HIGHLAND COUNTY, Va. – It may be Virginia’s least-populous county, but this weekend it is one of the busiest. The 66th annual Highland County Maple Festival drew thousands of visitors from across the region, turning the normally quiet county into a weekend-long celebration of maple syrup, local food and community.
Amy Jo O’Hearn, an out-of-town visitor, said her group drove from 3 hours away to attend the festival.
“We brought all the kids and my niece, and we came here to see one of his best friends so it’s just really nice to walk around and see family and shop,” said O’Hearn.
Vendors said crowds have grown in recent years as visitors look for small-town events and regional foods.
Jack Kilgallen, who works at a pork rinds stand, said “Every year we seem to get more and more visitors.”
The countywide festival runs for two weekends, highlighting one of the area’s signature products: maple syrup. One of the most popular treats is fresh maple doughnuts, made and sold throughout the event.
“There’s a lot of prep and a lot of work,” said Cory Lightner, a member of a local Highland County family who makes maple donuts for the festival every year as a tradition.
Cory Lightner showed how the family prepares and glazes thousands of doughnuts during the festival. He said the work is a family affair.
“This is all my family, my brothers and nephews and father-in-law, and anyone who will come and help,” said Lightner. “I think it’s fun, all the nephews and all of the kids really enjoy come and doing it.”
The Lightner family and other vendors also sell other maple products. Visitors can shop at multiple vendors and tour sugar camps to see how syrup is made.
As the least populous county in the state, the festival serves as a strong economic boost for Highland County.
Organizers and vendors said the event draws tens of thousands of visitors over the two weekends, providing a major economic boost for local businesses and vendors who depend on spring tourist revenue.
Kilgallen said the festival brings a welcome break from city life and a sharp increase in visitors to the sparsely populated county.
“A lot of people come here every year, it’s a break from the big cities, like I said, we only got 200 people in town maybe a little over 2,000 in the county so its sparsely populated. We got probably more cows than we do people.”
The festival runs through next weekend, giving people another chance to visit Highland County for maple products, food and family activities.
You can find more information on the Highland County Maple Festival here.