Main Street Highland Park
Founded in 2001, Main Street Highland Park (MSHP) is a non profit community development and downtown revitalization organization that acts as advocate, supporter, and promoter of Highland Park’s downtown. MSHP’s programs and events improve the image of Highland Park, focusing on its commercial assets, visual appeal, cultural appeal, safety, and prime geographic location — within walking distance of Rutgers University and the New Brunswick train station — as a destination for business, shopping, dining, the arts, living, and fun. As part of that strategy, MSHP organizes many events throughout the year that bring people downtown and add vibrancy and vitality to the downtown.
The arts play a crucially important role in our work throughout the year. Arts in the Park is the biggest event we do all year, and it’s completely focused on the arts. This annual arts street festival and juried art show and window art walk showcases downtown Highland Park as a vital center for the arts in our region. Highland Park has a long reputation as an artistic community, with many artists making their homes here. The town has a thriving arts community and is considered by many to be an artistic hub in Middlesex County. The arts scene is one a vitally important piece of the town’s commercial and cultural engine.
Main Street Highland Park’s “Arts in the Park” festival and celebration of all things artistic, is a street festival, juried art show, and arts sale. It draws thousands of festival-goers who stroll through town and enjoy artistic offerings from hundreds of artists; live music, dance, spoken word, and drama performances; food from local restaurants; children’s arts activities including a chalk art zone and a Youth Art Show; booths from local nonprofits and government entities; and more.
