OCEANSIDE, CA (9/29/26) – Main Street America has announced MainStreet Oceanside as a 2027 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) semifinalist. This prestigious award is the nation’s top award recognizing communities for their excellence in comprehensive preservation-based commercial district revitalization.
A jury of professionals and leaders in the fields of community and economic development and historic preservation convened to review a nationwide pool of applicants. After thoughtful deliberation, the jury unanimously selected eight semifinalists that demonstrate exemplary use of the Main Street Approach™ to lead community-based transformation strategies in their downtowns.
The 2027 Great American Main Street Award semifinalists are:
Center City of Amarillo, Inc. – Amarillo, Texas
Astoria Downtown Historic District Association – Astoria, Oregon
Downtown Excelsior Partnership, Inc. – Excelsior Springs, Missouri
Connect Downtown Johnson City – Johnson City, Tennessee
Village of Lake Orion DDA – Lake Orion, Oakland County, Michigan
Montpelier Alive – Montpelier, Vermont
Mainstreet Oceanside – Oceanside, California
Sapulpa Main Street – Sapulpa, Oklahoma
“The 2027 Great American Main Street Award Semifinalists are proud examples of the deep and lasting impact that Main Street programs can have on communities,” said Main Street America President and CEO Erin Barnes. “From reimagining after decline to rebuilding after natural disasters, these communities demonstrate the power of resilience, vision, and meaningful community engagement.”
Collectively, the 2027 GAMSA semifinalists have generated over $2.1 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 1,271 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 7,607 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 2,411 historic buildings, and leveraged 252,493 volunteer hours.
Competing for the Great American Main Street Award is a significant achievement in the Main Street Movement, and receiving the award is an esteemed honor. Since its establishment in 1995, only 118 of over 2000 Main Street programs have been acknowledged as GAMSA-winning communities. Many Main Street programs set multi-year plans to work towards developing a strong application based on outcomes that make meaningful impacts in their local communities. Organizations are familiar with the selection criteria—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—and build towards this opportunity to be recognized.
MainStreet Oceanside CEO, Angie Leonard- “Being named a semifinalist is an incredible honor, especially as we celebrate 26 years as an organization. We are deeply grateful to Main Street America for recognizing our hard work and supporting our mission. We’ve grown from a grassroots group of five to a team of 38 dedicated individuals working every day to foster a thriving downtown by preserving its rich identity and culture while driving economic vitality.”
The 2027 Great American Main Street Award ceremony will be held at the opening plenary of the 2027 Main Street Now Conference in Detroit, Michigan, on May 3, 2027, where three semifinalists will be recognized as recipients of the coveted honor.
ABOUT MAINSTREET OCEANSIDE
MainStreet Oceanside is a community-based organization committed to the economic development and revitalization of downtown Oceanside. Through its programs and initiatives, MainStreet Oceanside supports local businesses, enhances the downtown streetscape, and promotes Oceanside as a vibrant destination for residents and visitors. MainStreet Oceanside hosts the weekly Oceanside Farmers Market and Sunset Market and implements the Property and Business Improvement District (PBID).
ABOUT THE GREAT AMERICAN MAIN STREET AWARDS
The Great American Main Street Award program recognizes communities exemplifying the use of the Main Street Approach™ to revitalize commercial districts. Winners are selected from a nationwide pool of applicants by a jury of Main Street professionals and leaders in the fields of community and economic development and historic preservation. Since the award’s inception in 1995, over 110 Main Street programs have been honored as GAMSA communities. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.
ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA
Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. For more than 40 years, Main Street America has provided a practical, adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Our network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.
