The DIB, in collaboration with the UWF Historic Trust, has unveiled three historically-themed photographic mural panels that showcase women and scenes from Palafox Street’s past and conceal trash compactor.

The Shops on Palafox and Downtown Improvement Board have partnered to present the biggest downtown shopping event of the summer this Wednesday, June 26, from 5-8pm. The event includes block-by-block live music, local pop-ups, summer drinks and exclusive shopping specials up and down Palafox from participating merchants, as well as a $500 giveaway!

Downtown Improvement Board is now accepting applications for funding downtown events. The agency plans to award up to ten $2,500 grants a year to events that have the potential to drive visitors downtown and raise the area’s profile as a cultural destination. 

Downtown Improvement Board expanding Pensacola Police Dept. presence to crack down on excessive vehicle noise, loud music in downtown Pensacola

The Downtown Improvement Board (DIB) has approved a $5,000 grant to support a series of special events aimed at driving visitors downtown and raising the downtown district’s profile as a shopping destination. The DIB board of directors approved the grant at the request of downtown merchants Samantha Breedlove of Rusted Arrow Mercantile and Katie Bosso of Indigeaux Denim Bar & Boutique, representing Shops of Palafox, at its board meeting on Feb. 27.

Rusted Arrow, Indigeaux, and more recently Shops of Palafox, a consortium of Palafox Street retail shops from Garden to Main Street, have produced successful quarterly events attracting visitors on a local and regional level for the past seven years. While the events are shopping-centric, they have shown to have a significant and positive impact on surrounding restaurants, bars and nightclubs as well.

“Supporting all of the small businesses in downtown Pensacola is a high priority of the DIB,” said Walker Wilson, DIB executive director. “Working hand in hand with our local retailers brings not only a benefit to each of them but also spills over to all of the restaurants, coffee shops, and bars downtown.”

 The grant will supplement the overall budget to help Shops of Palafox increase the economic impact of its events to downtown Pensacola this year.  

Special events are a means of enhancing, marketing, and promoting Downtown Pensacola’s small businesses to stimulate local business, community, and commerce activities within the urban core. “Small businesses are the bedrock of our community and provide countless jobs to the citizens of Pensacola & Escambia County,” said Wilson, “And we are proud to support them.”