Have an appetite to help the community? United Way of Forsyth County has the event for you. The organization will present its fourth annual Flavors of Forsyth festival from 4 to 8 p.m. May 11 outside the Lanier Technical College Forsyth Conference Center. As in years past, the event will feature samples from about 25 area restaurant and food vendors. There is no entrance fee for the festival, but tickets will be sold for 50 cents each. Food samples will be available for between one and six tickets. Patrons can satiate their appetites with everything from pizza and barbecue to sub sandwiches and biscuits. Some of the international food genres include Chinese, Indian, Italian and Mexican.For those with a sweet tooth, there also will be plenty of dessert offerings, such as cupcakes and ice cream. Leigh Crow, United Way’s director of resource development, said this year’s Flavors event will feature plenty of fun. Among the new offerings will be “an expanded Kids’ Zone” with more activities for young patrons. “We’ve got Mother’s Day arts and crafts for the kids in the Kids’ Zone,” she said. “Then there will also be more tween and teen activities like … a mobile gaming truck that flips out with TVs on the sides and has gaming consoles.” In addition, this year’s event will offer craft beer and wine tastings inside the Lanier Technical College Forsyth Conference Center. “It’s an evening event, so that brings in another element to attract a different type of crowd too,” Crow said.The beer and wine samples will be sold with the event tickets. As in years past, artists will also show off their abilities and wares in an artist market area. New this year will be a chalk sidewalk art competition for ages 12 and up. “We’re still taking registrations for teams and individuals for that and it’s free to sign up,” Crow said. “That’s just bringing in a little more art element and a fun activity.” There will also be plenty of live music with The Glow Band of Atlanta and Rock U, featuring bands comprised of local high school students.Last year the event drew nearly 10,000 people, Crow said. “We’re definitely anticipating a really large crowd again this year,” she said. And a gathering that large requires many people helping to ensure things run smoothly. As such, Crow stressed that volunteers still are needed. “Last year we had almost 300 volunteers … so we definitely need a lot of hands,” she said. In exchange for a couple hours of service, volunteers will receive a T-shirt and several tickets. Vendors will vie for eight different awards, including people’s choice and kids’ choice honors. Crow said she’s anticipating this year’s Flavors to be the best yet.“It’s always a great, fun event for families,” she said. “It’s a good evening of dinner and entertainment … and May is always just a fun time to be outside because it’s spring and everybody’s in good spirits.”