THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 28, 1996 TAG: 9606280461
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WANCHESE LENGTH: 79 lines
Tour a commercial fishing trawler and see how your seafood supper was caught. Tie a string around a blue crab's claw and watch it crawl through a wooden maze. Or sample shark, squid and other strange creatures prepared by Roanoke Island cooks.
These are just some of the free activities people will be able to enjoy at the 14th annual Wanchese Seafood Festival.
Starting at 11 a.m. Saturday with the blessing of the fleet and continuing until 5 p.m. at North Carolina Seafood Industrial Park, this is the biggest annual event held in the fishing village at the end of N.C. Route 345.
For one day, the town gathers under four white tents to celebrate watermen's life at sea, the bounty of the Atlantic and crafts, music and cheer of the Outer Banks.
``It's really a community affair, and everything is donated by volunteers,'' park director Rod Perry said Thursday from his office overlooking the Wanchese harbor. ``It's a lot of fun. There's a lot going on. And it's really an education itself just to be here.''
Founded to draw attention to shoaling problems at Oregon Inlet and shed light on the local commercial fishing community, the festival is sponsored by the Oregon Inlet Users Association, the Dare County Tourist Bureau and North Carolina Sea Grant. It is a non-profit event, with proceeds being turned over to the festival committee to plan the next year's celebration. Over the years, its scope has expanded considerably to include art, games and activities to entertain almost everyone.
The heart of the festival is still commercial fishing. Three local ministers from area Methodist, Presbyterian and Assembly of God churches begin the day's events by blessing the fishing fleet. An 85-foot trawler will be tied to the docks so people can tour the boat and see how watermen net their catches miles out at sea. A commercial seafood processing plant also will be open for tours so visitors can learn how fish are processed and packaged. Commercial nets, lines, hooks and other gear will be displayed and explained. Boats and marine engines will line the harbor. And under-utilized seafood products will be prepared for free taste-testing.
In addition to commercial vessels, the captain of local head boat The Crystal Dawn will offer free tours around the picturesque harbor at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. Officers with the U.S. Coast Guard will guide visitors around their 120-footbuoy tender boat. And officials with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries will show how they plant oyster beds from the deck of their state-owned ship.
For landlubbers, seven musical acts will fill two stages all day, offering free entertainment and playing tunes from folk to gospel to country. Artists will fill more than 50 booths, exhibiting their skills and selling their creations. And the Coast Guard will demonstrate an air-sea rescue at 1 p.m.
Children can enjoy a ``moon bounce'' tent, play games and walk the planks of the harbor and boats. The annual flounder toss was canceled this year because of complaints from animal rights activists. But the crab race - always a favorite - is still being staged, with live crabs being provided for all participants.
The only activity that costs money is the seafood meal. Adults pay $10, and children 12 and under pay $5 each to enjoy a smorgasbord of shrimp, fish, clam strips, hush puppies, coleslaw, potato salad, iced tea and all the steamed crabs they can eat. The massive meal is prepared by the Wanchese Lions Club and is served under the most popular tent in the place.
``We'll hold this event, rain or shine, on Saturday,'' said Sea Grant spokesman Rich Novak, who has helped plan all 14 Wanchese seafood festivals. ``We're expecting 5,000 to 8,000 people at least. In addition to the usual displays, booths and activities, there's a lot of new stuff going on this year.'' ILLUSTRATION: WANCHESE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL
The 14th annual Wanchese Seafood Festival will be held from 11 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Saturday at North Carolina Seafood Industrial Park in
Wanchese, off Route 345, on Roanoke Island. All activities are free.
The seafood feast costs $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and
under.
Entertainment will be offered throughout the day by a variety of
musicians, sponsored by WNHW Carolina 92 FM. Local radioman Ken
Mann's band ``Capt.'s Crew'' will kick off the tunes at 11:30 a.m.
with folk, country and gospel renditions.
For more information, call (919) 441-8144, 473-2138 or
1-800-446-6262. by CNB