Nestled in the heart of Downtown Harrisonburg, Friendly City Events has quickly become a beacon for local gatherings and celebrations since its inception just over seven months ago. Taron Bryant, the visionary behind this vibrant venue, sat down with HDR to share more about his journey from idea to execution and the thriving community space he’s created.

Welcome back to our Friendly Faces of the Friendly City feature! This month, we interviewed Brad Cohen, founder and broker of Connexa Real Estate and a dedicated board member of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance.

Okay, we’re still buzzing from the weekend! Being the presenting sponsor of Best.Weekend.Ever in downtown Harrisonburg was honestly everything we hoped it would be and more.

This past weekend was truly the Best. Weekend. Ever. Rain couldn’t even stop it! We are so grateful to our many sponsors and volunteers for making this event possible.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and if you’re looking for ways to show Mom just how special she is, we’ve rounded up some of the sweetest, most relaxing, and most beautiful experiences offered by local businesses this year.

Get ready to hop all over downtown! From brunches and sweet treats, to egg hunts for all ages, there’s something for everyone! Here’s your go to guide for all the festive fun happening this Easter. 

Each year, Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR), along with many other local nonprofits, participates in the Great Community Give (GCG), an annual giving event in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County!

Downtown Harrisonburg is known for all the amazing yearly events we have, but did you know there are events that take place here every week? Various businesses in Downtown Harrisonburg host weekly events that their visitors can always rely on having a good time at.

East Market Street is getting sweeter and sweeter! Sweet&Tasty, a new cafe with a special spotlight on Ukrainian cuisine, brings the flavors of Europe to downtown Harrisonburg. Owned and operated by Nataliia Kyryliuk, along with her son, daughter, and cousin, Sweet&Tasty offers pastries, cakes, savory snacks, espresso drinks, milkshakes, and mocktails. After leaving their home in Ukraine during the war, the Kyryliuk family found a fresh start in Harrisonburg.

Crack O’ Dawn Bakery & Bistro has officially arrived in downtown Harrisonburg, bringing its dedicated gluten-free menu of breakfast and lunch favorites to East Market Street. Known for its from-scratch baked goods and satisfying comfort food, the Waynesboro-based eatery opened its second location in November 2024.

Happy Taste of Downtown Month! This March, we’re celebrating the food and restaurants of Downtown Harrisonburg, Virginia’s first culinary district. Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance will be presenting several events and promotions happening during Taste of Downtown, but our amazing downtown establishments will also be hosting their own events throughout the month! This means there will be a ton of events making their way to Downtown Harrisonburg, so we wanted to let you know what to expect this Taste of Downtown Month!

Happy Valentine’s Day from all of in Downtown Harrisonburg! We are back with a third year full of stories of love, friendship, and community building right in the heart of our friendly downtown. Swing by our Facebook and Instagram to see some of the cutest love stories that have blossomed right here in our sweet community and dive into this incredible collection of stories below!

Harrisonburg is home to The Forbes Center of Performing Arts and many other venues and organizations that produce amazing shows throughout the year. The city also hosts a number of restaurants that consistently provide delicious meals for their patrons, many of which are located in Downtown Harrisonburg. This year, we hope you all grab tickets to support the productions put on by members of our communities, and artists taking the time to stop in Harrisonburg during their tours, while also supporting the many restaurants in Downtown Harrisonburg. To make it easier for you, here’s a list of some shows happening in Harrisonburg soon and restaurants you can pair with them.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, a holiday filled with desserts, flowers, food, and love! Whether you’re spending this Valentine’s Day with your partner, family, best friends, or having some solo time, Downtown Harrisonburg has you covered with all your holiday needs! This roundup is a one stop shop for all the Valentine happenings in Downtown Harrisonburg. Make sure to read carefully because you may need to make reservations for events or preorder these sweet treats! 

Happy new year Downtown Harrisonburg! HDR can’t wait to spend another year supporting the downtown community and continuing to build a vibrant, beautiful future for Downtown Harrisonburg. Every year we work to put on various events that keep people engaged with our work and visiting Downtown Harrisonburg. Before the year gets busy, we wanted to give you the lowdown on the annual events we’ll be hosting this 2025 that you surely won’t want to miss. Find out more about these events down below and click the links attached to go to the event page! 

Thanksgiving Day is a wonderful holiday filled with food and love, but it can also be a stressful time between cooking and cleaning and hosting family and friends. But, downtown is here to make your life a little bit easier this season! Some downtown restaurants will be open for festive dinners on Thanksgiving Day, and some are preparing to take pre-orders for pick-up. With Thanksgiving also comes Black Friday, and there will be some amazing sales going on in the stores downtown that you won’t want to miss! Find out more about the Thanksgiving and Black Friday events/specials below.

Harrisonburg will be bustling on Saturday, September 28, 2024, during JMU Family Weekend, the Harrisonburg Farmers Market, and the Harrisonburg International Festival. You can find local foods and goods, explore boutiques, enjoy the festival or just have a great meal out. Use this guide to help plan your day, visit your favorite downtown spots, and discover new places!

With loneliness and isolation reaching levels of epidemic proportions across the United States, many organizations have taken notice. From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to Main Streets across the globe, people are working to band together to help members of their communities forge new and meaningful relationships. One such organization combatting loneliness in downtown Harrisonburg and beyond is James Madison University’s Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) – an organization that encourages people around retirement age to become more engaged in their community through a variety of events and programs.

More than 70 student musicians opened the Levitt AMP Harrisonburg Music Series with a high energy performance at Turner Pavilion, playing crowd favorites for over 1,400 attendees. The show offered a first look at future collaborations between Harrisonburg and the soon to open Rocktown High School bands.

Wondering what upcoming downtown events you need a ticket for? Look no further. April in Page Valley is packed with live music, special dinners, performances, and one of a kind experiences that are worth planning ahead for. From intimate shows to community favorites, these ticketed events are filling up fast. Grab your seats, mark your calendar, and make the most of spring in downtown.