By Cynthia Nelson
Tabor City Chamber of Commerce EVP
The North Carolina Yam Festival is upon us!
Entries for the Sweet Potato Quality Contest will begin being accepted this Friday, Oct. 16. Youth and Adult Entries may be taken to the Tabor City Public Library located at 101 East Fifth Street from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Entries will also be accepted on Monday, October 19 from 8:30 until 9:00 a.m. Judging begins promptly at 9:30 a.m. Winners will be announced as soon as possible via Facebook.
We would love to have lots of entries for the Business and Residential Decorating Contest. All are encouraged to decorate. Our community looks so much more festive when everyone participates by decorating for the festival and for fall.
First, second, and third places will be awarded in Business and Residential categories. Let’s show our neighbors and visitors our town pride and community spirit! Please decorate.
Don’t forget that there is no theme, just our motto: “Let’s Have A Yam Good Time”. To enter, please call 910.377.3248 by 4 p.m. on Monday, October 19. Judging will begin shortly after 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
The Sweet Potato Cook Off is on Tuesday (Oct. 20) so brush up on your favorite recipes and enter! Ribbons and cash prizes will be awarded.
The Paint A Yam Man Class will take place on Tuesday night. This year a door hanger is the item to be painted. The fee is $25 and just a few spaces are available.
Wednesday is an event free day so we may catch a small breath and be ready to enjoy the rest of our week. Please plan to attend the church of your choosing for Wednesday night service.
Thursday night is always loads of fun with the Taste of Tabor. It will be held out at Sunnyfield Equestrian Farm again. The meal will be catered by MacDaddy’s BBQ and Country Cooking. Entertainment will be provided by JamieLynn and the Carolina SunSet band.
Tickets may be purchased at First Bank in downtown Tabor City or from the N.C. Yam Festival Office. The cost of tickets is listed on our website.
Get ready for a phenomenal time at the Yam Dance and Fall Bash on Friday night at the Lake Tabor Field and Park. Admission is free. The Friday Night Street Dance has been rolled into this event, so there is no street dance in town on Friday night before Yam Fest Saturday.
Saturday Oct. 24 is the BIG YAM DAY with the parade, lots of food and craft vendors plus more. There will be free entertainment, pie eating contest, free Kidszone, and more.
Our schedule of events is located on our website at ncyamfestival.com. Applications and event information may be found there as well. If you do not see what you are looking for, please call us at 910.377.3248 or 910.840.0292.
We always need volunteers! Please give us a call. For the festival to be a success this year and to continue in the future, we need our community’s help! We need more people to help, so our committee chairs don’t have to double up as co-chairs on a few events. We would love to have a separate chairperson for each event, so our folks do not get overloaded. Please give this much thought and reach out to lend a helping hand. 910.377.3248 or 910.840.0292.
Our local Chamber of Commerce tries to assist the N.C. Yam Festival as much as possible in August, September, and October. We will be sharing lots of Christmas event information in early November. We will be having our second annual plate sale fundraiser in November. Also, on Nov. 14, we will be hosting a Bass Tournament. More information on all the above in early November.
As always, should you wish to become a member of this Chamber of Commerce, please contact us by email at tccofc@yahoo.com or by phone at 910.377.3248 or 910.840.0292.
Our extended days of operation as the Yam Festival draws closer are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. If you need to speak with or meet with someone after 4:30, please call Cynthia Nelson at 910.840.0292. to get that scheduled.
We look forward to hearing from you. We are stronger and better together.
