VANCEBORO – Tradition and innovation combined to make the 28th annual Vanceboro Strawberry Festival one to remember for dozens working for civic and charity
groups here on Saturday as hundreds played and made those efforts pay. Strawberries from local growers were abundant this year and could be eaten on shortcake, in ice cream, on funnel cake or one berry at a time. Saturday’s festivities, after a Friday night womanless beauty pageant, began with a parade led by the town’s new police chief, William Turner, who has been on the job for just three days. The 125-unit parade took a slightly new route this year, adding N.C. 43 to the typical Main Street procession. Winds were brisk, but mild temperatures and sunshine kept people coming until a mid-afternoon shower sent them away at about the time event planners had expected to wind down. “We may have a fund-raiser tomorrow and sell the rest,” said Katherine Morris, one of the youth group leaders helping out. Proceeds help finance the group’s summer mission trip to Eastern Shore, Va., said Jonathan Gladson of Vanceboro, as he and Meghan Crews of Beach Grove plopped berries and whipped topping onto shortcake cooked by “the ladies of the church.” White’s Farm strawberries were offered by the pound by Beach Grove Methodist Church Boy Scout Troop 97, which will also use its profits from berries and things like watermelon slices and popcorn to help send members to summer events.
Mike Smith, volunteer coach for the West Craven High School Hunter Safety group, said profits from their booth’s sales of chili cheese fries, nachos and baked goods help pay to teach shotgun, .22 rifle and bow safety and compass skills.