ICONic Talk

Mark and Rachel cover all of the topics of the holiday, including the weather, soccer, local events and even medical tips in the special 4th of July episode. City of Winchester activities: https://www.winchesterva.gov/News-Happenings/Events/Rockin%E2%80%99-Independence-Eve https://friendsofoldtown.org/event/va250-old-town-jubilee/ Frederick County activities: https://visitwinchesterva.com/event/ju...

Mark records this episode from the beautiful city of Seattle, Washington, one of the cities hosting this summer’s World Cup - and the United States team is showing promise of making this an exciting summer.  Learn about Mark’s passions for soccer and some of the upcoming events happening back in Winchester over the next couple of weeks. https://www.ussoccer.com/ Upcoming Events: Friday, June 19 -...

Mark and Rachel sit down with members of Frederick County’s Parks and Rec Department, Andrew Keefauver (Superintendent of Recreation) and Becky McGraw (Program Supervisor) to discuss all of the many events, activities, and opportunities they offer to our community. https://www.fcva.us/departments/parks-recreation Upcoming Events: Thursday, June 4 - “Sunset Series” at Bowman Library Ampitheater htt...

In a unique episode, Mark and Rachel get inspired by the owner of Social Graces Ballroom Dance Studio, Freddie Ciampi, and one of his dance instructors, Theodora Soutsos, as they share the impact that dancing can have on your overall well-being - and look for a special dance instructional lesson in our video post on YouTube! https://socialgracesballroom.com/?utm_campaign=gmb&utm_source=gmb Hea...

Listen to the tales of Mark and Rachel’s Apple Blossom Festival experiences…the good, bad, and the ugly…as they recap and debrief the the last two week’s of Winchester’s most celebrated season! Upcoming Events: May 9-10 - Blandy Farm’s Garden Fair https://blandy.virginia.edu/garden-fair May 9 - Shenandoah University Commencement Ceremony  https://www.su.edu/commencement/

From nostalgic stories to event highlights and can’t-miss tips, Mark and Rachel cover everything you need to know about the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in this action-packed episode. https://www.thebloom.com/

Mark and Rachel sit down with the owners of the local “Twisted Oak Farm Brewery”, Jay and Missy Duvall, as they share their journey of creating the venue, the brews, and the vibes on their farm. https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=063d3fd194&attid=0.0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1861847452193688457&th=19d69c64adf88b89&view=fimg&fur=ip&permmsgid=msg-f:1861847452193688457&...

Mark and Rachel learn all about a young entrepreneur who has kick-started her nail salon in just her teenage years - listen to how Scarleth Guerrero has taken “Scarleth’s Beauty Bar” to our town of Winchester! https://www.instagram.com/scarlethsbeautybar?igsh=bzFoODg1aGxkeWZu

Mark and Rachel celebrate the arrival of spring, swapping stories about their favorite outdoor activities at home and around the Winchester area. Upcoming Events: Celtic Fest - Saturday, March 14, 12 PM – 5 PM https://friendsofoldtown.org/event/celtic-fest-2/ First Battle of Kernstown Tour - Saturday, March 21, 9 AM – 4 PM https://visitwinchesterva.com/event/first-battle-of-kernstown-161st-anniver...

Mark sits down with BrandFest panelist Ross Lehman to recap and highlight key takeaways from the recent community marketing seminar, while special guest Danielle Spriggs joins the conversation to share insights about Winchester’s Restaurant Week, which is happening right now. https://www.mortgagebyross.com https://markfrancisrealtor.com https://iconmedia.cc Upcoming Events : Winchester Restaurant...

Mark sits down with the CEO of the Winchester Rescue Mission to learn more about what this local non-profit organization is doing to improve the lives of men and women in the community who need not just shelter, food, and clothing, but more importantly the skills and tools for life success. https://www.winrescue.org/ Upcoming Events: February 14 - “Love Letters” at James Charles Winery https://vis...

Learn about a quaint wedding venue in Capon Bridge, as Mark and Rachel chat with John Berry of “Appalachian Wedding Chapel and Boutique” who shares the tales of what life is like to officiate hundreds of wedding ceremonies over the years! https://www.theappalachianweddingchapel.com/ Upcoming Events: January 31 - Groundhog Day Celebration, Bowman Library https://www.handleyregional.org/event/ground...

Mark, Rachel, and Caleb enter in the new year of 2026 by unpacking the article from the Winchester Star about the local EDA proposal to bring a casino and event center to town. Winchester Star article - https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/edas-website-details-pros-cons-of-a-winchester-casino/article_2df7cb72-5a5e-5268-afb5-c4cef0ff3dec.html Winchester EDA site - https://www.developwinch...

Mark and Rachel share their highlights and special moments of 2025 as they discuss topics ranging from pop culture to local insights to special moments from ICONic Talk over the last year.

Mark sits down with Dr. Faith Power, Executive Director of the Laurel Center, to discuss the needs of abuse survivors and the organization’s mission to break the cycle of domestic violence within the community. Notes for This Episode: Abuse Hotline - 540.667.6466 https://thelaurelcenter.org/ Upcoming Events: Winchester Winter Village - December 5-7 https://winchesterwintervillage.com/ Follow the S...

Listen to amazing stories from newly appointment director of the Youth Development Center, Sarah Fishel, as she shares what has led her into this position of serving the youth of our local community. Links for this episode: https://www.myydc.org/ Events: Plaid Friday, November 28: https://friendsofoldtown.org/event/plaid-friday-2025/ Youth Development Center events: https://www.myydc.org/upcoming-...

Mark and Rachel sit down with Executive Director of the Friends of Old Town organization, Brady Cloven, as they chat about the stories and events of the happenings in Winchester over this past year as well as revealing some news and vision for the months and year ahead. https://friendsofoldtown.org Upcoming Events : https://friendsofoldtown.org/events-in-old-town/

Mark and Rachel chat with co-founder of the Ravenwood Faire, Stacey Rowe, who shares the background of this local annual event that brings thousands to town every year for a true “medieval” experience.  Links for This Episode: https://ravenwoodfaire.us Upcoming Events : Ravenwood Faire, October 24th-26th https://ravenwoodfaire.ticketspice.com/ravenwood-faire-2025 High Hill “Haunted Nightmares”, Oc...

Mark learns more about his co-host, Rachel, as she shares all about her passion for horticulture and how her local floral arrangement business, “Rachel’s Bloomers”, was developed and has grown over the years. https://www.rachelsbloomers.com Upcoming Events : Savor the World, international food, event - October 9, 5:30pm https://godfreymillercenter.org/savor-the-world/ Dino-Con - October 12, 10am-5...

Mark and Rachel dive into the latest happenings around Winchester and also sit down with Stephanie Ryall from the city’s Board of Architectural Review, who shares how the committee plays a key role in maintaining the historic character of downtown properties. Links for This Episode: https://www.winchesterva.gov/Services-Payments/Building-Development/Historic-Winchester-District#section-1 Upcoming...

Mark chats once again with local sports podcaster, Josh Kirby, from the “Kirby on Sports” podcast as they swap stories and insights about the local high school and professional football teams with predictions of the current season. Links for this Episode: https://kirbyonsports.com/ Upcoming Events: Fiddles and Fifths Bluegrass and Bourbon Festival - Saturday, September 13 https://visitwinchesterva...

Mark and Rachel sit down with local historian and volunteer at the Patsy Cline Historic House, John Flood, to reminisce about the storied life of the local singer/songwriter, Patsy Cline. Links for This Episode: https://visitwinchesterva.com/locations/patsy-cline-historic-house/ Upcoming Events : Annual Patsy Cline Block Party - Saturday, August 30, 10am-4pm https://celebrating-patsy-cline-inc.squ...

Mark and Rachel sit down with Winchester-native, William Orth, as they swap stories and reminisce about what Winchester was and how it has evolved over the years! Upcoming Events : Moonlit Movie Series - Friday, August 15, 8:30pm:  “Mufasa” https://visitwinchesterva.com/event/moonlit-movie-series-mufasa/ Winchester Greek Festival - Saturday/Sunday, August 16-17 Greek Orthodox Church https://visitw...

Learn about the value of internships, on-the-job training, and relational marketing in a small town like Winchester as Mark and Caleb chat with Dario Savarese of Full Circle Marketing and one of his current summer interns, Lauren Racer. Full Circle Marketing https://www.fullcirclem.com Sunset Series on Thursday nights - July 31 https://visitwinchesterva.com/event/sunset-series-robbie-limon/ SSMT “...

Mark chats with J. Robert Spencer, famed for leading roles on Broadway in the “Jersey Boys” original cast and his Tony nomination in the musical “Next to Normal”, as he plans to come back to his Shenandoah University and SSMT roots to host a special event at SSMT to assist the “Living Legacy Fund”. https://www.su.edu/blog/2025/07/10/shenandoah-university-to-hold-special-performance-to-benefit-ssmt...