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| The 34th annual Mumfest will be Oct. 11 and 12 along the streets of New Bern’s downtown district and along the waterfront. |
Vendors and visitors for New Bern’s largest outdoor event — Mumfest — will begin arriving next week for the Oct. 11 and 12 festival on the city’s waterfront downtown.
Sponsored by the city, it is a production of Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corp. and annually attracts upwards of 100,000 festival-goers from across the Southeast.
Swiss Bear Executive Director Susan Moffat-Thomas said the history and restoration of the city is a drawing card.
Also, visitors can spend a little or a lot with more than 300 commercial and nonprofit exhibitors. The array includes pottery, crafts and art.
There is always plenty of food in booths along the downtown district streets, as well as two days of free entertainment. That includes live bands, dance troupes, magicians, roving street performers, face painters and mermen and mermaids.
Another tradition is a pay riverfront amusement park on the Neuse River, with lots of rides, including a Ferris wheel.
Title sponsor Joe Alcoke Auto and Truck Center will bring NASCAR to the festival with an exhibit from the Richard Childress Racing Team. It includes famous stock cars and two racing simulators to allow visitors to test their driving skill — for free.
Also featured will be the X-POGO Stunt Team, performing extreme pogo exhibition. These world class athletes fly up to nine feet in the air, doing flips and other stunts on their high-powered pogo sticks.
The popular Signora Bella will balance on her orb of doom while juggling Turkish swords — all the while telling tales of her journeys.
Along with Bella will be Rick Hubbard with Juggle Stuff — teaching the audience how to juggle.
A number of favorites will return, including Alex Clark, the comedian who performs jaw-dropping stunts; the Purina Incredible Dog Team making aerial disc catches; the Silver Drummer Girl; a huge model train show, and the New Bern Police’s K-9s, along with the Weller Kennels Labrador retriever demonstrations.
The out of water 15th annual Boat Show will be a place to find a new boat or water-related gear.
More music can be found on Oct. 11 in the Christ Church Ministry Center, 305 Middle St., with the Fairfield Harbour chorus, ENCORE Craven Community Chorus and Down East Dulcimers/New Bern Suzuki Strings.
Wine and beer connoisseurs will enjoy sampling a wide variety of craft wines and beers at the Galley Store’s second annual “Juice on the Neuse Festival.”
“Big Kids Stuff and Lil’ Kids Stuff” will be back this year with Poly and Ester; the famous Gabardine Sisters; master storyteller Steve Myott; mask-maker Steve Wille; and Gary Shelton’s Magic shows.
Every festival has lots of chrysanthemums and Tryon Palace will serve them up in its gardens, which will be open free Oct. 10 to 12. The Palace also will have its bi-annual Heritage Plant Sale on Oct. 11 and 12.
On Oct. 12, join in the 5k run, sponsored by the Coastal Women’s Shelter. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. at Union Point Park.
Also, Tokyo Rosenthal and Gumbo Lily will be performing with other talented members of the N.C. Songwriters. They will perform on the main stage by the Galley Store at East Front and Pollock streets.
Something new this year will be Shepard’s Point Tours of Morehead City, providing boat rides between Lawson Creek Park and Union Point Park. A small fee makes this new attraction possible, sponsored by Woodforest National Bank.
Those who park at the New Bern Mall can travel downtown by free trolley, which is sponsored by Little Caesar’s Pizza and Swiss Bear.
For more, visit mumfest.com on the web.
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