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Generations sharing bubble blowing knowledge – Grace Evans shows how it’s done at CroakerFest. ( Bernie Harberts photo )

Saturday July 4, 2009

The weather gods have delivered – mid 80s and low humidity for a July day in Oriental. Happy 4th!

The complete schedule to all Croaker festival goin’s on is here. MobileCam is out on duty today at the festival… the little red wagon with a cam is on Freemason Street, just across from Lou Mac park.

Friday July 3, 2009

The Croaker Festival officially kicks off today. While Saturday is the big day, events begin this afternoon – click here for the 2009 CroakerFest Schedule.

The festival is run by volunteers – and a few more are needed. Help the Croaker Booth this weekend – volunteer Janet Alexander writes:

Please come and help for at least an hour passing out programs and selling tshirts.

Times volunteers are needed:
Friday 12-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, and Saturday 3-4, 4-5, 5-6. Please see Kathy Guzzo at the Croaker Booth at the festival site.

Mom Nature has volunteered a fine forecast for the weekend – sunny and highs near 90 today and Saturday in the Oriental weather forecast.

A new business opens in Oriental today – it’s the Village Food Emporium on Broad St at Church, across from the Town Hall. The colorful sign is hard to miss. Bama Lutes Deal’s new business offers a menu of gourmet take out food – TownDock.net has the story.

Friday July 3, 2009

The Croaker Festival officially kicks off today. While Saturday is the big day, events begin this afternoon – click here for the 2009 CroakerFest Schedule.

The festival is run by volunteers – and a few more are needed. The Croaker Booth needs some help this weekend – volunteer Janet Alexander writes:

Please come and help for at least an hour passing out programs and selling tshirts.

Please see Kathy Guzzo at the Croaker Booth at the festival site.

Thursday July 2, 2009

Usually, the Oriental Farmers’ Market takes place on a Saturday, but with the Croaker Festivities and parade going on on Saturday morning, the farmers market is moving up a day this week. It’ll be happening tomorrow morning, Friday, July 3. It’s in the usual spot — the Wits End and the usual times — 7:30-10:30am, just a day early if you want to buy local produce and local bread and jams. The full list of what’s for sale is at OrientalFarmersMarket.com

You may also find a craft vendor or two at the market site on Saturday, but if its local food you want, Friday morning’s the time to visit the market.

Wednesday July 1, 2009

July. Yep. It’s here. The halfway point thru the year. And also just two more days before 2009’s Croakerfest begins. There are a bunch of things you can do to be part of the festivities…

Be in the Croaker parade when it rolls down Broad 10am Saturday morning. No charge to be in the parade. And signing up is painless… also, consider it your Good Samaritan deed to make Paul Fairbank’s phone ring… 249-0023. Or stop on by Village Hardware.

Sell at the Croakerfest Nautical Flea Market on Saturday. Booth space is free (but donation to the fireworks fund appreciated…) To reserve your shady spot, call Cindy at Marine Consignment of Oriental 252-249-3222 or email: marineconsignment @ embarqmail.com

Pass and Toss a Croaker in the Croaker Relay. The relay is at 8a Saturday before the parade. Just show up at Lupton Park playground at 7:30a to register.

Race in the Croaker Regatta Saturday afternoon. Call Paul Welles at 249-2001.

Earn a T-Shirt and beep-beep-beep your way thru the crowd as part of the Croaker Garbologist Team. Volunteer for your seat in the forklift. Call Candy Bohmert at 675-1411.

Bake a cake. Or pie. And get it to the Croaker Baking Contest judges by 4:30 Friday afternoon. (They’re also awarding prizes for yeast breads, quick breads, cheesecakes & cookies.)

Get some chairs ready to take down to Freemason and South where the Pamlico Community Band kicks things off at 4pm Friday. (That’s followed by the Pamlico Chorale, the Minnow and Croaker Queen Contests)

Buy your 2009 Croakerfest T-shirt. They’re on sale now at The Provision Company, Croakertown, Errands Plus, West Marine, World Wide Marine, County Compass.

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Can’t wait til the weekend for some festive action? The Drumming Dragons return to Lou Mac Park tonight for their weekly drum circle. Last week’s drew dancers and a gathering of spectators and the drummers welcome all back for another session by the riverside. Starts at 7p..and goes on for an hour or so….

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Meanwhile, Chris and Keri — CK Full Circle — play tonight at the Silos…

Monday June 29, 2009

A chance to dry out some more today. We have an Oriental Weather Forecast. with no mention of rain.

As you can see in today’s On-The-Cover photo, on Croakerfest Saturday mornings, it’s sopping wet at the corner of the Lupton Park playground. That’s because the fire hydrant is opened to give Croaker Relay runners an arc to run thru as they pass the croaker batons or hit the finish line.

This year, those Croaker batons are “Fish Named Sue”.. for long-time Oriental resident and artist, Sue Henry. For that story, click here…..

The rains held off during the day on Saturday when River Dunes held its Art By The Harbor sidewalk sale. That’s not to say it wasn’t hot — it was. Very. The camera didn’t melt, though and we’ll have some photos of the day, the artists and their work.