The Farmville Town Council has decided that the sale of beer and wine will not be permitted at the upcoming Heart of Virginia Festival’s evening activities at the Farmville Regional Airport.

Councilman Thomas Pairet, who serves as chair of the town’s Assets and Resources Committee, said the Heart of Virginia Festival had expressed an interest in serving alcohol at some of the festival’s events.

He said the committee recommended to the council that the current ban on alcohol sales remain.

“Our recommendation to council was to leave as is, and not allow to have alcohol served by an organization at our events,” Pariet said. “Let it be their own events and not our events.”

The committee recommendation stipulated that if an organization desires to sell beer or wine at an event on town property, the hosting organization would ask permission from the town council.

A March 9 letter from Heart of Virginia Festival Chair Ashley Atkins-Austin stated that “the Heart of Virginia Festival Board brought up the idea of selling beer and/or wine at the festival’s evening festivities at our last board meeting. We are seeking council approval to sell beer and/or wine at the airport during this event.”

Much discussion surrounded the request during the March meeting of the town council, resulting in the matter being referred to committee.

At the March meeting, Town Manager Gerald Spates said, “We have not allowed it (in the past). The Heart of Virginia Festival has always been a family event.”

Several council members voiced concerns about creating a blanket policy if the Heart of Virginia Festival were permitted to sell alcohol.

While alcohol consumption is currently allowed at the airport, the Heart of Virginia Festival has its own insurance and is a 501c3 organization.

No action was taken during the council’s April 13 meeting based on Pairet’s recommendation to keep the current policy in place regarding the sale of beer and wine at events on town property.

The festival will be held Saturday, May 7.