A Launch Gloucester Party will begin at 6 o’clock tonight at the Main Street Event Space in Main Street Center, Gloucester, to kick off an entrepreneurship program. Del. Keith Hodges (R-Urbanna) will be the featured speaker.

Ashley Gilmartin, executive director of sponsor Gloucester Main Street Association, said she has received 41 applications from prospective entrepreneurs looking to open a new business or open a second location of an existing business on Main Street. Judges pared that number down to 15 entrepreneurs, who will begin an eight-week business training program this month.

After an intensive review process and an evening in May where the 15 selected business owners will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges, Gilmartin said, three entrepreneurs will share almost $100,000 in financial and marketing support to open a business on Gloucester’s Main Street under the new program. The program was made possible by a state grant when Gov. Terry McAuliffe selected Glou...