Downtown Southport, Inc

11/20/2025

SOLD OUT!

09/14/2025

The 34th Annual Holiday Tour of Homes will take place from 11 am to 5 pm on Saturday, December 13, 2025. The coveted event anchors the City’s Winterfest Festival and is presented by the Southport Historical Society (SHS) and Downtown Southport Inc. (DSI).

05/07/2025

Downtown Southport Inc. (DSI) and Brunswick Community College (BCC) have announced a new community-focused event that will include almost 100 Arts & Craft Vendors. The event will also feature demonstrations by art instructors and students, a plant sale by the Southport Garden Club, a Fish Fry by Southport Unity Committee and free plants & a children’s art project by the Caswell Avenue Community Garden. There will also be food trucks on site.

This action-packed event will be held on the College’s Southport Campus on Saturday, May 17 from 9 am-4 pm and is free to the public.

Over 100 artists and crafters will be showcasing a range of creativity, sure to meet everyone’s tastes. Randy Jones, DSI president, stressed that this event will offer so much from the world of creative arts, from pottery to paintings to musical entertainment by the students. Jones also commented, “The City of Southport and Brunswick County are so fortunate to have the talents of BCC teachers and students involved in our communities. This is a very special event as it is a wonderful collaboration between all these groups in the downtown Southport area. We hope to see people from all over the County and the Cape Fear River join us for this epic event.”

For more information, visit
https://downtownsouthport.org/southport-arts-may-nia/

11/13/2024

Stay tuned!

12/21/2023

We are so proud to announce the names of the artists selected to have their artwork displayed on banners in downtown Southport next year! Chosen by a three-judge panel from a group of 71 submissions to represent our “Raise Up Your Arts” pole banner project, their art is a mixture of 2D and 3D mediums -- everything from paintings and photography to mosaics, pottery and fiber art to woodworking and glass, with equally varied subjects.

The two-dimensional artists are: Kristen Adkins, Chelsea Beard, Prentiss Halladay, Jeffrey Hanke, Bett Lewis, Kim Long, Tim Mauk, Nick Noble, Su Peyton, Lisa Prichard, Joy Rademacher, Jan Sowers, Chris Stitcher, Ann Thompson, and Buffy Weiss.

The three-dimensional artists are: Jill Brown, Dennis DelPrete, John Gray, Diana Mibelli, Austin Sapp, Bette Shanahan, Van Snyder, Carol Szot, and Michelle Truett.

Hats off to these artists and compliments to all the others who participated. The judges had a difficult time deciding who to include in the final group of 24, increased from 14 this year. The completed banners depicting their work will be unveiled at our 3rd Annual Cool & Fancy Gala on March 9 before they are hung from utility poles in Southport’s central business district next May through November.

Up Your Arts is fortunate to partner with the City of Southport and Downtown Southport, Inc., to ensure the success of this project. To help cover remaining costs, UYA Public Art Committee Chair Debra McLendon is soliciting 10 individual businesses and private citizens to sponsor one artist for $250 and be recognized on that artist's banner. Interested parties can contact her at [email protected]

10/27/2023

10/19/2023

The following was sent to the State Port Pilot as a letter to the editor:

Downtown Southport Inc. (DSI) is very interested in the restoration and maintenance of Franklin Square Park. DSI’s Mission Statement is “Downtown Southport Inc. (DSI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the heritage and charm of downtown Southport. We encourage and support preservation projects, cultural activities, educational programs, tourism as well as responsible economic growth in the downtown area, making Southport a vital vibrant year-round community for our citizens and guests.”

This is evident in the fact that DSI has contributed $12,500 to the Dept of Parks/Rec since 2013 for the sole purpose for the maintenance and upkeep of Franklin Square Park and the Garrison Lawn when the Garrison Lawn was used for events/festivals. DSI also budgeted $5,000 to be used by the Dept of Parks/Rec for the maintenance and upkeep of Franklin Square Park in 2023.

Scott Len, Southport Forestry Committee, and Justin Bennett, NCFS Forester met on August 16 and spent several hours assessing the trees in Franklin Square Park. This report can be obtained from Heather Hemphill, Director of Parks/Rec. One of the summary points from the report is “There are no alarm bells going off. The state of the trees is more a function of their age than any contemporary impact from events”.
It is DSI’s understanding that the City of Southport has contracted with Bartlett Tree Experts to provide arboricultural consulting services in the form of a Consultation for trees within Franklin Square Park. This consulting contract costs $3,900. DSI is offering to provide the funds for this project. DSI will obviously comply with their findings regarding the welfare of Franklin Square Park.

DSI would like for the Public and City Officials to listen to the Professionals regarding Franklin Square Park, and not listen to emotional concerns which are not fact-driven.

Thank you.
Peggy Popelars / DSI President

10/17/2023

The following was sent as a Letter to the Editor, published in the August 30, 2023 copy of the State Port Pilot:

The article in the August 23 State Port Pilot, "Group wants historic park restored," was of particular interest to me as a board member and president of Downtown Southport Inc. (DSI). The paragraph "Franklin Square Park is the site of concerts and a summer market on Wednesdays. The foot traffic has taken its toll," concerned me since OSI co-sponsors the Concerts in the Park, as well as the Southport Summer Market.
DSI is very appreciative of the city allowing us to use Franklin Square Park for our events. To show our appreciation, DSI has contributed $11,500 to the Dept of Parks/Rec since 2013. OSI also budgeted $5,000 to be used by the Dept of Parks/Rec for the maintenance and upkeep of Franklin Square Park in 2023. DSI is very interested in the preservation of Franklin Square Park and has been for some time now.
I met with Jeanne Potter, a member of the Friends of Franklin, and we seem to be on the same page regarding the need for an arborist to undertake a study to develop a plan for the restoration and maintenance of the park and its landscaping.
I also understand that Scott Len, Southport Forestry Committee, and Justin Bennett, NCFS Forester met on August 16 and spent several hours assessing the trees in Franklin Square Park. This report can be obtained from Heather Hemphill, Director of Parks/Rec. One of the summary points from the report is, "There are no alarm bells going off. The state of the trees is more a function of their age than any contemporary impact from events".
Peggy Popelars, DSI President
Southport

09/05/2023

Happy September, everyone!
September's Newsletter is available and can be found here: https://flipbookpdf.net/web/site/131629ed6e27853edabbdcc7483215bce25c9e9fFBP25062568.pdf.html

08/08/2023

Happy August, everyone!
August's Newsletter is available and can be found here: https://flipbookpdf.net/web/site/2b2f70cce7e9eee26200cafe7888293637b25d3eFBP25062568.pdf.html

07/10/2023

Happy July, everyone!

July's Newsletter is available and can be found here: https://online.flipbuilder.com/vgqak/umxz/