Downtown PKB holds annual meeting | News, Sports, Jobs

Downtown PKB board President Lindsey Piersol presented the Spirit of Downtown Person of the Year award to longtime member Larry Johnson during Wednesday’s annual meeting at the Parkersburg Art Center. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG — Downtown PKB looked back on 2021 at its annual meeting Wednesday and looked forward to a 2022 where its signature events will look a lot more like they did two years ago.

“The plan is to have everything in its normal way,” said Amanda Stevens, executive director of the organization, which works to promote and revitalize Parkersburg’s central business district.

That includes Savor Saturday on March 5, the Taste of Parkersburg food and wine event June 4, the Point Park Concert Series and more.

Artoberfest, Monster Mash and Winterfest took place in 2021, as did Savor Saturday, but it’s been two years since the Downtown Throwdown, Taste of Parkersburg and the concerts because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to those events, highlights mentioned during Wednesday’s meeting at the Parkersburg Art Center included the establishment of a downtown property owners’ group, working with the Mid-Ohio Valley Arts Collaborative and the Art Center to create the massive GoodSpace mural adorning the Art Center’s wall facing Eighth Street and installing two new selfie stations.

Downtown PKB Executive Director Amanda Stevens, left, spoke during the organization’s annual meeting Wednesday at the Parkersburg Art Center as reigning Parkersburg Winterfest Queen Mia Williams listened. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

“It was a transition year,” said Lindsey Piersol, the Downtown PKB board president. “I don’t think anybody missed a beat, and I’m really proud of what the organization has become.”

Stevens came aboard in September from Artsbridge, following Wendy Shriver, who moved on to the role of executive director of Discovery World on Market, a children’s museum set to open this fall.

Shriver is now a board member of Downtown PKB and was on hand Wednesday for the meeting and to accept the Spirit of Downtown Business of the Year award on behalf of the Ross Foundation and its executive director, Tres Ross. The Foundation provided the seed money for Downtown PKB as a nonprofit organization and is the lead investor in transforming the former Masonic Temple at Ninth and Market streets into Discovery World.

The Business of the Year award recognizes an entity that goes above and beyond supporting Downtown PKB’s mission. The same goes for the individual selected to receive this year’s Person of the Year award, founding Downtown PKB member Larry Johnson.

Johnson worked for 40 years in banking downtown and got involved with the informal Downtown Task Force.

Downtown PKB board President Lindsey Piersol presented the Spirit of Downtown Curb Appeal award to Parkersburg Art Center Managing Director Jessie Siefert during the organization’s annual meeting Wednesday. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

“We’d get together once a month, and we’d have lunch and talk about the issues,” he said. “But we didn’t do much.”

That’s changed with Downtown PKB, Johnson said. And while he’s stepping away because of other activities and responsibilities, he said he looks “forward to what all they can accomplish in the future.”

The Curb Appeal award went to the host Art Center, not only for the addition of the mural but its remodeling of a new gift shop set for a ribbon-cutting on March 8.

Evan Bevins can be reached at [email protected].

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The Parkersburg Art Center received the Downtown PKB Curb Appeal award in part because of its newly remodeled gift shop. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Upcoming Downtown PKB Events

* Savor Saturday: March 5

* Point Park concert: June 3

* Taste of Parkersburg: June 4

* Point Park concert: July 1

* Point Park concert: Aug. 5

* Downtown Throwdown: Sept. 17

* Artoberfest: Oct. 15

* Monster Mash: Oct. 22

* Small Business Saturday: Nov. 26

* Winterfest: Dec. 3