About

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The history

In 2009, the Birkel family generously donated Festival Halle to the Reedville Fishermen's Museum (RFM) and its parent organization, the Greater Reedville Association. Originally built in 1909, burned and rebuilt in 1927 after a fire, Festival Halle was first Reedville High School and later the Reedville Primary School. Since its donation, Festival Halle has been a cornerstone of the Reedville Fishermen's Museum’s community outreach and educational mission. 

For over a decade, Festival Halle hosted lectures, meetings, auctions, exhibits, and countless community events—from high school proms and wedding receptions to class reunions, Quinceañeras, and local club gatherings. Sadly, in 2022, the venue was closed due to severe deterioration of the floor joists and underlying structural elements. As a result, Northumberland High School students have had to travel to Warsaw for their proms, underscoring the loss of this vital community space.

Festival Halle is more than a building—it is a place where people come together to learn, celebrate, and connect. Its restoration is essential to serving the diverse needs of our community and preserving a beautiful, elegant space for future generations.

Save Festival Halle Community Committee

To lead the restoration effort, a dedicated committee of community members was formed, bringing together expertise in architecture, renovation, engineering, contracting, economic development, nonprofit management, marketing, event planning, communications, and advertising.

Committee members include: Diane McGuire, Shauna McCranie, Bruce Samuelson, Martha Tallent, Martha Hill, Mark Barry, Charles Seldon, Priscilla Fink, Kathleen Ennen, Gayle Sterrett, John Sterrett, Lakiko Cockrell, Rebecca Haynie, Taylor Diehl, and Bill Knight.

 Diane McGuire and Bruce Samuelson serve on the RFM Board, and Shauna McCranie is the RFM Executive Director. 

Planning 

 Since spring 2023, the committee has worked diligently to develop a viable restoration plan. The total estimated cost is $750,000, to be funded through grants and individual community contributions. 

Current News and Updates

Thanks to strong community support, we made significant fundraising progress and issued a request for proposal in January 2025 for Phase 1 construction. After reviewing multiple bids, the committee awarded the contract to R.W. Gordon Construction of Kilmarnock. Phase 1—replacement of the decayed floor joists and infrastructure—is now complete.

We have selected a contractor for Phase 2, which includes:

• Repairing walls and ceilings
• Painting the entire interior
• Upgrading to meet ADA standards and local code requirements

Once Phase 2 is complete, the finish flooring can be installed. We invite you to support our “Beam and Board” fundraising initiative to help us reach this milestone.

Future phases include:

• Phase 3: Drainage and landscaping
• Phase 4: Installation of a commercial kitchen for event caterers and a business incubator to support small commercial watermen in preparing their catch for market

A draft marketing and relaunch plan is in development to ensure Festival Halle’s long-term sustainability and maximize its use as a community venue. We aim to reopen in early 2026, contingent on securing the remaining funding.

Fundraising

We are deeply grateful to the Cooke family, owners of Omega Protein, for their generous challenge donation of $250,000. The committee has contributed over $20,000 in cash and in-kind support, and community donations have reached $150,000. We won a $75,000 grant from the Cabel Foundation for the interior work and a $280,800 grant from Go Virginia for the watermen's incubator program and commercial kitchen.

We continue to pursue an additional $150,000 in grants from foundations and government agencies, many of which require matching funds. Please keep an eye on our fundraising thermometer in front of Festival Halle—and help us bring this beloved space back to life.

Please help us save Festival Halle for our community.