The Off-Main activation that launched last year is returning again to Purnell Place on Thursdays throughout July from 5:00PM-8:00PM (July 7, July 14, July 21, July 28). Off-Main Experience is a collaboration between two of Connecticut’s placemaking experts, RiseUP for Arts and Blue Haus Group along with the Downtown Manchester Special Service District.

Last year’s event hosted over 15 vendors and 7 live painting exhibits while providing an immediate benefit to local businesses. Urban Lodge brewing reported that on evenings with the event, the brewery roughly doubled their sales.

Through the generous support of local Realtor, Greg Conway of Coldwell Banker, Town of Manchester, and Key Bank, Off-Main will again activate Purnell Place as a pedestrian friendly, open market with live music, permanent and temporary art installations, local small business vendors, and fun activities. This year’s vendors will include newcomers Barnard Home Crafters and Carnista Art as well as favorites from last year including Brown Butter Creations and Crafted to a T.  The Experience will be hosted by the high energy emcee, Joey Batts, and live music from Broad Brook Ramblers, Evelyn Dillon and Friends, and more!

If you are a vendor, musician, or artist and would like to participate in the Experience, please email [email protected].

About RiseUP:

The RiseUP Group is a nonprofit community development and creative agency with offices at WorkSpace in Downtown Manchester, office in Downtown Hartford, and at The District Co-Work in New Haven.   

We have completed over 100 mural and placemaking projects throughout Connecticut, we’ve worked with 50+ local artists, 100s of partners and host 1,000s of volunteers per year to help make our public art. RiseUP creates public art through donations, grants, and community goodwill.

We support artists, cities, other nonprofits, companies, and local community members in making their mural projects come to life. We help create the vision and manage the entire process to beautify communities through public art.

About Blue Haus Group:

Blue Haus Group is a private real estate and economic development firm with a focus on creating dynamic urban cores within secondary and tertiary markets. We specialize in the creation and redevelopment of public spaces, neighborhood streetscapes and pop-ups.

We work for real estate developers, government agencies, and non-profit organizations (and often a combination of the three) on revitalizing urban space and creating clean, safe, and active places that create value and stimulate economic development.