This October, thousands of people will descend on Morehead City, North Carolina, enticed by the delicious aromas emanating from myriad cooking pots during the North Carolina Seafood Festival.
This three-day celebration of the city's rich fishing heritage was founded in 1986. With its bands and boat shows, fireworks, craft merchants, carnival rides, and maritime history displays, there's plenty to do. But festival regular Sharon Lewis of Raleigh, North Carolina, sums up most attendees' plans when she declares, "I come to eat!"
Held each year during the first week in October (October 2-4 in 2009), the festival showcases the North Carolina coast's agreeable fall weather and plentiful harvest of fish, clams, crabs, shrimp, and oysters. From the beginning, local nonprofit groups have done most of the cooking. Vendors line Morehead City's dockside streets to dish up shrimp burgers, fish tacos, oyster po'boys, and seafood-stuffed potatoes.
Food vendors must serve seafood, most of it caught off North Carolina. After more than 20 years, nonprofit groups still man many cookers. Year after year, the same church members, students, veterans, and environmental advocates staff booths, lending a neighborly atmosphere. Visitors feel so at home, many have moved to Carteret County after attending a festival, says Stephanie McIntyre, executive director of the North Carolina Seafood Festival.
"You walk up and down the streets, and you see everybody you know working those booths." She adds with a laugh, "I've heard stories of people that met each other at the festival and got married."
Cooking and eating at the North Carolina Seafood Festival goes on Friday evening, all day Saturday, and most of Sunday. Appetites never seem to wane, and frozen fish sticks are long forgotten. "Once you've tasted fresh seafood," Stephanie McIntyre says, "you don't ever want to go back."
For more information about the North Carolina Seafood Festival—including recipes and photos—see page 36 of the August/September 2009 issue of Taste of the South magazine.
