Would you like to help create a downtown you love?
Share your talent and energy to better your community?
Meet new community members?
HDR has a wide range of volunteer opportunities that can accommodate your interests and amount of free time – whether you enjoy volunteering at special events or would like a more active role. Fill out the volunteer interest form so we can match your skills and interests with our organization.
Join Our Volunteer Email List
We email open event volunteer opportunities, open board positions, committee openings, and more every other month. Sign up to get updates sent directly to your email inbox!
NEW: 2025 Volunteer Committees
HDR is revamping its event volunteer opportunities in 2025 with new event committees! Learn more about becoming a Downtown Event Concierge or volunteering with an Event Planning committee below.
Sign Up as a Concierge or Committee Member
Do you love Downtown Harrisonburg and want to share your expertise with others? Do you want to have a bigger role in our festivals and events? We would love to hear from you!
DOWNTOWN EVENT COMMITTEE
Share your love for downtown and our community by planning fun events and activities! This group of 5-6 people will meet weekly or bi-weekly 2-3 months leading up to the festival to plan and produce programming to activate underutilized areas of downtown. Engage with fellow downtown fans and have a key role in the events and activities happening during festivals like Best.Weekend.Ever., Block Party in the ‘Burg, Skeleton Festival, and Winter Wonderfest as well as promotions like Taste of Downtown Month and Small Business Saturday.
DOWNTOWN EVENT CONCIERGE
Showcase your downtown expertise by becoming a friendly face for visitors during our events. This cohort of passionate volunteers will volunteer at least 2-3 hours during our signature events to help people navigate downtown, answer questions, and welcome them to The Friendly City.
Watch a Recap of Our 2025 Volunteer Interest Meeting
Learn more about our new event committees and what to expect as a committee volunteer in 2025.
Save the Date
Mark your calendars and stay tuned for volunteer opportunities with this year’s annual festivals and events in Downtown Harrisonburg!
- March – Taste of Downtown Restaurant Month
- March 7 – Downtown Happy Hour
- June 14 – Best.Weekend.Ever.
- June 25 – Levitt AMP Harrisonburg Music Series Begins
- July 5 – Fireworks & Special Levitt AMP Harrisonburg Concert
- October 25 – Skeleton Festival
- September 10 – Final Levitt AMP Harrisonburg Concert
- November 9 – Veterans Parade
- December 6 – Winter Wonderfest & Cookie Tour
Planning Timeline
It takes some time to plan our large-scale festivals! Interested in joining an events committee? Here are the planning timelines for our largest events.
- Taste of Downtown Month – planning begins February
- Best.Weekend.Ever. – planning begins mid-March or early-April
- Block Party in the ‘Burg – planning begins late April
- Skeleton Festival – planning begins mid- or late July
- Veterans Parade – planning begins late September
- Winter Wonderfest – planning begins mid-September
Other Volunteer Opportunities:
Harrisonburg Meet Up Volunteers
Harrisonburg Meet Ups are designed to help people connect with others in a laid-back atmosphere and discover different downtown destinations and programs during off-times. They are open to anyone interested in expanding their social network with additional advertisements and marketing targeted toward people who are new to the area. We currently have a Facebook Group and a Meet Up Group as well as a webpage that will house all of the upcoming events. We will plan to host at least two Meet Ups a month at different venues in Downtown Harrisonburg, rotating days of the week and times to make it accessible to as many people as possible. We also plan to host additional Meet Ups during HDR’s major public festivals and events.
We are asking volunteers to assist with Harrisonburg Meet Ups as event hosts. Each event will ideally have a pair of hosts (at least one returning volunteer paired with a new volunteer). Host volunteers will be asked to help with the following:
- pick up event supplies from the HDR office (name tags, flag, ice breaker supplies, handouts, etc.)
arrive at the venue ~30 minutes before the event start time, serve as point of contact during the event for the venue and coordinate with venue staff on the best place to set up materials - welcome participants to the event, let them know about any specials, ice breakers, etc.
help facilitate conversation and ice breakers (if applicable), make sure no one is being left out or acting inappropriately towards others - clean up supplies at the end of the event, thank host venue staff, and return items to HDR office
- optional – serve as a moderator/event organizer on the Harrisonburg Meet Up Facebook Group and/or Meet Up Group
This is a fun way to engage with your community and share your love for Harrisonburg! If this sounds like fun to you, please use this form to indicate your availability for this year’s Meet Up events. HDR will reach out to the email provided to confirm your volunteer slots.
Interested in getting involved? Learn more and submit your availability at the form below!
Best. Putt Putt. Ever. Builders
Putt Putt is coming back to Downtown Harrisonburg during Best.Weekend.Ever. and we are inviting the community to lend a hand during scheduled “build days” to help make this happen! Interested in working with community organizations in designing playable golf holes? Want to practice using tools and creativity to create fun, interactive art for the whole family? We would love to have you help!
Build Days will be scheduled mid-May through June with a full schedule coming out mid-May. Sign up for our volunteer email list to get notified when the schedule and sign-up sheet come out!
Do you want to design and build your own hole, or part of an organization that wants to get involved? Submit your design at the form below by Sunday, May 11.