Each year in Farmville, the Firefly Festival welcomes summer to the heart of Virginia.
Just a few days before the summer solstice, high above the Appomattox River, hundreds of people gather on the High Bridge and wait. For what? Only the most spectacular light show nature can provide.
You see, in the late spring, warmed by longer periods of sunshine and rising temperatures, thousands of fireflies emerge to brighten the night with shimmering twinkles — and the High Bridge offers the perfect viewing spot.
Are you ready to watch these magical creatures light up the night? Enter our Light the Way for Summer Giveaway for your chance to win an overnight stay package on Friday, June 16 — plus two tickets to the Firefly Festival and lots of donated goodies from our local small businesses! The contest will be open May 18 through June 8, and the winner will be chosen on June 9, 2023. Read on to find out more about our June giveaway!
Giveaway has closed!
Settle in — and Stay Awhile!
First stop? The Holiday Inn Express, just a mile from downtown, marks the start of your overnight getaway. Check into your room where you’ll discover a curated basket of local gifts, including a Virginia cutting board from The Sassy Sisters in Downtown Farmville!
Throughout your stay, enjoy fast, free Wi-Fi as well as an in-room mini refrigerator, microwave and complimentary coffee and tea supplies. The Holiday Inn also features a fitness center and heated indoor pool so that you can keep your workout routine going even while you’re on vacation! After you’ve dropped your bags, it’s time to start your adventure. Make sure you have your dinner voucher for two and head out for a night on the town!
Grab Dinner at The Fishin’ Pig
Farmville locals know that The Fishin’ Pig offers both Southern charm and the finest food from the land and the sea. Plus, you’ll love the brand new location right on South Main Street! Take some time to explore the menu. You’ll find savory smoked meats and flavorful, fresh seafood, as well as Shorty’s famous breading — plus they have a fabulous lil’ piglets menu! Start your meal off with popular apps like the better-than-bang-bang shrimp or the puppy basket served with homemade honey butter. Then try a Fishin’ Pig favorite like Grady’s smoke shack sampler or Joan’s catfish basket. Your food will come out hot with plenty of southern sides like fresh homemade slaw, jalapeño cornbread, collards and kettle chips. Not feeling the fried foods? Fishin’ Pig offers plenty of lighter fare including a variety of tacos and the jack rabbit garden salad, topped with your choice of tuna, shrimp or chicken.
The Firefly Festival merrymaking doesn’t start until dark, so you’ll have plenty of time to linger over drinks and dessert as you wait for dusk.
Shine in the Solstice with a Firefly Fête
When darkness falls, head out to High Bridge Trail State Park’s Camp Paradise entrance. A 15-minute drive from Farmville, this Virginia state park offers an unmatched view of the heart of Virginia from 125 feet above the Appomattox River. The 2,400-foot-long High Bridge — the longest recreational bridge in Virginia — has earned recognition as a Virginia Historic Landmark, also holding a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. On a late spring night from high in the air, the spectacle created by thousands of flashing fireflies in the treetops below is unmatched.
Beginning at 9 p.m. at Camp Paradise, you’ll find activities, insect displays and information sessions led by park rangers. Walk the 0.3 miles to the High Bridge and spend your evening suspended between the twinkling stars above and the flashing fireflies below. Make sure to stay for peak activity at 10 p.m. Then, head back to your cozy stay with a truly magical memory.
Laid-Back, Lazy Saturday
Saturday is the day to sleep in! Enjoy a slow start with coffee in your room. Then, fuel up with the Holiday Inn’s delicious complimentary breakfast, featuring a variety of fresh foods as well as hot options like pancakes, eggs and sausage. After checking out of your room, spend your perfect Saturday downtown doing exactly what you want to do. Farmville offers so many options:
- Feel like taking it easy? Shop local and pick up home-baked goodies, fresh-cut flowers, produce, preserves and more at the Farmville Community Marketplace. Then, head across Main Street for a mid-morning pick-me-up at Uptown Coffee Cafe and enjoy lounging in the sun at one of the cute bistro tables dotting Main Street Plaza.
- Ready to shop? Take home some treasures! Peruse charming Main Street storefronts as you discover trendy boutiques, local crafts, creative gifts and more. Then, explore the revitalized tobacco warehouses that now house Green Front Furniture’s one million square feet of showroom. Discover the largest rug selection in North America, high-end furniture brands and eclectic home decor.
- Feeling creative? Explore the free galleries at the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts and get inspired. If you plan ahead, you may also be able to attend a one-day art class at local studios Mainly Clay or Red Door 104. Either way, make sure not to miss the pottery on display at Mainly Clay. You can purchase a one-of-a-kind gift or souvenir — or select a variety of hand-building supplies to take home for your own art project!
- Curious about Farmville’s past? The Robert Russa Moton Museum, a National Historic Landmark and the birthplace of America’s student-led civil rights movement, opens at noon. Admission is free. You can also follow Farmville’s two-mile Civil Rights Walking Tour downtown, which begins and ends at the museum.
Farewell, Farmville! Hello, Summer!
There’s no better way to celebrate the start of summer than with a creamy, cold gelato! Before you bid Farmville farewell, make sure to enjoy one last delicious freebie. Grab your $15 gift card and head to Cloud 9 Gelato, a family-owned gelato parlor with seasonal flavors, plus vegan and non-dairy options. Feeling a little wild? Try more unique flavors like popcorn, cold brew or green tea. Can’t wait for summer? Try watermelon, mango or coconut. Make sure to take a selfie and tag us before you head out of town so that you can remember your magical experience in small-town Farmville, Virginia.
Summer will be here before you know it, and Farmville is the perfect place to welcome the season. Enter to win our June Giveaway and light the way for summer with fireflies, fun and Farmville!