From the Town of Columbia

COLUMBIA – The 27th Annual Scuppernong River Festival will feature a jam-packed day of activities and events, beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday and ending with fireworks over the river and a nighttime concert.

The Main Street Parade, sponsored by First national Bank, begins at 10 a.m. and will move west from Columbia High School to the waterfront and then return to the school.

The Periauger, an 18th Century replica workboat, will be set up on a trailer in front of Columbia Marina and costumed crew members will offer guided tours throughout the day. Across the Scuppernong River at the River Park the replica

Ram Albemarle will be tied up at the pier while Confederate re-enactors

Demonstrate Civil War camp life. The Little Shell from Wanchese, one of the

“Wicked Tuna Outer Banks Edition” fishing boats will be available for viewing at the Columbia Town Docks with souvenir items for sale.

A water taxi provided by Partnership for the Sounds will ferry folks to and from the

River Park. Throughout the day helicopter rides will take off and land at the waterfront, providing a unique aerial view of Columbia and the surrounding countryside.

In addition to food vendors lining both sides of Broad Street and arts, crafts and merchandise vendors along Main Street, a variety of music and entertainment will be available that will please any taste. The US Marine Corps Band from Cherry

Point will kick things off at 11a.m. at the Tyrrell County Courthouse porch. High school bands from area schools will also perform, followed by Miss North Carolina.

Also scheduled at the Courthouse are Unity, a popular gospel music group and Bill and Friends with a mixture of rock, blues and jazz.

The Captain’s Crew from the Outer Banks will take the stage at the Waterfront Tent with their blend of Christian and gospel music. Johnny Waters and Company will follow with country and pop music.

An ever-popular local bluegrass group, “The Alligator String Band”, will perform and be followed by Arguenderos Musical, a high energy Latino music group.

The Original Rhondels will perform during two nighttime concert at the

Courthouse. Fireworks sponsored by the Tyrrell County Tourism Development

Authority will light up the sky over the Scuppernong River at 7:30 p.m.

The Scuppernong River Festival is expected to attract over 8,000 persons to the town of 867 residents. Parking will be limited in the downtown area, but outlying parking will be available. Handicapped parking is located at the First National Bank on the corner of Scuppernong Drive and Water Street.