Another Macon Christmas light show among new Downtown Challenge projects

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Christmas Light Extravaganza that lit up downtown Macon during the winter is coming back for a second year, the Community Foundation of Central Georgia announced Thursday as part of its fifth round of Downtown Challenge grants.

The fifth round of the Downtown Challenge awards $427,000 to 16 projects that are creative and beneficial to downtown Macon.

Funding for the Downtown Challenge Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, which began in January 2016, comes from the Peyton Anderson Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which each provided $1.5 million in support.

Among the 16 projects announced Thursday:

• Newtown Macon will host the Poplar Street Christmas Light Extravaganza for a second year, and add two blocks and live performances.
• Real IMPACT Center, Inc. will host interactive STEM activities for families at the former Children’s Museum.
• Bike Walk Macon will install five miles of experimental bike lanes and transform Columbus Street into a ‘bicycle boulevard.’
• NewTown Macon will install signs, bike racks, bike repair stations and metal benches at Ocmulgee Heritage Trail.

The projects are all geared towards fullfilling Macon’s Action Plan. To apply for the Downtown Challenge’s final round of grants in September, visit downtownchallengemacon.org.