Downtown Hernando has a new soundtrack. The Hernando Main Street Chamber of Commerce and the City of Hernando cut the ribbon on Tuesday, Sept. 22, on a new Hernando Courthouse Square music system. The outdoor sound setup around the square will play music for shoppers and visitors and for the events that fill the historic downtown throughout the year.
According to the DeSoto Times-Tribune, Wisdom Integrators installed the speakers and the project was paid for with an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant.
What the Hernando Courthouse Square music system adds downtown
Organizers say the system has two jobs. It makes an everyday trip to the square more pleasant, and it gives the chamber and city a permanent way to add music to public events without bringing in temporary sound equipment.
Everyday atmosphere: background music for people shopping and dining around the square.
Event support: permanent sound for downtown gatherings such as the Water Tower Festival and Hernando’s A’Fair.
Local talent: chamber leaders say the system can be used to showcase area performers.
Chamber director Sibonie Swatzyna said the system will be “great for our community and citizens” and that the chamber’s events are “going to take on another level.”
Chamber board president Josh Combes said the speakers will let organizers feature local talent or “add a different vibe” to downtown events.
A partnership among business, chamber and library
Aaron Cozort of Wisdom Integrators described the project as a partnership among local business, the chamber, the library and others. Mayor Chip Johnson said the idea came from what other cities have done, and that the speakers add another layer to what downtown Hernando sounds like.
Part of a larger downtown upgrade
The music system is the latest in a series of improvements meant to make the area around the DeSoto County Courthouse more inviting. It follows decorative lighting installed along Panola Street, and new metal wayfinding signs are expected to help visitors get around downtown.
The Hernando Water Tower Festival returns to the square on Saturday, Sept. 26, one of the busiest days of the year downtown. It will be one of the first big events where residents can hear the new system.
Why it matters for Hernando
Downtown Hernando relies on foot traffic from festivals, courthouse business and shoppers visiting locally owned stores and restaurants. City and chamber leaders have been working to give people more reasons to spend time on the square, and additions like lighting, signs and music are part of that effort.
Because the project was funded with a federal ARPA grant, it did not come out of the chamber’s regular event budget. Residents with questions about using the system for an event can contact the Hernando Main Street Chamber of Commerce.
