Jeffrey Billips likely spoke for many in the record-breaking crowd attending the opening night of the three-day N.C. Potato Festival in Elizabeth City on Friday.
“We’re gonna have as much fun as we can tonight just in case the weather changes tomorrow,” Billips said as he and his wife guided three youngsters from one amusement ride to another.
Billips was talking about the weekend forecast which called for rain both Saturday and Sunday. Despite that threat, the rain almost completely held off, allowing the festival to go on as planned.
Debbie Malenfant, executive director of Elizabeth City Downtown, estimated about 33,000 people attended the Potato Festival over its three-day run, including the record-breaking Friday evening crowd. She attributed Friday’s large turnout to the fact many people were anticipating rain on Saturday.
“It rained up until just before noon on Saturday but skies were gray all day,” Malenfant said. “It didn’t rain Sunday and the crowd picked up.”
Both the National Potato Peeling and Little Miss Tater Tot contests went off Saturday morning without a hitch. Jeremy Meads won his third consecutive Potato Peeling title, besting eight other competitors with 8.07 pounds to win the 23rd annual event. Jazmyne Turner and Layna Pippens won the 3-5 and 6-8 age divisions, respectively, of the 18th annual Little Miss Tater Tot contest.
By Sunday, thousands had sampled the event’s amusement rides and carnival games, live entertainment, and, of course, food.
Tina Combs, who’s been attending the Potato Festival every May for at least a decade, said she attended both on Saturday and Sunday.
“It has been awesome, real nice,” she said Sunday. “I come just to be out here with the people.”
Combs said she doesn’t have a favorite ride or food at the festival; she just likes the event itself.
“It’s just good to have something to do. They (Potato Festival coordinators) need to continue it,” she said.
Cicely Wyatt brought her twin 15-year-old daughters, two 10-year-old nephews, and the boyfriend of one of her daughters to the festival on Sunday.
“We always come,” she said. “We come for the food and the young people come for the rides. I’m enjoying just sitting in the park.”
Wyatt also attended on Friday evening to watch the twins perform with the Pasquotank County High School jazz ensemble. The ensemble was the first of nearly 20 musical groups to perform at the festival.
Wyatt said she remembers before the Potato Festival added amusement rides being confined to Main Street.
“It’s one thing everybody knows is coming,” she said. “It gives families something fun to do. My daughter, Makayla, says it’s good to have something fun to do before end-of-the-year exams.”
Despite some sprinkling rain Saturday morning, festival attendees said they were enjoying themselves.
“This is my first time at the Potato Festival, and I’m very impressed with the set-up of everything,” said Samantha Brown, 24, of Norfolk, Virginia. “My favorite part has been the food, specifically the funnel cakes; they’re irresistible.”
Roger Williams, 56, of Currituck, couldn’t have agreed more.
“I’ve been coming to the Potato Festival for the past five years, and my favorite part is always the food,” he said. “But the overall atmosphere of the event is really what brings me joy.”
A number of kids also were enjoying themselves early Saturday.
“My favorite part was playing the games and winning teddy bears,” said 11-year-old Carter Robinson.
“I liked the marine animal crafts sold at one of the vending stations,” said 13-year-old Stephanie Clarke.
Colleen Wise-Ivins, an Elizabeth City native, said she has been bringing her oldest daughter, now 6, to the Potato Festival since she was 2. On Friday night, she marveled at how her daughter “had brought her courage” to the festival and was “moving from one ride to the other,” unafraid to try them all.
“It’s our time together when we come to the Potato Festival,” Wise-Ivins said. “I have a newborn at home so this night is all about her, Charlie.”
Brooklyn Brouwere, 11, said she and her family live in South Mills and were attending the festival for the first time. Her father is in the U.S. Navy and stationed in Virginia, she said. He’s about to be deployed so her family wanted her to have some special father-daughter fun this weekend before he leaves.
“I think this is pretty cool because it has rides an lots of activities,” she said. “We are making a lot of pictures today because he has to leave soon. I tried weightlifting at the U.S. Army tent — (lifting) 125 pounds — because I try to lift some weights at home sometimes.”
During the three-day festival’s opening ceremony at Mariners’ Wharf Park at 5:30 p.m., organizers and local officials thanked attendees for coming.
Camden County farmer Jeff Jennings, a member of the N.C. Potato Association Board, also thanked organizers.
“We thank Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County and everyone behind the scenes that makes this happen. It’s a great event,” he said. “Potatoes have been a big deal throughout this state, especially in the eastern part of the state for many years.”
Jennings noted that while there are now fewer families engaged in agriculture, those who remain continue to work, rain or shine, to do their job of growing the nation’s food and other commodities. He said that North Carolina continues to be the third most diverse state in agriculture, trailing only California and Florida in the number of different commodities it produces.
“That’s a pretty big deal,” he said. “We are now a $103 billion industry to the state of North Carolina so I’m going to give a big shoutout to our (N.C.) Department of Agriculture. They do a lot of things for us, all the commodity associations. We are in the top 10 in a lot of things in this state, this country with different commodities. ... On behalf of the state industry and the ag industry, together we appreciate everything everybody does for us.”
Mayor Kirk Rivers also thanked festival-goers for coming out.
“We are so excited because it gives us all something to do — from the tots all the way up to our seniors,” he said. “Come out (and) let’s enjoy this weekend, let’s have a great time, a spudtacular time.”
Charles Jordan, chairman of the Pasquotank Board of Commissioners, also thanked attendees. He said it’s important for folks to come out and support the Potato Festival, an event he said has a track record of success from its origins in the 1940s through the 1970s and its reemergence in 2008.
Correspondent Howie Smith contributed to this report.
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