Skowhegan sales pitch to startups gains momentum
Screenshot / Startup Maine
Katie Shorey, left, of Startup Maine, chatted with Kristina Cannon of Main Street Skowhegan in the latest installment of the Startup Maine Entrepreneurs and Ecosystem Builders virtual speaker series.
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Skijoring in Skowhegan? The Norwegian-origin equestrian winter sport, part of the Kennebec River Valley's Somerset Snow Fest, is among any events coordinated by Main Street Skowhegan with economic development in mind.
"It's our way of doing place-based economic development and community development," Kristina Cannon, executive director of Main Street Skowhegan, told a virtual audience last week.
Main Street Skowhegan, a Main Street America accredited program founded in 2005, is a nonprofit focused on the ongoing revitalization of historic Skowhegan.
Cannon was speaking with Startup Maine President Katie Shorey in a half-hour on-screen interview, the latest installment of Startup Maine Entrepreneurs and Ecosystem Builders virtual speaker series. Cannon was honored on the 2019 Mainebiz Next list, while Shorey was honored in 2020.
More than 125 people registered for last week's talk, in which Cannon touched on local events along with a vibrant local food scene as key draws for visitors and entrepreneurs to the 8,200-resident Somerset County town.
Events include the popular Skowhegan Craft Brew Fest, which was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic and replaced with the Skowhegan Craft Brew Bag filled with a variety of local products.
This year's Skijor Skowegan, which will take place Feb. 28 on the Skowhegan State Fairgrounds, will also be different this year in terms of not being open to spectators though scheduled to be broadcast live. The sport involves a horse and rider pulling a snowboarder or alpine skier down a 1,000-foot track of gates and jumps.
Rolling on the river
Other Skowhegan pluses touted by Cannon include the planned Run of River water park and broadband access in the town itself, while setbacks include the lack of affordable housing and move-in-ready retail spaces.
She nevertheless hopes that her talk helped to shine a light on Skowhegan "and all the exciting things that are happening from a community and economic development standpoint," she told Mainebiz afterwards.
"If there were any entrepreneurs watching who are considering starting a business, perhaps the information I shared will coax them into considering Skowhegan as a possible locale," she added.
On a more general note, Cannon said she would relish greater involvement in ongoing policy discussions about strategies for moving Maine's economy forward after the pandemic.
"A a person who's not directly connected to the state," she said, "sometimes it feels like we're in a bubble in Skowhegan ... Eventually it would be great to have there be more collaboration around the economic recovery."
Celebrating successes
Shorey noted that viewers are keen to hear what's happening throughout the state and not just in southern Maine.
"It's exciting to hear that these smaller towns and communities are seeing growth and embracing new ideas and projects," she told Mainebiz. "Skowhegan continues to have some great success stories — from Maine Grains, to being a designated Main Street — and Kristina has such a vision for the region, so it should be celebrated."
Shorey also said she continues to get positive feedback about the series, especially the quick-question, short webinar format and hearing what entrepreneurs are working on as well as their personal stories.
"It's a way to keep folks connected with these leaders and visionaries who are helping to advance our startup economy," she added.
Next up in the series is Brian Rahill, CEO and co-founder of Orono-based educational software provider CourseStorm, on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Learn more about the series and upcoming sessions here.
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