HDR Seeks Valley 4th Planning Committee Volunteers

It’s the Fourth of July at Christmas…

Actually, it is time to start planning for Valley 4th.

HDR is seeking volunteers to serve as a member of the planning committee. We will meet once a month starting in January. Just before the event we will meet more frequently as needed.

You may be involved in the areas that interest you. We will be fundraising, marketing, planning activities, entertainment, vendors, the parade, and so much more.

This is our largest and most attended event of the year, and a strong planning committee is essential.

Please let me know if you have interest in joining this exciting planning committee or to recommend someone you know.

Thanks so much,
Kris Ludwig,
Special Events Manager

Court Square Theater Turns 10, Seeks a Facelift

The DNR reports that Court Square Theater intends to hold it’s first major fundraiser to celebrate its 10th anniversary and give the theater a needed makeover, including new carpeting, paint, sound and lighting equipment, as well as upgrades to the concession area.  Article appears below.

Theater Campaign Under Way Posted 2008-12-15

By Heather Bowser

Court Square Theater officials are marking the venue’s 10th anniversary with a fundraising campaign that likely will become an annual event. Photo by Nikki Fox HARRISONBURG - In honor of its 10th anniversary, Court Square Theater is starting its first large-scale fundraiser, a campaign geared to give the venue a facelift. Called “Save-A-Seat,” the fundraiser aims to pay for new carpeting, paint, sound and lighting equipment, as well as upgrades to the concession area, officials said. A “small” part of the drive will benefit the general operating needs of the theater, said Tina Owens, business manager at the venue. “This will definitely enhance the atmosphere of the theater,” Owens said. “We want to commemorate our anniversary and make sure the theater continues.” Donations of at least $100 will be recognized in a display at the theater, which will be unveiled at ComedyFest in March. Despite the name of the campaign, no plaques or nameplates will be placed on any of the theater’s 250 seats. The campaign, which has no official monetary goal, has received about $1,000 so far and will likely become an annual event, Owens said. Growth, Changes The Court Square Theater began in the spring of 1998 in what used to be the Rockingham Motorcar Co. building. Back then, the Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority owned and operated the facility. In time, the Arts Council of the Valley took over the theater’s operation. Over the years, the council put more of a focus on independent and foreign films, Owens said. The number of events held at the theater also has increased dramatically. These days, the facility is occupied and active about three out of every four days, showing both films and live theater, concerts and other community-based performances. It costs about $200,000 a year to run the theater. “The truth is, it costs a lot,” Owens said. “Even though our staffing is slim, utility costs and artist fees are pretty huge.”

Downtown Window Decorating Contest Winners Announced

Downtown merchants have decked the halls for another season of holiday window shopping. Winners of this year’s contests are:

1st place: Blue Ridge Florist
2nd place: Laughing Dog Productions
3rd place: James McHone Jewelry
Most Creative: Salon 11
Most Festive: Granny LongLegs
Best Use of Merchandise: Glen’s Fair Price Store

Each year the merchants of historic downtown Harrisonburg continue the classic tradition of trimming their window displays with garlands, lights and Christmas scenes for what used to be sidewalks full of shoppers. To help bring back those sidewalks full of hustle and bustle, Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance has added an incentive to encourage downtown shopping.

Shoppers Still Have Time to Enter the Window Wonderland Contest

With the help of the downtown merchants, HDR filled a vacant storefront window across the street from Dave’s Taverna with gifts and gift certificates – a total value of over $1,300! Any shopper who visits at least half of the featured businesses and fills out one of the entry forms posted at the window can enter into a drawing to win everything in the window. “This was just another way to increase foot traffic in our downtown businesses” says Kris Ludwig, special events manager for HDR, who got the idea from this year’s National Main Street conference, “It also gives our window winners even more exposure for their beautiful displays.”

The final drawing for the window giveaway is December 15th at the Hardesty Higgins House.

Downtown Businesses Receive $19,150 in Façade Enhancement Grants

Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance has awarded a fifth round of Façade Enhancement Grants to businesses and property owners within the downtown Harrisonburg district.

Thanks to a collaborative effort between the City of Harrisonburg’s Department of Economic Development, HDR’s Economic Development Committee, and HDR’s Design Committee, the $19,150 will benefit seven recipients with individual award amounts ranging from $150 to $6,000. The total cost of the projects exceeds $100,000.

“HDR has successfully completed 5 rounds of façade enhancement grants.  We have found that these grant funds leverage significant private investment and create dramatic visual impact downtown,” says Brian Shull, Chair of HDR’s Economic Development Committee and the Economic Development Director for the City of Harrisonburg.

Recipients include:

Finnigan’s Cove $3,000

Install new awnings and sign

Newman-Ruddle, LLC $3,500

Restore windows and soda blast exterior

Rockingham Union Lodge $6,000

Remove canopy and make exterior improvements

Rocktown Development Group, LLC $2,000

Make storefront enhancements

SJ Donuts, LLC $4,000

Install new historic windows and make exterior improvements

Vision Technology Group, LLC $500

Install new projecting sign

You Made It! Pottery Studio $150

Move existing sign

Buy Downtown This Holiday Season

Emily Street won the first annual poster design contest from HDR

The first annual downtown poster is now available for purchase!

Artist Emily Street is a James Madison University senior graduating in 2009 with a BFA in Art with a concentration in Printmaking and a minor in French. She accepts commissioned work requests and can be reached at street.emily@gmail.com.

Posters can be purchased at the HDR offices or Rocktown Gift Shoppe (both at 212 South Main Street) for $10 – a perfect graduation or holiday gift!

Other gifts for the holiday season include downtown gift certificates, available in any denomination and redeemable at nearly FIFTY downtown shops and destinations.

Do Downtown t-shirts are also new this year in regular and baby doll sizes.

And for those people on your list who already have everything, consider making a tax-deductible donation to Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance in your loved one’s name.

Visit Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance’s webpage for more information on any of these great gifts.  Remember that the purchase of any of the gifts above go to support the downtown revitalization movement!

Holidays on Main Street in Daily News-Record

From the Daily News Record 12/08/08

Ringing In The Holidays
By Jeremy Hunt

HARRISONBURG – Makayla Tingler sat on Santa’s lap and told him what she wanted for Christmas. But he wasn’t the red-suited Yuletide character the 4-year-old really wanted to see Saturday evening.

“They wanted to see the Grinch, not so much Santa,” Makayla’s mother Tabitha Tingler said.

Makayla, her sister Charity, 12, and their cousin Montana Tingler, 8, got to see the Dr. Seuss’ mischievous, Christmas-stealing character at Bank of America, where he was posing for pictures, as well as Santa Claus.

The Tinglers joined other families at Court Square Saturday night for “Holidays on Main Street,” the annual Christmas celebration hosted by Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance.

They took a ride around Court Square on a horse-drawn carriage and played in the snow, which Massanutten Resort made the previous night when it became clear Mother Nature wasn’t inclined to provide the white stuff herself.

About 300 people braved the cold to attend the event, which saw temperatures drop into the 20s.

Around The Square

Carolers from the Harrisonburg Re-enactors Guild wandered around downtown singing holiday favorites.

They even collaborated with the Spectrum Teen Handbell Ensemble from Massanutten Presbyterian Church for a rendition of “Silent Night.”

The ensemble risked cracking their brass handbells because it was so cold Saturday night, they said.

The bells survived, though, and the ringers said it was worth playing in the frigid temperatures.

“It’s cool to play for an audience,” said Jane Haines, 12, of Harrisonburg.

HDR announced the winner of its first annual downtown poster contest Saturday before Mayor Rodney Eagle lit the Christmas tree.

A screen print by Emily Street, a James Madison University senior, topped about 25 entries from local college students.

The poster features prominent downtown buildings, including 1st Presbyterian Church and Kline’s Dairy Bar, Street said.

“I’ve always liked to draw buildings,” she said. “It’s just very exciting to win.”

Before lighting the tree, Eagle asked those in attendance to remember what the season is about.

“Let’s look out for our neighbors and friends,” he said.

A Warm Spirit

The Harrisonburg Salvation Army had a food drive at the event and collected about 600 cans of non-perishables, said Duane Burleigh, the local chapter’s captain.

“That will keep us up and going for probably three or four weeks,” he said of the army’s food pantry.

The Salvation Army, along with other local food charities, has had a tough year with more people than ever asking for help to keep food on the table.

James “Bucky” Berry, owner of Berry’s Lawn Service, helped organize the food drive and put up fliers for it around town.

Said Berry: “If I’m out here helping somebody, it’s cold but my spirit is warm.”

Grand Opening of Franklin’s Café & Wine Bar

Franklin’s Café & Wine Bar will hold its grand opening on December 12th and 13th. The newest restaurant in downtown Harrisonburg will offer a variety of salads, sandwiches, pizza and desserts. Seating options include outdoor, café-style indoor seating, in addition to a second-floor lounge. The restaurant is equipped for order-in, carry-out, delivery and catering for private events. Wines by the glass as well as domestic and imported bottles of beer will also be available for customers dinning in.

Valley transplant, Howard Weiner, moved his family up from Florida to Harrisonburg become a part of the downtown revitalization movement. Within months of arriving in Harrisonburg, Howard has completely renovated a low-profile, two-story corner building, into an eye-catching corner café and wine bar. The business concept doesn’t stop at great food; Howard wants to make sure that the restaurant is a part of the community. “We’re trying to give people a break by offering downtown delivery free” and, in addition to food on the go, he also hopes the community will take advantage of his 1000 square foot lounge for private functions.

Grand opening menus are available now and the restaurant’s website will be up and running within the week. Contact details listed below.

Franklin’s Café and Wine Bar
20 South Mason Street
(on the corner of E. Market and Mason Streets)

540.434.3002
www.franklinscafe.com
franklinscafe@aol.com

First Annual Harrisonburg Holiday Home Tour Brings the Spirit of the Season to Downtown

Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance announces the first annual Harrisonburg Holiday Home Tour on Sunday, December 7. Begin your holiday celebration in the heart of historic Harrisonburg with a tour of some of Old Town’s finest homes, the Hardesty-Higgins House, and the Joshua Wilton House.

Over the last several years, Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance has received numerous requests for a home tour. According to Eddie Bumbaugh, Executive Director of HDR, “A number of people have observed that Harrisonburg does not have a holiday home tour, the way a number of other communities do. We made it one of our priorities for the 2008 holiday season and have been hard at work planning the tour since spring. We’re hoping for a great turn-out.”

The self-guided tour begins with hot chocolate, cookies, and holiday music at the Hardesty-Higgins House. Here visitors can purchase tickets, pick up a map, and learn the history of the building. Four private homes are included in the Home Tour. The showcased homes are located at 150 Ott Street, 268 Newman Avenue, 218 Franklin Street, and 282 Franklin Street. The homes will be decorated for the holidays and rooms will be open to guests. A Deluxe ticket is also available and includes a tour of the Joshua Wilton House B&B followed by beverages, appetizers, and desserts. A limited number of tickets are available and can be purchased in advance from Harrisonburg Tourism and Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance.

Old Town Harrisonburg was designated a national historic district in 2007. The district comprises approximately 200 residences that illustrate the variety and individuality of American domestic architecture in the late 19th/early 20th century.

Pictures of the homes and a complete schedule of Holidays on Main Street events are available on the HDR website: www.downtownharrisonburg.org.

It’s a Giving Holiday for Holidays on Main Street

Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance invites young and old to Court Square in downtown Harrisonburg for a “Giving” Holidays on Main Street, Saturday, December 6th.

After the Harrisonburg holiday season kicks off with the annual parade on December 5th at 7:00, HDR will then host Holidays on Main Street the next day from 4:00 to 8:00pm. For this year, Kris Ludwig of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance says that “We wanted to stick with what works, but we also wanted to bring in aspects that are meaningful for this year”. As the Special Events Manager for HDR she, along with volunteers and sponsors, has scheduled a family-friendly evening packed with live music, sweet treats, horse and carriage rides and of course, a visit from the man in red. In addition to old favorites, HDR has added some new elements to the event. They teamed up with the Salvation Army for a canned food drive and the event will also feature a “Window Wonderland Giveaway” where anyone can play for a chance to win a storefront window packed with over $1200 of gifts from downtown shops and restaurants.

Whether it’s giving to a food drive or giving gifts to a lucky shopper who supports downtown businesses, this year Holidays on Main Street will make sure that the joys of giving are shared by all. A gift will also be made to Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance in the form of a special piece of fine art to serve as the first annual downtown poster. Over the past three months, art students submitted entries during the first annual Picture Downtown poster contest. The judges have chosen a winner and on December the 6th, moments before Mayor Rodney Eagle lights the tree, the official 2009 poster will be unveiled. The posters will go on sale that evening – the perfect gift to GIVE anyone who cares for downtown.

Finally, if it is cold enough that evening, Massanutten Resort will bring SNOW to the square!

A complete schedule of Holidays on Main Street events is below. For questions or details call 540.432.8922 or go online to www.downtownharrisonburg.org.

All evening:

• Salvation Army canned food drive, fill the truck!
• Hot cocoa and tasty treats
• Photos with Santa at Bank of America

4pm-6pm

• Harrisonburg Re-enactor Guild Carolers

4pm-7pm

• Dean’s Horse and Carriage Rides $1.00 or free with coloring page entry

5:30pm

• Children’s Coloring Contest winners announced
• “The Grinch who stole Christmas” outdoor film, introduced by the Grinch himself

5pm-7pm

• Spectrum Teen Handbell Ensemble from Massanutten Presbyterian Church

6:15pm

• 2009 Downtown Poster unveiling
• Tree lighting with Mayor Eagle

7pm

• Performance by local vocalist, Crystal Cupp at the Springhouse

Noteworthy:

• Rain location: First Presbyterian Church
• Sponsored by Alcoa and Kawneer, Merchants of Historic Downtown, Massanutten (snow)
• Presented by HDR