Every Tuesday, hundreds of people gather in a Fredericksburg park for one reason: lunch, music, and community. What started in the early 1990s as “Lunch at Hurkamp Park” has become a regular community event known today as Picnic in the Park. Organized by Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation, the event is held on Tuesdays in May and June at Memorial (Kenmore) Park. The event was originally created by a former Parks and Recreation Director as a way for downtown employees to take a lunch break outside. Over time, it grew into a weekly event for families, drawing larger crowds and offering a wider range of activities.

When Sammy Walker took over the event planning in 2018, attendance had already outgrown Hurkamp Park. The event was relocated to Memorial Park to accommodate more people. Walker said an average of 300 to 500 people attend in May. Once school ends for the summer, attendance rises to 500 to 800 each week.

Picnic in the Park now includes themed Tuesdays, such as May 20’s Farm Day featuring a petting zoo provided by The Good Steward Farm, and the upcoming Community Day on June 10 featuring hot dog grilling by the Fredericksburg Sheriff’s Department. Beach Day, scheduled for June 24, will feature sprinklers, baby pools, and other water-related activities. Themes are selected through public voting or sponsor input.

Whimsical Faces, a local face painting business run by Opheilia Gualtieri, was added as a new vendor this year. Walker called Gualtieri “the best face painter in the burg.”

Planning for the series begins in December, following the city’s annual Christmas Parade. Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation manages the event, with financial and media support from several sponsors. B101.5 and Fred Parent Magazine have been media sponsors since the event’s early years. Monetary sponsors include Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, Brompton Community School, Weecycled Wardrobe, Wilderness Resort, and Fredericksburg Christian School. New sponsors in 2025 include Urban Air, Funland, and Healthy Minds Therapy.

While the City of Fredericksburg allocates funding for the series each year, the event also depends on sponsor contributions to cover costs.

Accessibility features include ADA parking, accessible restrooms, a playground, and seating close to the stage. The event is held in a residential area to allow access for attendees from nearby neighborhoods. There is no shuttle service, as the event runs for only two hours, but transportation remains a long-term goal.

The event currently takes place in May and June. A fall concert series was previously held, and organizers say it could return depending on interest and resources.

Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation plans to continue the series as long as there is community demand.

Colonial Forge High School’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program is more than just a class—it’s a commitment to saving lives, a fast track to high-demand careers, and a transformation of ordinary students into certified first responders before they don graduation robes. Stafford County Public Schools offers an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program as part of their Career and Technical Education (CTE) offerings.

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As Memorial Day approaches, local officials are ramping up safety efforts at Lake Anna in response to last summer’s E. coli outbreak that left two dozen people sick—most of them children.

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For the first time, Stafford County will host a Relay for Life event, bringing the community together for a day of remembrance, celebration, and action in the fight against cancer.

The May 10 event is the result of months of work by organizer Tracey Phillips, a longtime supporter of the American Cancer Society. Phillips was inspired to bring Relay for Life to Stafford after years of participating in events in neighboring counties, including an unforgettable first experience in 2009 in Loudoun County.

“It was such an overwhelmingly awesome experience,” Phillips said. “I made a commitment then that I’d always be a part of Relay. It’s become one of my family’s favorite things to do together.”

Phillips has a deep personal connection to the cause. She honors the memory of her uncle, who passed away from cancer 20 years ago. More recently, her husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer last fall. These personal experiences, combined with a desire to raise awareness and strengthen community ties, pushed her to bring a Relay event to Stafford.

“There’s never really been a Stafford Relay—at least not in the last 30 years,” she said. “So we wanted to start something here to bring people together and let survivors and families know they’re not alone.”

The event, titled “Night of Hope,” will take a scaled-down approach to the traditional 12–18-hour Relay model but will carry the same spirit: honoring survivors, supporting caregivers, remembering those lost, and raising money for cancer research. The goal this year is to raise $15,000 and draw around 200 participants, with plans to grow the event annually.

Highlights of the evening will include:

• A Survivor Lap and Survivor Dinner to celebrate those who have battled cancer

• A Luminaria Ceremony, where the track will be lit by donated luminary bags in memory and honor of loved ones;

• Family-friendly entertainment, including music, a silent auction, and demonstrations by the Stafford Sheriff’s Department, McGruff the Crime Dog, a drone team, K-9 unit, and local taekwondo and gymnastics teams;

• Activities for kids, photo opportunities, and lap-tracking beads to help participants beat their own records year over year; and

• Food Trucks like Taco Tuesday and The Dog House.

Planning officially began in late April, and as with many new grassroots efforts, the road hasn’t been without obstacles. “Funding’s not guaranteed when you’re just starting out,” Phillips said. “But we’ve got 12 teams so far and incredible support from the sheriff’s office and local businesses.” Stafford businesses like Paddy’s Public House, The Bearded Monkey, Jersey Mike’s (Windsor Road location), Cinnaholic, and more all hosted fundraising events for the new relay.

The Relay for Life of Stafford is part of the American Cancer Society’s 40th anniversary of Relay events nationwide. The goal is not only to raise money, but also to ignite a new tradition in Stafford that brings together families, schools, businesses, and service members in a shared mission.

Anyone interested in participating—whether as part of a team, as an individual, or as a volunteer—can find registration links and donation information through the event’s Facebook page or by contacting the organizing team via email.

“We’re hoping this is just the beginning,” Phillips said. “This is a chance for Stafford to stand together for hope, for healing, and for the future.”

Stafford’s Relay for Life will be help Saturday, May 10 at Kate Waller Barrett Elementary, 150 Duffey Drive. The 12-hour event begins at noon.

Fredericksburg welcomed a new novelty to its downtown business scene last week: Novel, an independent bookstore and plant shop has opened its doors at 212 William Street. 

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Parents, mark your calendars: Stafford’s Duff McDuff Green Park's new playground will open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 26, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. The event is open to the public.

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What sound do 1,455 cereal boxes make when they fall? Light thuds, and big cheers. Stafford's Grafton Village Elementary School students filled the hallways on Friday, March 14 to cheer as cereal boxes toppled like dominoes through the school.

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Stafford County Public Schools offers high school programs that teach students vocational skills in several fields. The Culinary Arts program, offered at Stafford, Brooke Point, and Mountainview High Schools, provides students the opportunity to learn basic cooking techniques, work in a real-world setting, and gain valuable industry certifications. 

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Entrepreneurs, non-profit directors, business leaders, ministers, life coaches, and more: Fredericksburg’s Most Influential Women Awards will once again recognize women who have made meaningful and lasting impacts on their communities.

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Maria Martin’s journey from catering her sister's wedding to opening Juan More Taco in Fredericksburg began with a small food truck in 2016.  Juan More Taco visited community events and local businesses, serving Latin American food with a twist - the dishes incorporate Honduran flavors.

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