In a town where community gatherings often center around football games, festivals and church fellowships, downtown Clinton added a new tradition Sunday evening.
For the first time, Main Street became the setting for Dinner on Main, a sold-out outdoor dining experience that brought together local businesses, community leaders and residents for an evening of fellowship in the heart of downtown. What began as an idea inspired by a similar event in California evolved into a celebration of community pride, downtown revitalization and the people working to shape Clinton’s future.
By the end of the evening, many attendees were already talking about next year.
“It is truly a historic event,” Clinton Mayor Lew Starling remarked just before the dinner began. “Never did I dream that we could put something like this together.”
The inaugural event welcomed approximately 156 guests following a social hour at The Artworks of Clinton. Diners enjoyed a collaborative meal prepared by Alfredo’s Restaurant, Ribeyes Steakhouse, Southern Smoke of Garland, the Farm House of Newton Grove and Burney’s Sweets & More, while seated along a table stretching through the center of downtown.
For organizer Debbie Roberts, the evening represented far more than a community dinner. It was the realization of a vision that began with a simple internet search and a conversation that sparked excitement.
“I Googled it, and the only thing that came up was a Woodland Dinner on Main in California,” Roberts recalled. “That’s kind of where this came from.”
Inspired by the concept, Roberts shared the idea with Downtown Clinton Main Street Director Tyler Wise.
“Then I talked to Tyler about it, and her eyes got big,” Roberts remembered. “She said, ‘I like that.’ That’s how it started.”
What followed was months of planning, fundraising, recruiting volunteers and coordinating countless details to transform an ordinary stretch of downtown into an elegant outdoor dining venue.
Throughout the process, Roberts said she remained surprisingly calm.
“I had a communication with God for many, many weeks,” she reflected. “I never stressed, never worried. I wouldn’t even look at the weather. I was not worried about the weather. I slept last night. A lot of people said they didn’t sleep last night, but I slept because everything was done and everything was in place.”
The community’s response quickly confirmed organizers were onto something special.
Tickets for the event sold out in less than 15 minutes.
“We sold sponsor tables, which helped, and the tickets were $75 apiece,” Roberts explained. “One hundred tickets sold in less than 15 minutes.”
With sponsor tables and community support included, attendance eventually grew to approximately 156 guests.
The sight of those guests gathered around tables running through downtown proved to be an emotional moment for Roberts.
“When I walked out and saw the tables, I almost cried,” she admitted. “It was so beautiful.”
Looking back on the evening, she described the experience in simple terms.“A blessing,” she said. “An absolute blessing.”
While Robert’s name has become synonymous with many of downtown Clinton’s recent beautification projects and community initiatives,like Christmas in the City, she was quick to redirect praise toward the team that helped bring Dinner on Main to life.
“I may receive much of the recognition for projects like Dinner on Main and downtown beautification efforts, but the reality is that nothing meaningful happens without a dedicated team,” Roberts asserted.
Among those she credited most was Wise, who embraced the concept from the very beginning and helped turn it into reality.
“Tyler saw the vision from the beginning and helped turn ideas into reality,” she shared. “Her enthusiasm is contagious. Her eyes get big and with a great big smile she says, ‘I like that.’”
Roberts said Wise’s willingness to embrace new ideas has been instrumental in the continued growth and development of downtown Clinton.
“Tyler is willing to try new things, and if something doesn’t work, we learn from it and move forward,” she noted.
The praise extended far beyond the planning of Dinner on Main.
“Whether it’s sweeping alleyways, making name tags, helping create downtown planters, coordinating logistics or tackling countless behind-the-scenes details, Tyler always finds a way to make time,” Roberts said. “She routinely works evenings and weekends without complaint.”
Roberts believes much of the positive change residents have witnessed downtown in recent years is due in large part to Wise’s dedication.
“Tyler is one of the key people who makes change possible,” Roberts said. “Our community is fortunate to have someone so dedicated to making Clinton a better place.”
Wise, meanwhile, was quick to share the credit with the volunteers, committee members and community partners who rallied around the idea.
“I would definitely say it’s going to be a staple,” Wise said of Dinner on Main as she walked around Sunday night, admiring the handiwork of so many. “We’re really excited. I think we’re still in shock of how successful it has turned out.”
Wise said the overwhelming turnout demonstrated that residents were eager for a new type of community gathering.
“It is a beautiful day. We have a lot of people throughout the community interested, which is great,” she stated. “It’s just something great for Sampson County as a whole.”
Although organizing an event of this scale required significant coordination, Wise said the process was made easier by the willingness of others to help.
“We had an amazing committee,” she emphasized. “We had so many volunteers step up. People wanted something different, something new, and everybody has just been really helpful in helping us achieve the vision.”
Starling said the event’s immediate success reflected the pride residents have in both Clinton and Sampson County.
“It sold out in 15 minutes, which is a testament to how much people thought of it,” the mayor observed. “It’s just the spirit that the citizens have. They love this city. They love this county.”
The mayor said events such as Dinner on Main help strengthen community connections while supporting the continued revitalization of downtown.
“We love North Carolina, but this is a good place to call home,” Starling said. “We just thank everybody for coming out and look forward to continuing to support our downtown.”
While the evening centered on fellowship and community, Roberts noted that Dinner on Main was also designed to create a lasting impact.
Proceeds from the event will help support future beautification projects throughout Sampson County through a grant program available to municipalities.
“The different municipalities will be able to apply for a grant through Dinner on Main,” Roberts explained. “If they have a project, whether it’s a sign or another improvement, they can apply.”
Among the first initiatives she hopes to see funded is the restoration of the historic fountain near the Sampson County Courthouse.
“There used to be a fountain there, and now it’s a planter,” Roberts explained. “We want to return it to a fountain.”
She also envisions installing decorative uplighting around the courthouse that could change colors throughout the year for holidays and special occasions.
“For Christmas, for patriotic holidays and other events, you could change the colors,” she suggested. “How cool would that be?”
The impact of events like Dinner on Main extends beyond beautification projects, according to Sampson County Economic Development Director Ray Jordan.
“It’s been a very, very nice event for the community, and I can’t wait to see it expanded in 2027, and double the crowd,” Jordan said.
Jordan noted that community events often play an important role in attracting both new residents and new businesses.
“One thing about events such as tonight is that it adds to the quality of life for the residents of our community and those that are looking to move here,” Jordan remarked. “Our industries are looking to locate here. Things like this are critically important to the quality of life and how you recruit industry and business to our community.”
As guests lingered over dessert, and conversations continued long after the meal had ended, organizers already found themselves looking toward the future.
Roberts said she hopes Dinner on Main becomes an annual tradition and has even discussed the possibility of future community dining events, including a low-country seafood boil on Vance Street tentatively planned for early fall.
For one evening, however, the focus remained on celebrating a successful beginning.
What started as a simple idea inspired by a dinner in California became a sold-out event that united restaurants, volunteers, businesses and residents around one table in the center of downtown Clinton.
And if Sunday’s response was any indication, Dinner on Main may have found a permanent place on the community’s calendar.