The Heart of Virginia Festival, set for Saturday, May 4, is a really fun way to kick off the summer season and enjoy the bustle of a regional celebration close to home.

I covered the festival last year and liked seeing a lot of faces I knew. Midway Baptist Church Youth Ministry sold baked goods, STEPS Inc. provided information about their services, there was a magician who was accompanied by a fluffy white bunny. Prince Edward County High School and Fuqua School students were there.

There were a lot of people I hadn’t recognized either but being able to interact with them wasn’t any less meaningful.

There was a girl with her family who made amazing and expressive knitted items, including stuffed animals. There was a family who made embroidered corn hole bags.

There were students and young adults who donned costumes provided by Waterworks Players.

Artwork that ranged from paintings to pottery to specialty wooden birdhouses lined the length of North Main Street and High Street.

The Heart of Virginia Festival started 41 years ago at outdoor venues in Farmville as a way to provide fine arts to the community. The events culminated into the first Outdoor Arts Festival in 1974.

The festival allows people to enjoy arts of all forms. If you like music, there’s plenty of live music throughout the day. If you like handmade artwork, there is no shortage of it from local artists. If you like donating to good causes, there are a number of nonprofit organizations around the region that attend.

The Heart of Virginia Festival provides the opportunity to enjoy everything Farmville has to offer, as well as enjoying everything from areas around the region.

EMILY HOLLINGSWORTH is a staff reporter for The Farmville Herald and Farmville Newsmedia LLC. Her email address is Emily.Hollingsworth@FarmvilleHerald.com.