This summer, Parade Magazine, the most widely read magazine in the U.S., held a cover contest for the "Best Main Street in America" and Ridgefield's Main Street was one of only 16 in the country (and the only one in Connecticut) that was nominated for this honor. Sadly, we didn't win, and Ridgefielders began speculating... Was it our town's population size verses other larger towns? Was it the pictures chosen by Parade to represent Ridgefield? However, one thing is certain, Ridgefield loves our Main Street! The articles on the vote were some of our most popular in 2014.
In case you missed it, here is information on the contest and the eventual winner:
Earlier in the summer, Parade Magazine hosted a "Best Main Street in America" cover contest and Ridgefield's Main Street was one of 16 in the country (and the only one in Connecticut) to be nominated for this honor. But weekly head-to-head voting in the bracket of 16-Main Streets quickly eliminated Ridgefield to Ellicott City, Maryland, a larger town with, in my honest opinion, a less quaint Main Street.
This week, the Best Main Street in America was unveiled in Parade; and, drum roll please, Collierville, Tennessee was crowned the winner over McMinnville, Oregon.
"With a classic steepled church at one end and a 'beautiful library' at the other, Main Street is a 'Norman Rockwell painting come to life.' Pace the creaky floorboards at the local hardware store, take in an exhibit at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, or nosh on homemade chocolate at Deborah Ann's Sweet Shoppe."
With a description like this, how did Ridgefield not win!!
Photograph from Parade.
Previous 2014 Favorites:
"What lies beneath Ridgefield's Great Pond?" (12/15)
"Former Ridgefielder Takes iPhone Photograph of the Year" (12/16)