By Noel Oliver

The 2019 Taste of Farmville Event was, once again, a shining success. Thirty-three vendors attended this year’s presentation of Farmville’s 14th annual meet, greet and eat event. The hosting vendors represent the wide variety of eating establishments, businesses and services that operate in Farmville. For one evening they set up, invite the public in and serve up a taste of the best they have to offer.

Enjoying the Sportsman’s Arena as the event venue for the first time, vendors literally lined the perimeter of the building with tables filled with an amazing variety of foods to sample; the fruits of their labors. Then they opened the doors and invited the public in.

And the public did come. The Arena nearly filled with residents of the town, surrounding counties – and beyond. Organizer’s early estimates place this year’s attendance near 700 patrons; a bit higher number than last year.

A steady line of visitors made the trip around the building sampling a variety of foods that are representative of the consistent growth that the town of Farmville continues to enjoy. Tables filled with patrons, eager to get together, sample and socialize in the post-holiday season.

The atmosphere was full, lively and familiar; an air that has come to be a hallmark of life in the town affectionately known as ‘The Heart of Virginia.’

The Taste of Farmville is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Farmville. The event has enjoyed a steadily growing success that would, at first glance today, bely its relatively humble beginnings.

In 2005 Farmville resident and Rotary member Jeff Smith organized and put on the precursor to today’s event, a relatively small “Celebrity Chili Cook Off” in the Fuqua School gymnasium.

“It really wasn’t a big event that first year,” Smith explained, “but the next year it was bigger and the next, even bigger. The response from the community was greater than expected.” We moved after just a few short years to the STEPS building and stayed there as long as we could.”

Today, Smith has passed the reins to fellow Rotary member Debbie Savage as event organizer. “We couldn’t be happier with the location this year,” she said. The Sportsman’s Arena serves us perfectly,” Debbie added. “The Town of Farmville went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed for a successful event. They went through and added electrical outlets to make sure the vendors had enough power to run their equipment. We can’t thank Gerry Spates and the town enough for their help.”

The Rotary Club uses all the proceeds of the Taste of Farmville Event to assist various nonprofit organizations in the community with improvements and projects.