Press Release Releases
Fourth Annual Regional Housing Summit on Thursday
The Regional Housing Assembly is holding its 4th Annual Regional Housing Summit Thursday, Oct. 15, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center. The theme is “From Vision to Impact.” The summit will bring together key stakeholders in the housing industry to discuss the current state of housing and the future solutions for attainable housing throughout the region.
For more information, visit the event website.
Fredericksburg Economic Development and Tourism Office Wins Innovation Award
The Virginia Municipal League recognized City leaders on Sunday at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott, presenting them with the 2026 Innovation Award in Communications for the “Fredericksburg: Still Making History” campaign.
Fredericksburg was one of seven Virginia localities honored during an awards ceremony at VML’s annual conference.
The City’s Economic Development & Tourism Office created their tourism campaign built around a simple idea: What if George Washington returned to his hometown today?
Rather than only focusing on the Fredericksburg that Washington knew, the campaign brought George back to experience the City it has become today. Through a series of videos, photography, social media content, digital advertising, and public appearances, he revisited historic locations while discovering locally owned restaurants, shops, culture, outdoor recreation and other modern-day Fredericksburg experiences.
The campaign was brought to life in partnership with Second Sight Creative, which helped transform the City’s vision into a compelling visual experience.
City Council Adopts 2026-2029 Council Priorities and Implementation Plan
Fredericksburg City Council has adopted its Council Priorities for 2026-2029, along with an accompanying implementation plan that provides a roadmap for advancing the City’s goals over the next three years.
The Council Priorities process provides a framework for setting the City’s direction, aligning staff work and resources with Council’s goals, and providing a transparent way for the community to track progress.
The Mayor and City Council members spent two days in June reviewing the City’s previous Priorities, assessing accomplishments and identifying areas that should continue, be expanded or added. Once accomplished, staff then developed an implementation plan outlining the steps needed to advance the Priorities. Council and staff reviewed and refined the plan again in August before its adoption.
The 2026-2029 Priorities are organized around nine desired future states that reflect the City Council’s vision for Fredericksburg. The Priorities address areas including the economy, community, culture and history, climate and environmental sustainability, and overall community well-being. The plan also looks beyond the immediate three-year implementation period toward the broader Council Vision for 2050.
The 2026-2029 Council Priorities and Implementation Plan are available on the City’s Council Priorities webpage. Residents are encouraged to review the priorities and follow the City’s progress as implementation moves forward.
The Presbyterian Church Welcomes New Director of Music
The Presbyterian Church, Fredericksburg, announced the appointment of Michael McCarthy as Director of Music. McCarthy comes to Fredericksburg from the Washington National Cathedral, where he led the music for the funerals of Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He is not only a distinguished choral director, but is also an experienced singer, recording artist and educator.
As a singer, McCarthy has traveled the globe with groups including The Sixteen, the Monteverdi Choir, and the Gabrieli Consort. As Director of the London Oratory School Schola, London’s premier concert boy choir, McCarthy has worked regularly with the Royal Opera House, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Philharmonia. In May, King Charles II awarded him the British Empire Medal for services to church music and Anglo-American relations.
