Welcome to Uptown Shelby, the heart of our community

Uptown Shelby’s tree-lined streets invite locals and visitors alike to a variety of independent businesses and top-notch attractions.

Hear the music & stories of the American South at the Earl Scruggs Center, taste local produce at the Foothills Farmers’ Market, see a national act at the Don Gibson Theatre, discover local artists at the Cleveland County Arts Council and explore our quirky, fun local businesses. Between live music, great shopping, gallery shows, delicious food, and special events, there is always something fun to do in Uptown.

Come enjoy the great combination of ambiance and options that make Uptown Shelby exciting!

Explore our website for more information about the destinations, businesses, and events in Uptown Shelby. Explore Uptown with this map that shows parking as well as shopping, dining, attractions, and more.

Click here to read about Uptown Shelby's growth over the last 10 years, and how our charming district is poised for continued success in the years ahead.

Be a part of our volunteer team!

Volunteer FAQs

Why does USA need volunteers?

We rely on volunteers because we are a non-profit organization operating on a lean budget. With only two full-time staff, there’s no way we can run big events alone. We are in the process of our expanding our volunteer opportunities beyond events to include projects and leadership roles in order to expand our organization’s capacity to accomplish exciting projects that help make Uptown Shelby a more vibrant place.

What does USA look for in a volunteer?

We look for people with a sense of pride in Uptown Shelby and a commitment to volunteering who want to make a difference in their community. Other specific characteristics depend on the volunteer role – some of our volunteer opportunities require a team spirit, and some require the ability to work independently.

How much time is involved?

It varies! We have a wide variety of volunteer opportunities that range from an hour to monthly meetings to projects on your own schedule. We have one-time slots as well as short-term gigs and longer-term commitments.

How can I learn more about volunteering with USA?

Call us at 704-484-3100 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we’ll be glad to talk more with you about our volunteer opportunities and the role of volunteers in our organization.

What volunteer opportunities does USA offer?

We rely on volunteers to accomplish exciting projects and to make our events run smoothly. The following tables are example volunteer positions - please call us at 704-484-3100 for information about what positions are currently available.

EVENTS

*Event Name*	*Volunteer Opportunities*	*Location*
Uptown Litter Sweeps	Participant: picking up trash	Uptown
Uptown Litter Sweeps	Volunteer recruiter: generate interest to participate in the litter sweeps	Uptown
Shelby Alive	Set-up	City Pavilion
	Beer sales	City Pavilion
	Wine sales	City Pavilion
	Armband sales	City Pavilion
	Popcorn sales	City Pavilion
	Break-down/clean-up	City Pavilion
Seeds to Silverware	Volunteer recruiter	Flexible
	Week-of prep	Varies
	Set-up	City Pavilion
	Server	City Pavilion
	Back of house	City Pavilion
	Front of house coordinator	City Pavilion
	Breakdown/clean-up	City Pavilion
Mush Music & Mutts	Set-up	Court Square
Mush Music & Mutts	Selling popcorn & drinks	Court Square
Carriage Rides	Set-up	Court Square
	Selling tickets	Court Square
	Assisting carriage riders	Court Square
Small Business Saturday	Set-up Sharing info and swag at the booth	Court Square
Christmas Parade	Coordinating parade participants at intersections	N. Lafayette Street

PROJECTS

*Category*	*Project Opportunities*	*Location*
Promotion	Ensure all Uptown businesses are on Google business	Flexible
	Research app as a marketing tool	Flexible
	Coordinate general programming on the Court Square	Flexible
	Ensure appropriate businesses are on Yelp	Flexible
	Marketing education for businesses	Uptown
Design	Take pictures of every building and vacant lot in the Uptown district	Uptown
Design	Explore possibilities for murals in Uptown	Flexible
Organization	Identify and connect with new sources of volunteers	Flexible
Organization	Indexing old photographs	USA office

Thanks for your interest in Uptown Shelby!

MSALOGO 17ACCREDITED RGB

As a Main Street America™ Accredited program, Uptown Shelby Association is a recognized leading program among the national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. All Main Street America™ Accredited programs meet a set of National Accreditation Standards of Performance as outlined by the National Main Street Center.

NCMS Final Uptown Shelby is a North Carolina Main Street Community, designated by the NC Department of Commerce and Main Street & Rural Planning Center. Uptown Shelby Association is charged with administering the program at the local level and building a public-private partnership to spur economic development in partnership with the state agency.

Parking in Uptown Shelby

Visitor Parking

Thanks for your interest in visiting Uptown Shelby! Free on-street public parking is available throughout the district, and public parking lots provide additional free parking options. Click here for a PDF map of Uptown Shelby that shows parking as well as shopping, dining, attractions, and more.

Public parking map Dec 2015

Bike Parking

Bike racks are available at the following locations:

Lily Micro-Roasted Coffee - 108 E. Warren St

Newgrass Brewing Company - 213 S. Lafayette St

City Pavilion - 126 W. Marion St

Alley behind Hats Off Salon - near the intersection of Warren + Lafayette St and accessible from W. Arey St.

more locations coming soon!

Attractions

Events

Shopping

Food & Dining