Today, the Princess Place Preserve is a quiet slice of nature in northern Flagler County.

But come Saturday, it will be filled with the sound of bluegrass music, the smell of food and the bustle of one of the county's major events.

The 7th annual Creekside Festival runs Saturday and Sunday at the county park on the shores of Pellicer Creek.

The event attracted more than 17,000 visitors last year, according to the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce & Affiliates, organizer of the festival.

"The Creekside Festival is one of our favorite events," said Chamber Executive Vice President Rebecca DeLorenzo, in a news release. "This year we have an exciting line up of bluegrass bands over two days, great food, arts and crafts vendors, the annual photography contest and exhibition and fun activities for the kids."

For county officials, the festival is a chance to show off what many have called the "crown jewel" in the county's park system. It also helps inform county residents about the facility.

"There's not a Creekside I've been to, and I've been to all of them, where I haven't run into someone from Falgler County that didn't know Princess Place was here," said county spokesman Carl Laundrie. "It's great not only for Falgler County residents discovering Princess Place, we attract a lot of tourists from St. Augustine."

Laundrie said the festival itself is "known across the state" and has become a destination for many bluegrass fans.

In addition to the exposure the county receives from the event, the Chamber donates a portion of the proceeds from the event to the county for use at the Princess Place Preserve. Laundrie said last year the county received more than $6,000 from the event.

Holding a major event at the preserve also helps residents understand where some of their tax dollars go, Laundrie said. The 1,500-acre preserve was purchased with funds raised through the environmentally sensitive lands tax approved by voters.

"If voters are going to tax themselves they need to get an understanding of what they're getting in return and the Princess Place Preserve is a prime example," Laundrie said.

But the event is also about having fun.

"It's the second-largest event in the county," said Chamber President Doug Baxter. "And it's an unbelievable venue."

Baxter said the two-day event is designed with families in mind.

"It's a family-friendly environment, with plenty of food, a hundred vendors and a little bit for everybody," he said. "It's one of those early fall venues the community loves to go to."

The event includes an amatuer photography contest on the theme "Flagler at Work." Entries in the competition will be on display in the Princess Place Lodge during the festival.

Also on tap for the weekend event are kayak tours, food vendors and the 3rd annual Green Expo from the Flagler/Palm Coast Home Builders Association.

The festival runs10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Because of traffic concerns, prepaid parking passes are available from the Chamber for $3. On the days of the events there will be two lanes to enter off of Old Kings Road, one for prepaid passes and the other for day-of-the-event admission

Baxter said the event provides residents with a chance to get some early holiday shopping done.

"People this time of year start thinking about Christmas and the arts and crafts vendors have some unique things out there for people who are hard to buy for," he said. "There are a lot of different things offered out there."

For Peggy Heiser, vice president of tourism development at the Chamber, the festival helps make Flagler County a tourist destination.

"It's a great time of year and people are looking for these fall festival experiences," she said. "As we drive the 'eco-market' people are becoming more interested because it is located at our diamond preserve. As they expanded the length of it, it is going to engage and attract tourists."

Heiser said information about the event has been included in the social media messages sent out by tourism officials and occupies a prominent spot on the county's events calendar, adding to its reputation as a regional event.

"It is something the region is very interested in and it's a perfect time of year to have it," she said.

For more information about the Creekside Festival, call the Chamber at 386-437-0106 or go onoine to facebook.com/CreeksideFestival or at flaglerchamber.org.