Seaboard Festival

Hamlet, N.C., celebrates history

By Laura Mininno
Senior Staff Writer

Richmond County's largest annual celebration, the Seaboard Festival, was held in Hamlet on Oct 29.

The festival celebrates Hamlet's history as a railroad town and is scheduled on the last Saturday of October.

The citywide celebration had its debut in 1982 as a display of railroad memorabilia on Main Street.

Since then, the Seaboard Festival has grown and changed along with the community and brings over 20,000 visitors and more than 200 vendors each year.

"This festival is lots of fun," said Illya Lindsey of Pembroke, "We come out here every year."

Lindsey runs a concession booth at the festival along with her chef, Boyd.

They serve turkey legs, funnel cakes and ribbon fries to hungry patrons of the celebration.

Along with an extensive variety of foods to choose from, the festival offers music, dancing and crafts.

"The crafts are my favorite part," said Kathy Burrow, a biology teacher at Richmond High School.

The Seaboard Festival appeals to people from outside the Carolinas as well.

Elaine DeLise has been running a craft booth at the festival for eight years, and has only lived in North Carolina for nine.

"People here are nice," said DeLise. "It's just a pleasant place to go."

Walking down Main Street, one can hear the laughter, smell the home-cooked food and feel the excitement in the air as the festival clamors on.

Indeed, the annual party is a day that offers something for everyone.