Main roadways in Buda will be closed for several hours April 18 to make way for the city’s Main Street Dedication Ceremony and distinguished guests, including the first lady of Texas, Cecilia Abbott. From 8 a.m.-noon, the section of Main Street between San Antonio Street and RM 967 will be closed, along with sections of Ash Street and Elm Street between Austin Street and Main. Traffic will be diverted along streets just outside of the immediate downtown area. The dedication ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. and feature Abbott to officially welcome Buda into the Texas Main Street Program as the 89th designated participant. Buda was named a 2017 official Texas Main Street City by The Texas Historical Commission in October. The Texas Main Street Program aims to revitalize historic downtown and neighborhood commercial districts. Being a designated Main Street City means Buda will have access to resources and expertise from the THC. “The visit from the first lady of Texas is just the beginning,” said Main Street manager Maggie Gillespie, who was hired in January, in a release. “The newly appointed Main Street Advisory Board has great leaders, and they are working diligently with the merchants, city staff and the community to lay the foundation for a program that has proven to revitalize downtowns across the state.” The dedication ceremony will be open to the public, and parking will be available at the City Hall parking lot at 121 S. Main St. “We’re just ecstatic that we got the designation,” City Manager Kenneth Williams said in October. “This will enable us to do something in our downtown area, help us to help our small businesses in our area and strengthen the quality of life in the city.”