Pontiac, Mich. – Downtown Oxford was awarded the Spirit of Main Street Award during the 25^th Anniversary Main Event celebration of Main Street Oakland County (MSOC), held Thursday evening at the Roxy Theatre in downtown Rochester. The event honored outstanding achievements in downtown revitalization.

Oxford was recognized for its video, We Are Community, which earned the top award and a $2,000 cash prize from Genisys Credit Union. The video highlights Oxford’s commitment to honoring its historic roots while fostering an inclusive and vibrant community atmosphere.

“For 25 years, Main Street Oakland County has been a shining example of progress and partnership between the county and its thriving communities,” said Oakland County Executive David Coulter. “Congratulations to Oxford for the Spirit of Main Street Award and to all the downtowns that continuously strive for excellence and the vibrancy that make our communities distinct.”

In addition to Oxford, several communities and individuals were honored for their achievements in categories ranging from business innovation and placemaking to historic preservation and volunteerism. Award highlights include: 

• Legacy of Main Street Excellence: Ortonville – Hamilton’s of Ortonville
• Main Street Jubilee: Wixom – Promotion Power Unite
• Business Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Rochester – Home Bakery—Detroit Lions Cake
• District Placemaking: Farmington – Masons Corner
• Small Business Retention and Attraction: Pontiac – Make It To Scale Incubator Kitchen
• Main Street Leader: Farmington – Kate Knight

Fifty nominations were submitted from 12 of MSOC's 28 communities. Additional awards follow:

• Achievement in Community Character or Historic Preservation: Highland – Odds & Ins Historic Restoration
• Community Event of the Year: Rochester – Kris Kringle Market Expansion
• Main Street Resilience: Lyon Township Whole Hearted Winery
• Outstanding Partnership: Wixom, South Lyon, Lyon Township, and Highland – Burger Battle
• Volunteer of the Year: Rochester – Ben Giovanelli

The event also welcomed Beverly Hills as the 29th community to join Main Street Oakland County and unveiled a proposed new MSOC logo. Special recognition was given to longtime leaders and contributors to the Main Street movement in Oakland County and Michigan.

Congratulatory video messages were shared by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Main Street America CEO Erin Barnes and Main Street Founder Mary Means. A special 25th anniversary video produced by SEMCOG premiered illustrating the economic and social impact of downtown and historic commercial corridors in Oakland County.

The Main Event was supported by SMART (presenting sponsor), Genisys Credit Union, DTE Energy, Oakland County Business Finance Corporation, Giffels Webster, the Rochester DDA, the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester, and the Michigan Downtown Association. More than 225 community leaders, volunteers and stakeholders attended the celebration.

About Main Street Oakland County (MSOC)

Established in 2000, Main Street Oakland County is the first and only county-wide Coordinating Main Street program in the United States. Oakland County is one of two officially designated such Main Street Programs serving Michigan. The time-tested Main Street Four-Point Approach® revitalizes downtowns and commercial corridors through historic preservation, economic development, and community engagement. Since its inception, MSOC communities have attracted over $1.2 billion in public and private investment, created nearly 8,400 jobs, and opened more than 1,500 new businesses. For more information, click here.