During its 65th Annual Conference and Tradeshow in Baltimore, MD, the International Downtown Association recognized NewTown Macon and Bryan Nichols with the Downtown Achievement Award of Excellence for their work and initiatives related to Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza.  
 
The Award of Excellence acknowledges an excellent response to an industry challenge and exceeds the jury criteria. The Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza was among 17 qualified entries in the category of Events and Programming. This category features programs and events that improved the image and vitality of downtown.
 
“The Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza will make anyone believe in Santa— and Macon—again,” said Josh Rogers, President and CEO of NewTown Macon. “This is a great honor for all of Macon, but most of all for Bryan Nichols’ vision, tenacity and hard work.”
 
Bryan Nichols and NewTown Macon received the IDA Award of Excellence for uniquely implementing best practice in urban place management,” said David Downey, IDA President and CEO. “The Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza is a shining example of excellent urban place management delivering real value to the city and an exemplary response to a community challenge.”
 
"Bryan Nichols envisioned the Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza as a way to attract a local and regional audience to downtown Macon in addition to reimagining public space. By stringing over 500,000 Christmas lights synched in time to holiday music by Macon Pops, an innovative, high energy, and world class orchestra that performs with orchestral musicians from around the southeast and across the country, the Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza has assisted in transforming the perception of downtown Macon. Locals and visitors attending the Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza witness a vibrant downtown destination. An idea as simple as decorating Macon’s commercial center for the holidays has positioned downtown Macon as a regional holiday attraction in a matter of two years with 300,000 people in attendance and has helped attract year-round, diverse patronage to downtown’s 90+ restaurants, shops, and venues.

The Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza became possible thanks to generous investments from Knight Foundation, the Peyton Anderson Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Central Georgia through the Downtown Challenge Fund.
 
“I am so excited that the Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza has been recognized internationally with this award,” said Bryan Nichols, the founder and organizer of the holiday light show. “This award is for everyone who has worked so hard to make this event a reality.”
 
Washington, DC-based IDA is the premier organization for urban place professionals who are shaping and activating dynamic city center districts. NewTown Macon is the urban place management organization representing the interests of property owners in Macon, Georgia.