158 - Dr. Bob Bersson - Harrisonburg History: Creatives and Advocates - March 10, 2026

About this episode

Dr. Bob Bersson discusses Harrisonburg's creative scene and his role in downtown revitalization.

Take a special trip in local history with us! We welcome retired professor, musician, published author, and one of the godfathers of downtown revitalization- Dr. Bob Bersson! Bob shines a little light on Harrisonburg’s creative scene from the 80s to 90s and shares his role in Citizens For Downtown. Bob and his peers helped advocate for a vibrant downtown scene. A great listen for anyone who is interested in some of our local history! A few mentions: Restless Moons Brewing - Crafting community, one pint at a time. Stay Local. https://www.restlessmoons.com/ Ruby’s Arcade - Citizens for Pizza and Pins https://rubysarcade.com/ Countryside Garage Band - https://www.facebook.com/countrysidegarageband/ Downtown Harrisonburg Renaissance - https://www.downtownharrisonburg.org/ Rev. Kembrew McLeod and the 3 eyed Pig with Antlers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bw_R2RhcuU No More Punk Time - A feature-length documentary about the history and final days of Crayola House, a DIY punk house in Harrisonburg, Virginia. - https://www.backerkit.com/projects/nomorepunktime/no-more-punk-time

People in this episode

Host: Brothers Howdyshell

Guest: Dr. Bob Bersson

Topics covered

• Harrisonburg history
• local creatives
• downtown revitalization
• community advocacy
• 1980s and 1990s culture

Keywords

• Harrisonburg
• local history
• creatives
• downtown
• advocacy
• 1980s
• 1990s

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Citizens For Downtown, Restless Moons Brewing, Ruby’s Arcade, Countryside Garage Band, Downtown Harrisonburg Renaissance

Books & works: No More Punk Time

Places: Harrisonburg

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