Petersburg readies for Nostalgiafest

Petersburg's annual three-day Nostalgiafest is known for its music, but it also offers a chance to get some exercise.

Nostalgiafest 2008 will kick off tomorrow with a 10K race and a 4K run/walk at 5 p.m. in historic Old Towne. Registration for the race, coordinated by the Military Officers Association of America, is open to individuals and teams.

Friends of the Lower Appomattox River will have canoe and kayak races from Pocahontas Island to the Hopewell Marina starting Saturday at 9 a.m. Open paddle along the river will be ongoing Saturday.

"We are promoting this as river day," said the river group's Richard Taylor.

This year the festival will include more than 30 musical performances, mostly by local artists.

Businesses will sell their wares on the sidewalk, and shops and restaurants will have specials.

Nostalgiafest also will include activities for children, a petting zoo, carriage tours, free guided tours of Old Towne, and a Sunday morning service at Blandford Church and tours of the church, built in 1735.

"This is our celebration of Petersburg as a community," said Kevin Kirby, Petersburg's tourism director. "The citizens can relax and enjoy themselves, and visitors have an opportunity to enjoy what the city has to offer."

Nostalgiafest has been around since the 1970s, but Petersburg did not hold it for several years. It was restarted a few years ago and is now a tradition, Kirby said. The festival, sponsored by the city, is a weekend celebration of the city's history and future, he said.

"Nostalgiafest relates to looking back to our past so we can look forward smiling to our future," he said.