Spring brings out the wild things! From plants budding on trailsides to wildlife venturing out of winter dens, it’s a time to get outside, explore and enjoy all that life has to offer.
Here in the heart of Virginia, we’re eagerly anticipating warmer weather, and we’d like to invite you to join us on a wild adventure in small-town Farmville, Va., including a Where the Wild Things Are-themed gala hosted by Farmville nonprofit, the Virginia Children’s Book Festival!
Enter our Wild, Wonderful Weekend Giveaway for your chance to win an overnight stay package on Saturday, March 11 — plus two gala tickets and lots of donated goodies from our local small businesses! The contest will be open February 20 through March 2, and the winner will be chosen on March 3, 2023. Read on to find out more about our March giveaway!
Giveaway Closed
Discover the Wild, Wonderful Albuca: B&M Greenhouse
“That very night in Max’s room a forest grew… and grew — and grew until his ceiling hung with vines and the walls became the world all around…”
Your wild weekend starts in a 24,000-square-foot jungle, known to Farmville locals as B&M Greenhouse. Rooted in Prince Edward County since 1979, this small business provides annuals, perennials, native plants, vegetable seedlings, fruit trees, shrubs, landscaping consultations and garden supplies. It also sprouted and tended your first giveaway item — an albuca plant!
This spiral-leaved wildling, affectionately known as a “sizzle frizzle,” will be waiting for you in your room when you arrive. Native to South Africa, the albuca’s dark-green leaves form tight corkscrew clusters, and it enjoys lots of sunlight and less water than most houseplants. (Think succulent conditions!) Make sure to arrive before the greenhouse closes at noon to give yourself plenty of time to explore the wilds of B&M.
Warning: Troll Bridge Ahead
The Troll Bridge is an art installation in downtown Farmville. The trio of trolls came to life through the artistic talents of Audrey Sullivan, the founder of Red Door 104, a studio/gallery space on North Main Street.
Virginia Tourism Corporation, www.Virginia.org
“But the wild things cried, ‘Oh please don’t go — We’ll eat you up — we love you so!’ ”
After your greenhouse adventure, head to Mill Street in Farmville to visit our one-of-a-kind Troll Bridge, featuring an entire family of wild things. This street mural, painted by Audrey Sullivan, founder of local art gallery Red Door 104, depicts Farmville’s very own troll family, which has grown larger over the past six years. In 2017, dad Sully and his two kids, Bonez and Betty Lou, first arrived in town. In 2020, stepmom Rona joined them with her dog Spot, and in 2021, the troll family welcomed a new baby girl!
Snap a troll photo, then explore Farmville’s charming downtown with unique boutiques, handcrafted Amish furniture, antiques, a community plaza and the iconic collection of revitalized tobacco warehouses that now houses showrooms for Green Front Furniture.
Getting hungry? You’ll also find a number of options for lunch! Tucked behind Main Street, Macado’s offers delicious sandwiches, salads and burgers. Get your taco fix at Bandidos Tacos & Cantina, or enjoy New York-style specialty pizzas, ciabatta sandwiches, strombolis and calzones at Pino’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria.
Embark on a Wildlife Expedition: High Bridge Trail State Park
“And the wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws.”
After you refuel, head out on an expedition through High Bridge Trail State Park, a Virginia treasure that bisects Farmville’s Main Street. Grab your two free bike rentals at The Outdoor Adventure Store at 318 N. Main Street, then pick up some speed as you cycle down the trail to encounter wildlife in their natural habitat.
Keep your eyes peeled for sightings that might include warblers — wrens, chickadees, cardinals and their hatchlings — deer, rabbits, racoons or opossums. Along the way you might also meet some of the park’s domesticated visitors – trail horses!
Your destination? The longest recreational bridge in the Commonwealth. The High Bridge lies four and a half miles from downtown Farmville and spans the Appomattox River at an impressive height of 125 feet. This Virginia Historic Landmark and former railway harks back to the 1865 Battle of the High Bridge, evidenced by the original Civil War-era masonry piers which still stand below the 1914 rebuild. Near the river you might catch sight of a heron or osprey enjoying the cool waterway.
Wilderness Getaway: Cedar Ridge Lodge
“The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him ‘WILD THING!’”
After your afternoon expedition, check into your personal cabin at High Bridge Lodge and Cabins, where you’ll be staying in the Cedar Ridge Lodge. With two queen beds (plus one full) and two bathrooms, you’ll have plenty of space. Wraparound porches and an outdoor fire ring offer the perfect spots for morning coffee or a glimpse of local wildlife. Indoors, a flat screen television, fully-equipped kitchen and wood burning fireplace provide creature comforts.
After settling into your cabin, dress up in your wildest costume and head to Radcliff Hall at Longwood University for the start of Farmville’s wild rumpus!
Join the Wild Rumpus: VCBF’s “We Are NOT the MET” Gala
“ ‘And now,’ cried Max, ‘let the wild rumpus start!’ ”
Six o’clock marks the start of the main event: the Virginia Children’s Book Festival’s second annual “We are NOT the MET” Gala. This avant-garde fundraiser, themed around Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are, will take you back to the magic of childhood — complete with a Wild Things auction and paparazzi.
In addition to showing off your wild costume, you’ll enjoy live entertainment, delicious food, tasty drinks and more, all while supporting the expansion of children’s literacy. Funds raised by the gala support the costs of the VCBF’s immersive, interactive book festival. Designed specifically for children, this three-day event, held on Longwood’s campus each October, offers opportunities for kids to talk with authors and illustrators in person, instilling a lifelong love of reading.
So, enjoy the rumpus — and don’t be afraid to get a little wild!
Whet Your Appetite: North Street Press Club
“Then from far away across the world he smelled good things to eat, so he gave up being king of the wild things.”
Dancing the night away can fire up an appetite! Sunday morning, after checking out of Cedar Ridge Lodge, use your two meal vouchers to enjoy North Street Press Club’s delicious brunch. A local favorite, this internationally inspired restaurant offers delicious breakfast tacos, omelets and breakfast bowls. Try the Mario Gromo omelet with fresh tomato, mozzarella, basil, balsamic drizzle and Mediterranean spice, or go with the Memphis breakfast bowl featuring home fries, cheddar cheese, fried chicken, peppered milk gravy, eggs and scallions. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong!
Bid Farewell to Your Wild Weekend: Hangover Market
“And [he] sailed back over a year, and in and out of weeks, and through a day, and into the night of his very own room…”
All wild weekends must come to an end. Before heading out of town, make sure to stop by Three Roads Brewing’s Hangover Market to pick up a souvenir to remember your Farmville escape. Starting at 11 a.m., you’ll find local vendors with handmade soaps and lotions, baked goods, home-roasted coffee, original jewelry and other treasures. Snap a photo and tag us at Visit Farmville!