Downtown Harrisonburg Taste of Downtown Month – Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance

March 2025 is Downtown Harrisonburg Taste of Downtown Month!

Celebrate Downtown Harrisonburg, Virginia’s first Culinary District, with culinary events, official dining guide, giveaways, exclusive social media content, and more this March! Be sure to follow us on Facebook for all the latest news and updates, including profiles on your favorite chefs, and daily celebrations of all things food and drink downtown.

QUICK LINKS

Make-Your-Own Charcuterie Board Workshop

Thursday, March 20, 2025 | 5:30 – 7:30 PM | Feel the Rain Brothers Brew Co.

Make-Your-Own Charcuterie Board Woodworking Workshop & Charcuterie Class

Event Details:

Tickets for this event are now SOLD OUT. Register for the waitlist here: https://forms.gle/LsyLnsQhcJt3MkkR8

Presented by Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. In partnership with Harrisonburg Urban Wood Program, JMU Dining Services, Feel the Rain Brothers Brew Co., Rocktown Urban Wood, Virginia Urban Wood Group, Valley Pantry & Deli,and Valley Olive Oil & Balsamics.

Flex your creative muscles with local craft beer, appetizers, and friends, as you transform a slab of local, reclaimed wood into a customized cheese and charcuterie serving platter.

Each $45 Workshop Ticket Includes:

Voucher for 1 Feel the Rain Brothers Brew Co. beverage (good for one beer, hard seltzer, canned cocktail, or non alcoholic drink)
Supplies to create a wooden charcuterie board (including slab of locally-sourced, urban wood)
Charcuterie and cheese spread
Bottle of mineral oil to take home for board maintenance

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Get Tickets Here

Cheers to Downtown’s Culinary District!

Raise a glass to Downtown’s cocktail scene with these March beverage promotions.

Bloody Mary Bash:

Bloody Mary’s aren’t just for breakfast anymore! This March, celebrate this unique cocktail at a variety of businesses – each adding their own twist.

Billy Jacks

92 S Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

House Recipe ($5 special)
“The Beast” 20 oz with amazing garnishes (weekends only)

Jack Browns

80 S Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

House Recipe including pickle/bacon ($5 special)
Bloody Mary Bar (weekends only) – Set up in the Middle Bar and available until 2 pm

Magpie Diner

85 W Gay St, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

House Recipe($5 special)
Bunny Mary – Spicy carrot base + aquavit (weekends only)

Urgie's Cheesesteaks

245 E Water St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

House Recipe 9 oz ($5 special) – with Griffin’s Lethal Hot Sauce
House Recipe 12 oz – with Griffin’s Lethal Hot Sauce

Magnolias

14 E Water St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

House Recipe ($5 special)

Finnigans

30 W Water St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

House Recipe ($5 special)
Absolut Bloody Beast – house mix, Absolut vodka, and stacked with one buffalo wing, a celery stalk, pimento-stuffed green olives, a brown sugar and garlic bacon strip, three spiced steamed shrimp, and fried jalapeño cheese popper (available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only)

Cuban Burger

70 W Water St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

House Recipe ($5 special)
Cuban Mary – bacardi rum + garlic, citrus, cumin, smoked paprika and garnished with a fried sweet plantain

Bella Luna

80 W Water St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Mary Verde – Roasted Tomatillo Base + Cirrus

Mashita

105 N Liberty St, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Kimchi Bloody Mary ($5 special)

Clementine

153 S Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

House Recipe ($5 special) (weekends only)
Kimchi Mary (weekends only)

Broad Porch

47 Court Square, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Marie Vert – Vermouth topped with spiced house green juice

Restless Moons

120 W Wolfe St Ste 103, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Moonchelada ($5 special) – blend of house-made lager and our favorite Bloody Mary ingredients

Pale Fire

217 S Liberty St #105, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Bloody Marinara – made with bacon jam vodka, local Demon Turds hot sauce, and a marinara-based bloody mary mix with a pizza topping-inspired garnish (salami, pepperoni, pepperoncini, and mozzarella). It will be available daily, but pairs best with our pop-up brunch on Saturdays and Sundays happening all month long.

Golden Pony

181 N Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

House Recipe ($5 special) (weekends only)

Joshua Wilton House

412 S Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Caprese Maria – Clarified Tomato Vesper Martini Finished with Basil Oil and a Caprese Garnish

Feel the Rain Brothers Brew Co.

800 N Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Cerveza-lada ($5 special) – Our take on a michelada using fresh ingredients and our locally crafted Mexican Style Lager Cerveza Hermanos

Sage Bird Ciderworks

325 N Liberty St, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

The Bloody Española – Combining our House Sidra, La Finca, and our fortified botanical aperitif, Flora, with Demon Turds Hot Sauce and a classic Bloody Mary base, we’ve created a zingy and spicy Bloody Mary. Garnished with Spanish olives, meat, & cheese.

Dryad Cookery

76 W Gay St, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Chesapeake Bloody Mary (NA) ($5 special) (weekends only)

Monty's

710 S Main St Ste 149, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Monty’s Mary – Absolut Peppar and housemade bloody mix served over ice in a Collins glass garnished with skewered lemon, olive, and spicy green beans with a celery stalk swizzle ($5 special)
Holy Mother of God – a take on the Bloody Maria; tequila and habeñero infused agave, tomato steeped vermouth, celery salt saline drip, and lime juice shaken and served in a coupe glass with tajin rim garnished with a skewered pickled okra slice ($15)
Mary Queen of Scotch – blended scotch, tomato infused brandy, lemon juice, sweet vermouth served in a coupe glass ($15)
Madison Michelada – Modelo, mezcal or tequila, lime juice, house bloody mix, with chili salt rim garnished with a skewered lime, spicy pickle wheel, and cherry tomato ($14)

Available Monday – Saturday evenings from 5-10pm.

Storied Cocktail Tour of Liberty Street

Enjoy a featured cocktail inspired by the histories of participating businesses and their locations. Complete the tour to get a discount on your next drink!

How to Participate

Purchase 1 Storied Cocktail at each location in the month of March to win additional discounts & learn about Liberty Street Histories
Pick up a Storied Cocktail Card with your first Storied Cocktail purchase
Get your Storied Cocktail Card stickered with each Storied Cocktail purchase (5 total). (When a customer purchases a storied cocktail, the business will place a “Taste of Downtown” sticker on their business spot.)
Once your Card is full with 6 stickers, you’ve earned a discount at each participating location: 50% off one drink

Sage Bird Ciderworks

325 N Liberty St, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Big L’s Sidecar
Before Sage Bird built their taproom on North Liberty Street, the building was home to Big L Tire’s break shop. It took some time for the oil smells to subside, but our renovation kept the oil-stained floors, garage doors, and car lift imprints as a nod to this history of the space.

Restless Moons

120 W Wolfe St Ste 103, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

New Horizons, a Tequila Sunrise inspired cocktail
Built in the early 1900’s, 120 W Wolfe Street has been home to many uses and businesses, including a poultry processing facility, auto repair shop and car wash, and two micro breweries. We took inspiration from our building’s repeated cycle of rebirth with new purpose and created New Horizons, a cocktail modeled after a Tequila Sunrise. Featuring our house-made Jumping Sharks seltzer, orange juice, and garnished with an orange slice and maraschino cherry, we hope this new spin on a tap room favorite reminds you of the history of our ever changing, growing downtown.

Aristocat Cafe + Tea House

111 N Liberty St, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

The Cat’s Whiskers Old Fashioned mocktail

111 North Liberty Street has deeds dated as early as 1914! Over 100 years later, Aristocat Cafe, a modern teahouse, calls it home. We have combined black tea, popularized in the 1900’s, with the Old-Fashioned cocktail of the same era for a mocktail twist, the Cat’s Whiskers.

Mashita

105 N Liberty St, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Laundry Day
When we expanded from being a food truck, our building was functioning as a take home meal provider called Meals 4 Home, but most of our older customers remember our building as a neighborhood laundromat. These stories and memories inspired us to create a cocktail called Laundry Day, with notes of ginger, lime, and cucumber, and backbone provided by vodka and savory sake. Sometimes laundry day is the most daunting chore, and a stiff drink can help make the work less intimidating!

Pale Fire Brewing Co.

217 S Liberty St #105, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Cassco Ice Pick
The Cassco Ice House, built in 1934, was a key supplier of ice for refrigeration before modern freezers became common. The building played a vital role in the city’s industrial development, storing and distributing ice for businesses and households. Today, the Ice House houses residents and businesses, including Pale Fire Brewing Co., and as a tribute to its legacy, the Cassco Ice Pick cocktail combines sweet tea and vodka with a large, flavored ice cube, offering a refreshing nod to the building’s history.

Connect with Your Community!

We are excited to present two new event series for Taste of Downtown Month to help our community connect over food. Click the links below to learn more and register.

Harrisonburg Meet Up

Join us for a fresh, fun series of Meet Ups during Taste of Downtown Month, designed to help you connect with new people in a laid-back atmosphere. Every week in March, we’ll gather at different local culinary destinations to enjoy great food, conversation, and friendly vibes.

Whether you’re looking to make new friends or just enjoy a change of pace, these events are all about connecting with the people around you while enjoying what Harrisonburg’s culinary district has to offer. Check out special Taste of Downtown promotions and try a new spot you haven’t had the chance to check out yet. Registration and schedule details coming soon.

View Harrisonburg Meet Up Schedule & Register

Lunch Together

Calling all 60+ residents who would like to do something new and meet new people. We are matching up 10 activities with 10 lunch outings to facilitate new friendships and do our part in combating the loneliness epidemic in the U.S. We invite you to try out a few activities and enjoy some Dutch-treat lunches while making new acquaintances. This idea came out of our conversations with Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS). Each day features a morning activity followed by lunch around downtown. While the activities are free, space is limited so we encourage you to sign up right away. We will hold a waitlist if spaces fill up, so please let us know if you signed up and can no longer attend.

Just want to meet for lunch? Please show up and look for the group at each lunch venue.

View Lunch Together Schedule & Register

Taste of Downtown Calendar

Want to know what foodie events are happening this month? Looking for added entertainment as you dine out? Check out our curated Taste of Downtown calendar below!

View Taste of Downtown Events

Aristocat Cafe
- Cat’s Whiskers Mock tail- inspired by Old Fashioned
- LTO macron cookie
Blue Ridge Florist and Tea Room
- Tea and Scone for Two Tuesdays- In March and April come get a pot of tea and plate of scones for two for only $12
Capital Ale House
- A Variety of Pierogies
- Hunter Stew
- Golonka
- Featuring the Virginia Beer Company: Fresh Powder Beer
Chestnut Ridge Coffee
- Specialty coffee in espresso and pour over bar- directly sourced Nicaraguan coffee, tasting notes of cherry hard candy
- In house Maple Latte with locally sourced maple syrup
Clementine
- Extended Happy Hour, Monday – Friday from 4-6:30 PM
Crucible Coffee –
- On March 29th stop by and get a free oat milk based drink or try the Oatly signature beverage- an oat milk use matcha latte
- Cozy Rose Latte- Classic latte mixed with our house made rose petal and cardamom syrup.
- Apricotae- A classic latte sweetened with house made apricot and almond syrup.
- El Diablo- Cayenne and ancho spices are mixed in with espresso and dark chocolate to create a spicy mocha.Topped with cinnamon of course.
Cuban Burger
- Chicken Tostada – crunchy corn tortilla topped with Cuban black beans, jasmine rice, local farmer focus chicken,lettuce, tomato, cilantro, cotija cheese and our homemade garlic lime sauce
Joshua Wilton House
- Tuesday-Thursday Happy Hour: Open to close featuring $5 beers, $6 wines, and $9 classic cocktails
Kline’s Dairy Bar
- Buy One Get One (BOGO) Cones Promotion March 17– 31 at Harrisonburg & McGaheysville locations
Little Grill
- Matcha Green Tea Pancake topped with a matcha glaze and toasted coconut
- March Omelet: Provolone, kale, roasted beets, sweet potatoes, and carrots
- Lunch Special: Bangers & Cheesy Mash
- Herbal Berry Tea Lemonade
- Matcha Latte- Hot or Iced
- Matcha Buttermilk Pancakes- topped with a match glaze & toasted coconut
- Full Irish Breakfast – Available for one day only on March 17th, from 7 AM to 2 PM, for $19.99
- Prima Vera: A prix fixe dinner in collab with Sage Bird and The Friendly City Co-op on March 21st, from 5-8pm. $60 for a three-course meal, choose one dish from each course
Magpie
- Full Irish breakfast special March 11-13
- Irish-inspired brunch menu March 14-16 for St. Patty’s week
Mashita
- Taste of Downtown Sampler – try a selection of popular menu items at a reduced cost
Monty’s in Hotel Madison
- Fried Chicken Banh Mi with pickled onion, carrot, jalapeño, cilantro, and apricot gochujang aioli on a baguette and served with fries for $16- Available Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings throughout March
- Live Music in the hotel lobby bar starting first Saturday in March and continuing every Friday and Saturday for the rest of the month
- Monday Night Trivia hosted in Monty’s Restaurant on March 17th from 7-8:30pm
Pale Fire Brewing
- Collaboration cocktail menu with drinks featuring products from Broad Porch, Kline’s Dairy Bar, Sage Bird, Demon Turds, Red Root & Co.
- Pop-up brunch every Saturday and Sunday in March, featuring two new breakfast sandwiches and a Country Breakfast pizza. Opening at 11am!
- Lunch special – any sandwich and beer for $15 from 12-2pm on weekdays
Posh Fairy Floss
- Shamrock Cotton Candy (Mint chocolate chip flavor)
- Three flavors of Maple in support of Highland Maple Festival: Maple, Maple Blueberry, Maple Bacon
- 20% off anyone who come into the Harrisonburg shop and mentions Taste of Downtown
Rootstock Wine Bar
- Savory Smores
Sage Bird Ciderworks
- Weekday Happy Hour $4 Cans, $4 Loaded Fries, $5 Hot Cider
- New Sandwich Specials
- Day Hiker Cider Release – March 1, Ginger & Honey cider made with local honey from Hott Apiary
Three Notch’d Valley Collab House
- Daily specials
- Happy Hour from 3-6 everyday: $2 off all pours
Urgie’s Cheesesteaks
- 6″ ChickenCheesesteaks with choice of fries or tots for $6.99
- 1 pound of Urgie’s Signature wings tossed in their own Urgie’s Signature Gourmet Sweet and Tangy Sauce for $13.99