie Library.

The History of the Georgia Historical Plate with Dianne Mathis will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Carnegie Library ($15 admission at the door. The next Downtown Coffee Break will be held on Nov. 20 at 8 a.m. at Dough Bros. There will be a Georgia’s Thanksgiving Gospel Music Spectacular held on Nov. 28 at Theatre Dublin with doors opening at 5 p.m. No tickets are required but organizers are asking for a $15 donation at the door.

“My November goal is to get all of the events up to date,” Cochran said. “Hopefully by the beginning of the year the whole website will look great.” 

Buddy the Elf coming to Theatre Dublin

Board members were reminded about Dublin Community Theatre’s production of “Elf Jr. The Musical,” which will be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Nov. 21 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 22 at Theatre Dublin. For information about tickets, call (478) 272-2560 or go to purplepass.com/buddy.

The show will feature a young cast all below the age of 18, featuring many returning actors from other DCT productions. The show, directed by Misty Mullis, will kick off the Christmas season for Theatre Dublin.

Success with downtown events

Padgett went over stats from downtown events so far in 2026.

When it comes to the Farmers Market, they had 92 total vendors throughout the year and 19,998 people visited the market. Their biggest day was Father’s Day weekend. All of this information came from Visit Dublin GA, through a program called Placer AI. 

For all of the First Friday events, they had 1,386 people attend. The biggest numbers were the final two Fridays.

“I believe that was because of marketing,” Padgett said. “Hannah came in and our numbers just doubled. It helps when you are putting something out there every single day.” 

Pig in the Park, which has been set for Feb. 26 and 27 in 2027, saw 3,200 people attend in 2026.

For the Chili Cook off 1,100 people attended. In 2024, 728 attended while 765 came out in 2025.

“We had a lot more people this year,” Padgett said. “Events are improving each year.”