Mayfest 2011, featuring musical entertainment, food, art and more, raised enough money to award more than $150,000 in grants.

FORT WORTH – Mayfest, Inc. (www.Mayfest.org) has announced grants totaling $155,000 from proceeds from the 2011 Mayfest festival to three of Mayfest’s founding organizations.

Grants include $30,000 to the Junior League of Fort Worth for a garden project, located near Trinity Park in Fort Worth. Fort Worth Parks and Community Services Department will benefit from $15,000 to improve a Trinity Park pavilion and for solar powered, self-compacting trash containers. Streams & Valleys, Inc. received $63,500f for the extension of the Trinity Trail system, with construction expected to begin in 2014.

Additionally, each of the three organizations received $15,500 for their general operating funds.

Mayfest, presented by Mayfest, Inc., is a four-day family festival attracting more than 200,000 people annually to Trinity Park. All profits from Mayfest, $6 million to date, are distributed to its founding organizations that support beautification and recreational development.

The 40th anniversary Mayfest is set for May 3 through 6, 2012 at Trinity Park.

This marks the second year Mayfest has offered the a  Tax Day discount, with more than 1,500 tickets sold during the 2010 promotion.

Mayfest again will include many familiar activities, such as a children’s area and the Great American Duck Races. Also scheduled are the  All American Lumberjack Show, Flippenout Extreme Trampoline Show and the Texas Parks and Wildlife “Life’s Better Outdoors Experience.” In addition, music and performing arts entertainment can be seen and heard across the 33 acre park as local groups perform on seven stages.

Mayfest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Partners in this annual community event are Streams and Valleys, The Junior League of Fort Worth and Fort Worth Parks and Community Services.

Bennie Wheels will bring his Johnny Cash tribute to Mayfest.

It’s back!

Mayfest, Fort Worth’s annual outdoor festival, will return this week with all its bells and whistles, plus its traditional art, entertainment and food. After being canceled only three hours before the festival was set to open in 2009, Mayfest (www.mayfest.org) returns Thursday through Sunday in Trinity Park. The festival suffered a financial loss because of the closure due to the threat of a flu outbreak, and this year’s organizers intend to show loyal patrons four days of food, art and family fun.

Several opportunities are available this year for festival-goers to purchase discount tickets and enjoy a day’s worth of free entertainment. Senior citizens aged 60 and over can receive free admission with a photo ID on Thursday. On Friday, Mayfest will offer the Thank Goodness It’s Friday discount. By logging onto the Mayfest website at http://www,mayfest.organd entering the Code: TGIF, patrons will receive a $2 discount on every ticket purchased. A military ID will get active and retired military personnel free admission, plus three additional tickets for family members on Sunday.

Regular tickets purchased at the festival gates are $8 for adults, $5 for children 6-12 years and free for children 5 years and under. Parking is available at Texas Christian University’s Amon Carter Stadium, with free shuttles operating to the park.

This year’s 33-acre festival will include children’s activities, duck races, musicians and artists. Entertainment headliners this year include The Casey Thompson Band and Bennie Wheels Friday evening, with Poo Live Crew and The Killdares scheduled for Saturday night.

Mayfest was founded by Tarrant Regional Water District; Streams and Valleys, Inc.; Fort Worth Parks and Community Services Department; and The Junior League of Fort Worth, Inc.
All Mayfest profits are distributed to the four founding partners to support Fort Worth community programs. Mayfest, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit festival.

Mayfest, Inc. has announced financial donations totaling $100,000, contribution made from two local foundations in support of the Mayfest festival.

The two donations, each in the amount of $50,000, were received from the Amon G. Carter Foundation and the Sid Richardson Foundation.

“Mayfest feels very blessed and honored to be so supported by the Fort Worth community,” said Elizabeth Basham, executive director for Mayfest, Inc. “This festival is a much beloved tradition for generations of Fort Worth families. This generous support shows us once again that the community feels Mayfest is vital and wants it to continue.”

“In these tough economic times, this support is monumental, and we are very humbled by it,” Basham said. With the receipt of this $100,000, the grant total now equals $145,500 – an amount previously unprecedented at this time of year for Mayfest.

The contributions are especially important since Mayfest 2009 was canceled, as a precaution against the H1N1 virus, by the City of Fort Worth just three hours before it was scheduled to open. Mayfest would have celebrated its 37th year along the banks of the Trinity River.

The last-minute cancellation resulted in unprecedented financial losses, threatening the survival of the community festival. But Mayfest, Inc. eventually announced that plans were underway for the festival to return in 2010 on April 29th – May 2nd. Even so, substantial fundraising was needed to replenish the operating reserve fund depleted after the forced closing. Fundraising and the support of many Mayfest vendors who canceled or drastically reduced their invoices, that allows the event to return in 2010.

“In these tough economic times, this support is monumental and we are very humbled by it,” Basham said.

Mayfest, presented by Mayfest, Inc., is Fort Worth’s oldest family festival that usually attracts more than 200,000 people during its four-day run. Over 3,000 volunteers contribute to the fest that spreads over 33 acres in Trinity Park. All profits from Mayfest, $5.8 million to date, are distributed to its founding partners that support the greater Fort Worth area through the beautification of the Trinity River, development of local parks and management of various community programs.

Donations to MAYFEST may be sent to the Mayfest, Inc. office located at 255 Bailey Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76107 or online at www.mayfest.org. Mayfest, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization.

What was to be the 37th annual Mayfest was canceled abruptly this year, but event organizers are looking toward another festival in 2010.

Mayfest, the long-running Fort Worth tradition, will return in 2010, even after its unexpected cancellation this year threatened its future.

Mayfest, Inc. recently announced the return of the outdoor festival, scheduled for April 29 through May 2, 2010 over 33 acres in Trinity Park, along the banks of the Trinity River.

The 2009 festival 2009 was just hours from opening when the City of Fort Worth canceled because of a threat of swine flu epidemic. The unexpected cancellation forced Mayfest, Inc. into financial turmoil, leaving the festival’s future uncertain. A summer concert fundraiser also did not garner necessary funds to alleviate Mayfest’s finanical problems, according to Shannon Baumgardner, the event’s marketing manager.

Since the closing, though, many festival vendors volunteered to reduce or relieve their invoices in an effort to aid the festival. This, along with an operating reserve, has resulted in organizers decided the 2010 festival can be scheduled.

Elizabeth Basham, the festival’s executive director, is cautiously optimistic for the future of Mayfest beyond 2010. Fundraising efforts are underway, including the “1000/100/100 Campaign,” asking 1,000 people to donate $100 in 100 days to raise $100,000. The money will be used for Mayfest’s operating fund.

Mayfest’s profits, $5.8 million to date, are distributed to founding partners in the greater Fort Worth area. Donations may be sent to the Mayfest, Inc. office located at 255 Bailey Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76107 or online at www.mayfest.org. All donations are tax deductible, and Mayfest, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization.

For more information on Mayfest’s fundraising campaign, check to http://www.mayfest.orgor call 817-332-1055.

Mayfest, a 36-year-tradition, was canceled this year because of the threat (?) of swine flu.

What a shame Mayfest was canceled last week.

It was to be the 37th year, for the outdoor festival which attracts artists, food vendors and musicians to Trinity Park’s 33 acres, near downtown Fort Worth. Typically, the family event draws more than 200,000 visitors during its four days.

But abruptly, it was shut down.
“At the direction of the Fort Worth Parks and Community Services Department and Tarrant County Public Health Department, Mayfest, Inc. canceled the 37th annual Mayfest,” said the statement issued by Carrie Cappel, a member of the Mayfest Media team. “Mayfest is Fort Worth’s oldest family festival and is primarily driven by 1200 volunteers each year. Mayfest and its vendors stand to lose approximately $500,000.00 in expenses to date.”

Ouch.

Once upon a time, I was a very active Junior Leaguer, and Mayfest is a Junior League focal point. I was always marginally involved with Mayfest, though, because it just wasn’t my cup of tea. But over the years, I realized how much Mayfest meant to the city of Fort Worth. I realized, very slowly I admit, that this festival was very much a labor of love with Junior League members giving thousands of hours of their time to pull off an event of this magnitude. The profit it turned was miniscule compared to the time involved, but that wasn’t the point.
It truly was a huge gift to the community.

And all this work was thrown out last week when the decision was made to cancel the festival for swine flu, also called H1N1 flu. As of May 6, the Centers for Disease Control reported on its Web site (www.cdc.gov)  that the entire state of Texas has claimed 61 confirmed cases of this flu and two deaths from this outbreak.

Does that seem a tad bit overblown?

I know, I know. We’ll never know what those numbers would have been if they’d held Mayfest. But it’s an outdoor event, not a jet where you’re strapped in next to some coughing, wheezing strangers for hours. Last week, I might have been right there with Vice President Joe Biden and told my family not to fly. But outside…in the fresh air…different story.

The community festival was founded in 1973 by the Tarrant Regional Water District; Streams and Valleys, Inc; Fort Worth Parks and Community Services Department and The Junior League of Fort Worth, Inc. Counting on some 3,000 volunteers who log more than 12,000 hours, the event serves as a signature spring event in Fort Worth.

p>For this year’s festival, several special events were scheduled including a special needs day, a 10k and 5k run, a military day and some high-dollar entertainment acts. Reckless Kelly was to take the stage Friday, and Starship starring Mickey Thomas was to perform Saturday.

And now organizers are left holding the financial bag. The losses are so large that reports last week claimed Mayfest may not re-appear in 2010.

Now some of the very musicians who were to perform are coming to the rescue by organizing a fundraiser to fix this mess. Details aren’t confirmed yet, but check out www.musicians4mayfest.cowntownweb.com. I’ve got the feeling we haven’t written the end of this saga…stay tuned.