Excitement and rejuvenation fill the former Pure Eats space in the Ice House as Rocktown Kitchen gets ready to open a full-service, casual yet upscale dining restaurant in downtown. With locally sourced meats, vegetables, craft brews, wines, and décor, Rocktown Kitchen brings a farm-to-table experience to guests who will begin enjoying this new spot in May. That’s right…less than a month away! more
Many of you know Ron Copeland from way back, when he was that scrawny bearded hippie guy that ran The Little Grill (Harrisonburg’s oldest existing restaurant) from the years 1992 - 2003 – a young man with a wild vision of serving a free meal to “Anyone in the World.” Ron’s “Free Food For All” Monday soup kitchen was a fixture in the Harrisonburg community for a long time. more
In Harrisonburg, we recognize the importance of standing up for what we believe in. After a recent survey’s results, the Arts Council of the Valley (ACV) launched a Save a Seat fundraiser, concluding that sitting down (comfortably) is also important to our community. After 18 years of patronage, with spare parts deplenished and the replacement parts unavailable for the theater’s 250 well-loved seats, Court Square Theater (CST) is in need of a pragmatic makeover which will enable our community’s residents to support the variety of shows, music, films and activities in comfort. more
Last week at our annual Celebration & Reception, we threw a party for all of the downtown rockstars. more
Executive Chef Colin Auckerman is busy making a special for Taste of Downtown week: house-made fettuccine with local braised pork, local kale, smoked paprika and parmesan. If you only know Bella Luna for its incredible wood-fired pizzas, you’re missing out on some of the best pasta dishes in the Valley and Auckerman’s latest creation will likely join their ranks. more
Last week, Ruby’s Arcade set the stage for one of downtown’s best parties of the year – Celebration & Reception. It’s our favorite event that we produce because we get to show our appreciation for the people, businesses, and partners who keep downtown thriving, as well as for our supporters who believe in HDR’s mission. It’s a great night of optimism, excitement, and gratitude; you’d expect nothing less from a room full of people who are passionate about our city. Plus, thanks to our sponsors, we had plenty of beer, wine, and tasty pizza and BBQ to elevate spirits. more
So this is a regular conversation in our house: more
It happens most weeks: I’m sitting in front of the monitor in my home office, tapping my fingers along the desk, and endeavoring to stay focused while writing a poem, a blog post or an upcoming speech. The moment my fingers touch the keyboard’s home keys, I’m distracted by Winston and Rosie’s paws tapping along the hardwood flooring towards me, nudging their noses on my leg in hopes that I’ll take them outside again. Or, I’ll catch a glimpse of the mountain of laundry (involving single socks I don’t even recognize) which I should sort, fold and carry upstairs. Once I see it, it’s all I can see. Because the laundry doesn’t disappear upon me wishing it away, and because I’ve yet to train my dogs how to open the door whenever they want to chase that squirrel they never catch, I need to write where I’m comfortable and in an environment conducive to productivity. more
On the first Friday of every month, families, couples, groups and individuals stroll downtown’s sidewalks, rain or shine, in celebration of the current month’s art openings. With approximately 30 participating venues — each featuring a separate artist — there’s no lack of variety anywhere in sight during Harrisonburg’s First Fridays. What began, in 2009, as a partnership between Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, the Virginia Quilt Museum, and Harrisonburg Tourism, as a biannual event, is now organized by the Arts Council of the Valley and embodies the arts-related culture that downtown residents observe on a daily basis. more
2016 was a pivotal year for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. It was a year of reflection, change, and growth as an organization. Here's a look at some of our most memorable moments: more