Duke Homestead celebrates North Carolina's food history and culture July 11at "Pork, Pickles and Peanuts: Tastes of North Carolina." This free, family fun event focuses on everything that makes the state taste great with the highly competitive and extremely tasty annual Barbecue Cook-Off followed by the sweet treat that is the Pie Competition July 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Visitors can get a taste of the action themselves and help judge and vote for the very popular and much coveted People's Choice Award. Those who are interested can enter the pie competition on the Duke Homestead website. Don't forget to grab a bite from local peanut and pickle vendors. Amazing food isn't the only thing this festival is serving up as local arts and crafts vendors will be selling their wares.
This year's festival features six different North Carolina artists performing live onstage. All daylong Pork, Pickles, and Peanuts will be filled with live local music. The line-up is: 10 a.m. Penne Sandbeck, 10:40 a.m. Dan Heimsoth, 11:15 a.m. Ken Cleary, 11:50 a.m. Willa Brigham, 1 p.m. Joe Woodson and 1:45 p.m. Bruce Scism.
Also on the main stage, guests may catch the yearly favorite "1940s Tobacco Queen Mock Pageant." Featuring 1940s clothing and talents, this mock pageant is a light-hearted crowd favorite that leaves everyone wondering who will take home the crown.
Food continues to rule the day in the historic area as the site explores North Carolina's rich food history. There will be demonstrations of traditional pickling methods, a peanut boil and the favorite "Everything but the Oink" historic food program as costumed interpreters demonstrate traditional recipes for pork that garner reactions from "Oh my!" to "Smells great!" Children can try out 19th century games and toys, make and take a historic craft, and everyone will enjoy traditional banjo and fiddle music in the yard.
"Pork, Pickles and Peanuts: Tastes of North Carolina" is sponsored by LeafFilter™ North, Inc. For more information, please contact (919) 477-5498 or visit DukeHomestead.org. Duke Homestead is part of the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.