Temptations at the Theater

Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance presents the second annual “Temptations at the Theater“ on Wednesday November 11 beginning at 6:30pm.  This fundraising event takes place at Court Square Theater with a dessert and wine reception followed by a modern comedy presented by The Playhouse.

Downtown restaurants provide all reception refreshments, showcasing the talents of local chefs and bakers.  With more than a dozen donating restaurants, the selections range from marbled cheesecake brownies, locally made Warfel’s truffles, Kentucky Derby tartlets and more.  This year’s menu will be enhanced with savory selections such as Indian spiced crackers and smoked salmon Gouda roll with caviar as well as gourmet coffee provided by local roaster, Lucas Roasting, Co.  Downtown Wine & Gourmet will provide wine tastings with full wine service provided by event coordinators during the reception.

JMU Student Org Invites H’burg Community to Explore the World of Films

Next Monday, October 5, Clementine and Cinemuse Film Club will present a free showing of Amelie, a 2001 French romantic comedy and five-time Academy Award nominee, including nods for Best Foreign Film and Best Original Screenplay. The event starts at 7 PM with a short discussion afterward.

Cinemuse is a student-run JMU organization where film enthusiasts gather to watch and discuss classic, independent and foreign films. Club president Jessica Weaver states that members selected Amelie “due to its name recognition and the fact that it’s been embraced by a variety of movie goers,” from independent and foreign film buffs to so-called “chick flick” fans and people whose only experience with foreign movies is the spaghetti-eating scene from “Lady and the Tramp.”

Map for Oct. 2 Museum and Gallery Walk

Time again for the Museum and Gallery Walk! The fall 2009 event will take place from  5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, October 2 and everyone is invited to enjoy free art, music, dance and more. Highlights of this fall’s walk include Block Party in the ‘Burg battle of the bands and several stops at new downtown establishments including Madison Interiors, The Gaines Group, Harrisonburg League of Therapists, and Zion Gate Center for Positive Living. Download the map here, or keep reading for the list of exhibits and links to artists.

Latino Film Fest at Court Square Theater

Court Square Theater will host the Latino Film Festival of Shenandoah Valley as it returns for its seventh year of entertainment.  The festival will run from October 1^st through October 4^th, 2009 and feature films from Mexico, Uruguay, and Honduras.  All films run in Spanish with English subtitles.  Tickets are available at the door for $6 or $4 with a student ID.  For more information call (540) 433-9189 x 2 or visit www.courtsquaretheater.com

Downtown Dominates DNR “Best of the Valley” Awards

Once again, Daily News-Record readers have shown their overwhelming support of downtown Harrisonburg shops, restaurants and other businesses with their votes in the annual “Best of the Valley” survey. Running away with the most honors is Clementine with EIGHT awards, including best renovation and best place to be seen. Harrisonburg Farmers’ Market made its first appearance on the list as the best place to take visitors, likely aided by its new location under the Turner pavilion constructed since the last poll.

Some favorites, like the Little Grill Collective, James McHone Jewelry, and Jess’ Quick Lunch, retained their titles as best vegetarian/breakfast, jeweler, and cheap eats, respectively, while the Artful Dodger showed its expanding versatility by winning the best dancing and best karaoke titles. Downtown services also got a shout out on this year’s list, with the Studio winning best salon and the Beauty Spa taking best day spa. Congratulations to other downtown businesses listed below – 16 in total!

Similar to last year, downtown as a whole won both accolades and criticism, with voters choosing downtown revitalization as the best use of taxpayer money and listing downtown among their favorite part of Harrisonburg, while displaying a lack of fondness for our new blue and yellow wayfinding signs as their least favorite part about the ‘burg.

DNR’s “Best of the Valley” Winners: Downtown Highlights

Cheap Eats
Jess’ Quick Lunch

Vegetarian
The Little Grill Collective

French fries
Dave’s

Late-night eats
Dave’s

Coffee
Shank’s

Drink specials
Clementine Café

Best atmosphere
Clementine Café

Place to take your family
Clementine Café

Place to be seen
Clementine Café

Place to sit and read
Earth and Tea Café

Outdoor dining
Dave’s

Place to blow your diet
Kline’s Dairy Bar

Place to take a date
Clementine Café

Downtown restaurant
Clementine Café

Best appetizers
Clementine Café

Best breakfast
The Little Grill Collective

Salon
The Studio

Day Spa
The Beauty Spa

Wine shop
Downtown Wine & Gourmet

Jeweler
James McHone

Best dancing
Artful Dodger

Best entertainment value
Court Square Theater

Best cheap date
Kline’s Dairy Bar

Karaoke
Artful Dodger

Museum
Harrisonburg Children’s Museum

Best place to take visitors
Harrisonburg Farmer’s Market

Best renovation
Clementine Café

Best use of taxpayer money
Downtown revitalization

Best way to spend a Saturday morning
Farmer’s market (Dayton, Shenandoah and Harrisonburg)

Best place to propose
Joshua Wilton House

Downtown Events this Weekend

Thursday, March 19:

Solas. Catch this Celtic band at Court Square Theater beginning at 7:30pm.

 

Friday, March 20:

Saffire. The “uppity blues women” return to Court Square Theater at 8pm.

 

Saturday, March 21:

Rebel 95.5 live remote. The Valley’s new country music radio station is broadcasting live from Clementine from 10am to noon. Would you like to appear on the program? Contact Mike Progin at mke@rebel955.com or 540.383.8637.

Our Local Feast. Gala fundraiser for OASIS Art Gallery at 7pm. Includes a locally-sourced buffet meal by A Bowl of Good, regional wines and beers, live jazz, and live and silent auctions of art and services. Tickets are $25: 540.435.1787.

Downtown H’burg: Model for Development, or Gentrified Sprawl?

Last week was an interesting week for downtown in the news.  On Hburgnews.com, Thanh Dang invited readers to nominate development projects for the Valley Conservation Council’s Better Models for Development Awards.

Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance board president Andy Perrine noted that the VCC’s principles of better development: conserve natural and scenic assets, maintain a clear edge, build livable communities, preserve historic resources, respect local character in new construction, and reduce the impact of the car – tenants by which HDR has long abided. The hburgnews post highlights four past awards present to Harrisonburg, all downtown: Court Square Theater, Liberty Park, the City Exchange and Walton Hotel.

In the same week, a letter to the editor of the Daily News-Record decried the Urban Exchange a “five-story monstrosity” and questioning the project’s role in downtown revitalization. As of today, 48 user comments have been generated in response by the realtor marketing the project, the original letter writer, our own Andy Perrine and the peanut gallery. With the exception of about three individuals, the majority have been supportive of the project to turn an abandoned car lot on Mason & E. Market Streets into a mixed-use residential and retail building.

Recognizing that there are many perspectives and ways of approaching downtown revitalization, Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance is supportive of the Urban Exchange as a model of “building up, not out” and new construction that will enhance downtown’s character – an eclectic mix of historic and modern architecture. Downtown belongs to the people, and we are interested in hearing all the opinions that exist in our diverse community. Your thoughts?

This Weekend’s Events 1/16/08-1/18/08

Soup and Socks

The Friendly City Takes the Chill Off
Jan 18,11am-3pm | Court Square | Free

Free bowls of chili will be served at this event focusing on hunger and homelessness. The public is asked to bring canned soup for donation to local food banks and soup kitchens, as well as warm socks of all sizes, which will be donated to local agencies serving homeless people and families. Visit the above link for background information on the event.

Friday Jazz Jam

Free to Play, Free to Listen
Jan 16, 5-8pm | Adona Music | Free

Enjoy a night of jazz with players from beginner to advanced at Adona Music at 34 South Main Street (540.434.2099).

Visiting Artisans Series Continues

George Lange woodworking
Jan 16-17,11:00am | Hardesty-Higgins House | Free
George Lange exhibits woordworking and practical wood crafts such as spoons and ladles. Lange also designs creative kitchen tools in beautifully crafted wood.

Independent & Foreign Film Series

Featured Films: Frozen River and Synecdoche NY
Jan 16-20,times vary | Court Square Theater | $6 at the door; $5 for students on Friday

FROZEN RIVER
A powerful and unflinching tale of two women who make tough decisions in order to survive. (R; 97 min.)
Fri 4:15 & 9:45; Sat 7:00; Sun 4:15; Mon 7:00; Tue 4:15

SYNECDOCHE NY
Phillip Seymour Hoffman stars as a theater director in the surreal comedy by Paul Kaufman. (R; 124 min.)
Fri 7:00; Sat 4:15 & 9:45; Sun 7:00; Mon 4:15; Tue 7:00

Art and Yarn at Clementine

Art Show: Kat Corrin
Jan 16 | Clementine | Free
Featured artist Kat Corrin screen prints and sculpture.

Music: Yarn
Jan 17, 9pm | Clementine | $5
Americana band from Brooklyn. Their album Empty Pockets is currently holds the number 5 spot on the AMA Americana Radio Chart.

Halloween Happens Downtown this Weekend

Looks like we’re in for some perfect Fall weather when Halloween comes downtown this Saturday (if the thunderstorms hold off, that is). Events planned for this Saturday, October 25 include:

Grand Opening of the Turner Pavilion (7-1pm) – The long awaited Farmers’ Market Pavilion opens in the Municipal Parking Lot!

Don’t miss:

• Ribbon cutting ceremony with free cake at 9am
• Vote for the best scarecrows decorated by market vendors
• Live music from Becky & Sheila, Todd and Rick, Rough But Natural Old Time String Band and The Keezletones
• Pumpkin decorating

Halloween on the Square (10-2pm) – Fun for the whole family with trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating, hay rides, crafts, face painting, games, and more. Thanks to Hess Orthopaedics, our title sponsor!

Don’t miss:

• Trick-or-treating in downtown shops from 10-1pm
• The annual costume contest on Court Square at 1pm
• “Shrek 3″ for free at Court Square Theater at 2pm
• “The Wonderful World of Bats” photo show and t-shirt decorating at Massanutten Regional Library at 2pm

Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest (2pm) – Dress up Fido and bring him to Court Square for a good time! To the right is a picture of Tim Smith and his dog Punkermelon at last year’s contest. Punkermelon, a Boston Terrier, is dressed as a WWI bomber pilot.

Don’t miss:

• Over $100 in prizes sponsored by BlueKey Web Design and Digico

Haunted Harrisonburg Walking Tour (7pm and 9pm) – You’re in for a good time with this one hour walking tour, researched and led by Lisa N. Ha.

Don’t miss:

• The Bootlegger
• The Civil War soldier
• The Lady in White

For more information on these events, visit HDR’s main site at www.downtownharrisonburg.org

Downtown Happenings (10/1 – 10/5)

Happy first week of October! There is a lot going on in Harrisonburg this week and weekend so I hope your planning to enjoy some time in the ‘burg.

Wednesday, 10/1

9 pm – Eric Sommer plays at Clementine, $3

10/1-10/5, varying times – Latino Film Festival at Court Square Theater. Visit www.courtsquaretheater.com for film titles and show times.

Thursday, 10/4

7-9pm – Rock Band at Clementine – ends at 9pm for the VP debate.

9pm – Watch the Vice Presidential Debate at Clementine

Friday, 10/3

12 pm – Massanutten Regional Library kicks of the Tom Sawyer Big Read at Court Square. Live music, free copies of the book, and refreshments will be available wile supplies last.

4-8 pm – Come downtown for the Fall Museum and Gallery Walk, an evening of art openings, music, dance, and street theater hosted by downtown businesses, galleries, and museums.

7pm-2am – Music in the Blue Nile basement

9pm – Bombadil plays at Clementine, $3

Saturday, 10/4

7pm-2am – Music in the Blue Nile basement

Sunday, 10/5

3-5pm – Clementine lounge – Citizens for Equal Rights Meet & Greet w/ H’burg City Council candidates. All are welcome!

8pm – Salsa Night at Clementine. lessons are $5. Followed by DJ/dancing at 10pm.