After a brief setback due to cold weather, the much-anticipated Huntley Homecoming event is set to take place on March 30, 2024, in downtown Fredericksburg. The event, organized to celebrate the musical achievements of Michael Huntley, winner of season 24 of The Voice on NBC, promises a day of festivities and community spirit.

The homecoming festivities will commence with a Downtown Driving Procession Along Huntley’s Performance Venues, starting at 11 a.m. and concluding at 12:30 p.m. Spectators can expect a vibrant display of musical talent as they traverse downtown Fredericksburg.

Following the procession, the focal point of the celebration will be the rally held at Virginia Credit Union Stadium, located at 42 Jackie Robinson Way in Fredericksburg, from 12:30  to 2:30 p.m. Contrary to speculation, city officials clarified that the rally is not a concert but rather an opportunity for the community to come together and honor Huntley’s achievements.

Admission to the stadium rally is free; however, due to limited capacity, RSVP is required. Interested attendees can reserve their RSVP vouchers on Eventbrite, with spaces limited to four people per email address. City officials issued a warning to only obtain RSVP vouchers from the official Eventbrite event to avoid potential scams.

Parking at the stadium will be provided free of charge, but attendees are advised to arrive early to secure a spot, considering the anticipated large crowds. Additionally, in the spirit of giving back to the community, Huntley has chosen to support Loisann’s Hope House, the region’s oldest and largest family homeless shelter. Donations honoring Huntley’s community spirit can be made through the organization’s website.

The celebration events are scheduled outdoors, rain or shine, with attendees advised to dress accordingly. In case of extreme weather, cancellation announcements will be made on FXBG.com/Huntley and on Facebook @VisitFXBG.

Mayor Kerry P. Devine originally declared January 21, 2024, as “Huntley Day” in Fredericksburg, recognizing Michael Huntley’s dedication to the musical profession and his unwavering commitment to his roots in Fredericksburg. As a native son of the city, Huntley’s success on The Voice has brought pride and inspiration to the local community.

Event organizers have emphasized that the Huntley Homecoming celebration is inclusive and welcomes fans of all ages. Concessions will be available at the stadium, with cashless transactions preferred. Stadium concession stands were to be open during the first planned event on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2024. Due to stadium capacity limitations, attendees are reminded to bring only clear bags and adhere to RSVP requirements.

Correction: An earlier version of this story reported the incorrect date.

In light of the snow this week and the anticipated extreme weather conditions on Sunday, the Fredericksburg, the Fredericksburg Nationals, and Huntley have jointly decided to postpone Sunday’s Huntley Homecoming Event for public safety.

The snow-covered stadium field poses potential hazards, especially with the expected icy conditions and low temperatures overnight. All events, including the downtown procession and the stadium pep rally, are now postponed to a later date.

Adding to the excitement surrounding Huntley’s connection to Fredericksburg, Mayor Kerry P. Devine declared January 21, 2024, as “Huntley Day” in Fredericksburg. This declaration comes in recognition of Michael Huntley, the victor of season 24 of The Voice on NBC, honoring his perseverance and dedication to the musical profession. Huntley, a celebrated singer-songwriter and native son of Fredericksburg, specializes in American Blues.

To mark “Huntley Day,” the Fredericksburg officials had outlined plans for a celebrity processional downtown, followed by a pep rally-style event that will take place at the Virginia Credit Union Stadium, home of the FredNats.

This Sunday is poised to bring an intense cold wave as frigid conditions tighten their grip on the region. According to the National Weather Service, a low-pressure system intensifying off the East Coast will move away on Saturday, paving the way for a robust high-pressure ridge to swiftly build southeastward from the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest U.S. into the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic region.

While upslope snow accumulations are expected to diminish on Saturday, the spotlight shifts to the extreme cold that will prevail on Sunday. Though not as severe as Saturday, wind chills will still be notably brisk across the entire region.

Central zones are projected to experience near zero or single-digit wind chills above or below zero. At the same time, metro and bay areas can anticipate wind chills in the teens above zero. Meanwhile, the mountains in the west may see wind chills plummet into the negative teens and 20s.

On Sunday, the entire region is forecasted to remain below average in temperature, with highs ranging from the middle 20s to the middle 30s. This marks a departure of 10 to 15 degrees below average, creating an exceptionally cold day.

The FredNats, Fredericksburg’s Minor League Baseball team, and the city’s convention center are working to draw more people.

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Snow day: We’re expecting up to three inches of snow today, according to our forecast sponsored by Water’s End Brewery. Send us your snow pictures.

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MLK Day: Reporter Katherine Madere is covering the 39th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Program & Youth Oratorical Competition, held this year at Colgan Senior High School near Woodbridge.

New Mexican-style: Amelia Breeden’s story about Anita’s New Mexican-style diner reopening near Manassas has drawn some debate on our Facebook page, proving once again that people on social media will argue over anything.

• “Oh man, this brings back wonderful memories from my childhood.”
• “So many great El Salvadoran places in Manassas. I was actually sad to see this.”

Huntley event confusion: Some on the FredNats Facebook page are confused about the event at the baseball stadium honoring Fredericksburg’s “Huntley,” who won season 24 of “The Voice” on NBC.

• “What fun? No food, no game, no concert? So everyone just stares at each other and worships Huntley?”

Trash talkin’: The Stafford County Sheriff took a swipe at Dallas Cowboys fans this morning after their 48-32 loss in the wildcard playoff game. Full story.

Supervisors: Prince William and Stafford counties Board of Supervisors meetings will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. Our reporters will cover stories about adding classroom trailers to preserve historic sites.

Shootings: We’re following several breaking stories today, including two shootings, on our homepage.

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Publisher
Potomac Local News

“One of Richmond’s biggest financial institutions has closed out the year by taking a small Charlottesville credit union under its wing,” reports Michael Schwartz at Richmond BizSense. “Virginia Credit Union last week finalized its deal to absorb Virginia Trailways Federal Credit Union.”

Virginia Credit Unions owns the naming rights at the Fredericksburg Nationals Stadium in Fredericksburg.

Fredericksburg Nationals: “The Nats jumped on the Red Sox early and picked up a 7-1 victory over Salem.”

“After Erik Tolman breezed through the first, Elijah Nunez, Andrew Pinckney, and Yohandy Morales all singled to load the bases with nobody out. Leandro Emilini then lifted a fly ball into right, deep enough for Nunez to score on a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead.”

Fredericksburg Nationals: “The Fredericksburg Nationals got key contributions from the 2023 draft class in a resounding 5-1 win over the Salem Red Sox.”

“Riley Cornelio breezed through the top of the first inning, then fourth-rounder Andrew Pinckney smoked a single back up the middle. He was balked to second, Blake Klassen worked a walk, then Roismar Quintana hammered a triple to plate both runners and give the Freddies a 2-0 lead. Max Romero Jr. followed up with an RBI single to make it 3-0.”

Fredericksburg Nationals: “The FredNats rallied from two separate deficits to take down the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 9-8.”

“It was the Pelicans taking an early lead once again, in the series finale. Andy Garriola came up with a runner on third base in the top of the first, and delivered his 11th RBI of the week to take a 1-0 lead.”

Fredericksburg Nationals: “The Pelicans used a big fourth inning to beat the FredNats 10-5 on Copa Night.”

“The Fundadores de Fredericksburg chased top prospect Jackson Ferris in the first inning, as he struggled to locate his pitches. John McHenry picked up a single with one out, then Paul Witt and Sammy Infante both walked to load the bases.”

“Ferris then sailed a pitch to the backstop which allowed McHenry to dash home with the first run of the game. Ferris walked two more batters to force in another run, and Myrtle Beach was forced to pull him with two outs, but kept the score at 2-0.”