Last Thursday, a cool show popped up in downtown Harrisonburg that united music lovers, beer drinkers, and concert goers alike. Sofar Sounds, a music organization reaching 376 cities across the globe, made its third appearance in the “friendly city.” A group of JMU Marketing and Music Industry students brought Sofar to Harrisonburg last March. The JMU seniors handle all of the logistics, including booking the artists, selecting the venues, promoting the shows, and hiring and managing a production team of photographers, videographers, and audio/sound engineers. more
On the evening of Tuesday, April 11, every barstool, patio chair, and indoor table is occupied. There’s a friendliness in the air—the kind in which a stranger will scoot over so that you can have your own space at the bar, and the bartenders ask how your day was before taking an order. As bustling as the taproom is, it feels more like a community’s living room, filled with the laughter and chatter that you hear during a distant family’s holiday get-together. In front of most of the patrons is a pint glass; many ordering at the bar request Arrant (Pale Fire’s newest IPA), with it’s name descending from Shakespeare’s writing. In fact, even the establishment’s name derives from one of the founder’s favorite books, Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov and an excerpt of Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens, “[t]he moon's an arrant thief, And her pale fire she snatches from the sun.” 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
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
As a local-turned-expat now living in Amsterdam, visiting downtown Harrisonburg after two years away was such a treat. It’s as if I traveled for only a month and came back home. Everything felt the same, but the momentum for it to evolve into an even more amazing place to live or spend a day continues. more
When you walk into Scott Whitten and Valerie Smith’s home, you’ll be greeted by Felipe, a papier mache lizard wearing a heart necklace and Elton John glasses. He seductively reclines on an end table, signaling visitors to relax and be embraced by the warmth of this home. And that I did, when Cara Walton and I dropped by for dinner. more
After 50 years of housing Hess Furniture, the historic building at 139 N. Liberty Street has entered a new phase. Renovated by Matchbox Realty, the space now houses Immerge Technologies, Edward Jones (Gannon Irons), IT Decisions, Big Valley Law, and Journey Counseling, and The Frame Factory & Gallery – a business new to downtown but local to Harrisonburg for 38 years. more
After graduating from Bridgewater College with a degree in art, Amanda Tutwiler got a job in a floral shop and started experimenting with the flowers in front of her. Her mother and grandmother loved flowers. She always remembers being surrounded by them and appreciating their beauty, but never imagined she would become a florist. To her surprise, when she started arranging, she created exceptional work. The self taught artist is now the owner of Sparrow’s Flowers, a name that stemmed from her love of birds. more
Suzanne McCahill Perrine, owner of The Center Yoga Studio, and Rebekah Girvan Budnikas owner of Breath Pilates Studio have joined forces and moved to the Ice House! They like to think of themselves as roommates—they are still keeping separate businesses; however, the facility will be a partnership. According to Suzanne, “Ice House studios is like the umbrella for all these people coming together to work as a team” A little less than 2 years ago, Suzanne heard the Ice House space would be available in the future and planned to move her business there. “I thought about all these studios around and realized it would be more powerful if we worked as a team. So I called Rebekah, who hadn’t yet been in business more than a year, about the idea to bring our talents, people, and passion for what we do together,” says Perrine. more
Larkin Arts is a little oasis located in the Southwest corner of Court Square. I walked in on a rainy, windy day; the soft music and comfy chairs couldn’t have felt better. I met with Valerie Smith, the welcoming owner of Larkin Arts store. Calling Larkin Arts a store is an understatement though. Offered there are classes for the public—inexperienced and experienced alike, studios for local artists to rent, and galleries for the public to enjoy. Valerie encourages people to wander in to the cozy gallery space during First Fridays downtown. more