Songs from the Center of the Universe, Vol. 2 Now Streaming

Songs from the Center of the Universe concert at the historic Hanover Arts and Activities Center

The Center of the Universe just got a little louder. Songs from the Center of the Universe, Volume 2 is now streaming on all major platforms, and Downtown Ashland Association invites the community to celebrate in style: gather at Origin Beer Lab on Friday, June 5 at 5 PM for a live listening party that turns Ashland's own streets and tracks into the venue they were always meant to be.

Legendary audio producer Matt Treacy of Free Jambalaya

The second volume of this beloved local series captures eight artists and more than a dozen original songs — every one of them a love letter to Ashland, Virginia. Tammy Hart Mosby, JOHNNY ROCK, Tim Nelson, Kevin Fergusson, Gerry Seeley, Brad Tuggle, Aydan Gill, and prolific songwriter Victor Gottlieb each contributed songs that capture the charm, character, and community of a town that proudly calls itself the Center of the Universe.

The album was recorded live during the Songs from the Center of the Universe concert at the historic Hanover Arts and Activities Center and produced by legendary audio producer Matt Treacy of Free Jambalaya, recorded inside Slipped Disc Studios — situated directly beside the iconic Ashland Theatre.

At the June 5th listening party, guests will hear these original Ashland songs played through Origin Beer Lab's speakers, just steps from the very railroad tracks and historic downtown that inspired them. Featured musicians will be on hand to meet fans, and as a thank-you for their artistry, each featured artist will receive two beverages courtesy of the Downtown Ashland Association.

Every stream of Songs from the Center of the Universe, Volume 2 directly supports Downtown Ashland. Neighbors near and far are encouraged to listen, share, and come raise a glass to the musicians who put Ashland's soul to song.

Event Details: 📅 Friday, June 5, 2025 🕔 5:00 PM 📍 Origin Beer Lab, Ashland, Virginia 🎵 Streaming now on all major platforms

Songs from the Center of the Universe concert at the historic Hanover Arts and Activities Center

Songs from the Center of the Universe, Volume 2 features:

• Tammy Hart Mosby — 1800 Amtrak to Ashland

• JOHNNY ROCK — Ashland #1

• Tim Nelson — To Henrys

• Kevin Fergusson — A Day and Night in Ashland

• Gerry Seeley — Ashland Is My Town

• Brad Tuggle — The Village that We Chose

• Aydan Gill — The Heart of It All

• Victor Gottlieb — Intro / Ashland, Virginia And You Here With Me / Ashland Gypsy Melody / I'm An Ashland Cowboy / Ashland Virginia - A Town Where I Have Been / Finger Picking Tour Of Ashland, Virginia / Ashland Mini Opera / Let's Go Back To Ashland / I'm Coming Home To Ashland, Virginia / Welcome To Ashland - Girl Scout Cookies

Swing for Safety

Harvey & Driggs attorneys competing in the Hanover County Bar Association’s 4th Annual Golf Tournament

Mark your calendars and grab your clubs, because one of Hanover County's most beloved charitable traditions is back for its fifth year. The Hanover County Bar Association (HCBA) is proud to host its 5th Annual Golf Tournament on Friday, June 19, 2026, at Hunting Hawk Golf Club in Ashland, Virginia, with 100% of proceeds benefiting Hanover Safe Place, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

This is more than a day on the links. It is a full community celebration that brings together neighbors, colleagues, and friends for a morning of friendly competition and an afternoon of gratitude. Registration and breakfast begin at 8:00 AM, followed by a 9:30 AM shotgun start in a four-person scramble format. The day wraps up at 2:30 PM with lunch, an awards ceremony, and a raffle — all in the spirit of giving back to people who need it most.

Members of the association last month to accept a check for over $10,000 in 2023 thanks to the Hanover County Bar Association and all the annual Golf Tournament sponsors.

For a $500 team registration fee, each four-person squad receives 18 holes with a cart, refreshments throughout the day, breakfast, lunch, a welcome bag full of goodies, and the chance to compete in special event holes including Longest Drive and Closest to the Pin contests. That is a full day of fun with every dollar going directly to a cause that changes — and in some cases saves — lives right here in Hanover County.

John Working of the Hanover County Bar Association explains why this event holds such a special place in the organization's heart. "The HBA recognizes that Hanover Safe Place is an important community partner which serves a vulnerable population during extremely difficult circumstances," he said. "This golf tournament promotes both of our core goals as an association — serving the community and fostering relationships among our members. We are committed to supporting those who give back to our community by serving others."

The impact of those dollars is not abstract. Stacie Francis, Director of Development and Communications at Hanover Safe Place, has watched those funds go to work in some of the most urgent, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful moments imaginable. "Over the last two years, we have had three victims needing emergency transportation out of the state for safety reasons," Francis shared. "While this is a very rare need, when it occurs, it is emergency and immediate. Funds from events like the HBA Golf Tournament allow us to aid those victims in purchasing tickets to safety, arrange transportation to and from bus stations or airports, and provide essentials for travel."

Those are not statistics. Those are real neighbors, real families, and real moments of escape made possible because the Hanover community showed up. "Funds from our community allow us to help victims in ways that are typically difficult and restricted by other funding sources," Francis added. "We are very grateful to the Hanover County Bar Association for their support of our work, and we are so looking forward to this year's event."

Attorneys Ryan E. Wind and Kevin T. Hadden at the Hanover Bar Association Golf Tournament

Not a golfer? No problem. There are plenty of ways to be part of this day. Individuals and businesses can donate raffle items — think gift certificates, unique experiences, travel, or personal services — that will be auctioned off at the closing ceremony, with every dollar raised going straight to Hanover Safe Place. Sponsorship opportunities are also available at multiple levels, starting at just $150 for a hole sponsorship with signage on a tee box, all the way up to a $2,500 Event Sponsorship that includes a team registration, hole signage, and prominent placement at registration and the reception. Food, beverage, cart, and scorecard sponsorships round out a menu of options that make it easy for any business or individual to find a meaningful way to contribute.

Hanover Safe Place is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID 31-1415701), meaning sponsorships and donations may be tax-deductible. To register a team, secure a sponsorship, or ask any questions, interested participants can visit the registration link at https://tinyurl.com/HanGolf26, or send a check made out to Hanover Safe Place to: Hanover Safe Place – Golf Tournament, 629A North Washington Highway, Ashland, VA 23005. For sponsorship inquiries and logo submissions, reach out directly at HanoverCountyBar@gmail.com.

There is a saying that golf is a good walk spoiled — but on June 19th at Hunting Hawk, it just might be the best walk you take all year, knowing every step supports someone finding their way to safety.

Heart of Hanover Reveals Top 10 Finalists in Each Contest Category

The Heart of Hanover Business Awards Contest continues to showcase the incredible strength, diversity, and innovation of our local business community. After an enthusiastic nomination period, we’re excited to announce the Top 10* nominated businesses in each of our seven award categories. These outstanding organizations represent the very best of Hanover’s entrepreneurial spirit and community commitment.

This year’s response was nothing short of inspiring. Hundreds of businesses were nominated, reflecting the depth and vibrancy of our local economy. Even more impressive, the contest generated thousands of nomination votes, highlighting just how strongly our community supports and celebrates its local businesses. Every nomination tells a story of great service, dedication, and impact—and we’re proud to help share those stories.

What’s Next: Community Voting Begins May 4

Now it’s time for the community to help decide the winners. Voting among the top 10 finalists in each category will open on May 4, 2026, and run through May 17 at 11:59 p.m.  During this period, residents, customers, and supporters are encouraged to cast their votes and show their support for their favorite businesses.

At the conclusion of voting, the top three businesses receiving the most votes in each category will earn a special invitation to attend the Heart of Hanover Business Awards Luncheon on June 2nd. This celebratory event, held at the Richmond Times-Dispatch Building in Mechanicsville, will bring together business leaders, community members, and supporters for an afternoon of recognition and connection, and will culminate with the official announcement of this year’s award winners.

Recognizing Our Finalists

The Top 10* finalists in each category reflect a wide range of industries—from retail and dining to professional services, health and wellness, and beyond. While only one business from each category will ultimately take home top honors, each finalist has already demonstrated exceptional achievement and earned the admiration of the community. 

Destination Business of the Year

• Ashland Theatre

• Freckled Flower Farm

• Green Top Sporting Goods

• Hanover Tavern

• Hanover Vegetable Farm

• Intermission Beer Company - Arcade & Brewpub

• James River Winery

• Kings Dominion

• Plum Pickings

• The Henry Clay Inn

Health & Wellness Business of the Year

• Ashland Dance Academy

• Burn Boot Camp Atlee

• Dr. David A. Haine, O.D.

• Healthlink

• Impact Wellness Solutions

• Pulse Barre

• Renovaré Medical Aesthetics and Wellness

• Revival Spa

• Root Modern Dentistry

• Train Strong Fit

Manufacturer of the Year

• 580 Pottery

• Center of the Universe Brewing Company

• Closet Factory

• Commonwealth Railings & Rails -Hanover Richmond 

• Doggone Good Treats LLC

• Hanover Foils, LLC.

• REA-Hanover Manufacturing Plant

• Richmond Steel

• SON Metal Fab

• TSI Promotionals

• Virginia Artesian Bottling Co.

Nonprofit Organization of the Year

• Alix’s Foster Kitten Rescue

• Divine Assist Youth Organization

• Empowering Neighbors, Inc.

• Hanover and King William Habitat for Humanity

• Hanover Humane Society

• Historic Polegreen Church Foundation

• Moments Of Hope Outreach

• Sawyer’s Warriors

• The Arc of Hanover Thrift Store

• The Lucky Paw Foundation

• Wings of Hope Ranch

Restaurant of the Year

• Around The Table

• Brunetti Express 301

• Il Forno Bar and Grill

• Industrial Taphouse

• Iron Horse Restaurant

• Red Rooster Country Store

• Rise and Shine Diner

• Sam's Hot Dog Stand

• The Caboose Market & Cafe

• Third Base Grill

Retail Business of the Year

• Captain Greg's Seafood

• Center of the Yarniverse

• Crimson and Clover Thrift

• Day Three Bath & spa

• For Posh Sake

• Hanover Tool

• Haven House Florals

• Red Poppy Pickin’

• ReMix Market RVA

• The Marketplace Antiques, Vintage, Home Decor

• Through the Garden Gate/The Marketplace

Service Business of the Year

• Blazer Heating, Air, & Plumbing

• Dominion Lock & Security

• Glen Allen Transmission & Complete Auto Care

• Harris Automotive Service

• Nikki's Grooming

• PawsCienda Pet Resort

• Primerica - Mary Ashby

• Rick's Tire and Auto

• Staceys Custom Vacations and Travel

• Wells Fargo Advisors-Ashland

*Note: Several categories have 11 businesses listed due to tie in nominations for 10th place.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

This event would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Their commitment to uplifting local businesses and fostering community growth plays a vital role in the success of the Heart of Hanover Business Awards. We extend our sincere gratitude for their partnership and dedication to celebrating excellence across Hanover.

Title Sponsor: Hanover County Economic Development Authority

Heartbeat Sponsor: Ashland Economic Development

Pulse Sponsors: Southern Bank, Virginia Natural Gas, and Downtown Ashland Association

Be sure to mark your calendar, cast your vote, and join us in recognizing the businesses that make Hanover such a special place to live, work, and shop.

Visit the Heart of Hanover Contest.

Rewriting the Rules of Business Networking

Happy Hour Vibes May episode streaming now at AshlandVirginia.com/HappyHourVibes.

Most networking events ask you to smile through small talk, collect business cards you'll never use, and hope something sticks. Happy Hour Vibes Networking and Recording Parties ask something entirely different: that you show up, have a genuinely great time, and let the microphone do the heavy lifting.

Hosted monthly in the beautiful studio space of K101.2 POP Richmond, Happy Hour Vibes is part networking event, part radio recording session, and part party — and it is unlike anything else in the region's business community calendar. Tickets and full details are available now at AshlandVirginia.com/HappyHourVibes.

The Only Networking Event That Advertises Your Business to a Dedicated Audience

What makes Happy Hour Vibes genuinely different is this: the party is also a broadcast. Every episode streams on K101.2 POP Richmond — Thursdays at 5 PM — and on AshlandVirginia.com/HappyHourVibes, transforming guest conversations into real promotional content heard by a dedicated listening audience.

No other networking party in the region doubles as an advertisement for your business. Guests hop on the mic to share what they're looking forward to that month, tell their origin stories, and let their passion for what they do speak for itself — all while being recorded for a real radio show with real reach.

And because POWER UP Productions captures content throughout the event, every guest walks away with pictures and videos to fuel their own social media — shared with press, shared with their networks, and made available for ongoing content creation long after the party ends.

Mocktails, Chick-fil-A, and Networking Pong: Yes, Really

The evening begins with mocktails courtesy of Shaken Not Spurred Mobile Bar and Events and a Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe buffet — because great conversations start even better when the food and drinks are this good.

From there, guests take their turns at the mic before settling into the event's most talked-about feature: Networking Pong. Think beer pong reimagined for the business set. Guests toss a ball into solo cups — but instead of drinking, they're prompted with classic game mechanics like Never Have I Ever and I Drink and I Know Things, each with a clever networking twist.

By the time the rounds are done, guests are laughing. They're loose. They've already started talking about their businesses without even realizing it. That's the genius of Happy Hour Vibes: it makes the thing everyone dreads — talking about yourself at a networking event — feel completely natural.

Hosted by K101.2 POP Richmond Royalty

Happy Hour Vibes is led by an all-star lineup of local personalities including Gianna of Gianna Does it All, Barry Farmer of the Barry Farmer Morning Show with Sharon Lizzy, and LouAffirms — your daily Happy Hour Vibes host and the warm, witty voice keeping the energy high from welcome to wrap-up. Shaken Not Spurred Mobile Bar and Events rounds out the hosting team, ensuring the mocktail service is as elevated as the conversation.

May's Episode: The Cow Drop Is Landing in Hanover County

Operation Cow Drop at Hanover County Airport on Saturday, May 2, 2026 from 10 AM to 3 PM.

May's Happy Hour Vibes episode — streaming now on K101.2 POP Richmond on Thursdays at 5 PM and at AshlandVirginia.com/HappyHourVibes — features a can't-miss conversation with Chick-fil-A Center of the Universe about Operation Cow Drop, the region's most spectacular family event of the season.

Chick-fil-A VA Center Marketplace and The Center of the Universe locations invite the community to Operation Cow Drop at Hanover County Airport on Saturday, May 2, 2026 from 10 AM to 3 PM. Admission and parking are FREE. The day includes live music and family-friendly entertainment on the main stage, a touch-a-truck area featuring tow trucks, firetrucks, police vehicles, and an RIR NASCAR Pace Car, and at approximately 1:30 PM: the main event — 1,600 plush parachute cows dropped from the sky in two thrilling waves of 800 cows each, followed by the Airfield Collect-a-Cow Experience ($10 wristband to retrieve your own cow from the airfield)

Richmond Performing Arts Alliance's The Genworth Lights Up!

Also Featured: Arts, Wellness, and Community Making Moves

May's episode also shines a light on Richmond Performing Arts Alliance's The Genworth Lights Up! Youth Series, back and on the road this season offering free workshops for youth ages 3–18 in community centers and schools across the region. Pre-registration is encouraged but not required. On Saturday, May 2, the series continues its mission to present non-western art forms so that every student sees themselves represented.

Mile by Miles brings its powerful program Behind the Smile to May's spotlight as well — a virtual therapeutic support group for mothers in early motherhood, led by Eloise McCorkle, Resident in Counseling. Meeting every Wednesday from 10–11 AM via virtual platform, with insurance options available, the spring 2026 group offers postpartum mothers with children under five a space for connection, healing, and community. Because motherhood is beautiful and hard, and no one should navigate it alone.

Mile by Miles brings its powerful program Behind the Smile to May's spotlight

Good Times for a Good Cause

In another expression of Happy Hour Vibes' community-first ethos, half of every ticket's proceeds are donated back to the Downtown Ashland Association's nonprofit mission — keeping the town that calls itself the Center of the Universe thriving for everyone who lives, works, and plays here.

Tickets for the June 29th Happy Hour Vibes Networking and Recording Party are on sale now.

Don't wait — this is the networking event that actually works, the party you'll actually remember, and the promotional opportunity you won't find anywhere else.

Secure your seat at AshlandVirginia.com/HappyHourVibes

Ashland Fourth Fridays Goes Derby

Ashland Fourth Fridays in historic downtown Ashland, Virginia

Secretariat for Virginia modeling marvelous Kentucky Derby hats and styles

Ashland Fourth Fridays is trading in March showers for May flowers — and a whole lot of Derby flair. After a beloved Secretariat birthday celebration was rained out earlier this spring, downtown Ashland is making up for lost time in a big way. On Friday, May 22, 2026, from 5 to 8 PM, the Center of the Universe transforms into the center of Kentucky Derby excitement — right outside Ashland Town Hall at 121 Thompson Street, Ashland, VA. The event is completely free and family-friendly, making it the perfect springtime outing for neighbors, visitors, and horse racing fans alike.

Taking center stage in the celebration is Secretariat for Virginia, the official partner organization dedicated to honoring the legacy of the legendary Triple Crown champion who called Virginia home. Secretariat for Virginia will host an exclusive merchandise booth at the event — a rare opportunity for fans to take home officially licensed keepsakes celebrating the greatest racehorse of all time. The fun doesn't stop at shopping: Secretariat for Virginia will also award a curated gift basket to the winner of the event's signature Kentucky Derby Hat Contest. Guests are encouraged to arrive in their Derby best — the more fabulous the fascinator, the better the chances of winning.

Racing Parade presented by Ashland Dance Academy

The evening kicks off in high style with a Racing Parade presented by Ashland Dance Academy, setting an energetic and joyful tone before the main event gets underway. From there, acclaimed local act Blue Guitar takes the Ashland Town Hall Pavilion stage for a free outdoor concert that promises to be the soundtrack of the night. Whether guests are tapping their toes on the lawn or browsing the vendor lineup, live music fills the air from start to finish.

Art, craft, and food vendors will line the sidewalks of Ashland Town Hall, spill into the Town Hall Parking Lot, and stretch along Hanover Avenue — creating a festive open-air marketplace that showcases local artisans, makers, and culinary favorites. Beloved downtown Ashland shops and restaurants will also stay open late for the occasion, giving guests even more reason to linger, explore, and support the small businesses that make this community shine.

Ashland Fourth Fridays in historic downtown Ashland, Virginia

Ashland Fourth Fridays is a signature event series produced by the Downtown Ashland Association to celebrate community, local culture, and the irreplaceable spirit of life in Ashland, Virginia — a town that takes immense pride in its identity as the Center of the Universe. May's installment — with its Derby theme, Secretariat connection, live music, and festive vendors — is poised to be one of the most memorable yet.

Ashland Fourth Fridays on May 22nd is free, open to the public, and welcomes guests of all ages. The event takes place rain or shine at 121 Thompson Street, Ashland, VA 23005. Attendees are invited to follow the Downtown Ashland Association on social media for real-time updates, vendor announcements, and Derby-ready inspiration leading up to the big night.

Event At-a-Glance

What: Ashland Fourth Fridays — Derby Edition

When: Friday, May 22, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Where: Ashland Town Hall & Downtown Ashland | 121 Thompson Street, Ashland, VA 23005

Admission: Free & open to the public

Highlights: Secretariat for Virginia merchandise booth & gift basket giveaway | Kentucky Derby Hat Contest | Racing Parade by Ashland Dance Academy | Live music by Blue Guitar | Art, craft & food vendors | Late-night downtown shopping & dining