The Longest Day of Summer Is Near
Fredericksburg Main Street is celebrating the day with a river-front party.
The longest day of the year is just around the corner, and Chris Allen is ready to party.
The new-ish director of Fredericksburg Main Street is overseeing the first-ever Summer Solstice Festival on Thursday, June 20, at Riverfront Park. The event is a mesh of a traditional arts festival and a beer and wine festival.
And of course, food trucks will be on hand to tend to people’s appetites.

According to Allen, the idea for the event began developing last fall when Main Street— a nonprofit organization that focuses on economic vitality — conducted a survey asking what people wanted to see and experience. Near the top of the list, Allen said, was people “wanting more festival-style events in Fredericksburg.”
The idea for the Summer Solstice Festival was born, giving citizens an opportunity to enjoy the extended evening of the longest day of the year and also help raise money for the organization.
The Hidden Hand Behind Downtown
Fredericksburg Main Street is a nationally accredited chapter of Main Street America, which is committed to “advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.”
In Fredericksburg, that ideal gains traction in many of the events that residents both in the city and the surrounding counties have come to enjoy. Among the events that Fredericksburg Main Street coordinates or helps coordinate are:
With a modest organizational budget that is funded in part (about a third) by the city, fundraising events like the Summer Solstice Festival are important for raising the remaining capital Fredericksburg Main Street needs to carry out its other events throughout the year.
Traditionally, Main Street’s big fundraiser is a relatively high-dollar event called Downtown Affair.
The Summer Solstice Festival is a way “to offer something for other folks” to support Main Street, Allen said. It’s a “fundraiser at an affordable price.”
Allen notes that the funds the Summer Solstice Festival will generate for Fredericksburg Main Street come exclusively from ticket sales. Sales that people transact with the vendors “stay with the vendors.”
Now in its 10th year of operation, Fredericksburg Main Street has big plans for the future. But no sneak peaks at this moment.
For now, just enjoy the Summer Solstice.
Event Details
Tickets
Now to May 31: $35 for individuals aged 21+.
June 1 until the day of the event: $50 for individuals aged 21+
Website
Learn more about the Summer Solstice Festival by visiting its website.
Learn More about Chris Allen
Listen to Chris being interviewed on the New Dominion Podcast.