Next week is the official start of the holiday season and Downtown Harrisonburg is here for your Thanksgiving Week traditions. From Turkey Day to Small Business Saturday, Giving Tuesday and beyond there are a lot of great things going on in our downtown community.
Thanksgiving Events & Promotions
- Magpie Diner is hosting a special "Friendsgiving Brunch Week" this year. Friday, November 18-Sunday, November 27, they will be open during normal hours, but CLOSED on Thanksgiving Day (also Monday, but Magpie is always closed on Mondays).
- Harrisonburg Farmers Market will have its last Tuesday Market on November 22. At tomorrow's Saturday market, they will have fresh Thanksgiving produce, large chickens, sweet treats, and more!
- El Paisano and Bittersweet Bakery are taking pre-orders for pies, cakes, and other baked goods.
- Finnigan's Cove is open on Thanksgiving Day starting at 12:30 PM. Offering a $12.99 special including turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and tasty extras.
- Hotel Madison's Montpelier Restaurant and Bar is taking reservations for its Thanksgiving buffet - make reservations now here.
- Take a load off before the Thanksgiving holiday at The Friendy Fermenter, open Wednesday from 2pm-10pm with release of "Waltz", a Imperial Espresso Coconut Stout and a showing of "The Last Waltz" by The Band and a Thanksgiving themed "Weiner Wendesday" from until 6pm!
- Capital Ale is closed on Thanksgiving but will be open the night before until midnight. Enjoy will also be offering $5 off growler fills for rewards members and fall specials chicken pot pie rolls and fried fall chicken with cranberry chutney
- Rocktown Kitchen will be closed for the entire week of Thanksgiving.
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Coming Soon: Turkey Trot Behind the Scenes
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the 2022 Turkey Trot and the partnership with Nest Realty, Brothers Craft Brewing Co., and VA Momentum.
Nest Realty is also sponsoring a great Small Business Saturday prize pack for our giveaway! Make sure to follow HDR on social media to learn more leading up to the event.
See the Blog Archive Here>>
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Holiday Shopping Promotions
And Don't Forget Giving Tuesday
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Are you ready to help us Back the 'Burg? Make a donation to HDR of $25 or more before the end of Giving Tuesday (November 29) to be entered to win a sterling silver Buckle Bracelet from HUGO KOHL Jewelry Boutique (valued $450) or one of two $50 gift cards to El Paisano Bakery! |
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During the Back the 'Burg campaign, donors can opt-in to receive this limited-edition "Downtown That Love Built" coaster as a thank-you gift. Perfect for any coffee or end table!
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Get Social with Back the 'Burg
We also have easy ways to share the Back the 'Burg campaign on Facebook and Instagram! Find our Facebook fundraiser here, or follow these instructions to share Back the 'Burg on Instagram:
- Log into the Instagram app on a mobile device
- Visit @downtownharrisonburg
- Tap the space on the top of our profile where it says “Fundraising for Back the ‘Burg 2022”
- Tap “Share and Invite” to add to your personal feed, story, or profile
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Get Ready to AMP Up Harrisonburg!
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We are thrilled to share that Harrisonburg was selected as a Levitt AMP series grant recipient and will be hosting 10 free, live music concerts in 2023, 2024, and 2025! We have been awarded a $90,000 matching grant to produce this three-year concert series. This means, we need to raise $90,000!
Our work starts NOW! Will you help us reach our fundraising goal?
If you are excited about free, live music coming to Downtown Harrisonburg, consider making a gift today. Want to be even more involved in the upcoming shows? Sign up below to learn more about volunteer and event sponsorship opportunities coming soon.
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2022 Cookie Tour
Saturday, December 3, 11 AM - 4 PM
Cookie Tour tickets are here - but act fast! Secure your ticket today so that you and your group can participate in one of Downtown Harrisonburg's favorite holiday traditions.
Collect a dozen locally-baked holiday treats while discovering Downtown Harrisonburg's variety of retailers. Start the tour by picking up your bakery box at Mashita and then visit the participating locations in any order you choose during this self-guided tour. Stick around Downtown Harrisonburg on Saturday, December 3 from 12 - 6 PM for Winter Wonderfest. Featuring carriage rides, holiday music, a gingerbread house contest, Sip & Stroll, and more, it's the perfect way to kick off your holiday season!
Tickets are $18 per box (plus fees) and available only through Eventbrite. (Note: Please report any scam accounts selling tickets through other channels.) Tickets are NON-TRANSFERRABLE but may be refunded within seven days of the event.
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Less Than 50 Tickets Remain!
As of Friday morning, there are 40 Cookie Tour tickets left! Time is ticking, secure your spot ASAP before they are all gone.
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Winter Wonderfest Sneak Peek!
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Saturday, December 3, 2022
Downtown Harrisonburg's holiday festival is back and we are excited to share with you all of the festive fun you'll find downtown. Along with Cookie Tour, Winter Wonderfest will be pack full of fun activities for all ages.
Here's a taste of what you can expect to see on Saturday, December 3 in Downtown Harrisonburg:
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- Vote for your favorite creations in our Second Annual Gingerbread House Build-off,
- Tour downtown in a horse-drawn carriage,
- Visit with Santa & Mrs. Claus
- Sip & Stroll with seasonal beverages from participating locations
- Grinch-ified Liberty Street with activities and BINGO cards
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- Participate in The Arc of HR's annual Santa Run, Walk, 'N Roll
- Check out the Live Navitiy and Petting Zoo at Asbury Church
- Selfie stations and photo ops across Downtown for your holiday cards
- Stick around for the City of Harrisonburg’s annual Holiday Parade and tree lighting.
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Want to compete in this year's Gingerbread House competition? Submissions are NOW OPEN! Grab your friends and family and compete for Downtown Dollars. See the full rules here.
Deadline is Wednesday, November 30.
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Downtown Events Coming Soon!
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Handmade Holidays
November & December
Get crafty with downtown businesses and artisans this holiday season. With over a dozen workshops, there is something for everyone. Create ornaments, keepsakes, gifts and more while making memories!
View All Workshops>>
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Are you interested in sponsoring or becoming a vendor at one of our
upcoming community festivals?
Download our Sponsorship Packet to see available sponsorship opportunities for your business and find our Vendor Applications here!
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Thank You for Being a Friend!
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Our downtown community is made up of a supportive network of people and businesses, and to recognize those that help HDR build a more vibrant downtown, we present this segment featuring our Friends of Downtown donors, sponsors, and volunteers.
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Celebration & Reception Awardees
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Last week we raised a toast to all that we accomplished in Downtown Harrisonburg as a community this past year with the return of HDR's Celebration and Donor Reception. We awarded 18 Certificates of Excellence and 17 Downtown Superstar pins to volunteers, partners, and businesses who made an impact in Downtown Harrisonburg.
Congratulations to all of our Certifications of Excellence awardees and Downtown Superstars!
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Certificates of Excellence Awardees
- TrustFall 2022 - Sgt. Ron Howard & Harrisonburg Police Department
- Partner of the Year 2022 - City of Harrisonburg Downtown 2040 Team (Economic Development, City Manager, Public works, Community Development)
- Volunteer of the Year 2022 - Barbarah Camph (OASIS Fine Art & Craft)
- Volunteer of the Year 2021 - Mary McMahan (withSimplicity)
- Best Building Renovation 2022 - Church of Incarnation & Blueline
- Community Builder of the Year 2022 - Jeff Guinn
- Best Public Partner 2022 - Public Works Street Beautification Team
- Leaps and Bounds Award 2022 - Dinamic Cuts
- Best Scene Maker 2021 - Pale Fire Brewing Co.
- Best Scene Maker 2022 - Sage Bird Ciderworks
- Restaurant of the Year 2022 - Mashita
- Business of the Year 2022 - Magpie Diner & The Perch
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Downtown Superstars
In the spirit of the Great British Bake-Off Star Baker awards, we decided to prin some Starts of Downtown Harrisonburg! Congratulations to our 2022 Downtown Superstars:
- Danita Alt
- Teresa Bayes
- Jenny Burden
- Allison Dugan
- Missy Elliott
- Braydon Hoover
- Carly Knicely
- Peirce Macgill
- Billy Miller
- Chris Quinn
- Paul Riner
- Theresa Rubasak
- Brian Shull
- Amy Springer
- Nick Swartz
- Dawn Turner
- Kelli Williams
We will be sharing more about our award winners on social media and a round-up blog post coming soon! Follow HDR on Facebook and Instagram to learn more.
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Did you know that when you shop locally, 68% gets returned to Harrisonburg's economy to support community initiatives? In this Downtown Insider Feature, learn about a fun product you can purchase from one of our downtown retailers!
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Coffee & Cats Session at Cat's Cradle
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Along with many wonderful physical products you can give as gifts this holiday season, Downtown Harrisonburg businesses also offer a plethora of one-of-a-kind experiences you can share with your loved ones this season.
For the cat lover whose love language is quality time, check all their "purrfect gift" boxes with a Coffee & Cats Session at Cat's Cradle! As featured in our upcoming Holiday Gift Guide, their 15-minute cuddle session for two includes a complimentary cup of coffee. For $20, you can gift a memorable experience and help Cat's Cradle fund its spay/neuter program.
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Bonus fact: If you fall in love with a cat or kitten during your coffee date, the cost of your Coffee & Cats session will be credit towards the adoption fee!
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Did you have an amazing meal downtown that you want EVERYONE to know about? Tag us in your food pictures @downtownharrisonburg and you may be featured in an upcoming Downtown Dish feature!
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The Don at Bella Luna
Who can say no to pzza? The Don from Bella Luna Woodfired Pizza features house beef & pork meatballs, tomato puree, mozzarella and oregano. A classic!
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The HDR team was delighted to be on the Virginia is for Laugher podcast hosted by our friends X2 Comedy! We chatted with laughed here and there about our mission, ucoming festivals including and our journey to land the Levitt Amp City $90K grant award.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHEARTRadio, or Google Podcasts.
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- Announcements
- Happy one-year anniversary to Coffee Hound! They will be celebrating with a new coffee, the Brazil Legender. With slightly sweet, nutty, brown sugar notes, this coffee will go perfectly with breakfast on a cold day or with a slice of Thanksgiving pie!
- Branch's is back downtown at 54 S. Main Street! Come enjoy special seasonal flavors like the new Lavender Honey Milkshake made with organic French lavender & organic raw honey.
- LAST CALL to support Parentheses books, the new independent bookstore coming to downtown Harrisonburg in Spring 2023, on their Kickstarter page. The campaign ends on November 23, so back the project to help them reach their goal!
- Santa's Mailbox stations are officially open! Swing by any PCB financial center between now and December 14 to drop your child's letter off in our night drop. If you leave a return address, Santa will respond!
- Long term employee Marina Muan has purchased BoBoKo Indonesian Cafe effective January 1, 2023, Marina will carry on the traditions of providing great food and service to the community and brings many years of experience in the hospitality industry as well as endless energy and passion.
The cafe will close in mid-December in preparation to re-open in January 2023 with a very similar menu and many of the same faces.
We wish Marina and her team the best in the future years with BoBoKo
We want to take this opportunity to thank our dedicated, hard-working employees for their ongoing support, Also Thank to all customers and community members who extended their friendship and support over the last 6 years, Without your ongoing support we would not have been able to survive and thrive as a small business
- Vendor applications for Winter Wonderfest on Saturday, December 3 are now open. Fill out an application if you are a food vendor here or a non-food vendor here.
- Elk Run Mining Company has updated holiday hours through Christmas Eve.
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HDR Board Applications Extended until November 28!
We are recruiting up to three positions on HDR’s Board of Directors to begin a three-year term in January 2023. Do you love Downtown and have the time to give to make it stronger? Would you like to be in a position of leadership with our organization? Please tell us about yourself by submitting your statement of interest by November 28.
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Downtown Events
- Friendly City Safe Space is celebrating its 1-Year Anniversary on Saturday, November 19 from 6-9pm at Clementine! Come enjoy live music, drag, a silent raffle, and more with a suggested donation of $5 for entry.
- Our downtown community is invited to attend Thomas Knight's Celebration of Life at Clementine on Sunday, November 20 from 5 - 7 PM. Appetizers will be provided with a cash bar. Share your favorite "Tom" moment among friends and neighbors.
- Earth Day Every Day is proud to host the 3rd annual Green Friday in Downtown Harrisonburg on Black Friday, November 25 from 1-3 pm at the Ice House, 217 N Liberty St. To participate: just come by the table set up outside Pale Fire Brewing to pick up your grabber, trash bags, and other provided materials.
- Trent Wagler will be hosting the next "The Living Room Concert Series" with special guest, Caleb Caudle on Saturday, November 26 at 7:30pm at Court Square Theater. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door.
- R.S. Monger is hosting a special Art Opening & Holiday Party on Friday, December 2 from 5-7pm. Enjoy live music, visits with Santa, food, and refreshments!
- First Presbyterian Church on Court Square will be staging a live nativity scene during Winter Wonderfest and immediately before the downtown holiday parade. The live display will be held from 5-6:30 PM on Dec. 3 in First Pres' Court Square parking lot.
- VOICE Proudly Presents: the Together as One Benefit Concert for On the Road Collaborative. Saturday, December 3 at 3pm and Sunday, December 4 at 3pm at First Presbyterian Church (17 Court Square, Harrisonburg VA 22802). This is a free concert with a suggested donation of $15 per person at the door. 100% of the proceeds will go to On the Road Collaborative!
- Now Hiring
- Harrisonburg Farmers Market is hiring an Operations Manager to assist with the Winter Market! Email hburgfarmersmarket@gmail.com for full details on the position and to apply. The deadline for applications is December 10.
- Looking for a restaurant job? Many downtown locations are still hiring servers, cooks, and prep staff. Check out a list of restaurants on our downtown directory, for social media and website listings to guide your search.
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2022-23 Downtown Harrisonburg Annual Event Lineup:
Do you have an event or promotion happening in downtown Harrisonburg that you want to be featured in the next newsletter? Add your event to our Downtown Calendar through this online form! You can find detailed instructions here.
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