Mayfest Takes a Break, but Its Legacy Lives On
Mayfest is a cherished community tradition with deep roots at the Shimer Square campus. In 2019, just weeks after acquiring the property, GROWTH partnered with the Mayfest Committee to bring the festival back to its original home over Memorial Day Weekend—marking one of GROWTH’s first public events on campus and introducing the organization to Mount Carroll and the surrounding area.
That same year, GROWTH launched a community-wide renaming campaign for the campus. Local residents submitted their votes via newspaper ballots, resulting in a tie between “Shimer Square” and “Shimer Woods.” During Mayfest, the official name was determined by a coin toss, led by Mayor Carl Bates—“Shimer Square” was announced as the winning name.
Mayfest became a cornerstone celebration of the redevelopment journey. In 2022, GROWTH invited the entire community to help celebrate the kick-off of Shimer Square’s first redevelopment phase during the annual Mayfest celebration. Mayor Carl Bates introduced GROWTH President & CEO Brian Hollenback, who announced that construction would officially begin in 2023.
“This celebration acknowledges a culmination of many individuals’ tireless efforts over the last three years. Shimer Square’s development offers a fitting example of what a true community-based developer can do with local support,” said Brian Hollenback. “This first phase of Shimer Square’s redevelopment will re-energize the heart of this beloved campus. We appreciate the community’s continued support and are truly privileged to bring this historic campus back to life, one phase at a time.”
“Today we commemorate the next great step in reconnecting Shimer Square to the heart of our community,” added Mayor Carl Bates. “Our beloved campus will now see investment and opportunities that will bring in new residents and businesses. I have fully supported GROWTH and their efforts on this campus and am extremely excited to see the redevelopment plan being realized.”
Despite a two-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival returned in both 2022 and 2023. In 2023, GROWTH proudly supported the event as a festival sponsor. In 2024, organizers announced the festival would take a break while construction continues at Shimer Square, as stated in a letter to the Editor.
For updates and further details regarding Mayfest, kindly visit the festival's Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/mayfestfestival.
That same year, GROWTH launched a community-wide renaming campaign for the campus. Local residents submitted their votes via newspaper ballots, resulting in a tie between “Shimer Square” and “Shimer Woods.” During Mayfest, the official name was determined by a coin toss, led by Mayor Carl Bates—“Shimer Square” was announced as the winning name.
Mayfest became a cornerstone celebration of the redevelopment journey. In 2022, GROWTH invited the entire community to help celebrate the kick-off of Shimer Square’s first redevelopment phase during the annual Mayfest celebration. Mayor Carl Bates introduced GROWTH President & CEO Brian Hollenback, who announced that construction would officially begin in 2023.
“This celebration acknowledges a culmination of many individuals’ tireless efforts over the last three years. Shimer Square’s development offers a fitting example of what a true community-based developer can do with local support,” said Brian Hollenback. “This first phase of Shimer Square’s redevelopment will re-energize the heart of this beloved campus. We appreciate the community’s continued support and are truly privileged to bring this historic campus back to life, one phase at a time.”
“Today we commemorate the next great step in reconnecting Shimer Square to the heart of our community,” added Mayor Carl Bates. “Our beloved campus will now see investment and opportunities that will bring in new residents and businesses. I have fully supported GROWTH and their efforts on this campus and am extremely excited to see the redevelopment plan being realized.”
Despite a two-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival returned in both 2022 and 2023. In 2023, GROWTH proudly supported the event as a festival sponsor. In 2024, organizers announced the festival would take a break while construction continues at Shimer Square, as stated in a letter to the Editor.
For updates and further details regarding Mayfest, kindly visit the festival's Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/mayfestfestival.
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Campus Commemoration Ceremony at Mayfest 2022
Photo courtesy: Bob Watson, Carroll County Mirror-Democrat. Pictured from left to right: Beth Payne, Vice President for GROWTH,
Camlin Payne (Beth’s newborn baby boy in the stroller),
Charlotte Flickinger, Vice President for GROWTH,
Jane Schneider, Board Chair for GROWTH,
Frank Perez, Loan Officer for Bridge Investment Community Development Corporation,
Austin Stadelman, Constituent Advocate for Rep. Cheri Bustos (IL-17),
Carey Jorgensen, Director of Property Management for Home Base Property Management, LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of GROWTH),
Carl Bates, Mayor for Mt. Carroll,
Cindy Berg, Chief Financial Officer for GROWTH,
Andrew Fisher, Construction Director for Growth General Contracting, LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of GROWTH),
Norm Wallgren, Grounds Maintenance for Shimer Square/ GROWTH,
Brian Hollenback, President/CEO for GROWTH,
Jim Baranski, Architect at Baranski Hammer Moretta & Sheehy Architect & Planners,
James Jones, Housing Manager for GROWTH, and
Beth Baranski, Baranski Hammer Moretta & Sheehy Architect & Planners
