Crowds fill downtown Hamlet during annual Seaboard Festival celebrations. This photo was taken at last year’s festival, and contributed by Jimmy McDonald Photography.
It’s that time of year again — folks are counting down the days until the 29th Annual Seaboard Festival, in downtown Hamlet, on Saturday.
The very mention of the festival brings to mind savory collard sandwiches, steaming sausage dogs and funnel cakes.
“I go just for the collard sandwiches,” said Tina Babson Nielsen, of Rockingham. “I take mine the old fashioned way — with fatback and hot vinegar.”
Others immediately think of the arts and crafts that will be available, everything from handmade jewelry to quilts. None of these things can be found in stores, and it’s a chance to search out some of the most interesting items around to add to your collections.
With Christmas just around the corner, it’s an opportunity to find unique treasures to give to loved ones and friends. Most items are reasonably priced, since many are made and sold by our very own neighbors.
“We will have a lot of activities for kids this year,” said Amy Guinn, who managed booth spaces for the event. “Of course we have a bounce house, but we’ll also have two trains on the street and a location where kids can pan for gold. All of our vendor spaces were reserved — we’re full. Hopefully it will be a beautiful day, and everyone can come out and enjoy everything Seaboard Festival has to offer.”
And for all the folks who just enjoy relaxing for a day of people watching, entertainment will be plentiful.
“We’re having performances from gospel singers, dancers, cloggers, the band Loaded Dice and a DJ,” said Nancy Averitte, who organized the entertainment.
Vendor booths and food carts will be stretched from the top of Main Street to the Depot, and crowds can enjoy the excitement from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“This will be our first year selling items from the Habitat ReStore at the festival,” said Chris Carpenter, Habitat for Humanity RC area manager. “We want to let folks know about the variety of items we have, everything from Christmas decorations, jewelry, small furniture, framed art and household items. We just received two truck loads of new, discontinued items from Lowe’s Corporation in the last month. We’re trying to get the word out to the community that our store has more than building materials, and that we’re open to anyone who wants to shop there.”
Kelly Benson, from Hair Affair, will be setting up a booth with Jennifer Graves for the first time this year, called Hair Candy.
“We’re going to be doing hair feathers, tinsel and wraps,” said Benson. “The feathers are extremely popular because so many stars are wearing them now. You can wash them, dry them, flat iron them, curl them — anything you do to your hair you can do to the feathers. If you take good care of them, they can last up to three months. One feather is $10, or three for $25.”
Whatever your pleasure — food, fun or shopping — the Seaboard Festival has something for all tastes.
— Staff Writer Kelli Easterling can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 18, or by email at keasterling@heartlandpublications.com
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