Crack O' Dawn Bakery & Bistro has officially arrived in downtown Harrisonburg, bringing its dedicated gluten-free menu of breakfast and lunch favorites to East Market Street. Known for its from-scratch baked goods and satisfying comfort food, the Waynesboro-based eatery opened its second location in November 2024. more
Happy Valentine's Day from all of in Downtown Harrisonburg! We are back with a third year full of stories of love, friendship, and community building right in the heart of our friendly downtown. Swing by our Facebook and Instagram to see some of the cutest love stories that have blossomed right here in our sweet community and dive into this incredible collection of stories below! more
With loneliness and isolation reaching levels of epidemic proportions across the United States, many organizations have taken notice. From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to Main Streets across the globe, people are working to band together to help members of their communities forge new and meaningful relationships. One such organization combatting loneliness in downtown Harrisonburg and beyond is James Madison University’s Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) - an organization that encourages people around retirement age to become more engaged in their community through a variety of events and programs. more
Welcome to the Friendly Faces of The Friendly City! In celebration of Architecture Week April 14 - 20, today's interview is with Charles Hendricks, Principal Architect, Sustainability Director, Marketing Director, and Business Manager of The Gaines Group Architects located here in downtown Harrisonburg. more
They say laughter is the best medicine, and Dawn Davis Womack is healing the Friendly City. Davis Womack is the founder of X2 Comedy, the host of the Virginia is for Laughers podcast and an iconic face of local stand-up comedy. Having lived in the Valley for 17 years, Davis Womack said her goal has always been to unite the community while spreading laughter. more
This Taste of Downtown Recap highlights some faces around Downtown Harrisonburg with a personal flare! We are so thankful for the participants, whether they are businesses downtown, people of Harrisonburg, sponsors, or anyone who contributed to this fantastic month of community! more
Happy Valentine's Day! As part of our twentieth-anniversary celebration at Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, we invited the community to share their love stories (romantic, platonic, family, etc.) that feature Downtown Harrisonburg. We LOVED reading everyone's stories and have shared some of our favorites on Facebook and Instagram. Check out the full collection of stories below, and prepare to feel warm and fuzzy. more
Join downtown Harrisonburg in welcoming back our very own international Spikeball champion- Becca Graham! Becca and her partner Alli Kauffman Rogers just recently returned from Brussels, Belgium where they represented team USA in the first ever roundnet World Championship. After four days of intensive competition against 33 represented countries, team USA destroyed the competition by placing first in each of the five categories! The power duo, Becca and Alli, placed number 1 in the team bracket with a resounding score of 10 wins and 0 losses. more
Welcome Eastern Mennonite University students to Downtown Harrisonburg! We are excited for you to discover our downtown community during Royal's Do Downtown - EMU’s Block Party event on Thursday, September 22 from 5 - 8 PM at Turner Pavilion. In the meantime, let us introduce you to some of the friendly faces of the Friendly City who graduated EMU. Read on for favorite memories and words of wisdom. more
Calling all problem solving fanatics–do you have what it takes to solve the puzzle that makes up downtown’s popular new attraction? Downtown Harrisonburg is ecstatic to welcome Escapism Escape Rooms into our community! Sam Lambert and Suzanne have put together their efforts to make multiple unique and interactive rooms–each room combining technology and storytelling to fully immerse the guest in an adventurous experience! more