Sip, Shop & Celebrate Small Business Saturday in Downtown Ashland

There’s something truly special about spending the holidays in a town where nearly every storefront belongs to a small business owner — where dreamers, makers, and neighbors pour their hearts into every product, meal, and experience they create. In downtown Ashland, that spirit shines brighter than ever.

To kick off your Small Business Saturday adventure, your friendly neighborhood nonprofit — the Downtown Ashland Association — is popping up at Classic Coffee, Tea & Books from 10 AM–12 PM.
☕️ Stop by for a complimentary drink on us,
📸 Snap a pic, and tag/follow @AshlandVirginia on Instagram
💰 Be automatically entered to win a $100 Town of Ashland gift certificate!

Once you’re caffeinated and cozy, head out to explore our historic streets, where more than 10,000 sparkling holiday lights outline over two miles of festive charm. Whether you stroll, cycle, or jog through our glowing downtown, every visit helps illuminate more than our decorations — it brightens the lives of the small business owners who make Ashland extraordinary.

Discover treasures at every turn: curated gifts, farm-to-fork cuisine, toys, trains, cozy cafés, equestrian gear, and so much more. Every single purchase helps a small business make a big difference in our community.

While you’re out and about, take time to enjoy Ashland’s incredible public art, including Secretariat: Racing Into History and America’s longest train mural — both perfect backdrops for your festive snapshots.

And for the most magical, parking-free arrival? Hop on Amtrak Virginia and step right into a downtown that shines like a living Hallmark card.

56th Ashland Hanover Olde Time Holiday Parade

Contributed article by Ashland Kiwanis Club

Well, we heard Santa was coming so let’s have a parade to welcome him back. We at the Ashland Kiwanis Club have worked diligently to do just that. Due to Santa’s busy schedule, the parade is a rain or shine event, so check the weather forecast and dress appropriately. 

This year’s parade will have 122 units with nearly 1900 individuals taking part, walking, riding, marching, and dancing. The parade is sponsored by the Town of Ashland with the Ashland Kiwanis Club doing the organizing and direction for the parade as we have done for 29 years now. The starting location is at the intersection of Thompson Street and Snead Streets. The step off time is 2:00 pm. Units travel east on Thompson and England Streets, turning North at Henry Street, through the Randolph-Macon Campus and ends at Berkley Street.

Ashland Kiwanis Club Olde Time Holiday Parade in historic Downtown Ashland

Representatives of the Town of Ashland Police and Hanover County Sheriff’s office will lead the parade following the Color Guard. This year’s Parade Grand Marshal is Dr. Michael Hill, the incoming President of Randolph Macon College. Please come out and welcome him to town.

And, as usual, the last unit is Santa Claus.  Between these two very important people there will be the Patrick Henry High School marching band, Navy Junior ROTC units from Patrick Henry and Mechanicsville High Schools, antique vehicles, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Fire and Rescue Units, as well as several of ACCA Temple’s Units to put a spark in the entertainment. The 2025 Hanover Christmas Mother, Ricki Hall Smith, will also be riding in the parade. And no parade is complete without a few horses and this year will be no exception.

Ashland Kiwanis Club Olde Time Holiday Parade in historic Downtown Ashland

New this year and since there is no charge for parade entries as we give entertainment to the community, we have joined with the Hanover Youth Service Council to collect shelf-stable food items to give to our Hanover Food Pantries at the same time. So, in lieu of an entry fee, we are asking participants to bring an item to be shared among affiliated Hanover Food Pantries.

Now, if you are not in the parade this year but would like an invitation next year, just let us know at ashlandkiwanis@gmail.com. Invitations go out via email in early September. If you would like to know more about our Club and our projects, you may drop us an email at the same address or go to our web site which is www.ashlandvakiwanis.org and check us out.

Mark Sunday November 23, 2025, at 2:00 pm on your calendar to attend the parade that begins the Holiday Season in Ashland, Hanover County and Metropolitan Richmond. Bundle up and come out for the parade and a ringside seat along the route. See you there.

Minuteman Press of Ashland Brings Cozy Cheer to Downtown’s Light Up the Tracks

Minuteman Press of Ashland’s 2025 Light Up the Tracks Design

Get ready to light up your holiday season! Minuteman Press of Ashland is keeping the community cozy, creative, and glowing with their new “Light Up the Tracks” holiday apparel—a must-have for anyone enjoying downtown Ashland’s winter wonderland.

The talented in-house design team at Minuteman Press has crafted the cutest “ugly” sweater-inspired design ever. Featuring a woven rail motif, the design is available as a short-sleeve tee, long-sleeve tee, or hoodie—perfect for snuggling up at the Grand Illumination, cheering at the Olde Time Holiday Parade, or singing along during Saturday caroling in downtown Ashland.

The Light Up the Tracks crowd in historic downtown Ashland, Virginia

“It was time to toss out the old designs and shine a spotlight on Light Up the Tracks,” said Caroline Sweeny, owner of Minuteman Press of Ashland. “In collaboration with Downtown Ashland Association, we’ve cooked up a design we’re really proud of. We hope everyone will deck the halls in Ashland pride this season!”

Minuteman Press isn’t just printing—they’re design pros who combined their superpowers to create holiday apparel that will make you stand out in the crowd. Over 10,000 lights outline two miles of downtown Ashland, thanks to Dominion Energy and Wells Tree Service, and now your wardrobe can shine just as brightly.

This season, Minuteman Press is taking their mission on the road with their mobile print truck, debuting at the Grand Illumination on Saturday, November 22, at Ashland Town Hall (112 Thomson Street), starting at 3 PM. Guests can watch their apparel come to life on the spot—including the new Light Up the Tracks design—with no waste.

They’re also issuing a playful challenge: How glow will you go? Guests arriving in illuminated attire can enter the Illuminated Costume Contest for a chance to win a free Light Up the Tracks design. Simply get your raffle ticket at the event, write your phone number on the back, and after the Ashland Town Tree is lit at 5 PM, ten winners will be drawn and notified by text to claim their prize. If you’re a winner, you can pick out your very own Light Up the Tracks long-sleeve shirt.

But the magic doesn’t stop at cozy apparel—every purchase of downtown Ashland items from Minuteman Press of Ashland contributes 20% to the Downtown Ashland Association, ensuring beloved events like the Grand Illumination remain free for all to enjoy.

Discover the full lineup of holiday apparel, including the beloved Light Up the Tracks design, at LightUpTheTracks.com.

Pre-Order the Ashland Cookbook Collection

This holiday season, bring the warmth, flavor, and history of Ashland right into your kitchen with the Ashland Cookbook Collection, a lovingly curated compilation of 100 local recipes spanning the 1950s through the 2020s. Printed by Minuteman Press of Ashland just in time for festive gatherings, this collection is perfect for inspiring Thanksgiving feasts or holiday celebrations with family and friends.

“We’re all about bringing communities together,” says Caroline Sweeney, owner of Minuteman Press of Ashland. “Printing a community cookbook is like a love letter to the town that has fed and nourished us for generations.”

The Ashland Cookbook Collection is more than just recipes—it’s a celebration of Ashland’s enduring sense of community. It brings together cherished recipes from Ashland’s past, including On the Tracks, originally compiled by the Ashland Junior Woman’s Club in 1958; The Ashland Book of Cooking, created by the same spirited club between 1961 and 1963 and printed by The Herald-Progress; and Blessings and Dressings, gathered with care by the members and friends of Saint James the Less Episcopal Church in 1996. To these timeless classics, the collection adds recipes shared by Ashland neighbors today, all captured and printed with gratitude by Minuteman Press of Ashland for the Downtown Ashland Association in 2025.

Vintage Ashland recipe books

“So many of these homemade recipes were getting lost in church basements and family notebooks,” adds Downtown Ashland Association Executive Director Coach Antonio Miller. “Thanks to our friends, neighbors, and sponsors like Minuteman Press of Ashland, we're able to print, bind, and share these recipes so they're available to every kitchen shelf.”

Minuteman Press of Ashland has turned this community treasure into more than a piece of history you can eat—it’s also a fundraiser for the Downtown Ashland Association, which works tirelessly to provide programming and resources that keep downtown Ashland vibrant. Twenty percent of proceeds from cookbook sales will go directly to the Downtown Ashland Association, who will, in turn, make donations to ARC of Hanover and St. James the Less Episcopal Church—honoring the original fundraising intentions of the Ashland Junior Women’s Club and St. James the Less Episcopal Church.

Beloved Ashland writer Phyllis Theroux, in Blessings and Dressings, reminds us that, “A good cook must be a kind of kitchen contemplative, grounded in the present and entirely focused upon the onions as you are chopping them. Onions resent being chopped haphazardly.”

In that spirit, Downtown Ashland hopes these pages will invite readers to slow down, savor the moment, and reconnect with your town, your table, and the stories that make Ashland the Center of the Universe.

Pre-Order Today!
Copies of the Ashland Cookbook Collection are $30 each. Pre-orders end on Black Friday, November 28, and only 50 copies will be sold!

You can cook up Ashland’s revered recipes from the comfort of your digital device! Make a $1 donation to Downtown Ashland Association and have a digital copy sent to your email.

Pre-order the Ashland Cookbook Collection

$30.00

Purchase

Digital Ashland Cookbook Collection

$1.00

Purchase

“Wish You Were Here” Combines Heartwarming Holiday Showmanship with Community Service

Don’t you wish there were a night of laughter, live music, and community spirit this holiday season? Wish no further! Wish You Were Here: A Christmas Show is just the ticket. Hosted by the ever-charming Bryan Dupuis, this one-of-a-kind variety show blends the clever comedy of Saturday Night Live with the heartfelt storytelling of A Prairie Home Companion — all while giving back to the local charities that make Central Virginia shine a little brighter all season long.

🎄 Friday, December 5 at 7:00 PM
📍 Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center | 2880 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060
🎟️ $13 Online | $15 At the Door (Doors open at 6:15 PM | General Admission)

“Each show we partner with an organization doing good in our community,” says host Bryan Dupuis. “It’s family-friendly and highlights the best of what we have happening right here in our area.”

This year’s Christmas show shines a spotlight on Jacob’s Chance, a local nonprofit enriching lives by empowering individuals ages 5–40 with disabilities through inclusive programs that nurture confidence, creativity, and connection. Every ticket sold and laugh shared helps amplify their incredible work — proving that giving back can be as joyful as it is meaningful.

✨ A Night Full of Heart and Hometown Talent
The stage will come alive with a lineup as warm and welcoming as the season itself. The evening kicks off with the toe-tapping harmonies of Nothing Too Crazy, a Mechanicsville-based acoustic quartet whose effortless blend of voices and instruments feels like coming home to your favorite song.

Singer-songwriter Logan Miller, host of itsnowstreaming, will take the stage next with melodies that stir both laughter and reflection — the kind of tunes that make you smile before you realize you’re humming along.

The Glen Allen High School Select Ensemble brings youthful joy and incredible talent, filling the theater with bright voices and big holiday spirit. And just when you think the night couldn’t get more delightful, the COTU Players sweep in with comedy sketches and storytelling that will have you laughing until your cheeks hurt.

And that’s just the beginning — every Wish You Were Here performance holds a few surprises up its festive sleeve.

🎁 Become a Sponsor and Support the Story
Wish You Were Here is more than a show — it’s a celebration of what happens when creativity and compassion share the same stage. You can help the story continue by becoming a sponsor:

• Individual Supporter – $50 | Receive a warm thank-you in the event handout — a small gesture with a big heart.

• Silver – $200 | Enjoy your logo on-screen and on social media, plus a shoutout from the stage during the show.

• Gold – $500 | Shine even brighter with your logo on the show’s website and communications with ticket holders.

• Platinum – $1000 | Take center stage as a “Presented By” sponsor, featured in all event communications.

To sponsor or learn more, or get your tickets, visit: www.WishYouWereHereLive.com

So gather your friends, grab a seat, and get ready for an evening that will make your heart glow as bright as the Christmas lights. Wish You Were Here: A Christmas Show proves that the most entertaining night of the season can also be the most meaningful — a joyful reminder that when our community comes together, we all shine a little brighter.