FARMVILLE – The Heart of Virginia Festival is entering the starting gate for its 35th running on the first Saturday in May, this Saturday, May 4.

The field of festivities is full.

Food vendors are jockeying here.

Musicians are tightening their stirrups there.

The bridles have been checked on fireworks.

The Outdoor Art Show is saddling up.

The Classic Car Cruise-In is chomping at the bit.

The craft show has harnessed its many offerings.

And festival organizers have no plans to rein the good times in.

All participants look in the mirror and see odds-on favorites to contribute to the fun.

Festival-goers, of course, will have the inside track.

Betting?

No rain is one of the sure bets.

It rains in the Sahara Desert more often than it rains on the Heart of Virginia Festival.

And they're off!

First out of the starting gate is the 10K Run and 5K Fun Run at 8:30 a.m.

Right behind is the Classic Car Cruise-In, the Craft Show and the Outdoor Art Show, running neck and neck at 9 a.m.

Just off the inside track and cantering nicely is the Colonnade Stage performance area, getting off the mark at 9:30 a.m. with Teddy Spaghetti, followed by Jed Mickie.

The Crute Stage goes live at 10 a.m. and there is the Weyanoke Stage side by side, both musically in tune, and, coming on the outside and coming along side, ladies and gentleman, with an easy stride, is the Rotunda Stage shows, also at 10 a.m.

Getting into full stride, the Crute Stage sees Los Carleenos, followed by Wrong Way-no, ladies and gentlemen, only the horse I bet on runs the wrong way-and then The Brian Graham Band, and finishing strongly, The Rhondels.

Coming into the first turn, the Weyanoke Stage offers Gina Dalmas & The Cow Tippin' Playboys.

Jimmy Masters and Trey Pollard, followed by the Paddy Dougherty Quintet are off and running on the Rotunda Stage. Look at them gallop.

The Railers, meanwhile, are running-where else?-along the rail at the Colonnade Stage.

Steadily gaining on the field are the Children's Art Activities at Bicentennial Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the Childrens' Festival at the same location beginning at 10:15 a.m., with Robb Westcott, the magician, followed by Ashley Russell, the Hula Hoop Performer, and Jim Cruise “Spoonman.”

In the back stretch now and looking to finish spectacularly are the Evening Festivities at the Farmville Regional Airport where, steady now, the gates open at 6 p.m., False Dmitri taking the stage immediately, followed by Waiting at 7:30 p.m., with the fireworks at 8:45 and then Class Act bringing the festival across the finish line from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m.

<!– 1upcrlf2 –>No photo finish here, ladies and gentlemen.

Everyone's a winner.

(To verify jockeys, horses, and trainers, you may visit www.heartofvirginia.org)