Downtown Front Royal, Inc. (DFRI) was established in 2007, and after a decade, the organization went dormant for a handful of years. In January 2023, a new, reinvigorated Board of Directors began meeting and sent Board President, Ellen Aders, to the 2023 Main Street NOW conference in Boston. Since then, DFRI has reconnected with Virginia Main Street, secured the Town of Front Royal’s support to reestablish Exploring Main Street status, and celebrated their renewed commitment to the Main Street Approach with a Cinco de Mayo party that brought downtown merchants and local community members together.
To ensure their success, DFRI’s board has been focused on updating their foundational documents. With the support of a $15,000 FY24 Community Vitality Grant (CVG) from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), DFRI hired nonprofit consultant Jennifer E. Goldman to facilitate a retreat for the new board that included strategic planning and board education. Since the retreat, DFRI has put together a timeline to complete the highest priority recommendations. They have already checked off a few to-do items including updating mission and vision statements and securing a MailChimp account to enhance outreach efforts. Launching an official website is next on the list, along with recruiting volunteers to serve on their newly formed committees based on Main Street’s Four Point Approach.
Externally, DFRI has been working hard to bring a farmers market to downtown Front Royal and yesterday celebrated opening day of the Farm to Market on Main. The market will provide locals the opportunity to shop for locally sourced and made products from approximately 10 vendors to start with hope of increasing to 15 throughout the season. It is being held on the Front Royal Gazebo lawn in downtown on the second and fourth Sundays from May through October.
“The board has been doing the necessary foundational work for the last few months. It’s not exciting, but it’s critical to the success of the organization. Now, we’re really having fun! The board is so excited about the Farm to Market, and we can’t wait to see how it impacts our community. Stay tuned for more great stuff to come from Front Royal!” – Ellen Aders, DFRI Board President
Photo Credit: Downtown Front Royal Inc.’s Facebook Page & Blaire Buergler
Virginia Main Street 