Hampstead’s North Carolina Spot Festival makes comeback

HAMPSTEAD, NC (WWAY) – It’s one of Cape Fear’s biggest festivals missed by many, and after a two-year pause it’s back.

The festival celebrates a saltwater fish that is local to the Carolina Coast, the Spot.

The North Carolina Carolina Spot Festival has been around since 1963 but started as an oyster festival to raise money for the fire department.

Volunteers worked overtime frying more than 5,000 pounds of Spot, along with hush puppies and french fries.

Both Harold Schmidle and Nicholas Allard were charged with frying the fish.

“We’re extremely excited,” said Schmidle. “Yeah, you get to get some great fish, you can’t beat it.”

“I go to Topsail High School and seeing all this happen is great,” said Allard.

The festival was missed by many and holds a special place in the hearts of community members, including Wyoma Moses who remembers the inaugural festival put on nearly 60 years ago.

“I was born in the early 1950s and my momma and daddy used to bring us out here,” she said. “It was an entertainment after we worked so hard all summer long in the fields.”

Moses said the festival brings fond memories.

“I missed it during the COVID, and I am excited to see so many people out,” she said.  “I’m so proud of my parents for raising 14 children and we all are doing wonderful.”

There were kids’ inflatables, lots of vendors, and food trucks.

Festivalgoers pulled up their lawn chairs, some stood to enjoy live bands on the center stage.

There were plenty of fried spot plates sold, to raise money for Pender County schools.

According to NC Spot Festival Chairman Keith Ramsey, this year’s attendance is one of the biggest in the festival’s history.

“This year has definitely been a good year for us as far as turnout, they’ve come out in droves,” he said.  “I think people just want normalcy again, and thankfully we were able to get out here this year and give them some normalcy.”

Along with memories for years to come.

According to organizers, the festival was a huge success bringing not only money into the local economy but also for the Pender County School District.

The festival resumes Sunday at 9 a.m and wraps at 5 p.m.