ICONic Talk
Join Mark Francis and Rachel Racey along with their local guests as they chat about community, local happenings, and all things Winchester, Virginia!.
ICON Media · ICONic Talk
Show overview
ICONic Talk has been publishing since 2021, and across the 5 years since has built a catalogue of 188 episodes. That works out to roughly 120 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 31 min and 44 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Society & Culture show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed yesterday, with 17 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2022, with 50 episodes published.
From the publisher
Join Mark Francis and Rachel Racey along with their local guests as they chat about community, local happenings, and all things Winchester, Virginia!
Latest Episodes
View all 188 episodes187. The Local Lo-Down!
186. Improving Winchester One Person at a Time
185. Preparing for the “Empty Nest”
184. The Data Center Debate
183. Celebrating the 4th!
182. World Cup is Here!
181. Parks and Rec
180. Social Graces in Your Dancing
179. The Bloom Recap!
178. Apple Blossom 2026
177. A Taste of Germany in Our Backyard!
Ep 176176. Scarleth’s Beauty Bar
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
Ep 175175. Spring Time is Here!
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 PMhttps://friendsofoldtown.org/event/celtic-fest-2/First Battle of Kernstown Tour - Saturday, March 21, 9 AM – 4 PMhttps://visitwinchesterva.com/event/first-battle-of-kernstown-161st-anniversary-tour/
Ep 174174. BrandFest Recap
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.comhttps://markfrancisrealtor.comhttps://iconmedia.ccUpcoming Events :Winchester Restaurant Weekhttps://www.winchesterrestaurantweek.comShenandoah University - “Catch Me if You Can”https://www.su.edu/performs/event/26-02-catch-me-if-you-can/
Ep 173173. Hope on the Horizon
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 Wineryhttps://visitwinchesterva.com/event/love-letters-event/February 22 - VA250: George Washington Birthday Wreath Layinghttps://visitwinchesterva.com/event/va250-george-washingtons-birthday-wreath-laying-2/
Ep 172172. When is Wedding Season?
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 Libraryhttps://www.handleyregional.org/event/groundhog-day-celebration-bowman-library-41949February 6 - BrandFest, The HIVE @ Shenandoah Universityhttps://iconmedia.cc/
Ep 171171. To Casino or Not To Casino - That is the Question!
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.htmlWinchester EDA site - https://www.developwinchesterva.com/Convention-Center-Casino-InfoUpcoming Events:Old Town on the Rocks - https://friendsofoldtown.org/event/old-town-on-the-rocks/FredCo Eats Restaurant Week - https://www.yesfrederickva.com/living-here/restaurant-week
Ep 170170. Special Release - Year in Review Show
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.
Ep 169169. The Laurel Center - Restoring Hope from the Inside Out
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 - 540.667.6466https://thelaurelcenter.org/Upcoming Events:Winchester Winter Village - December 5-7https://winchesterwintervillage.com/Follow the Star - December 6-7https://fbcva.org/followthestarWinchester Musica Viva concert - December 14https://www.winchestermusicaviva.org/
Ep 168168. From Kidneys to Kids
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-events