By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Due to its commitment to diversity, community engagement, and historic preservation, Berlin Main Street has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2025 Great American Main Street Award and will be recognized at the Main Street Now Conference in Philadelphia on April 7.

Berlin was named a semifinalist for the honor through its status as an accredited Main Street America Program. Main Street America leads a movement dedicated to “reenergizing and strengthening older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts through place-based economic development and community preservation,” according to its website.

The organization supports communities throughout the United States via its Main Street Approach. This method prioritizes economic vitality, design, promotion, and organization to strengthen a commercial district and its economy.

Work within the economic vitality area includes financial tools to assist new and existing businesses. The design aims to enhance the physical aspects of a commercial district that set it apart. Promotion looks to showcase a downtown’s unique characteristics, and the organization involves creating partnerships and community engagement.

“Our highly collaborative team works across a broad range of disciplines, including economic development, historic preservation, urban planning, finance, and public affairs,” the Main Street America website says. “We have a proven track record in helping a diverse range of communities through direct technical assistance, advocacy support, research tools, professional development programs, thought leadership, and capacity-building programs.”

Main Street leaders are also given access to grants, educational services, and resource opportunities through Main Street America’s partnerships with corporations and government entities to support local economies.

Main Street America sponsors the Great American Main Street Award, which is reserved for municipalities registered in the program that demonstrate innovative community transformation, engagement, and the creation of arts and culture scenes.

The finalist announcement by Main Street America said that Berlin was selected as an award semifinalist because of the town’s welcoming and thriving spirit, particularly for its support of underrepresented business owners and fostering a neighborhood of inclusion and equity.

“Berlin Main Street’s accomplishments include increasing business opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses, championing preservation and adaptive reuse projects, and nurturing a volunteer base and board of directors that reflects the community’s diversity — from age and heritage to perspectives and interests,” the Main Street America press release reads.

According to the national organization, Berlin Main Street embraces diversity in many approaches. These methods include celebrating Black-owned businesses year-round, hosting a flag-raising event to observe LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June, and paving the path for youth engagement as volunteers and committee liaisons. Berlin’s creation of a “thriving designated arts and entertainment district” and the town’s nearly two dozen annual events solidified its spot as one of the eight Great American Main Street Award semifinalists.

Of the over 200 Main Street Programs throughout the United States, only 112 have been acknowledged as “GAMSA-winning communities” since the award’s establishment in 1995. This year’s selection of finalists has lived up to the program’s standards, creating thriving communities and advancing the areas’ quality of life.

“Collectively, the 2025 GAMSA semifinalists have generated over $695 million in local reinvestment, helped open 975 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 7,190 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 1,568 historic buildings, and leveraged 333,050 volunteer hours,” the announcement noted.

Each year, eligible communities submit their applications to be considered for the award. The jury, comprised of  Main Street professionals and leaders in the fields of community and economic development and historic preservation, chooses the winners and semifinalists, keeping in mind the “strength of the Main Street program in spurring community transformation, commitment to historic preservation, innovative programming, implementation of cross-sector partnerships, community outreach and stakeholder engagement, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” the program’s official website states.

This year’s list of semifinalists, in addition to Berlin, includes Denison Main Street in Denison, Texas; Easton Main Street Initiative in Easton, Pennsylvania; Main Street Farmington in Farmington, Oakland County, Michigan; Jefferson Matters in Jefferson, Iowa; Raton MainStreet/​Arts & Culture District in Raton, New Mexico; Vicksburg Main Street Program in Vicksburg, Mississippi; and Downtown Wytheville Inc. in Wytheville, Virginia.