The Fort Worth Junior League and Mayfest:  A Long-Standing Collaboration

The Junior League of Fort Worth and Mayfest have a long history together.  In 1970, the JLFW and private donors funded the Halprin Plan designed by Lawrence, a landscape architect from San Francisco. The plan was developed to beautify the urban greenbelt along the eight miles of the Trinity River which runs through the heart of the city. In 1971, the Streams and Valleys Committee was created to preserve and beautify the river and parks and to implement the Halprin Plan. 

In May of 1972, the JLFW approved participation in Mayfest., a community-wide event geared towards acquainting the citizens of Fort Worth with the new recreational opportunities available to them along the river banks in Trinity Park.  JLFW co-sponsored Mayfest with the Streams and Valleys Committee and the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1.  The idea of Mayfest originated with Phyllis Tilley, League President 1972-3 and a founder of the Streams and Valleys Committee.  In June of 1972, Mayfest committee members appeared before the Park board and received permission to use Trinity Park for the event on May 5 and 6, 1973.  In turn, the Park Board asked and received permission from the JLFW to be a Mayfest sponsor, as well.

Mayfest, Inc. was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in September, 1987.  Its purpose was to raise funds for community nonprofit programs and for continued improvement and awareness of the parks and the Trinity River through a combination of volunteerism and community resources. The Mayfest, Inc. Board of Directors is comprised of representatives from its four sponsors:  the Junior League of Fort Worth., the City of Fort Worth Parks and Community Services Department, the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District 1, and Streams and Valleys, Inc.  The Board oversees the operation of the corporation and advises the JL volunteer Chairman, the JL Central Committee Chairmen, and their sub-committees who plan and implement the festival. 

Mayfest has been a community collaborative effort since its humble beginnings.  Among the first groups to volunteer at the event were the Scouts and Explorers, the Stripling Teen Board, the Jaycees, the Associated Independent Electrical Contractors Society, Camp Fire Girls, Girl Scouts, Police Buddies, Art Center Museum, Museum of Sci­ence and History, Fort Worth Public Schools, Eastern Hills Lassies, Ladies of Benito Juarez, Metropolitan YMCA, Western Hills Honor Society, Montessori Mothers Club, Tarrant County Fire Marshall's office, Junior Women's Club, TCU Women's Club, and the American Red Cross.  "This facet of Mayfest was perhaps the most gratifying part of the entire event," wrote Susan Bagby Tilley in her Mayfest Report from 1973, "To be able to work with so many diverse groups on a common-purpose project."

The Junior League of Fort Worth is proud to be partners in the park with Mayfest, Inc. Although Mayfest was a part of the Junior League for many years, Mayfest became their own non-profit organization in 1987 and strives to meet their mission.  Mayfest, Inc. has many exciting plans for the future and will be looking to their new managing director to assist with fundraising and long-term planning. 

Mayfest 2009 is already underway and will prove to be a tremendous success!  The Junior League of Fort Worth provides a large numers of volunteers to help plan and organize this family fun festival in the park.  The proceeds from Mayfest, Inc. are used to help provide funding to the Junior League, Parks and Recreation, Water District.... Everyone be sure to mark your calendars for April 30 - May 3, 2009 and be a part of this Fort Worth family tradition.

(Information for this article was derived from the Mayfest history files written by Arnessa, the JLFW Office Manager for over 20 years, as well as past JLFW yearbooks from the Mayfest Chair's reports.) 

Learn more about Mayfest by visiting  www.mayfest.org