first residential drone delivery

First Residential Drone Delivery Completed in Montgomery County

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Virginia’s New River Valley – Two-year-old Jackson Smith from Montgomery County received a very special delivery last Tuesday: a popsicle. But this popsicle was inside what is considered the most advanced drone package delivery in America.

After the Smith family clicked “Confirm Order” on an app, a drone flew 1.4 miles from a simulated “store” to deliver the goods. Instead of the drone touching back down in a residential area, it lowered the package using a tether. According to Bloomberg the whole process took about six minutes.

The demonstration was conducted by Wing, a subsidiary of Google, a Virginia Tech’s Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership. It was an FAA-approved test under the U.S. government’s Integration Pilot Program.

Wing hopes to commercially launch this kind of program in the future.

For more information, check out coverage from Bloomberg or the Roanoke Times.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Nanosonic, NRV job market, NRV top job market in US

The NRV Named a Top 10 Job Market by USA Today

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VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford MSA (also know as Virginia’s New River Valley or the NRV) was named the #6 Top Job Market in the U.S. according to USA Today, yesterday.

NRV Job Market a top job market in the US

The ranking was created by Zippia, a job search site that used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Zippia looked at wages, unemployment, and current jobless rates.

“These metro areas are home to growing, well-paying jobs,” said Chris Kolmar, Zippia’s head of marketing. “These are the metros that have seen bigger decreases in unemployment and increases in wages than competing metros.”

Virginia’s New River Valley is an excellent place to live and work and has been consistently recognized as such. Other recent acknowledgments include:

  • “Best of the Mountains” 16 Times
  • #11 Best Place to Work in Manufacturing
  • Top Affordable Metro Attracting YPs
  • #10 in High Tech Employment Concentration

    • The NRV has an excellent workforce that is fueled by great higher education institutions like Virginia Tech, Radford University, and New River Community College. Plus, the endless lifestyle amenities make it an excellent place to live.

    For more information, visit Virginia’s New River Valley.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

    Mahindra Group Expands to the NRV in the VT Corporate Research Center

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    BLACKSBURG, VA – Mahindra Group, one of the world’s largest farm equipment production companies is expanding to Virginia’s New River Valley with an office at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center.

    Mahindra Group NRV: Mahindra group expands to Virginia's New River Valley in the VTCRC

    The expansion was announced yesterday on-site at the VTCRC. It is now the largest internationally headquartered tenant in the park.

    “Mahindra Group strives to be at the forefront of technology and innovation with a view to improve lives of our customers,” said Rajesh Jejurikar, President of Mahindra & Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector. “We believe that leveraging the ecosystem of a leading academic institution such as Virginia Tech will foster innovation and enable us to stay ahead globally.”

    “The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center offers the perfect setting for both research and testing,” said Aravind S. Bharadwaj, CTO for Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector in Chennai, India. “The commonwealth’s rural communities married with Virginia Tech’s research expertise were the winning factors in narrowing down to Virginia Tech.”

    Read more from Virginia Tech.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

    MELD Manufacturing Corporation Awarded RAPID + TCT Innovation Award for Patented MELD Technology

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    The accolade recognizes technological advancement in the 3D printing and additive manufacturing industries

    FROM MELD, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, VA – On Thursday, April 26, 2018, MELD Manufacturing Corporation was selected from the more than 300 exhibitors at RAPID + TCT 2018 as the recipient of the Innovation Award. RAPID + TCT, a 3D printing and additive manufacturing event that draws industry leaders from around the globe, is North America’s preeminent event for 3D manufacturing. This year’s show, hosted in Fort Worth, Texas, saw live demonstrations and speakers representing a variety of recognizable institutions, from FIAT/Chrysler and Caterpillar to Lockheed Martin and the United States Army Research Laboratory. The Innovation Award recognizes the most groundbreaking new product or service with industry-changing potential.

    MELD Manufacturing Corporation, which was launched earlier this month as a subsidiary of Aeroprobe Corporation, was selected for the award for their patented MELD technology. MELD is a unique process for additive manufacturing that avoids melting the metal, thereby eliminating the weaknesses and other issues associated with melt-based processes. MELD’s open-atmosphere operation and scalable equipment also make it more efficient and capable of making larger parts than similar processes. In addition to additive manufacturing, MELD can be used to repair, coat, and join a wide range of materials, including some metals that cannot be welded with traditional processes.

    “The MELD technology is a revolution,” noted MELD Manufacturing Corporation CEO Nanci Hardwick. “To be recognized at RAPID by these industry leaders demonstrates just how much potential MELD has to change the way we think about manufacturing. We want to see MELD adopted across industries, so it’s exciting to see genuine interest from such a diverse crowd.”

    The winner of the Innovation Award is selected by a panel of industry experts. This year’s group included judges from industry, government, and academia.

    “To earn this award our first year at RAPID is an honor,” said MELD Additive Manufacturing Manager Chase Cox. “MELD is on its way to innovating a number of industries and this award is a great milestone.“

    After finishing up at RAPID + TCT, MELD will launch into a busy conference season, including participation in AeroMat in Florida and MegaRust in California in May alone. For customers anxious to learn more about the MELD technology, the company is currently offering machines sales, contract manufacturing, and a variety of other services.

    Visit www.meldmanufacturing.com for more information.

    CONTACT:
    Ryan Davis
    ryan.davis@meldmanufacturing.com
    200 Technology Drive
    Christiansburg, VA 24073
    Ph: +1-540-950-3980 x 4226

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    MELD Manufacturing Corporation holds more than a dozen patents for MELD technology, an innovative process for additive manufacturing, coating, joining, and repairing metals and metal matrix composites. MELD offers the power to build parts in solid state, thereby avoiding the issues associated with melting. The technology is also open-atmosphere, meaning no special vacuums or chambers are needed for operation. The MELD equipment is scalable and can produce parts much larger than similar processes. MELD Manufacturing Corporation offers MELD machines sales, contract manufacturing, and consulting services. Learn more at www.meldmanufacturing.com.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

    NRV Company TORC Is Disrupting the Auto Industry

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    If you haven’t heard, automated and driverless technology is thriving in Virginia’s New River Valley.

    That’s right, NRV Company TORC and their revolutionary technology are disrupting the auto industry. Founded in 2005, TORC continues to create and refine self-driving technology for varying environments, from city street bustle to off-road adventure.

    TORC actively works with mining and defense parters to minimize risk, meaning companies like Caterpillar are able to eliminate liability in dangerous work environments thanks to TORC’s innovation.

    TORC Company Overview Video

    This inventive company, founded by Virginia Tech students, hit the cover of Virginia Business this month with their groundbreaking technology.

    “As the automotive industry moves us tantalizingly closer to a sci-fi future of roadways thrumming with such self-driving cars, Virginia has positioned itself as a hotbed for developing and testing autonomous vehicle technologies,” said Richard Foster, Virginia Business writer. “This is in large part due to innovative research work coming out of state universities such as Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia, as well as companies like Torc.”

    Resources in the NRV like Virginia Tech and VTTI, and companies like TORC, are making unmanned systems research and production possible.

    It looks like this disruptive technology is our future.

    “If you think about it,” said TORC CEO Michael Fleming, “automobiles have been designed around the driver for the last 100 years. And one of the things that really excites me is, over the next 100 years, we’re going to design cars around passengers, because the driver is going to be a computer…”

    Click here to read the full Virginia Business cover story.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

    Crenshaw Lighting Expands VIrginia's New River Valley

    Crenshaw Lighting Expanding in Floyd County

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    FROM FLOYD COUNTY, VA – Floyd County today announced that Crenshaw Lighting is expanding in Floyd, Virginia. The project will create 56 jobs, for a total of 120 jobs. The Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission approved a $100,000 Tobacco Regional Opportunity Fund grant and $50,000 loan for this project.

    Crenshaw Lighting Expands, Virginia's New River Valley

    Tobacco Commission Executive Director, Evan Feinman said, “Supporting existing businesses when they wish to expand is an important part of the Tobacco Commission’s mission. Crenshaw has proven to be a valuable community partner and I am glad the Commission approved these funds to help them grow their business in Floyd County.”

    Crenshaw Lighting is an award-winning decorative custom lighting and historic restoration lighting manufacturer that has been crafting exceptional lighting since 1957. Dedication to this tradition, collaboration with world-class lighting specifiers, and pioneering leading edge technology solutions in decorative lighting remain Crenshaw’s guiding principles in the 21st century.

    Patrick Daley, owner of Crenshaw Lighting, said “Our work calls for great skill, complexity, and execution on a monumental scale. We are excited to be expanding our work in Floyd where the craftsmanship is exceptional. The facility we are renovating for expansion will be a showcase for our work and the community.”

    Floyd County, in cooperation with the Economic Development Authority of Floyd County, will be providing a $500,000 loan to help expedite the renovation and job creation.

    Lauren Yoder, Chairman of the Floyd County Board of Supervisors, said, “We are delighted to help support the expansion of Crenshaw Lighting. “We are very proud that the lighting that adorns the US Supreme Court, US Capitol, state houses, universities, and historic buildings around the country, were custom made right here in Floyd County. We look forward to their growth and continued success.”

    The new jobs will include shop workers doing welding, machining and buffing, as well as designers and engineers. The wages will be significantly above the average local wage of $13.80/hour.

    Jon Beegle, Chairman of the Economic Development Authority of Floyd County, added, “Crenshaw Lighting works closely with our high school Career and Technical Education programs, like welding and machining, which helps students and the company. And they continue to train individuals on-the-job to help them become master craftsmen. Crenshaw Lighting demonstrates our strengths in Floyd County— creativity, innovation and craftsmanship. Supporting the businesses that are already part of our community is a high priority for us. We are very grateful and excited that they are investing more and growing here in Floyd.”

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    Media Contact: Lydeana Martin
    Economic Development Director
    Floyd County, Virginia
    lmartin@Floydcova.org
    540-745-9300

    About Floyd County and the Board of Supervisors

    Floyd County is located in southwest Virginia along the Blue Ridge Parkway and between Interstates 81 and 77. The County is a dynamic rural community with a population of 15,755. Floyd County is governed by the 5-member Board of Supervisors. The County Administrator is Terri Morris. The Board of Supervisors works closely with the EDA and staff to help businesses locate or expand in Floyd County. www.floydcova.org.

    About The Floyd County EDA

    The Floyd County Economic Development Authority (EDA) is comprised of 7 community volunteers. Floyd County’s Community and Economic Development Director, Lydeana Martin, serves as lead staff to the EDA. Together they work to find solutions to improve the local economy by offering programs that support existing businesses, start-up businesses and by attracting new “right-fit” businesses to the community.

    Learn More: www.yesfloydva.org.
    To learn more about visiting, see www.VisitFloydVA.com.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

    Aeroprobe MELD logo, Virginia's New River Valley

    Aeroprobe Corporation Commercializes MELD Technology

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    ~Machine sales and manufacturing services will be managed by newly-announced subsidiary, MELD Manufacturing Corporation~

    FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY, VA – On Thursday, April 12, 2018, Aeroprobe Corporation announced MELD, its proprietary manufacturing technology, is moving into a new phase of commercialization that includes the spinout of MELD Manufacturing Corporation. These announcements come after more than a decade of research and development for the MELD process.

    “Our technology is truly unique,” noted MELD CEO Nanci Hardwick. “We identified an area in the additive manufacturing industry that could be improved upon and put a lot of time and effort into making it happen. The MELD process is a game changer in the additive manufacturing field and beyond.”

    Aeroprobe MELD logo, a revolutionary manufacturing process for metal created at Aeroprobe in Virginias New River Valley

    The company holds more than a dozen patents for MELD, a process that can be used for a wide range of materials, including metal powders and rods. It can also be used with metal chips that would normally be discarded in other processes, making it a viable option for a green alternative.

    “What sets us apart from other technologies is that we aren’t melting,” explained Additive Manufacturing Manager Chase Cox, “When you melt, you introduce weakness and other issues. By taking the material up to a point where it is malleable but not melted, we end up with properties that meet or exceed similar processes and, in some cases, even those of the original material.”

    While a few other processes offer the ability to work with materials without melting, MELD is further differentiated by being open atmosphere, meaning no special chambers or vacuums are needed to operate a MELD machine.

    “Being open atmosphere means less equipment and fewer headaches,” continued Cox, “From a manufacturing standpoint, it also means that MELD isn’t limited in the size of the parts it can make. Compared to similar processes, we can make parts that are not only bigger, but also superior in quality and material options.”

    Beyond additive manufacturing, the MELD process can be used to repair, coat, and join materials. The novelty of the technology also means that welding previously unweldable materials is a possibility.

    “I was very excited the first time I saw the MELD technology,” notes Paul Allison, Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama, which already owns a MELD machine. “It was and still is obvious that MELD provides a breakthrough in manufacturing technology that overcomes the technical barriers of fusion-based processes. That innovation is why I was eager to purchase a MELD machine and to work with the MELD team to pioneer research for this technology,” stated Allison.

    The MELD process promises to innovate a number of industries, from automotive and aerospace to defense and turbomachinery. MELD Manufacturing will offer machine sales in addition to contract manufacturing and consulting services.

    “This is just another example of the technical innovations that are occurring in the New River Valley,” said Chris Tuck, Chair, Montgomery County Board of Supervisors. “The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors continues to support our local businesses in growing and making world-wide impacts,” said Tuck.

    “I’m both proud of and excited about this home-grown technology in Montgomery County,” said Vice Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, April DeMotts. “It is clearly evident that the impact of this cutting-edge technology will reach far beyond Virginia,” said DeMotts.

    About MELD Manufacturing Corporation

    Established in 2018, MELD Manufacturing Corporation holds more than a dozen patents for MELD and facilitates contract manufacturing and consulting services as well as MELD machine sales. MELD is an innovative and unique patented technology that revolutionizes the additive manufacturing industry. MELD is the first process to give you the power to build 3D parts in solid state, producing better quality, scalable parts faster using a variety of materials and metals. Learn more at www.meldmanufacturing.com.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

    Volvo, Advanced Manufacturing, Virginia's New River Valley

    New Brochures Showcase NRV Industries

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    New River Valley, VA – Onward NRV has officially published new brochures that showcase the region’s competitive advantages in: Advanced Manufacturing, Information Technology, Food Processing & Agribusiness, and Unmanned Systems.

    Through a comprehensive study with the Virginia Tech Office of Economic Development, Onward NRV identified four key clusters to support and grow in the region. A targeted approach ensures that resources are focused on clusters with the greatest local competitive advantage and return on investment for the region. These clusters, and their corresponding niches, funnel new money into the region, offer higher wages and equitable career pathways, and have strong growth forecasts.

    Each of the brochures is an overview of the industry and is packed with information that’s helpful for people looking to live, work, and do business in Virginia’s New River Valley. The brochures incorporate the River Stone branding and feature notable accolades, higher education assets, quotes from regional leaders, business advantages, and photos from the NRV.

    “These brochures are the culmination of our regional branding and targeted industry initiatives,” said Executive Director Charlie Jewell. “Not only do they look fantastic, but they also embody the spirit of the people and the companies in our region. They’re full of substantial information and will help us raise the visibility of the New River Valley as a hub for these industries.”

    See the NRV targeted industry brochures on the Targeted Industry page, or the drop down menu in the regional website header.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

    VIP Media Day title, CRC, Virginia's New River Valley

    VT Corporate Research Center to Conduct VIP Media Day

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    VTCRC Media Day

    NEW RIVER VALLEY, VA – The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (VTCRC), located in Blacksburg, VA and adjacent to Virginia Tech, is hosting the first-ever VIP Media Day on Sept. 18, 2018.

    The purpose of the VIP media junket is to provide a way for local, regional, and national media outlets to learn more about the VTCRC, local companies, Blacksburg, Montgomery County, and the rest of Virginia’s New River Valley. Many of the companies in the VTCRC have a global footprint and a lot to offer the region.

    “It is our goal that invited media will be paired with companies whose research and development interests them the most. Media will leave with exclusive content and expert contacts for future editorials, videos, blogs, etc.” said Dr. Joe Meredith, VTCRC President & CEO.

    Event Summary

  • Press kits and personalized schedules
  • Complimentary Lunch
  • Presentations
  • Helicopter flyovers
  • Media mingle
  • Swag bags

    • VIP Media Day will help with recruiting efforts for the VTCRC and participating companies and organization, which will help make a positive impact regionally.

    VTCRC Media Day, CRC Media Day Blacksburg, CRC Media Day, Media Day NRV

    Part of the programming will allow the VIP guests and media to participate in a complimentary flyover of the research park and the Virginia Tech campus.

    For questions, or to submit credentials and obtain a press pass, contact Melissa Vidmar at melissa.vidmar@vtcrc.com.

    Additional details can be found at www.vtcrc.com/events/2018vipmediaday.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

    Women laughing and enjoying one of the outside events in the NRV.

    There’s No Excuse for Being Bored in the NRV

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    While Virginia’s New River Valley may be a collection of small towns, the amount of things to do here is anything but small. There are tons of events in the NRV.

    In fact, there are tons of events in the NRV daily. Whether it’s large, nationally acclaimed annual festivals, or weekly happy hours, these small towns are more bustling than ever.

    According to Jami Ryan of NextThreeDays.com, a regional website featuring nearly all the events in the NRV, there were 4,927 Featured Events in our region in 2017. That means these events don’t reoccur weekly.

    That’s right. Almost 5,000 one-time events for residents in the NRV.

    That comes to 13.5 big events each day.

    “I used to hear ‘there’s nothing to do’ all the time from my friends in college who grew up in the city or in more populous areas and came to the NRV for school,” said Ryan. “In fact, this is one of the reasons why I created NextThreeDays because, having spent most of my life in our region, I knew it wasn’t true. And, since I’ve been running NextThreeDays, I can say emphatically that ‘there’s nothing to do’ in the New River Valley is completely false.”

    To fight the misconception of lack of events in the NRV, Ryan uses NextThreeDays.com as a place where those events can be easily found: an ever-changing database of fun for all residents of the NRV.

    It’s about more than just the amount of events in the NRV too; there is a solid variety as well. Because he sees almost all the events in the NRV, Ryan understands the diversity of activities offered here.

    “I would like people to know that there is truly something for everyone,” said Ryan. “Whether it’s looking for live music, finding a local festival, a craft brewery, fun for the kids, the dogs or whomever or whatever your interests are, the NRV has something fun to offer. For example, two years ago I heard about the NRV Historic Dance Society. This group of local residents was formed to teach and celebrate English country dancing in the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries. We also regularly include outdoor games for the Laser Tag Club at Virginia Tech on NextThreeDays and just this week there was a Root Beer Tasting and Sommelier Certification. And, these are just three of the many events that are happening in the NRV. So my point is, there is truly something for everyone no matter your interests.“

    On top of that, there’s also plenty to do that’s free. Who doesn’t love free?

    “There are so many events that have either free admission or the ticket cost is very low,” said Ryan. “Sure, there are a number of dinners, galas and events that are expensive, but there are many, many more events that have free admission. In 2014, I created and completed the 31 Days of NRV Fun Challenge where I had to attend 31 or more events at 31 unique venues and spent no more than $7.00 a day. I was able to accomplish the feat and still had $12.00 leftover at the end.”

    “And, this summer I did a 50 Events in 50 Days Challenge and most of the events I attended were free or very inexpensive. Both Radford University and Virginia Tech have wonderful arts, theatre and music programs and many of their performances are free as are many of the universities’ educational activities. Numerous restaurants offer free live music throughout the week and many of our area towns and bigger organizations hosts free festivals throughout the year.”

    “And, that doesn’t even count the non-football and basketball collegiate athletics and our public libraries where all events are free. So it’s fairly easy to get out of your home and to find an event to enjoy for a couple of hours and spend $10.00 or less.”

    Woman shimmies across rope at Muddy ACCE Race, an adventure race. One of the many events in the NRV, specifically Giles County.

    The Muddy ACCE Race in Giles County is one of the many events in the NRV. The sign up fee for this muddy adventure race help fund local students’ community college tuition.

    If you’re looking for something to do or specific events in the NRV, check out what’s going on at NextThreeDays.com. The same information also populates to the Live Here page.

    For more information about Virginia’s New River Valley, check out Our Region and what it’s like to Live Here.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.