Change is rarely easy. Especially when it involves reversing years of going in the wrong direction. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. You just need the right recipe: equal measures of desire, spunk, deter-mination, commitment, and perseverance…with sprinkles of optimism and enthusiasm thrown in.
In Petersburg, more and more people are following that recipe, realizing that they are part of a growing group of believers dedicated to helping the City regain the splendor for which it was once known. They are people who have decided that the positives of living here outweigh the negatives and that this trend will continue. Many of them are new to Petersburg. And many live in or are restoring historic homes.
Last Fall, liking what they were seeing, certain members of the Historic Petersburg Foundation hit on the idea of celebrating this influx of newcomers. They got together and began planning an event that would feature the “believers” and promote further interest in Petersburg’s potential. They decided to use the word “Revival” in naming it, thus reinforcing not only the idea of bringing the City back to life but the joy that doing so was bringing.
One of the areas that has seen significant revival effort is High Street, which flows into Old Towne, also an area of much positive change. So the decision was made to hold the planned outdoor event in the park where High meets Market, Old and Bank Streets. The name became Revival in the Park.
There was no dearth of ideas for what activities to have and whom to ask to be part of the Revival. Newcomers would, of course, be a focus. Getting them to speak about why they moved to Petersburg was the goal. Of course, HPF would talk about their efforts to save and restore historic homes that have fallen into disrepair. Realtors were invited to be on hand to share information on historic properties for sale. A tour of High Street and its splendid homes was included. And for entertainment, a group from the Petersburg Symphony was engaged to play. The date was set for Sunday, October 11.
On the 11th, it was quite apparent from very early on that, although everything else had fallen into place perfectly, the weather was not going to cooperate. It was one of the rainiest days Petersburg had had in a while. Revival in the Park would have to be postponed.
The following Sunday, however, Mother Nature redeemed herself. It was one of the prettiest fall days ever. The park, which had been spruced up including with a new brick wall put in by adjacent homeowner Bill Nicholson, looked lovely. Revival was on and participants sprang into action!
Beginning at about 1 PM, the park began to fill up with people eager to hear what Revival was really all about and gain some insight into efforts by Petersburg residents to effect change. Fortunately, the City had agreed to close off Low Street so that the crowd could spread out. A podium set up in the center of the park was positioned perfectly for the speakers who, one by one, talked about their experiences since moving here, their plans for the future, their belief that they are part of an exciting movement, and their hope for a bright future for the City. Each was truly inspiring.
Was the event considered successful? Over 100 people attended including some from Richmond and other surrounding areas. Most arrived early and stayed for the entire afternoon, many of them joining the High Street tour at 3 PM. The mood throughout the day matched the beautiful weather. Comments were glowing and many left saying they had learned some new things about Petersburg. It would be hard to call the event anything but successful (see testimonials below!) 
Couldn’t attend Revival in the Park? Well, you still have the opportunity to attend a Revival! In April, HPF will be hosting another event called Revival on the Hill. This one will be held at Strawberry Hill, now owned by Dale and Linda Pittman (see article). It promises to be even more inspiring than Revival in the Park, although that will be hard to beat. Stay tuned for details.
HPF Board Member Bob Kennedy narrated the High Street tour.
HPF Board Member Bill Hartsock gave information on historic properties for sale. Other realtors were Ken Pritchett with Weichert and Jennie Dotts with Long & Foster.
The gift bags!
Here’s what Revival participants had to say about the event:
Photos courtesy of HPF board members John Rooney and Dale Pittman.
Watch the video produced in preparation for Revival in the Park:
Why I Chose to Live in Petersburg