CFCC students build ‘Blueberry’ for Burgaw New Year’s Eve celebration

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Some Cape Fear Community College welding students have been hard at work constructing the “Blueberry” frame that will be used for the downtown Burgaw New Year’s Eve Blueberry Ball Drop.

Under the instruction of Albert Meadowcroft, metal inert gas (MIG) welding students built the aluminum framework, which stretches six feet in diameter, over the course of three days—about 10-12 hours total. Leftover pieces from the five, curved, outer supports were welded together to make material for the sixth one.

“The most challenging and interesting part was creating the petals for the ‘crown’ on the bottom of the blueberry,” said Welding Instructor Albert Meadowcroft. “One student helped to cut and bend the petals and I assisted in tacking and welding them to the frame.”

CFCC student construct “Blueberry for Burgaw NYE celebrations (Photo CFCC)

Dark blue fabric and lights will be added to the structure to resemble a blueberry.

The town of Burgaw and NC Blueberry Festival plan to lower the blueberry on New Years’ Eve from a six-foot-high aerial platform over the Historic Train Depot (115 S Dickerson St., Burgaw, NC 28425) between 5-7 p.m.

CFCC offers a Welding Technology degree program at its North Campus. Visit https://cfcc.edu/voc/welding-technology/ for more information.