Welcome to the Westport Downtown Merchants Association.
When you become a Westport DMA member, you join other downtown merchants who have made, and continue to make, a dramatic impact on the quality of Westport’s Downtown commercial district.
Downtown Westport is no ordinary shopping district. It is a go-to destination for thousands of visitors who come here for our shops, our dining, and our cultural events.
The Westport DMA spearheads the extraordinary activities of the extraordinary shopping district that is Downtown Westport. Our energetic organization has a single mission: to make Westport attractive to shoppers. And that, in turn, makes the Westport DMA attractive to our merchant members.
The many privileges of membership
Your annual membership in the Westport DMA has significant privileges: innovative cross-marketing programs that increase total sales, as well as synergies with the Westport Chamber of Commerce and other town organizations
Westport DMA also sponsors multiple signature events that attract thousands of shoppers to downtown and surrounding areas during the year.
They include:
- Westport Annual Fine Arts Festival, our outdoor fine arts show along the Saugatuck River
- Westport Annual Sidewalk Sale
- Sponsorship of summer-long Outdoor Concerts and Events at Levitt Pavilion
- Blues, Views & BBQ, our barbeque and music festival
- Winter Holiday Celebrations
- Art By Local, a celebration of local emerging artists and their work
Beautifying the shopper experience
Member dollars have beautified downtown with benches, trees, brick sidewalks, landscaping, concealed trash areas and more efficient trash pickup. Charming welcome signs, directional arrows, banners and flower baskets donated to the town by the Westport DMA create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for citizens and visitors alike. Westport DMA leadership has also worked directly with town officials to address traffic and parking concerns.
Accomplishments such as these are made possible when our businesses unite and work together toward common goals. With your support and your voice, we are promoting and maintaining the economic vitality and sustainability of our beautiful town.
In short, thanks to the Westport DMA, the Westport merchant community becomes greater than the sum of our parts.
Westport is a truly special town, with a rich history of arts, community involvement and New England tradition. The Westport DMA makes Westport that much more special, sponsoring events and activities for citizens and guests that showcase the town’s vitality and vibrancy — all while highlighting the unique qualities that make the town of Westport a premier community.
Our ongoing vision is to build on the illustrious history of Westport as a thriving artistic center with an involved and vibrant community to create a framework of activities and events that will showcase the town’s energy and unique qualities.
Behind the Scene: The Westport DMA
The Westport DMA sponsors many exciting activities in the extraordinary shopping district that is Downtown Westport. From these activities, we are able to create and maintain a beautiful shopping environment while also supporting the efforts of local non-profit organizations. Our special town has an illustrious history that combines a unique blend of cultural richness, community involvement and New England tradition. The Westport DMA unifies these qualities to showcase our town's vitality for the benefit of our citizens and to attract ever more visitors to our exceptional community.
History of The Westport DMA
The Westport Downtown Merchants Association is a non-profit organization founded in the 1970s by the owners of several long-time retail establishments. Our primary goal is to create a strong and vibrant shopping environment that is not only functional but also beautiful. The Westport DMA supports local merchants through advertising, events and maintenance of downtown facilities in a manner worthy of Westport.
Downtown Westport is no ordinary shopping district. It is a go-to destination for thousands of visitors who come here for our shops, our dining, and our cultural events.
Coordinating all of this is the Westport Downtown Merchants Association. Our nimble and energetic organization has a single mission: to make Westport attractive to shoppers. And that, in turn, makes the DMA attractive to our merchant members.
Annual membership in the DMA has its privileges, including innovative cross-marketing programs that increase total sales; a full calendar of events — performance, arts and entertainment — continually attracting shoppers; and synergies with the Westport Chamber of Commerce and other town organizations.
In short, thanks to the DMA, the Westport merchant community becomes greater than the sum of our parts.