Dozens, if not a hundred or so visitors are expected to arrive in town Saturday, Oct. 17, as Warren is the staging area for Grow Smart Rhode Island's Second Annual "Main Street Together" conference from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

The day features panel discussions and presentations as well as walking tours of Warren's historic places. The local business community will be represented by the Discover Warren cohort.

Other activities are set to occur at town hall, The Methodist Church, the Hope & Main culinary incubator and other locations. The base of the event is the Historic Armory on Jefferson Street.

The keynote presentation is by Sarah O'Brien, York (Penn.) County Economic Alliance's Director of Downtown Inc. The central topic of O'Brien's speech  is “The Fifth Point of Main Street...People.”

The public is welcome to attend. Registration is required, which can be done at https://growsmartri.org/main-street-together-2026.

"The first one (Main Street Together') was last year in Cranston. This year is in Warren," town director of planning and community development Bianca Policastro explained. "We've worked with Grow Smart and Jillian Finkle (the organization's deputy director) to put this together."

Policastro said she first met Finkle several years ago on a "Main Street" redevelopment project when they quickly struck a now long-standing friendship.

Grow Smart has existed since 1997. Its aim is to assist municipalities do exactly as its name presumes.

The organization has a particular focus on the revitalization of town and city centers, much like Warren's Main and Water Streets have undergone over the last two decades.

Policastro and town officials are hosting an "after-party" Saturday at Porta Via, located at 495 Main St., to conclude the festivities. The reception runs from 4-6 p.m., with free food on offer and a cash bar.

"Hopefully, we'll have a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and we'll bring 75 to 100 and some people to Warren, who can appreciate our shops, restaurants and bars," Policastro added.