From classic red roses to fair trade jewelry to heart-shaped pizzas and beyond — you can find everything you need for a unforgettable Valentine's Day downtown. Order ahead and use curbside pickup or delivery for a safely distanced celebration! Check out some thought-starters below and explore our shop online guide and downtown business directory for even more inspiration. more
For two months now, green fencing has blocked off an area near our LOVE sculpture and our new downtown sculpture is slowly taking shape. We wanted to update you on the progress. more
Pack away the Thanksgiving leftovers and kick off your holiday shopping in downtown Harrisonburg! Many downtown businesses are offering sales and specials for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. For the full downtown holiday shopping experience, be sure to check out our holiday gift guide and online shopping directory! more
Let downtown do the cooking this year! No matter the size of your gathering or where you prefer to give your thanks, there are plenty of options downtown for those looking for a hand with the side dishes, desserts, or even the whole meal. more
By Kathleen Shaw / Header photo courtesy of Kathleen Shaw — While studying in Nepal, a young Rameshwari “Rama” Shrestha first heard whispers about Shyam “John” Shrestha through her teacher, his cousin. In quick time, their parents met and discussed a potential union. Before ever meeting, the two were bound for marriage in the country’s capital of Kathmandu and wed after a handful of phone conversations. more
By Katie Mitchell / Photos courtesy of Shami Pizarro: I chatted with Steve and Shami, owners of CubanBurger, on a sultry Monday earlier this month from the comfort of my air-conditioned dining room/office. The world looks small and cold through a laptop screen, but their love and warmth transcended the two dimensional plane, and I felt I was sitting there with them, in their living room, with brand new baby Roman making cute noises in the background. Much has been written about the caliber of food you can expect at CubanBurger, and Steve has told stories of the photos that decorate the restaurant. I hope on this day to connect some dots in my mind and piece together how Steve, Shami, and CubanBurger came to be here. more
Some friends get together to drink a beer on the porch, go fishing in a nearby pond, play wiffle ball in the backyard, or grab a bite to eat — and some friends get together with 50 pounds of green coffee beans they’ve collectively purchased and try their hand at roasting coffee one pound at a time, because why not? This kind of ingenuity seems to be a hallmark of this town. So many fantastic ideas hatched at dusk in someone’s backyard while fireflies flash and kids with training wheels roll down the sidewalk. This was the case for cousins Darryl and Charles Matthews and their coworkers Emily and Larisa Martin, who now own Merge Coffee Company, on a typical Sunday night. After several weekly attempts at roasting, they refined their skills enough that their acquaintances were requesting bags of coffee for their own consumption. And for a year, these four friends sold their coffee online, roasting a small batch every Sunday in their garage and shipping orders every Monday. more
Show dad you care with delicious food, unforgettable gifts, and local love from Downtown Harrisonburg! We've assembled some inspiration for you — for our full directory of who's open, where you can eat inside or on the patio, and where you can get delivery or takeout, visit downtownharrisonburg.org/covid19. more
Time and time again, since mid-March when our community began to undergo significant changes, Harrisonburg has shown resilience through inspired and creative collaborations. The ten hours a week I’m putting in as an intern at Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance is nowhere near enough time for me to write about them all. There are simply too many to keep up with: Harrisonburg mobilized fast. Every single week, some fresh idea emerges not from a giant think tank or the board room of a huge, multinational corporation, but from individuals who want to patch the holes this pandemic has ripped open. As the weeks roll on and somber numbers increase, I feel at once guilty for trying to drum up some cheer during a time of global tragedy and intensely called to do just that, as a reminder to myself of the goodness around me. more
Some people are built for endurance. They are strong and efficient; their minds are sharp and focused, not easily distracted. They can maintain a steady pace for the long haul and put one foot in front of the other despite hills, valleys, blisters, muscle cramps, and thirst. more