CharlottesvilleFamily Celebrates 15 Years

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (January 2013) – CharlottesvilleFamily, the award-winning monthly magazine dedicated to serving families in the Charlottesville-Albemarle area, is celebrating its 15th anniversary throughout 2013.

From its inception 15 years ago, CharlottesvilleFamily has grown from its beginnings as a website to include the monthly magazine, the Favorite Awards, the annual Fun Fair & Camp Expo (this year, the Expo will be held on February 10, 2013 at the DoubleTree Hotel!) and the annual Ultimate Go-To Guide.

In 1998, Co-publisher Robin Bethke and her husband Peter first launched the website (then called AlbemarleKids.com). The couple knew the local community had so much to offer, but felt it could do more to reach out to families. With the power of the Internet (a relatively new technology at the time), Robin envisioned a resource to connect all area residents, even from the farthest corners of beautiful Albemarle County. Then one fateful day six months later, Robin got a call from Co-publisher Jennifer Bryerton, who wanted to know if she had ever wanted to do a print magazine based on the site. Her answer? “Well, as a matter of fact, that was part of the plan!” And the rest, as they say, is history. These two entrepreneurial moms have been leaders in local business, now employ 14 professionals, give generously to many local organizations and maintain a work-life balance that keeps both their families happy and their gardens tended.

CharlottesvilleFamily.com had, and still has, the amazing ability to be there for readers 24-7 with its award-winning web design, an extensive community calendar for families, daytrip ideas and so much more that attract about 40,000 visitors and half a million hits on average per month. The print magazine — which has grown from a black-and-white quarterly publication to a full-color, glossy issue that hits stands 12 months a year — has received more than 20 professional awards for its editorial and design excellence.

CharlottesvilleFamily magazine reaches over 32,000 readers each month with distribution at over 200 locations and more than 5,000 digital edition copies directly emailed to opt-in subscribers. The company also publishes an annual Go-To Guide for families and hosts the annual CharlottesvilleFamily Fun Fair & Camp Expo early each spring in addition to attending and supporting dozens of community events throughout the year.

CharlottesvilleFamily’s parent company Ivy Publications now counts three additional publications on its roster of community resources — the Charlottesville Welcome Book, the Charlottesville Welcome Book Wedding Directory and Locally Charlottesville.

For more information: Ivy Publications at 434-984-4713.

From Ivy Publications, publishers of: Locally Charlottesville, a Charlottesville guide to shopping, local dining and arts; CharlottesvilleFamily, a monthly parenting magazine with a calendar of Charlottesville festivals and events plus stories on education, health and family fun; the Charlottesville Welcome Book, a guide to attractions like Monticello, vineyards, University of Virginia and sports as well as a relocation handbook; and the Charlottesville Welcome Book Wedding Directory, a multimedia planning tool of wedding venues, cakes, favors and more for planning the perfect Charlottesville wedding.