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Quality Of Life

Lifestyle in Franklin County can mean anything from hunting and fishing, to hiking and biking, to sailing and water skiing, to just kicking back on a dock at sunset. The special geography of the county offers numerous recreational opportunities. The Blue Ridge Mountains on the western border offer nature trails, camping, horseback riding and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Smith Mountain Lake, the county's eastern border, is a 20,000-acre man-made lake offering a variety of recreational activities including tournament fishing and hunting; sailing, boating and windsurfing; exceptional dining and lodging; championship golfing at four courses; and tennis at five courts. Philpott Lake, in the southern part of the county, is known for excellent fishing and is considered Virginia's best smallmouth bass and trout reservoir. For hunters, local game includes deer, dove, squirrel, rabbit, quail and turkey. Approximately 20,000 acres of public recreational and open space lands surround Philpott Lake, consisting of the Philpott Lake Management Area, Fairystone Park, and Fairystone Farms Wildlife Management Area.

Franklin County provides its residents with over 4,000 acres of public parks and open spaces. A large YMCA is located in the town of Rocky Mount and another has just been built in the LakeWatch Plantation development at Smith Mountain Lake. Specialized athletic facilities include indoor tennis courts, an Olympic-sized swimming facility, skateboard parks, and soon (2010) Virginia's first whitewater park.

The Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, the largest such festival in Virginia, is held in October. The Blue Ridge Institute at Ferrum College and the traditional culture organizes the festival where folkways of the Blue Ridge Mountains are celebrated. Festival highlights include music, food, crafts, and performances that perpetuate regional lore. The Blue Ridge Institute is a stop on the Crooked Road, Virginia's Heritage Music Trail.

Other festivals in the county include the Boones Mill Apple Festival, National Wild Turkey Jakes Youth Outdoor Sports Festival, the Franklin County Arts and Crafts Festival, the Pigg River Ramble (an annual float and race on the Pigg River), the Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival and MW Mountain Bike Festival, part of the Virginia Derailer Series.

Ferrum College offers a variety of cultural programs throughout the year. The college sponsors art exhibitions, plays, dance recitals, concerts, and lectures. Most of these programs are open to the public at no charge. Ferrum features a full slate of NCAA Division III athletic teams and competes in the USA South Athletic Conference. Ferrum is also home to the Blue Ridge Dinner Theater that serves as the professional house theater for new Blue Ridge and Appalachian themed plays and musicals.