Celebrate Canal! Coalition is a resident-driven initiative working to reimagine Canal Street as a place that truly serves the people who live and work in New Orleans. We break down how this grassroots coalition formed, why past revitalization efforts fell short, and what makes this approach different by starting with community leadership instead of top-down mandates. Drawing from successful models like Times Square and downtown Raleigh, we talk through the coalition’s vision for restoring Canal Street as a vibrant, local-first destination.

We also unpack the coalition’s plan to divide downtown Canal Street into distinct segments, including retail, theater, riverfront, and biomedical areas, and how ideas like pedestrian-friendly design, public art, family-focused attractions, housing, and higher-end retail could finally bring sustained life back to the corridor. Hosted by Etosha McGee and Charles Miller, this conversation explores what it takes to move from talk to action, why locals matter in shaping the future of downtown, and why Celebrate Canal! may be the most promising effort yet to bring Canal Street back for New Orleans, not just tourists.

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