Starting Sunday, July 28, drivers on Route 3 westbound in Fredericksburg will experience brief overnight delays and a temporary rough ride as crews begin resurfacing the road and updating lane markings. The work will stretch from Gateway Boulevard to Woodlyn Drive and is expected to take about two weeks.
Josh Summits has been appointed as the new Director of Fredericksburg’s Economic Development and Tourism Team, starting mid-August. Summits has fifteen years of experience in urban redevelopment, community revitalization, and economic development. He joined Stafford County’s government in 2019 and most recently served as Business Development Manager.
Summit said he has “spent the past five years working with Stafford to bring transformative economic development projects to the Fredericksburg Region. Each locality offers diverse and unique attributes and opportunities. The City of Fredericksburg has a robust list of amazing amenities and a thriving historical downtown. My core focus and energies will target corridor redevelopment, and expanded business attraction and retention efforts.”
Fredericksburg’s annual Agricultural Fair kicks off Friday, July 26 and runs until Sunday, Aug. 4. The Miss Fredericksburg Fair Pageant will be held Thursday, July 25.
The Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair’s website says it was established in 1738 and is the oldest fair in both Virginia and the United States. The range of entertainment has varied over the years, from Williamsburg comedians in 1752 to horse racing by the Fredericksburg Jockey Club in 1774, then hot air balloons in the 1880s. The fair has weathered interruptions with no events from 1881-1886 and during the Great Depression in the mid-1920s. It was revived in 1948 by a group of local farmers and the Jaycees, a non-profit community organization.
The train that derailed on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at Cobblestone Square, an apartment complex in Fredericksburg, had been experiencing mechanical issues, so the train was parked at the city’s Virginia Railway Express (commuter rail) station before moving to its final destination in Richmond. The two crew members on board did not secure the train cars properly, resulting in five cars derailing, said Randy Marcus, a CSX spokesman during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Marcus said the crew’s whereabouts at the time of the derailing are not known, and the company plans to have them complete additional training and education programs. No one was injured in the derailment.
The Fredericksburg SPCA Fur Ball Gala will be held Aug. 24 at the Fredericksburg Convention Center.
This year’s theme is Old Vegas, in the style of the Rat Pack. In addition to a silent and live auction, the 6 p.m. event will feature specialty cocktails and entertainment casino games.
Update July 23: City Council members will attend the CSX public statement on July 24. The event is at 3 p.m. in the gravel parking lot behind VRE Lots G and H. The entrance is at the corner of Prince Edward and Frederick Streets.
Mayor Kerry P. Devine addressed the recent train derailment behind Fredericksburg’s Cobblestone Square apartment complex, expressing concern for the community’s safety.
At approximately 9:00 p.m. yesterday , a CSX train derailed several rail cars near Cobblestone Dr. in Fredricksburg, VA. A garage structure adjacent to the rail line was impacted by the incident. No hazardous materials were involved and there were no reports of injuries. CSX appreciates the swift response of the Fredricksburg City first responders. The safety of response personnel and the surrounding community is our top priority as we work to recover the derailed cars and work to completely restore the area. The cause of the incident is under investigation.
Updated 8 a.m. Sunday: A freight train derailed and collided with buildings at the Cobblestone Square apartment complex near the city’s train station. No one was injured.
Paris Banh Mi Café & Bakery will be opening in the next couple weeks in Fredericksburg. The chain offers traditional Vietnamese banh mi along with croissants and assorted pastries made daily. A traditional Banh Mi is a sandwich that reflects a blend of Vietnamese and French culinary influences.
The café also features a line of specialty drinks with add-ins like Boba bubbles, flavored jelly, and fruit slices. They were unable to provide an exact opening date, but list July 2024 on their website.
Fredericksburg Main Street has announced “Downtown Movies in the Park,” which will take place at Riverfront Park. This community event invites residents and visitors to enjoy movies under the stars with family-friendly films, themed activities, and more.
Starting at 6:30 PM, attendees can engage in activities before the movies begin at 7:00 PM. The series offers a lineup of movies and themed events to enhance the experience.
Fredericksburg’s City Planning Commission will have a regular meeting on July 10. On the agenda are multiple applications from Micah Ecumenical Ministries and Mary Washington Healthcare in regards to The Jeremiah Project.
The project is a planned housing community for the city’s homeless. On the agenda is rezoning the 32- acre parcel near Roffman Road and Bakersfield Lane. A special Use Permit for institutional housing and vacation of right of way, will also be reviewed. The plan includes 189 units between an 80-unit building and 109 single or attached dwellings, in addition to three community buildings, a church, and a medical clinic.
