[EXPIRED] Special Events in Elizabeth City, NC, AICW Alternate Route Statute Mile 50
So many wonderful attractions to lure you to Elizabeth City, the friendliest-to-boaters community on the Waterway!. A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, these fine folks always have a full calendar of events to entertain and enlighten! Elizabeth City and Mariner’s Wharf are located at the southern end of the Dismal Swamp Canal.
IN THIS ISSUE
From the Chairman
July-August 2015
It’s summer in Elizabeth City! For those who live here, it’s a season to unwind, catch up with friends and head down to the river to catch a cool breeze and an outdoor event. For visitors, it’s the perfect time of year for a road trip, and we’d love for you to join us for a wonderful summer lineup. In this issue of The Wayfarer, read all about our fabulous Fourth of July fireworks show, an Elizabeth City tradition; the Mariner’s Wharf Film Festival, with classic American films; the Music on the Green Festival series, showcasing our talented hometown bands; and the arrival of the historic Chesapeake Buyboats reunion tour. The summer bridal season is in full swing, so make sure you view an elegant exhibit that just opened at the Museum of the Albemarle: I DO! Weddings in the Albemarle, 1831-2015. After all that fun, you’ll probably be ready for a tasty bite and a good night’s rest. We’ve got that covered too. Just check our food and lodging guides, or call the Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Center for details at 1-866-ECity-4U. Looking forward to seeing you by the water’s edge!
Abel Sutton
Chairman, Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Development Authority
Spend a Fabulous Fourth in Elizabeth City
Nothing says Fourth of July like a bang-up fireworks display, and the Elizabeth City Parks and Recreation Department really know how to put on a show! Join us on Saturday, July 4 beginning at 6 p.m. at Waterfront Park for live music, tasty foods, sack races, corn hole games, bucket pong and a watermelon eating contest. Then as the sun sets, kick back on your beach blanket and get ready for a star-spangled event as fireworks bloom over the Pasquotank River. Oh, if you have a boat, all the better. You can view the spectacle from our free public docks at beautiful Mariners’ Wharf. It’s all right here in Elizabeth, so plan to celebrate the Fourth with us!
Say Yes to the I DO! Wedding Exhibit Now Open at MOA
Expect to find something old, new, borrowed and blue when viewing I DO! Weddings in the Albemarle, 1831-2015, now open at the Museum of the Albemarle. This stunning exhibition features more than 100 wedding garments, accessories and other items that illustrate the area’s traditions over nearly two centuries. Among the treasures on view: a 1920s-era wedding gown and six-piece French hand-painted trousseau; ensembles worn by a bride and groom in 1884; and an original cornice and photograph of a most generous wedding gift presented to Ivy Blades Robinson, by her father William Blades, in 1914-a Neo-Classical Revival style home which stands today at 201 E. Main Street in Elizabeth City. The exhibit will also explore traditions from bouquets and the exchange of wedding rings, to the honeymoon location. To complement I DO!, the Museum Gift Shop is showcasing many one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, as well as beautiful books on wedding styles and hand-crafted items to decorate a wedded couple’s new home. There’s even a special Wedding Experience interactive space to help wishful visitors plan their own dream wedding, from trying on gowns and tuxedoes to choosing china selections and icing a cake! Your presence is requested. Say yes to I DO! and visit the Museum of the Albemarle soon.
Good Times on the Green
It’s a fact. Elizabeth City residents love to socialize, especially in the summer when the sun goes down. That’s when you’ll find locals and visitors alike gathered along the green at Mariners’ Wharf. If it’s June or July, they are taking in a flick on an outdoor screen at the Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival. With a focus on classic American films, the 2015 festival opened with “Summer Stock,” “Rio Grande” and “Key Largo,” among other enduring films. The July lineup includes “Edge of the City” (July 2), “The Awful Truth” (July 14), “A Stolen Life” (July 21) and the original 1940 production of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” (July 28). Showtime is at 8:30 p.m., and admission is free. In August, you’ll find crowds grooving to the sounds of the Music on the Green Festival. Showcasing homegrown bands (Elizabeth City has quite a few), the festival kicks off July 29 with Bobby Plough & Friends and continues for nine consecutive Tuesday evenings through Sept. 23 from 6-8 p.m. This season boasts an eclectic lineup of artists and genres including Mid Life Crisis Band, Brown Sugar, The Million Watt Sons and Bahia Caliente Tradoc, the U.S. Army TRADOC salsa band, plus more. Check the online schedule for all the details. Summer’s here! So grab a blanket or lawn chair, and mosey on over to Mariners’ Wharf. Whether you seek a film, live music or a cool river breeze, Elizabeth City’s got you covered!
Elizabeth City to Host Historic Chesapeake Buyboats Tour, Aug. 5-7
For the past decade, members of the Chesapeake Buyboat Association have taken its fleet of historic fishing boats to the water in an annual reunion tour, with stops at selected ports of call that connect to the Chesapeake Bay. Elizabeth City will be a featured stop on this year’s 11th annual tour, Aug. 5-7, offering the public a rare chance to view 10 of the historic boats and learn about their origin. The graceful wooden vessels, also known as deck or oyster boats, were prevalent in the Chesapeake Bay and North Carolina sounds in the early-to-mid 20th century. Providing a time-saving service between the oyster fisherman and the processing houses, buyboat owners cruised to where the fisherman worked on the water, loaded their boats with the freshly-caught bivalves and headed directly to the shucking houses to drop off that day’s catch. This year’s reunion tour will begin in Poquoson, Va., and make its way to Elizabeth City via the historic Dismal Swamp Canal. The boats will be docked along the downtown waterfront at Mariners’ Wharf, Aug. 5-7, and open to the public to view on Thursday, Aug. 6 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
EC Spotlight: Andy Montero 
Restaurant owner and chef, Andy Montero is a man about town. When he’s not whipping up mahi and crab étouffée or ratatouille lasagna at Montero’s, an Elizabeth City landmark, he’s catering social events, serving on community boards or raising funds to support neighborhood schools. Now, Montero’s fans can learn more about his rise as a restauranteur and try out a few of his recipes, featured in a new book, Chefs of the Coast: Restaurants and Recipes from the North Carolina Coast. Written by restaurant reviewer and food critic John E. Batchelor, the publication is part guide book, part cook book, covering popular dining spots from Corolla to New Bern. Look for Montero’s recipes for shrimp and grits with Andouille sausage, as well as gingered salmon. Then plan a visit to Elizabeth City to sample these signature dishes for yourself! Chances are, you’ll see Montero too. Like we said, he’s a man about town.
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