Good morning, FXBG.
The rain should ease this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service: showers likely this morning with a high near 70, then mostly clearing tonight into the upper 40s. Saturday looks sunny and cooler, around 63, which is perfect for walking a dog through Hurkamp Park. Pack a jacket for First Friday either way.
In today's Rundown:
Stafford's Veterans Day ceremony is this morning at 10, with 17 local businesses on the program
Your First Friday playbook: galleries, rescue dogs, Downtown Sounds, and a ghost walk
Saturday's Animal Rescue Festival, plus Kalahari opens in six days
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Today's photo: Fredericksburg Town Hall and Market Square on Princess Anne Street, by Justinandsarah, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
🇺🇸 Stafford goes first on Veterans Day
Veterans Day is Wednesday, but Stafford's ceremony is today at 10 a.m. at the Armed Services Memorial on the Government Center campus (1300 Courthouse Road).
Seventeen veteran-owned and military-spouse-owned businesses will be recognized through the county's Legacy Business Recognition Program, which honors small businesses that have helped shape Stafford for 20 years or more, according to Stafford County. Board Chairman Deuntay Diggs is the keynote. Sue Henderson, a USAF veteran and co-owner of Henderson Productions, will sing the National Anthem. Special veteran pins go out while they last.
The county says more than 20,000 veterans call Stafford home. If you can't make it in person, Stafford's online social wall is still open for photos and messages using #StaffordVets, and Operation Green Light for Veterans is on again this year: a green porch bulb is the quiet way to say thanks.
Fri., Nov. 6, 10 a.m. · Stafford Armed Services Memorial · Free
Fredericksburg's procession is still Wednesday: step-off at 10:30 a.m. down Washington Avenue, ceremony at 11. Line the avenue if you can.
🎨 First Friday, rain boots optional
Downtown's longest-running arts night is back: eight galleries and studios, late shops, street musicians and a free trolley looping the arts district, 5–9 p.m. Details and the November map live at fxbgfirstfriday.com.
A few things worth knowing before you go:
Sip & Stroll: Buy a beer, wine or cocktail in a logo plastic cup at a participating spot and walk within the marked boundaries. Last call is 8:30 p.m.; cups need to be gone by 9. No outside drinks.
Meet a dog: Old Dominion Humane Society brings adoptable pups to Fraser Wood Elements (1023 Caroline St.) from 5–8 p.m., and volunteers in pink shirts will also be walking dogs around downtown. You might leave with more than a print.
Downtown Sounds: Live outdoor music at Market Square, 6:30–8:30 p.m., 907 Princess Anne St. If the morning rain lingers, check before you stake out a spot.
Ghost walk: History Walks FXBG's winter ghost tour starts at 5:30 p.m. at Historic Tales & Tails Bookstore Café, about a mile with a rare stop at the Masonic Cemetery. About $27; details at historywalksfxbg.com.
FAM members only: The Fredericksburg Area Museum kicks off Member Appreciation Month with a members-only First Friday from 4–6 p.m. (first drink on them; vintage glasses for the first 15 guests). Public First Fridays at FAM return in 2027.
Fri., Nov. 6, 5–9 p.m. · Downtown Fredericksburg · Free to stroll
🐾 Saturday is for the dogs (and next Thursday is for the waterpark)
The Fredericksburg SPCA's Animal Rescue Festival fills Hurkamp Park tomorrow with rescue groups, vendors, music and adoptable animals. It starts with the one-mile Walk for the Animals at 9 a.m., then the festival runs 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Bring your dog. Bring a lint roller for the car, in case you leave with a second one. Info: fredspca.org.
Sat., Nov. 7 · Walk 9–10 a.m., festival 10 a.m.–2 p.m. · Hurkamp Park
Also on the weekend list:
Owl Prowl tonight: Lake Anna State Park's ranger-led after-dark walk is 6–8 p.m. Pre-register at 540-854-5503; capped at 20. Bring $10 cash for evening parking and a red flashlight if you have one.
Hips, Hops & Hope Toys for Tots: Drop a new, unwrapped toy at Maltese Brewing Company, Sat. 1–4 p.m., free.
"Dear Evan Hansen": UMW at Klein Theatre through Nov. 22, with a Sunday 2 p.m. matinee. Tickets $5–$40.
Night in Washington's Day at Historic Kenmore and Jazz4Justice at Dodd Auditorium, both Saturday night.
Gothic Market: Grimoire Studios at the Fredericksburg Convention Center on Sunday. Advance tickets only; no cash at the door.
And the big splash everyone has been watching from I-95: Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in Spotsylvania opens to the public on Thursday, Nov. 12. America's largest indoor waterpark, 907 rooms, and a $900 million bet on Thornburg. Opening-celebration packages (with a $50 dining credit) start for stays Nov. 15 through March 31, 2027. We'll have a local how-to closer to opening day.
📌 Also worth knowing…
Idlewild VRE bus ends Nov. 23: Fredericksburg Regional Transit's Idlewild-to-VRE route has a little over two weeks left. Plan another way to the station.
Spotsy offices closed Wednesday: County offices shut for Veterans Day, Nov. 11, except the Livingston landfill and convenience centers and the Visitor Center and Museum.
Holiday season is coming fast: Downtown's Holiday Open House Weekend and the Riverfront Park tree lighting are Nov. 14–15. Full guide next week.
Still deciding where to put that green bulb? Stafford's Operation Green Light runs through the month.
👋 Before you go
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