Central Square

Central Square is the heart of downtown Rochester, the stage for community performances, holiday celebrations, and everyday moments in between. Rochester Main Street keeps investing in it with plantings, seasonal decor, and continuous improvements, including upgrades to the stage.

What we keep improving

In the spring of 2022 we installed the “Welcome to Downtown” sign in Central Square, complete with a letter board that announces community events to everyone passing through. Since then the work has never stopped: volunteers tend the plantings, hang the seasonal decor, and maintain the square as the district’s living room.

We are also exploring the next round of upgrades, including improvements to the Central Square stage, a percussion wall for kids, more Edison string lights, and a lighted fountain in the Cocheco River. Our progress is limited only by the support we receive; when neighbors, businesses, and volunteers pitch in, our impact multiplies.

A square with a history

The square has been the focus of our longest-running stewardship. In 2010, volunteers restored and bronzed the Parson Main statue that had weathered to green copper for years, a project that later earned a NH Preservation Alliance Award. That mix of care and ambition is still how we treat the square today.

Volunteer days

From spring planting to holiday decorating, most of what you see in Central Square was put there by hand. Join a volunteer day and you’ll have planted, hung, or painted something before the coffee runs out.