Although the Carlsbad Village Association (CVA) has been in operation for over 40 years, people are often surprised to hear how much we do for the benefit of downtown Carlsbad. Now is as good a time as any to introduce you to CVA, if we aren’t already good friends!
The Carlsbad Village Association began in the late 1970’s as the Village Merchants Association. From the beginning, its main purpose was to promote and support the businesses located in Carlsbad Village through robust event programming, promotion, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, downtown revitalization, and creating partnerships with other business-related associations and organizations. CVA is an autonomous and completely self-funded 501c6 organization. A volunteer Board of Directors oversees the association's staff.
This year its farmers’ market (renamed the State Street Farmers’ Market in 2014 when it moved from a parking lot on Roosevelt Street to the heart of the Village) turns 28! That’s nearly 30 years of fresh, locally grown produce and artisanal food. It’s open-air fine art show, Art in the Village, turns 24. And in March, CVA will host its 10th Makers Market with three more on the schedule for 2022.
In addition to these larger community events, CVA is also proud to give back to the community in other ways. Its annual Heart of the Village Blood Drive, going strong for five years, has collected, to date, 225 units of blood, saving up to 675 lives. During the pandemic, due to the severe blood supply shortage, CVA added a second drive in the fall and now hosts two each year.
The newest community-oriented program kicks off March 20th with what will be the largest, collaborative Village cleanup ever. CVA has joined forces with Visit Carlsbad and other Village businesses and organizations with plans to expand Village cleanups quarterly to keep the downtown looking its best.
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In July 2019, CVA became a Main Street America Affiliate program, joining a network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities nationwide, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. We are proud to be a Main Street program.
This is just the tip of the iceberg; there’s so much more to CVA than this. Please visit our website at www.carlsbad-village.com to learn more about CVA’s events and how we support the downtown businesses, residents, and the Village as a destination. We truly hope to see you soon downtown. Come experience the Village!
Carlsbad Village residents and business owners and staff, please join us on Thursday, March 10th from 9am to 4pm at the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort (3075 Carlsbad Blvd.) to learn more about CVA's history and how membership and volunteerism can help the business climate in the Village and help further CVA's mission to make Carlsbad Village a premier destination in North San Diego County. Over complimentary refreshments and light snacks, you can also learn about upcoming CVA events, event sponsorship opportunities, volunteer openings, current city issues, and much more.