Elizabeth City’s largest event, the North Carolina Potato Festival, is almost here. But did you know this three-day, finger-licking, ride-rollicking, music-loving tribute to the Albemarle area’s potato farmers started on a scale as small as a potato sprout? According to the book Legendary Locals of Elizabeth City, by Margie Berry, the Albemarle Potato Festival was first held in 1940 with a festival parade along Main Street and a beauty pageant that drew women from the 11-county area with hopes to wear the Potato Queen crown. The festival enjoyed a long run, continuing through the 1960s, but by 1970 it had played itself out. In 2008, the festival made a dramatic comeback when N.C. General Assembly passed legislation designating the event the North Carolina Potato Festival—— and it’s been held every year since. For this year’s event, May 20-22, festival organizers have embraced an outdoor theme in celebration of the 100th anniversary of North Carolina’s state parks. In addition to park-focused exhibits, festival-goers will nibble on home-cooked fries, cheer on the “Mister and Miss Tater Tot” contestants and eat their way through the mashed potato-eating contest. Mark your calendars and bring your appetite! It will soon be all things potato—— all weekend long in Elizabeth City. #DiscoverECity
Elizabeth City’s largest event, the North Carolina Potato Festival, is almost here. But did you know this three-day, finger-licking, ride-rollicking, music-loving tribute to the Albemarle area’s potato farmers started on a scale as small as a potato sprout?
