COURTLAND—About 1,600 people attended this year’s Heritage Day festivities at the Southampton Heritage Village and Agriculture & Forestry Museum on Saturday.

“I want to thank all of the volunteers and all of the visitors who came and made the event a success this year,” said Heritage Day Chairman Anne Bryant, who gave the crowd estimate Tuesday. “We were delighted with the turnout.”

Bryant said about 1,600 paid for admission to the event, which was in its 16th year of operation. That admission figure did not include many pre-school age children who also attended. Another 200 to 300 people were at Heritage Day as vendors and volunteers.

There were no major problems at the event this year, Bryant said.

“I think the turnout was just excellent,” museum Chairman Bill Vick said Saturday. “It’s been a good, fun day and we’ve had people coming and going.”

Vick said the event drew some people long distances, such as Red Oak, N.C., and Clarksville, Va. Many attendees were also from Virginia Beach.

The cooler weather was also a contributing factor to the good turnout.

“You couldn’t beat this,” Vick said. “It’s 75 degrees probably, overcast. The wind is blowing. What else could you want?”

The event was also growing in size. Vick said several new booths were set up this year, and for the first time there was a waiting list to enter one.

Bryant said a knife sharpener and a 4-H Club demonstration for kids on goat and lamb showmanship, showing how to trot the animals around a little ring, were new events that brought much interest.

“We hope everyone comes back to enjoy Heritage Day again next year,” she said.