Sun Journal: September 19, 2013
New Bern’s largest outdoor festival — Mumfest — is less than a month away, with crowds of 90,000 expected to flood the city streets and waterfront Oct. 12 and 13.
More than 300 commercial and nonprofit exhibitors will be on hand with pottery, crafts and art, along with dozens of food booths.
The festival fits everyone’s budget, since it is two days of free entertainment, including live bands with music ranging from beach to barbershop, dance troupes, magicians, roving street performers, face painters and clowns.
In addition to all the free entertainment, there’s a riverfront amusement park with lots of ticketed rides.
Here is a glimpse at some of the other top attractions:
The Richard Childress Racing Team knows all about exciting rides, and title sponsor Joe Alcoke Auto and TruckCenter brings NASCAR to Mumfest with three famous stock cars — including the No. 3 of the late Dale Earnhardt.
Two simulators will allow fans to feel the racing experience.
Free family entertainment also features the X-POGO Stunt Team performing the most extreme pogo exhibitions in the world. The team has won several world championship titles in competition held in New York City.
Many favorites return, including comedian/stunt man Alex Clark; the Purina Incredible Dog Team; the Silver Drummer Girl; a huge model train show; New Bern Police’s K-9s and the Weller Kennels Labrador retriever demonstrations.
The 12th annual Mumfest Boat Show features coastal and offshore vessels on display in Union Point Park.
The N.C. Songwriters Co-op performs Oct. 13, sharing songwriting tips and critiquing visitors’ songwriting ability. The Co-op will also entertain original songs.
The traditional Lil’Kidstuff stage has programming both days, with magic shows, storytellers and other entertainment.
The Christ Church Ministry Center has several programs on Oct. 12 — the Fairfield Harbour Chorus, ENCORE, the Craven Community College chorus and also the Down East Dulcimers and New Bern Suzuki Strings.
Wine and beer connoisseurs will enjoy a variety of wine and beer samples at the Galley Store’s “Juice on the Neuse Wine Fest.” N.C. grown wines can be sampled and purchased at the Little River Wine Tasting Room on Craven Street.
Every Mumfest needs lots of chrysanthemums and Tryon Palace serves them up in their magnificent gardens, which are open free Oct. 11 to 13. The palace also has its bi-annual Heritage Plant Sale on Oct. 11 and 12. Gardeners will be on hand to answer your planting questions. Inside tours require a ticket, but outside tours of the palace’s many gardens are free.
The New Bern Firemen’s Museum is a popular venue to learn about New Bern’s fascinating firefighting history.
New Bern Parks and Recreation is offering a 5K run Oct. 13, with registration at 7 a.m. The 5K is at 7:30 a.m. Those events start and finish at Union Point Park. It features a flat course that winds its way through downtown New Bern. The cost is $25 for pre-registration and $30 for day of registration. Registration forms can be filled out on Active.com.
Contact Trevor Freitas at 639-2907 or freitast@newbern-nc.org
There is also a 1-mile Fun Walk scheduled after the 5K begins.
Visitors can come to the festival by water taxi, trolley or park downtown.
On the web: mumfest.com
