just around the corner

“Endorphins, y’all! We need them!” Downtown Greens board member, Kimberly Cartier is producing her very first 5k to benefit the beloved Fredericksburg greenspace. An avid runner and race participant, she knows this activity will be a much-needed panacea for the quarantine blues! Walk, run, skip, hop, or bike a path of your choice or take the suggested route. The recommended race route will wind you through downtown and past as many sponsoring businesses as possible!


The virtual race can be completed at any time between March 1-14. You can practice social distance and still support from anywhere! Sign up for the virtual race (here: http://bit.ly/dtg5k). Once you've completed the 5K you can either register your time or simply that you finished it then plan to pick up your swag bag from Downtown Greens!

Three cheers for the amazing businesses that are sponsoring this! The inaugural annual 5K is being sponsored by Juan More Taco, Italian Station, PONSHOP, Yellow Bike Massage, River Rock Outfitters, Re_Incorporated, Spencer Devon Brewing, B101.5, Print Jazz, OddBox Studios, Fredericksburg Food Co-op, Community Bank of the Chesapeake, Ace Concierge, LLC, Mo's City Soup, and River Rock Outfitters! We're also happy to have Rene and Jarett Rodriguez along as sponsors for the 5K! One of the best parts about Fredericksburg is the community.

I believe we mentioned the SWAG? Swag is arguably the best part of a 5k! What you can expect to find in your (reusable cloth!) swag bag is a race t-shirt, a pollinator bandana, and a temporary tattoo provided by Downtown Greens. Sponsors are also adding fun things such as CBD muscle salve, beeswax lip balm, stickers, FXBG buttons and coupons to their local businesses! All the treats are sourced as sustainably as possible.
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If this wasn’t already enticing enough, here is how those funds are being allocated. The Downtown Greens building is impossible to miss with it’s enormous pink coneflowers illuminating the facade. What you might miss, however, is the small basement with a tiny kitchen in the back that needs a pretty big facelift. The dream has been to turn that area into a fully-equipped teaching kitchen and multi-purpose space! 

Before the pandemic hit Downtown Greens had several garden-based youth programs which used the small kitchen to prepare meals from food they grew. The renovation involves creating a larger, more functional and welcoming space for kids and teens of the programs. When we're able to safely gather again (in addition to the youth programs) adult workshops will be hosted along with other fun, inclusive events for all. Think of Downtown Greens as the best place to host an outdoor function in the ‘Burg!

Also, with food insecurity on the rise, Downtown Greens is using resources to help increase food availability in the community. They are hard at work preparing for the upcoming spring and summer growing season. May through October they’ll host a weekly FREE Farmers’ Market Stand where produce harvested from their Youth Farm Program Garden and food donated from other pantries will be distributed to anyone who shows up. This greenspace also makes the world’s best neighbor! Staff took requests from the surrounding community on what vegetables and herbs they’d like to see in the “Take What You Need” Community Solidarity Plot. This Pick-Your-Own veggie garden is located by the bus stop at Downtown Greens. During the harvest season, produce overflow is kept in a cooler nearby. A more permanent solution is being considered so no donation or race registration fee will go to waste! 

If you want to know more go to http://www.downtowngreens.org/. You can volunteer, donate, and find out more about what’s happening in your neighborhood. Or, we’ll catch you on the route for the Downtown Runaround. Be safe and we'll see you out there!

By: Brandi Parrish, Digital Marketing Director for Metro Nova Creative