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.

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“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.

Downtown Ashland is Gonna Be Golden This New Year’s Eve

2025 Gonna Be Golden ticket winners in ReFunkIt

In the Center of the Universe, the countdown to 2026 is getting sweeter. Downtown Ashland Association is thrilled to announce the launch of its Gonna Be Golden milk-chocolate bars — a limited-edition treat designed to delight chocolate lovers, celebrate community, and support local businesses this New Year’s Eve.

Inspired by KPop Demon Hunter, the “Gonna Be Golden” name was dreamed up by the owner of Caramia Arts - Angelica Valencia - who, as a face painting, glitter tattoo, fairy hair, and airbrush artist, is no stranger to glowing up. “The same way Huntress spreads joy through song, we hope to spread sweetness through Ashland,” said Louise Keeton, Director of Operations for Downtown Ashland Association. “It’s a joyful way to close out the year while giving our community a chance to enter 2026 winners.”

Ashland Dance Academy through the lens of Robert Pfeifer

Thanks to the generosity of Ashland Dance Academy, 110 Thompson, and Minuteman Press of Ashland, 200 Gonna Be Golden creamy milk-chocolate bars have been created — and 10 of them contain golden tickets! Each golden ticket unlocks fabulous downtown prizes, including a $40 gift basket from Take Away, a Homemades by Suzanne Snack Pack complete with a pint of chicken salad, rolls, and a chocolate chess pie, and even a mystery prize from Refunkit.

“Minuteman Press loves sponsoring events that bring our community together,” said Caroline Sweeney, owner of Minuteman Press of Ashland. “If it’s something we can support at the time, we’re always happy to help make it happen.”

“I hope this fundraiser not only supports Ashland’s incredible events but also draws more foot traffic to our local shops,” added Colette Maranda, owner of Ashland Dance Academy and 110 Thompson.

Beginning on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2025, Gonna Be Golden chocolate bars will be available at select downtown retailers, including Chirp, Take Away, Homemades by Suzanne, Refunkit, and Tiny Tim’s Trains and Toys. Miss Timmie’s will offer bars on Saturdays, and Wagner Jewelers will join the lineup when they come back from winter break in early January.

To add to the excitement, Ashland Dance Academy is forming their own “Huntress Group,” preparing a KPop Demon Hunter performance around participating stores to celebrate the spirit of the season.

“Downtown Ashland has a way of turning every season into a reason to celebrate,” said Coach Antonio Miller, Executive Director of Downtown Ashland Association. “The Gonna Be Golden bars are a shining symbol of the joy, creativity, and connection that make our downtown truly golden year-round.”

Downtown Ashland Association invites visitors to hop aboard Amtrak Virginia and journey into Ashland’s winter wonderland of historic charm, curated shopping, and farm-to-fork dining to search for these Gonna Be Golden prizes — and experience the sweet magic that makes the Center of the Universe shine all year long.

Find the Gonna Be Golden bar location map, list of prizes, and more details at AshlandVirginia.com/taste.

Celebrate Small Business Saturday with hometown pride and local love

Photo of Ashland Train Day by Rick Kidd

This Small Business Saturday, November 29, Downtown Ashland invites you to experience holiday magic in the Center of the Universe — where every purchase, every cup of coffee, and every meal shared supports the dreams of local business owners and helps our town thrive all year long.

Nestled around our historic train station, nearly every shop and restaurant in Downtown Ashland is independently owned. That means when you shop Ashland first, you’re not just buying a gift — you’re investing in someone’s dream, fueling local jobs, and helping a neighbor’s business shine a little brighter.

Visitors are encouraged to skip the traffic and take Amtrak Virginia straight to the heart of downtown. Step off the platform and into a walkable wonderland of farm-to-fork restaurants, curated boutiques, art galleries, and cozy cafés — all within sight of mighty trains rolling by.

From fine dining at Henry Clay Inn to handcrafted gifts at Thrill of the Hunt, from colorful yarn at Center of the Yarniverse to a morning latte at Classic Coffee, Tea & Books, Ashland’s shops and restaurants reflect the heart and soul of the community.

“Small Business Saturday isn’t just about shopping,” says Coach Antonio Miller, Executive Director of the Downtown Ashland Association. “It’s about connection — neighbors greeting neighbors, discovering local craftsmanship, and realizing that every dollar spent here helps shape the story of our town.”

So this holiday season, shop local, dine local, and give local. Support the small business owners, dreamers, and doers who make Downtown Ashland a place where everyone feels at home.

Plan your visit, find local favorites, and explore upcoming events at ashlandvirginia.com.