Friday dinner
Start your weekend with Golden Hour at The Golden Pony, where happy-hour specials run from 4 to 7 p.m. Enjoy $5 appetizers and classic cocktails like Tommy’s Margarita, prepared with Lunazul tequila, lime juice and agave nectar. Savor Nile Nachos with black beans, pico de gallo, jalapeños and key wat sauce, or dive into Cauliflower Wings with Stay Gold sauce. Don’t forget to try the Frida Kale-o pizza, topped with fried kale, cheddar, marinara, black beans, red onion and chipotle crema. End the evening with a game of pinball and a round of Fernet shots for those of drinking age. It’s Fernet Friday after all!
Saturday breakfast
Send an emissary to secure a table early at Magpie Diner, where the line starts forming before 9 a.m. While you wait, sip a mimosa at Rootstock Wine Bar & Provisions across the street, or explore a bookstore, kitchen supply stop, skincare boutique and more at Liberty St. Mercantile. Once seated, treat yourself to the Green Poutine, featuring crispy breakfast potatoes topped with herb sauce, arugula, a fried egg, and sprinkled with everything bagel seasoning and fresh herbs.
Saturday morning
After breakfast, head to the Harrisonburg Farmers Market, home to more than 50 vendors offering fresh, local produce, eggs, cheese, bread, pastured meats, and artisan goods like hand-blown glass, herbal skincare and more. Stay for lunch and sample wood-fired pizza or chicken salad from one of the prepared food vendors, or continue your culinary journey across town.
Saturday lunch
For lunch at Taste of Thai, try the Pad See Ew, which features wide stir-fried rice noodles with Chinese broccoli, egg and sweet black soy sauce. Add some homemade dry spice to kick up the heat.
Saturday afternoon
Wind down the afternoon with a glass at Rootstock Wine Bar & Provisions, set in a renovated 100-year-old carriage house. Enjoy happy hour from 2 to 4 p.m., with $2 off flights and glasses. Choose wine from around the world or around the Shenandoah Valley.
Saturday dinner
Next, walk over to the Local Chop & Grill House for an unforgettable dinner. Co-owner and Executive Chef Ryan Zale, with experience at The Inn at Little Washington, offers an approachable, fine-dining experience. Keep the wine flowing with a bottle from the restaurant’s award-winning wine program. Pair a glass with Autumn Olive Farms’ Baja Belly Bites, crispy pork belly with pickles and chipotle romesco. For your main, taste the Valley in Smoke in Chimney’s whole smoked trout, raised at its spring-fed, trout hatchery.
For a more casual experience, try the Chop House Bar. Start with the dry-rubbed Jamaican Jerk Wings, served with a special money sauce, followed by the Chop House Burger, topped with bacon, cheddar, horseradish creme fraiche, lettuce, tomato and served with duck-fat fries.
Saturday night
After dinner, check out the showings at Court Square Theater for films, live music, comedy, dance or theater. Then, satisfy your sweet tooth with a visit to Branch’s Soft Serve Ice Cream Truck. Try its best-selling, Bark Off the Tree sundae — vanilla or chocolate soft serve topped with a homemade brownie, peanut butter, chocolate sauce, peanuts and whipped cream.
Sunday breakfast
Finish your weekend with breakfast at Broad Porch Coffee Company. Pair locally roasted coffee with a pastry or one of its globally inspired brunch items. Enjoy the Matcha Parfait — matcha and honey whipped yogurt or matcha and coconut chia pudding with cardamom, bananas, house-made granola and honey passion-fruit puree — in its bright, open interior or on the patio.
Sunday morning
Before leaving town, take a peaceful stroll through the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, a woodland sanctuary just off JMU’s East Campus. Wander along trails lined with native plants, watch ducks float on the pond, and keep an eye out for birds, turtles and other creatures before bidding the ’Burg goodbye.
