The heritage, history and people of Buckingham County will be celebrated at Mayfest on Saturday at the Historic Village at 84 Lee Wayside Road off of U.S. Route 60.

The event, which is the community’s new Buckingham County Day, will begin at 10 a.m. and wrap up at about 3 p.m.

The event will feature food, exhibits, a Maypole, buggy rides, ice cream, a kid’s area, art and much more.

Live music will be provided by the Farm Use Band on the village stage, according to Martha Louis, president of Historic Buckingham, which organizes the annual event.

“We have more vendors and exhibits this year than we have ever had,” Louis said. “It is a very relaxed day for families to just enjoy the beauty of the village and all the things to do and see.”

Arts and crafts will be part of this year’s event, she said.

“(The) Buckingham County Library will have a whole lot of arts and crafts and facepainting for the kids,” Louis said. “There will be a Maypole where the kids can learn the dance and how to weave a Maypole. Jim Windle will show the kids how to grind corn and will be baking some of their ground corn into cornbread on site. James River State Park, Holiday Lake State Park and Central Piedmont will have educational and fun displays.”

Buggy rides will be available, and a historic batteau will also be on display, she said.

“Friends of the Library will be selling chances on some fantastic gift baskets — all with different themes,” Louis said.

The county’s garden club “will once again have their wonderful selection of plants and some great gifts for Mother’s Day,” she added.

Some of the arts and craft vendors planning to be at Mayfest include Dogart, Venus Powers, Hank Hagenau, Carol Herrod, the Barlows’ crafts, Ramon Stafford’s leather work, Chelsie Pankey’s Signs, Vance Leighty’s metal work, LuLaRoe, Samantha Scialdo’s Signs, Mark Bryant with wreaths and more, Louis said.

The Buckingham County High School FFA will also have bedding plants for sale.

“The Ruritans will be cooking their special vidalia onion rings and hamburgers. They will also have bags of Vidalia Onions for sale,” Louis said. “The Boy Scouts will have hotdogs and chips and soft drinks. The Venture Group will be making french fries on site; the Lions Club will be selling cotton candy and other things. This year, we will have one of the Amish families selling their baked goods, (including) Shoofly pie, whoopie pies, cold homemade root beer, fruit pies, pretzels, breads and much more.”

Antique cars will also be on display, Louis added, and fresh-squeezed lemonade will be available.

“Since there is no admission fee, the village always accepts donations at our events,” Louis said.

The gold sponsors for the event include the Buckingham Chamber of Commerce and Buckingham Family Dentistry. First Bank, The Spa, Southside Electric Cooperative and Walter E. Saxon Jr., DDS, are silver and bronze sponsors.

For more information on the event, visit www.leewaysidevillage.com or call (434) 969-4355.