DANVILLE, Va. – Danville is one of eight communities selected as a semi-finalist for the Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA). The award, given out by the National Main Street Center, recognizes communities for excellence in preservation based commercial district revitalization.

Semi-finalists 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. Criteria for winning include 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 River District Association (RDA), formerly Downtown Danville Association, was formed in 1999 to coordinate efforts to revitalize the downtown Danville community, now called the River District. Since 2016, RDA and the City of Danville have enjoyed accredited status under the National and Virginia Main Street Programs; the program and accreditation are recognized nationally as one of the most successful formulas for downtown revitalization.

The 2022 Great American Main Street Award winners will be announced on May 16 at the National Main Street Center’s Main Street Now Conference, in Richmond.