what’s new with first fridays

Downtown Buzz

what’s new with first friday

It' s Been BRANDED! Purple is the branded color for the Downtown Asset, Create, for galleries and studios. Orange was chosen for the Sip & Stroll elements to coordinate with the Savor Asset for the bars and eateries. A First Friday logo, flags, aprons, and a new map are in the works with the new look.

It' s About The ARTS! One of the goals of First Friday is to be inclusive of a variety of art mediums and to bring the arts to the masses. This will be accomplished through the inclusion of nonprofit organizations that will have the opportunity to provide an art activity on First Friday.

It' s about MOVEMENT! With the support of the Fredericksburg Art Commission, the First Friday Trolley is back. When people move through Downtown, there is a greater chance they will spend money; the desired outcome for First Friday. We hope that First Friday will support the local businesses and bring a diverse crowd to the Downtown Fredericksburg area.

And the biggest news...Sip & Stroll! New this Fall, Fredericksburg VA Main Street obtained an ABC license for an Outdoor Recreation Area. This license allows those of legal drinking age to stroll within a designated area using logo cups from participating restaurants. Boundaries for drinking will be marked by signs, trash cans and clearly marked on the First Friday map.

Participating restaurants to date include: The Alpine Chef, Benny Vitali' s, Billiken ' s Smokehouse, Capital Ale House, Curitiba Art Café, Deutschland Downtown, FoodE, Orofino, Sammy T' s, Soup & Taco, and Vivify.

How Does Sip & Stroll Work with First Friday? Between 5pm and 9pm, adults aged 21+ can purchase a beer, wine, or cocktail at a participating restaurant and enjoy it while strolling within the marked boundary of Downtown. Here's how it works: 1. Drinks are served at participating restaurants in plastic cups with their logo on them. No outside drinks are allowed. 2. One must enjoy the Sip & Stroll drink within the predetermined boundaries. 3. Last call will be at 8:30pm. Drinks must be finished, and cups discarded by 9 pm. 4. Trash cans are marking the boundaries for the Sip & Stroll making it easy to dispose of the cup.

At Least 2 police officers and Downtown Ambassadors will be strolling from 5pm to 9pm to answer any questions on the various activities happening for First Fridays and for safety precautions.

HUGE THANKS! The exploratory team of Scarlett Pons, Ken Lecky, Caroline Morris, Cathy Walker, Matt Williams, Penny Parrish, Jewels Jarrell, Cori Blanch, Megan Samples, Kim Herbert, and Danelle Rose have been hard at work for the last few months making this come to fruition.

New branding was created by Metro Nova Creative. What a fantastic job!

A huge thank you to the City ' s Economic Development Authority for funding the startup and a portion of firstyear expenses.

Please reach out to Amanda at FirstFriday@fredericksburgmainstreet.org for the details.

by ann glave

Ann Glave is the Executive Director of Fredericksburg Virginia Main Street

Jon Gerlach Guest Porch Editorial

Contributing Writers & Artists

Rita Allan

Sally Cooney Anderson Amy Bayne Laurie Black Dianne Bachman Sonja Cantu Sarah Kay Bierle Collette Caprara Janet Douberly Christina Ferber Frank Fratoe Bill Freehling Jon Gerlach Geoff Greene Lisa Gillen Ann Glave Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks Cynthia Mobley Howell David C. Kennedy Jill Laiacona Christina Lush-Rodriguez Chris Mackowski Ray Mikula Vanessa Moncure Pete Morelewicz Patrick Neustatter Gerri Reid Penny A Parrish ML Powers Paula Raudenbush Rob Rudick Mandy Smith Erica Terrini Tina Will Nancy Williams Tamara Wheeler Norma Woodward

Front Porch Fredericksburg is a free circulation magazine published monthly by Olde Towne Publishing Co. Virginia Bigenwald Grogan, Publisher.

The mission of Front Porch Fredericksburg is to connect the diverse citizenry of Fredericksburg with lively features and informative columns of interest to our community’s greatest resource, its people.

Messages from our readers are welcome. All submissions must be received by e-mail by the 19th of the month preceding publication.

Writers / Artists / Photographers are welcome to request Guidelines and query the Publisher by e-mail.

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The opinions expressed in Front Porch Fredericksburg are those of the contributing writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Front Porch Fredericksburg or its advertisers.

Copyright 2021 Front Porch Fredericksburg Magazine All rights reserved.

ON THE PORCH

what’s in a vote?

by jon gerlach

Our City is a treasure. It is historic. It is youthful. It is a small town with some big city amenities. We are a thriving destination for lovers of history, nature, art, music, shopping, dining, beer, antiques, and of course professional baseball (Go FREDNats!).

Many intangible aspects combine to create the essence of Fredericksburg that makes it an ideal place to live, play, work, learn and visit. The people here are nice too: visitors are struck by how welcoming and diverse our community is. Here, generations of families stay - and newcomers are welcomed. Our City shines brightly over any other place in Virginia.

The residents of Fredericksburg enjoy a strong, shared identity. We are well known for our diverse culture and the unique character of our many small neighborhoods. We may be eclectic, but we are linked by the common thread of being proud residents of the City. We rise and fall on the tide of community, and prosperity.

But it' s not all rosy in our fair City. We are facing some very, very serious issues in Fredericksburg. According to the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, Fredericksburg's population -- around 28,000 souls currently -- is expected to grow by about 30%, reaching nearly 40,000 residents by 2040.

How will we grow that large without spoiling the " special sauce " that makes our City unique? That's the milliondollar question, whose answer will involve controversy, broad public participation, strong leadership, and in the end, difficult decision making. The outcomes will determine your cost of living, your children's education, the vitality of our small businesses, our natural environment, and many other things that matter dearly to all of us.

Do Local Elections Matter? When was the last time you ran into the Governor at the grocery store? It hasn't happened to me yet. But almost every time you go out, there's a good chance you'll encounter a City elected official. Our local government is close to us: we are all local to one another. You might have heard that voting local is just as important as voting for Governor. Believe me, it is.

Back when our local elections were held in May, voter turnout was embarrassing, often well below 20%. This year is different. Our City Council and School Board election this Nov. 2nd coincides with State races for Governor and other offices, so voter turnout will be much, much higher.

While higher voter turnout is great, the danger is that more attention is paid to statewide races, and our local issues get drowned out. In that light, it is critically important that City voters are well-informed - folks who understand that it's the local issues that affect their daily lives.

It' s All Happening at the Zoo I like to think of it in terms of Paul Simon's cute little song: At the Zoo. It's all happening at the zoo. "I do believe it, I do believe it's true."

I don't mean to imply that it's a zoo in City Government. It's not (well, sometimes it is). What's really crazy is that all too often we don't seem to realize that City Council and School Board have a direct impact on our day-to-day lives. From traffic and pedestrian safety, parking, litter control, to the cleanliness of your drinking water. Access to the Rappahannock River, our trails. Your commute. Your real estate taxes, and your rent. The look and feel of our downtown and yes … your very own neighborhood. The types of stores and restaurants that you can walk to. Whether your children are getting the education and special attention they need. Heck, even if that guy down the street has a permit to do the weird stuff he is doing. Truly, "it's all happening at the zoo."

When are we going to stop having speeding and noise problems? Where will my kids attend school? Will our teachers, police and firefighters be able to afford to live in the City? What's going to happen to our real estate taxes? Where will I park my car? Will I recognize Fredericksburg twenty years from now? Yup, "it's all happening at the zoo."

When you consider the divisiveness among politicians and voters on national and State issues, and how helpless it can feel to make a difference at that level, just pause to appreciate the awesome power that you have to actually make a difference in your own community! Only a handful of votes can make the difference. On November 2nd your ballot will list the candidates for City Council and School Board. Choose wisely the persons who will represent YOU locally: your interests, your children's future, and all of the things that you care about at the local level. Your vote for local leaders really DOES make a difference in your daily life. Yes, "I do believe it, I do believe it's true." I encourage you to vote early. Early voting extends through October 30. To learn how, visit the registrar's website: https://www.fredericksburgva.gov/534/Vo ter-Registration-and-Elections.

For more than 20 years, Front Porch Magazine has been a wonderful platform for community awareness and civic engagement. I look forward to reading each issue from cover to cover, and I hope you enjoy this month's issue. Oh … and I'll see you at the Food Market grocery store soon!

An attorney and retired archaeologist, Jon Gerlach chairs the Architectural Review Board in Fredericksburg. Jon is a candidate for City Council, Ward 2 in the Nov. 2021 election (JonForCityCouncil.com).

Photo of Jon & Granddaughter Samarah