The Sack Race was a highlight of the morning

Peanut Parade Marches Edenton Into Fall ...

The rain held off Saturday as Edenton welcomed the spirit of fall when the 51st annual Peanut Parade and Festival brought runners, tractors, colorful floats and families together for a day celebrating community and Chowan County’s agricultural heritage.  

Spectators settled into folding chairs, blanketed tailgates and gathered along Broad Street for the parade that followed the start of the 7:00 a.m. nut run start, award ceremony and peanut sack races. Kids of all ages took part in the sack races. Classic tractors and antique cars rolled past curbside spectators lining the street from the start of the parade at JAH to the waterfront.

The parade has become a signature town event since its rebirth last year as the town celebrates the crop that is not only grown, but processed here.  

As is tradition, the tractors showed up. A bright green John Deere and a gleaming red Farmall carrying an American flag offered reminders of the farming traditions at the heart of the festival. A yellow classic Corvette with a black roof and flame accents added another splash of color to the procession.

Children brought their own energy and imagination. Young marchers in red, white and blue accompanied a patriotic entry featuring a large American flag. On the Team WOW float, children dressed as firefighters, medical professionals and other community helpers rode behind railings draped with peanut plants. Its message, “Empowering Our Future, Rooted in Our Community,” connected the next generation with the agricultural roots being celebrated.

The returning Senior Center Line dancers were also part of the parade lineup, adding to a tradition that brings generations together along the downtown route.

Saturday’s activities began well before the parade with the return of the Nut Run. The 10K was scheduled for 7 a.m., followed by the 5K at 8:30 a.m., with a 15K Challenge available to ambitious runners taking on both races. The courses highlighted historic downtown Edenton and the surrounding farmland, home to generations of peanut growers.

Runners gathered waterside in Elizabeth Vann Moore park for to receive awards before the parade, with participants sporting medals, first place winners carrying cans of peanuts while posing for photographs.

The Nut Run’s 15K Nutty Challenge tested runners who completed both the 10K and 5K races, with their combined times determining the standings. Mark Cagle, 57, of Belhaven, captured first place overall in 1:04:31.46. Edenton’s Ryland Elliott, 38, finished second in 1:06:33.52, followed by Stafford Beasley, 32, of Windsor, in 1:06:43.31.

Edenton’s Jennifer Struchen, 54, led the women’s division with a combined time of 1:23:30.95, placing eighth overall. Jill Moncla, 33, of Elizabeth City, took second among women in 1:24:48.24, while Julie Stutts, 52, of Rocky Mount, finished third in 1:35:43.81

This year also introduced five parade awards recognizing creativity, agricultural pride and community spirit. Categories include the Grand Peanut Award for best overall entry; the Peanut Butter Cup Award for sweetest entry; the Peanut Patch Award for best agricultural entry; the Nuttiest Entry Award for most fun or spirited entry; and the Peanut in the Rough Award for most unexpected entry.

Parade category results are still being tabulated, with winners to be announced Wednesday, Oct. 7.

THE COLONIAL MARKET

Beyond the parade, the day’s lineup offered activities throughout town. The Cupola Colonial Market in the Cupola Gardens featured artisan vendors, antiques, pewter and artwork.

Festival activities on King Street and the Courthouse Green included live music, while the waterfront offered opportunities to see Edenton from the water aboard the Albemarle Queen and Capt. Mark’s electric launch, the Liber-Tea.

Broad Street’s independent shops and the Edenton Farmers Market on North Broad Street provided more opportunities to browse, shop and meet local merchants, growers and vendors.

The afternoon schedule continued with the Battle of the Bands at John A. Holmes High School, bringing local and regional marching bands together for the 2 p.m. competition.

Sponsored by Main Street Edenton and Visit Edenton, the Peanut Parade carried a familiar tradition into its 51st year. From peanut plants woven into a children’s float to classic tractors traveling Broad Street, Saturday’s procession celebrated the connections among farming, family and community that give the festival its character.

The fall edition of The Edenton Social Light print edition, available in the little red boxes on Broad St. this coming Saturday, features one of Edenton’s premier businesses, Hampton Farms.  

Beneath a white tent glowing with strings of lights, the Chowan Arts Council celebrated its 50th anniversary Saturday evening, Oct. 3, with a Golden Gala that brought art, friendship and community spirit together.

The celebration, which began at 6 p.m., under the pleasant patter of tent muffled raindrops, marked a half-century of encouraging creativity and supporting the arts in the Chowan community. Guests gathered around tables decorated with colorful flowers, sharing an evening that honored the council’s history while looking toward its future.

Art held a prominent place in the celebration, with framed pieces and other works displayed around the tent. The auction brought an especially lively element to the celebration, as smiling guests raised numbered bidding cards from their tables as Colorado Joe's rhythmic chant encouraged enthused the bidders into healthy bids. Bare walls may be a thing of the past for some, crowded galleries for others. Those moments captured the evening’s blend of enjoyment and support for the council.

Between the artwork, the decorated tables and the the enjoyable look on the guest's faces, the gala offered a picture of the community helping to sustain a local arts organization. It was an occasion to appreciate creative talent and the people whose enthusiasm keeps the arts part of everyday life.

The council’s invitation had promised “an elegant evening honoring our past and inspiring our future.” Saturday’s gathering brought that theme to life, pairing a golden anniversary celebration with a shared interest in the organization’s next chapter.

For an organization devoted to art, culture and community, reaching 50 years is a significant milestone. The anniversary offered an opportunity to reflect on the value of bringing people together and encouraging artistic expression. 

With its Golden Gala, the Chowan Arts Council celebrated five decades of creativity and the community support that will help carry its work into the years ahead.

When the floats and tractors finished their journey down Broad Street Saturday, visitors kept the celebration going with a stop at the Cupola House Colonial Market. It turned out to be another amazing shopping experience on Broad St.  where shopping among the creative artisans turned into lengthy conversation.

The fourth annual market was organized by the Cupola House Association in conjunction with Edenton’s Peanut Festival weekend, the event offered a convenient place to browse before and after the parade.

Beneath vendor canopies, tables displayed jewelry, artwork, books and decorative items. The Cupola House Association displayed kitchen towels almost too pretty to use. Old North Pewter offered a number of pieces with a story to tell. Seasonal wreaths hung overhead at the Edenton Woman’s Club booth, where necklaces, bracelets and earrings invited a closer look. Members wearing club aprons greeted visitors amid displays that ranged from framed art to holiday decorations.

Nearby, Julia Townsend of The Peanut Factory offered a creative example of giving discarded materials a second life. Green, amber and clear drinking glasses made from recycled bottles stood in rows beside mesh bags of tumbled glass. A sign explained that the organization recycled Edenton’s glass waste into drinking glasses, connecting local craftsmanship with resourcefulness.

The market also gave its youngest visitors an opportunity to create something of their own. At a craft table, children leaned over brown paper bags, carefully adding decorations with colorful markers. Stickers, yarn and a basket of beads spread across the table offered plenty of possibilities, while adults helped nearby.

Those small moments added to the market’s appeal: children concentrating on their projects, shoppers examining jewelry and neighbors pausing to talk beneath the canopies.

GFWC Edenton’s Woman’s Club First Vice President Karen Parks offered one of the high points of the market. Ham and Biscuit sandwiches, prepared by Jerry Parks disappeared as rapidly as they were offered.  

Before the event, organizers reported that vendor participation had grown each year and anticipated filling the garden to capacity. Saturday’s varied displays offered visitors opportunities to find a gift, or simply enjoy browsing.

The historic surroundings gave the marketplace a character of its own. Built in 1758 by Francis Corbin, the Cupola House overlooks Edenton Bay. Its preservation grew from a community effort in 1918, and the restored house and formal gardens provided a fitting backdrop for an event that brought local organizations, vendors and families together.

With the 51st annual Peanut Parade traveling south along Broad Street toward the waterfront, the market was a natural next stop. Its afternoon hours gave parade goers time to linger and explore.

Across downtown, the festival’s lineup also included the Farmers Market, educational booths and food trucks on East King Street, and “Peanuts on Porches” musical performances near the Courthouse Green.

Edenton’s waterfront became a colorful village of tents and bicycles Thursday, Oct. 8, as 850 cyclists stopped overnight during Cycle North Carolina’s Mountains to Coast Ride.

Orange, yellow, green and gray tents dotted the grass beneath waterfront trees, while rows of bicycles filled temporary racks nearby. Folding chairs, duffel bags and towels draped over railings added the familiar touches of camp life to the historic setting.

For one evening, Edenton was home to a traveling community making its way across North Carolina, one day’s ride at a time.

The cyclists’ average age was 62, and the oldest participant was an 89-year-old man making the journey on a traditional bicycle. Some riders chose motor-assisted bicycles to help them along the route, but all shared the experience of exploring the state on two wheels.

The 2026 tour, the event’s 27th annual ride, followed a seven-day route from Mount Airy to Hatteras Island, Oct. 4–10. Overnight host communities included Eden, Hillsborough, Henderson, Weldon, Edenton and Manteo, giving participants a succession of places to discover along the way.

Eirenne Mizell, director of the Tourism Development Authority, coordinated Edenton’s stop with Cycle North Carolina. Timmy Turner of Main Street Edenton assisted Mizell with the day’s activities.

Along the waterfront, the practical business of settling in unfolded as cyclists arranged their gear, tended to bicycles and prepared their tents. Some bikes rested upside down beside campsites, their wheels pointing skyward. Others hung neatly from long racks near bicycle service tents.

Behind the scenes, an equipment team helped keep the traveling community rolling. At each evening’s stop, the crew repaired and maintained participants’ bicycles, working through the night to have them ready for the next day’s ride.

Two large semitrailers equipped with showers were parked in the waterfront park parking lot, giving riders a welcome opportunity to wash away a day on the road. Nearby, cyclists gathered on a deck overlooking the encampment, while tents and camp chairs occupied grassy stretches against a backdrop of historic brick buildings.

The scene illustrated how much travels with a bicycle tour of this size: equipment, support services and the temporary households riders establish at each overnight stop.

Although the daily distances require stamina, Mountains to Coast is a recreational trek rather than a race. The event follows scenic back roads, with an emphasis on experiencing North Carolina while promoting physical fitness and good health.

Fully stocked rest stops, support vehicles and mechanical assistance help keep participants moving. Turn-by-turn directions, Ride with GPS navigation, road markings and signs guide cyclists through the changing landscape.

The ride began in 1999 with a two-week journey from Murphy to Manteo. Since then, its changing routes have brought overnight visits to more than 110 North Carolina towns and carried cyclists through more than 800 communities.

That approach makes the host towns part of the experience. In Edenton, riders could step away from their bicycles and find themselves beside the water, within walking distance of downtown and surrounded by the town’s history.

Friday’s route led onward to Manteo, with Hatteras Island the final destination Saturday. Another cycling group is expected to visit Edenton for a three-day event in April 2027, bringing another opportunity to welcome riders to town.

For Thursday night, however, the journey paused in Edenton, where two wheels and a tent were enough to make a temporary home along the waterfront.

NC State Representative Ed Goodwin presented Edenton Town Manager Corey Gooden with a check for $250,000 on Thursday, October 15, in support of Edenton’s public safety infrastructure. 

The state budget allocation includes $125,000 for the Edenton Fire Department. The funds will be used to advance the development of construction, design and engineering plans for a proposed fire station and emergency services training facility at 115 Hicks St.. The Police Department’s $125,000 allocation will be used to replace aging patrol vehicles. 

“The $250,000 in grant funding represents an important investment in Edenton’s public safety infrastructure. For our Police Department, the funding will allow us to replace aging patrol vehicles with modern, reliable equipment that will improve officer safety, enhance daily operations, and support employee morale and recruitment efforts. For the Fire Department, this funding will advance the development of a world-class Fire Station and Emergency Services Training Facility,” said Gooden. “ By supporting the preparation of design and construction documents for the Fire Department, this investment will move the project closer to becoming shovel-ready and position the Town to pursue future construction funding,”

Gooden expressed the Town of Edenton’s Mayor and Town Council, Administration, Police Department, and Fire Department are extremely grateful for Representative Goodwin’s continued support and commitment to our community.

“We sincerely appreciate Representative Goodwin’s recognition of Edenton’s needs and continued efforts to help our community strengthen essential public safety services. This investment will have a lasting impact on our employees, residents, and the future of Edenton,” said Gooden. 

The numbers are impressive. The accomplishments have contributed to Edenton's growing popularity. Nearly $9.2 million in public and private downtown investment was reported in Main Street Edenton’s annual update to the Edenton Town Council Tuesday evening, along with progress on redevelopment projects and plans for a new public park.

Mayor Hackney High introduced Executive Director Ches Chesson, who outlined the nonprofit’s work and explained its finances, board structure and oversight of Project Teapot.

Chesson said the presentation also responded to public comments and questions about providing more frequent updates on the organization’s activities.

The organization’s accompanying report listed $4,885,200 in public investment and $4,302,200 in private investment downtown. It also recorded three facade improvements, three building improvements and a net gain of seven jobs.

Volunteers contributed 795 hours, valued at approximately $24,000, through 12 volunteer events, according to the report.

Main Street Edenton’s work centers on economic development through historic preservation, with programming organized around preservation, innovation and cultivation, Chesson said.

The organization has increased its facade grant budget from $6,000 last year to $10,000 this year. Building and business owners can apply for a $2,000 matching grant for exterior improvements, including awnings, window treatments and painting.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, Chesson said, and the organization hopes to continue expanding the program.

Several downtown projects are moving forward, although Chesson was cautious about predicting completion dates.

The Court Street parking area opened earlier this week, with parking lot striping still being finished. An elevator remains the final step in completing the building associated with Project Teapot.

Chesson said the goal is for Provalus to have staff working in the building by the end of October, but he stopped short of promising a completion date after earlier expectations had not been met.

Edenton Commons, the event venue at 213 S. Broad St., is under construction, with a target of completing the first floor by Dec. 1 and opening before the end of the year, he said.

Main Street Edenton is also developing plans for a pocket park at 207 S. Broad St. Conceptual designs have been prepared, and the organization is working on a capital campaign to pay for the project.

The proposed park would provide a public gathering space, restrooms on that side of Broad Street and a connection between Broad Street and the Court Street parking area.

Chesson said the working name is the Little Park, emphasizing that it would be an urban park rather than a parking lot.

Downtown parking remains a recurring topic at quarterly merchant meetings. With the Port Street project opening, Main Street Edenton plans to introduce signs directing motorists to parking areas away from Broad Street.

Chesson said discussions with the police chief include possible enforcement of downtown parking limits. Any changes would follow a period of directing motorists to available parking and educating the public, he said.

Financial transparency was another focus of the presentation.

Chesson said the organization had received its annual financial report from its accountant and was preparing its Form 990, the federal filing required of tax-exempt nonprofits. The filing will be available to the public upon request and posted online once filed, he said.

Main Street Edenton’s revenue comes from the town’s contribution, sponsorships, grants, private donations and event income.

The accompanying financial summary listed total revenues of $467,819 and expenses of $375,953. Government funding was listed at $200,000, with sponsorships providing $58,950 and grants $31,542.

The town’s support helps stabilize the budget while the organization builds other revenue sources, Chesson said. A goal is to develop events that produce net income that can be put back into programming.

Expenses include events, advertising, facade grants, special projects, payroll and professional services. Accounting and legal work are outsourced, and training helps the two-person staff keep up with its responsibilities, he said.

Chesson also explained Main Street Edenton’s role as developer and manager of Project Teapot. Project Teapot LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the nonprofit and is associated with the project’s New Markets Tax Credit financing.

Project funds are held in a separate account that Main Street Edenton cannot directly access, he said. Monthly payment applications, compliance documents and draw requests must be submitted before funds are released to an operating account to pay contractors. Construction consultants also review the work and payment requests.

The organization’s board combines appointed seats representing public and community organizations with elected members serving staggered two-year terms. Chesson said board members review and sign conflict-of-interest statements annually.

Main Street Edenton has also helped Edenton become a certified North Carolina music destination. Its website will provide information on music venues, performances and local musicians.

Looking ahead, downtown trick-or-treating is scheduled for Oct. 31. The 2027 calendar includes Boogie on Broad April 16, Rockfish May 15 and the Peanut Festival Oct. 2.

Chesson said Boogie on Broad typically draws 2,500 to 3,000 people downtown. About 65 to 70 percent of this year’s Nut Run participants came from out of town, he said.

The organization also tracks volunteer hours, new businesses, jobs and public and private investment for its annual state report. Chesson credited event coordinator Timmy Turner’s volunteer meetups with helping connect residents to local nonprofits and opportunities to participate.

Chesson, Turner  and Main Street's progress has been monumental over the past years and is the envy of neighboring communities and throughout eastern North Carolina counties. The organization and its leaders received high praise at the annual NC Main Street Conference on both the regional and state wide stage increasing Edenton's reach and reputation as a charming, inviting, destination town.

Simple request becomes a major woodworking project for Lucas Belton

When Lucas Belton received a call from John A. Holmes High School asking whether he could build a frame for some sports memorabilia, the request sounded straightforward.

Then came the jerseys, awards and trophies — enough to require a box truck to transport the multi framed collection to his studio.

For Belton, the owner and artist behind Rustic to Reclaimed, the assignment grew into a massive woodworking project using 1,000 feet of cypress. The result is a collection of substantial wooden frames designed to protect and bring order to the school’s athletic history.

These are frames within frames. Individually framed jerseys and awards slide into larger protective wooden surrounds, with the collection divided into sections by category. The design brings pieces of different sizes and styles together within a consistent framework while retaining their individual presentations.

Spread across Belton’s studio, the finished sections reveal the scale of the undertaking. Long rows of awards sit alongside broad displays holding several jerseys. Stacks of completed frames rise beside piles of lumber, their warm brown finish highlighting the sweeping grain of the cypress.

The wood provides a striking border for the Aces’ blue and gold, the white jerseys of East-West All-Star participants, and college and professional uniforms represented in the collection.

Among the pieces is a red Atlanta Falcons jersey bearing the name Chesson and the number 81. Its accompanying plate identifies Wes Chesson and his years as a wide receiver from 1971 to 1974. Nearby are framed Aces football jerseys, each with its own identifying plaque.

The collection also reaches beyond the football field. A swimming display includes blue racing shorts, a yellow cap, a medal and a photograph honoring James “Ches” Chesson’s 2008 state championship in the 100-yard freestyle. Other sections hold rows of conference awards recognizing team achievements.

Together, the pieces tell a story of individual accomplishment and shared school pride. Names, numbers, photographs and awards connect the athletes who wore the uniforms with the teams and community they represented.

Accommodating that variety required more than repeating a single frame design. Belton’s wooden surrounds had to fit everything from large jersey displays to smaller award plaques, creating sections suited to the contents while giving the overall collection a unified appearance.

What began with a phone call about a frame became a project measured in a truckload of memorabilia and 1,000 feet of cypress.

For Belton, the finished work puts his craftsmanship around another kind of handiwork: the athletic legacy built by generations of Edenton Aces.

Shrimp by the Bay hosted a tent filling crowd.

Shrimpers, of sorts, gathered from far away towns to enjoy the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce annual Shrimp by the Bay shrimp feed. Huge plates of perfectly prepared shrimp along with standard accompaniments were enjoyed by just short of 300 guests.

The yearly event has become a friends, neighbors and family tradition.

This year the event snuck in just before the rain dampened many spirits over the weekend. Saturday’s storm blew through Edenton earlier on Saturday morning, clearing sidewalks of window shoppers and proved to be a lengthy washing. The Edenton Farmers Market opened to a supportive umbrella toting crowd.

After last week’s Taste of the Inner Banks and this week’s Shrimp by the Bay, the courthouse green will be closed for a time to those seeking a gathering. Courthouse green culinary events have slowed down. However, for those concerned about next weekend’s meal, St. Ann’s is holding a take out only Fried Chicken Dinner Sale on Saturday Oct. 24 from 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. TAKE OUT ONLY...