O
N THE WATERFRONT
The sun is coming to the Crystal Coast, and along with it comes the festivals, celebrations and excitement of spring. With so much to do, and so little time, we’ve made it easy for you to get a snapshot of some of the area’s largest spring offerings. Now, all you have to do is free up a little time, go outside and have some fun along the Crystal Coast. KINGS, QUEENS & PORK ON THE GRILL
SPRING PARADE OF HOMES
Claiming the title of the US’s largest whole hog barbecue cooking competition, the Newport Pig Cookin’ Contest has put the “Town with Old-Fashioned Courtesy” on the map. And on Friday and Saturday, April 1-2, the smell of pork will once again fill the air at Newport Park for its 32nd year. The event runs from 4pm to midnight on Friday and from 8am to 5pm on Saturday, offering a family-friendly array of carnival rides, arts and crafts, bake sales, live music and, of course, an abundance of barbecue to share with hungry diners. The fun begins on Friday with a parade through downtown Newport as the teams begin setting up their rigs for the busy night of cooking ahead. The pork simmers through the night and is judged in the morning, just in time to have plates available for lunch. On opening night, you won’t want to miss the excitement as boys and girls ages 3 and up compete for the Newport Pig Cookin’ King and Queen crowns. The park is open from 8am-5pm on Saturday and barbecue plates go on sale around 11am with sides of hushpuppies, slaw and beans for just $6, or in bulk (when available) at $6 per pound. Vendors, carnival rides and live entertainment rings out throughout the afternoon. Awards are handed out mid-day to the top 10 competitors and there are always a few surprises in the results. Admission is free and all money raised from the barbecue sales goes to nonprofit organizations. Since 1978 the event has raised about $700,000 for the community, benefiting various sports teams, school booster groups, churches, Scout groups and more.
As winter transitions into spring, folks will find great opportunities to get outside and start moving again in the two homes tours slated for the area in April. New Bern kicks off tour season April 8-9 with its Spring Historic Homes and Gardens Tour, featuring 13 homes and gardens that played a role in the town’s past and present. Patrons will be able to tour the living quarters of these homes, learning about the original architecture, renovations and furnishings. In addition, many downtown houses of worship will be open for tours, with some offering musical performances throughout the two-day tour. Be sure to stop by the Olde Pinnix Drug Store, across the street from the old train depot at Hancock and Queen streets, where you can grab a homemade bagged lunch to go or enjoy it in a quant tea room setting. Advanced tickets can be purchased for $15. Call 252-628-8558 for phone orders or visit newbernhistorical.org. The 14th annual Homes Tour, organized by the Friends of the Western Carteret Public Library, is planned for Saturday, April 16, and features six homes, including a renovated Cape Carteret “smart” house that incorporates ecofriendly technology and the elegant clubhouse at the Cannonsgate subdivision. New for this year on tour day will be a free Arts and Crafts Show and Sale at the Western Carteret Library coordinated by Liz Hutton. The Friends’ popular Book Cottage will be open, offering visitors an opportunity to browse for used books at bargain prices. The tours help fund projects such as a proposed $150,000 expansion slated to enclose the library’s front patio and double the
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