The semifinalists for the 2023 Great American Main Street Award have been announced, and Metuchen is in the running.

A national jury of community development professionals selected eight semifinalists out of many applications from across the country.

According to the MainStreet.org, other competitors include Danville, Virginia, Denison, Texas Florence, South Carolina, Orlando, Florida, Ruston, Louisiana, Sheridan, Wyoming and Sykesville, Maryland.

Metuchen's mayor proudly boasted about the opportunity on the town Facebook page Tuesday as being a vibrant, active place to be in Central New Jersey.

News 12’s Taylor Knight spoke to locals about the news, and few were surprised.

"It's a really great town to live in. I personally live in town. I've been here about 18 years,” said Metuchen resident Janice Uszenski

Jay Galeota raised his family in Metuchen. He enjoys special events like the little league parade, which takes place on the first day of the season each year.

"It's a place where you kind of have to pinch yourself and say, is this real?" he said.