Albemarle Magazine - Spring 2023

Colon Cancer.

Early detection from screeningsmay save your life.

Colon cancer is very prominentand very deadly in North Carolina. But youare not defenseless. Screeningsmaypreventtwothirds of all colon cancer deaths.

Beginning in your forties, youneed to get screened. Family history or IBD increases your risk, and so do lifestyle factors including diet, exercise, alcohol, and smoking.

Scheduling acolonoscopyscreening gives youanadvantagebecause it helps doctors identify potential problems earlier,when theyare moretreatable.

Colonoscopyscreeningsare:

•Recommended beginning at age45 or sooner

•Anessential part of your regular health care

•Offered in manyconvenientlocations

•Coveredbymostinsuranceplans Take arisk assessmentor nd location and scheduling information at ECUHealth.org/Reminder

ALBEMARLE MAGAZINE

is a publication of The Daily Advance, Chowan Herald, and The Perquimans Weekly, all Adams Publishing Group Newspapers.

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Julian Eure

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SPRING IS... BASEBALL, HOME IMPROVEMENT, AND BEING FASHION FORWARD

Is it already spring?

The days are getting longer, the weather’s getting warmer and the vernal equinox — the day the sun passed the celestial equator — happened on Monday, March 20. So yes, spring is offcially here.

This quarter’s Albemarle Magazine has a defnite spring feel.

In a story about golf courses in the area, Staff Writer Paul Neilsen points out that two of them — Currituck Club and Kilmarlic — are both rated in the “Top 50 Courses You Can Play” in North Carolina by the N.C. Golf Panel.

In other outdoor sports, Sports Editor David Gough writes about the embarrassment of riches area baseball fans will be treated to this spring and summer. Not only will the Edenton Steamers return to Historic Hicks Field in Edenton, but a new collegiate baseball team, the River City Skippers, will be playing its home games in Elizabeth City.

Our spring edition also features several fresh takes on traditional spring topics: Correspondent Anna Goodwin McCarthy writes about how to get your landscape ready for spring; Correspondent Kesha Williams writes about how to get those spring improvement projects started; and

Bertie Ledger-Advance Staff Writer John Foley writes about the gardening wisdom Edenton author Bill Ross’ shares in his online book, “Gardening According to the Bible.” Williams also contributes two stories about spring fashion — one about some clothing items that will be trending this spring, the other about local seamstresses and garment-makers who practice their craft with sewing machines.

McCarthy also contributes a story about the rise in popularity of short-term rentals like bed and breakfasts and Airbnbs with visitors to Elizabeth City.

Finally, Chowan Herald/Perquimans Weekly Staff Writer Tyler Newman details the return of a spring tradition: the Edenton Pilgrimage of Historic Homes, scheduled for April 14-15.

We round out the section with a calendar featuring some of the major events and activities taking part in our area the rest of this month, April and May.

We hope you enjoy the stories in this edition. HAPPY SPRING!

Metro Creative

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Two Currituck courses make NC’s ‘Top 50 Courses You Can Play’

Kugler: Currituck’s golf ‘resurgence’ during pandemic continues

By Paul Nielsen - Staff Writer

Pristine beaches and historical sites are the two of the prime reasons people travel to the Currituck Outer Banks.

But Currituck Travel and Tourism Director Tameron Kugler said the county’s golf courses are also a big driver in attracting visitors.

The county boasts six golf courses that offer availability to tourists and residents alike. The Currituck Club is the only course that is actually situated on the Outer Banks in Corolla but four — The Carolina Club, Kilmarlic Golf Club, The Pointe Golf Club and Holly Ridge Golf Course — are located close to the Wright Memorial Bridge in lower Currituck.

The Eagle Creek Golf Club is located in Moyock just off N.C. Highway 168.

Kugler said golf courses have an economic ripple effect through the county. There are no available stats about the economic impact of golf in Currituck but it is big business in North Carolina.

Gov. Roy Cooper said last September that the state’s

500-plus golf courses, both public and private, generated direct spending of almost $3 billion in 2021.

“Golfers are important to our visitor economy, not only on the courses, but in our restaurants, our retail businesses, and our accommodations,” Kugler said. “The sales tax generated from our golfers impacts our economy and way of life here in Currituck, and we appreciate their choosing us for a golf outing or vacation.”

Kugler said the county also offers golfers a number of restaurants and breweries and wineries like Sanctuary Vineyards, Weeping Radish and Buffalo City Distillery.

Kugler said Currituck saw a “resurgence” in the number of golfers playing during the COVID-19 pandemic and she said the sport continues to attract visitors in large numbers.

“We have continued to see this renewed interest in golf post COVID,” she said. “It is a delight to see the younger athletes discovering the joys of this sport right

Visit Elizabeth City Executive Director Corrina Ruffieux said the city is lucky to have a beautiful course like The Pines in “our own backyard.” Currituck County is also home to six golf courses, including two ranked in the “Top 50 Courses You Can Play” in the state by the N.C. Golf Panel.

Photos courtesy Visit Elizabeth City

here in Currituck County.”

Kilmarlic Director of Golf Bryan Sullivan said that Currituck is also benefiting from the “national golf resurgence” of the past few years.

The Currituck Club and Kilmarlic are both rated in the “Top 50 Courses You Can Play” in the state by the N.C. Golf Panel. In its 2022 ratings, The Currituck Club was ranked No. 17 while Kilmarlic was No. 27.

“We have seen a nice uptick in our golf package business and daily play,” Sullivan said. “Our new Golf Cottages at Kilmarlic have been very popular and vacationing golf groups continue to enjoy the wide variety of golf experiences across Currituck County.”

The website playobxgolf.com is a onestop booking spot that allows golfers to choose different packages.

One popular golf tour is a three nightthree round package with the lodging at the Golf Cottages at Kilmarlic. The three rounds of golf are at Kilmarlic, The Carolina Club and The Pointe Golf Club.

Another popular package offered on the website is two nights of lodging at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk with single rounds at The Currituck Club, Nags Head Golf Links and Kilmarlic Golf Club.

Elizabeth City’s Pines Golf Club reopened in late 2021 and is the only golf course in Pasquotank County. Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Economic Development Commission Director Scott Hinton said having a local golf course helps attract new businesses and people to the county.

“It’s very important because anytime you can offer outside activities, I think that is a good thing,” Hinton said. “It’s also a great place to network, do some business, walk outside. There is no downside to having a really good golf course.”

Visit Elizabeth City Executive Director Corrina Ruffieux said the city is lucky to have a beautiful course like the The Pines in “our own backyard.”

“Golf is a great addition to the list of outdoor things to do in Pasquotank County and all over northeastern North Carolina,” Ruffieux said.

“Golfers are important to our visitor economy, not only on the courses, but in our restaurants, our retail businesses, and our accommodations. The sales tax generated from our golfers impacts our economy and way of life here in Currituck, and we appreciate their choosing us for a golf outing or vacation.”

Tameron Kugler, Currituck Travel and Tourism Director

Let’s Play Two: NENC will be home to two collegiate baseball teams this summer

Steamers will return to Edenton, Skippers will play in EC

By David Gough - Sports Editor

Area baseball fans looking to take in some games this summer will have more than one option.

The mainstay Edenton Steamers, who finished off their 2022 Premier Collegiate League championship last August, will of course be back for their 26th season at Historic Hicks Field.

But there’s also a new collegiate summer team coming to the area this summer: the River City Skippers, who’ll be playing their home games at Holmes Field at Knobbs Creek in Elizabeth City.

“I’m pumped to get summer college ball for Elizabeth City just for the city in and of itself,” Skippers General Manager Mike Louis said. “Being able to get people from all over the country to see Elizabeth City as it is, it’s great. I’m excited to see that.”

The River City Skippers, established last fall, will compete in the 15-team Old North State League, which is different than the PCL and includes only North Carolina-based clubs.

While the Skippers and Steamers won’t compete against each other on the diamond, their close proximity begs the question: Will they compete when it comes to recruiting players?

The answer is no, at least for the 2023 season.

The Steamers, whose roster will not be completely set until spring, put together most of their team during the fall.

“Being able to recruit our team before River City kind of fell into place, we were able to get ahead of that,” Edenton GM Tyler Russell said.

“Now in the future, it could change potential local players and where they may go,” he continued. “Not to say we have all the local players because we don’t, but we feel that this year we got ahead of that because of when they fell into place. And in the future, we’re certainly not looking to be competitive against them fighting for players.”

Last year’s PCL champions had several local baseball connections, perhaps more than the Steamers have had in the past.

Justin Hill, Currituck County High School’s head coach was the Steamers’ coach, while Perquimans County High School’s Tanner Thach, Currituck’s Cole Bates, John A. Holmes’ Davis Halstead and Chris Morris were members of the team.

Russell noted that the Steamers’ full roster will be

The River City Skippers will compete in the 15-team Old North State League and play their home games on Holmes Field at Knobbs Creek in Elizabeth City this spring and summer.

Photo courtesy Mike Louis

announced in March, but key pieces of last year’s team, including Hill, will be back this summer.

While Edenton might’ve gotten a head start picking its roster, Louis said the Skippers, who will be coached by Noah Cartwright, have already landed 18 players.

Once they’re closer to having 25-30 players confirmed for the season, River City will release its roster. That will likely be in March or April, Louis said.

Louis, who is Mid-Atlantic Christian University’s head baseball coach, said he has no concerns about his Skippers and the Steamers getting in each other’s way when it comes to recruiting.

“We get a lot of kids that come from the Midwest; we have kids from Pennsylvania and Ohio that want to come down to North Carolina and play,” he said. “I don’t foresee it being an issue with Edenton being close. We may get lower-level guys, which is fine. Which is who I am anyway.”

Louis anticipates the Skippers drawing more junior

college players from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics while the Skippers will be recruiting more from Division I and Division II.

“So I think we’re in different lanes,” he said.

Edenton also got its 2023 schedule set in the fall. The Steamers begin their season on Thursday, June 1, at the Outer Banks Daredevils before their home opener the next day against the Tarboro River Bandits. Edenton beat Tarboro in last year’s championship.

The Steamers’ 45-game regular season stretches to Saturday, July 29, followed by a week’s worth of playoff games for the six-team CPL.

Edenton will also continue changing its name for select home games to the Chowan County Cantaloupes. In the inaugural season of the new tradition — a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club — Edenton wore Chowan County Cantaloupes jerseys for every Tuesday home game.

This year, the Steamers will become the Cantaloupes for five Wednesday home games. The team’s jerseys will

The Edenton Steamers will continue its new tradition of changing the team’s name for select home games this season to the Chowan County Cantaloupes. During the inaugural season for the tradition last year, the Steamers wore the orange Cantaloupes jerseys for Tuesday home games as a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club.

Photo courtesy Ellie Pierce

be auctioned off after the final Wednesday home game.

As of late February, Russell said no final decision had been made to name the Boys & Girls Club the recipient of the Cantaloupes fundraiser again, but all signs were pointing toward that.

River City’s schedule has yet to be finalized. As of now, the team’s 40-plus game season is scheduled to begin at home Saturday night, May 20, against the Fayetteville Chutes. Louis said he is also looking to add two more home games.

The Steamers and Skippers talked about playing each other, but the earlier scheduling for the Steamers will hinder that from happening. Both Russell and Louis are hopeful the teams will be able to square off once or twice in the 2024 season.

“We’ve been here for 25 years, they’re a new team,” Russell said. “We feel that we have our following and fan base already and we’re hoping they can build their own in Elizabeth City. We certainly don’t have any ill feelings toward them moving into the area. We obviously wish them nothing but the best and hope one day we can play together.”

Mike Louis, head coach of the Mid-Atlantic Christian University Mustangs baseball team, will be the general manager for the Elizabeth City Skippers during their inaugural season this year.

Photo courtesy Mike Louis

“I’m pumped to get summer college ball for Elizabeth City just for the city in and of itself. Being able to get people from all over the country to see Elizabeth City as it is, it’s great. I’m excited to see that.”

Mike Louis, Skippers General Manager

Focal point: Best landscapes need feature that draws the eye

White: Focal points depend on the property, owner’s personal style

By Anna Goodwin McCarthy - Correspondent

Whether you’re creating outdoor landscaping at a new home or just looking for a way to spruce up your home’s yard for the spring, Adam White says there are elements you can add to create a beautiful design.

White, owner of Adam’s Landscaping and Lawn Care, says one of the keys to a good landscaping job is having a focal point in your yard. Focal points can be either a “nice plant,” bird bath or water feature, he said.

White fondly remembers while growing up helping his family create a water feature, a koi pond, for their yard. He said the project help spark his passion for landscaping — a passion that was greatly influenced by his mom.

“My mother does have a green thumb,” White said. White would go on to install a koi pond at his high

school when he was a teenager. He studied art at College of The Albemarle — something that’s also helped influence his creativity as a landscape designer.

“I can express my background in art with landscape design,” said White.

White, who’s owned his own landscaping business since 2000, said selecting a focal point for your yard “really depends on the property.” Focal points also depend on the property owner’s personal style, he said.

“I love Japanese maple trees,” said White. “They are a great focal point. Pick the right plant for the right place.”

When adding any new element to a landscape, be aware of its potential for growth and the space it will need, White says.

“Keep in mind what it is going to do in the next three

to five years,” he said.

Also avoid planting anything too close to your house,” White said.

“Leave an air gap between them (plants) and the house,” he said.

As winter draws to a close, White recommends examining your lawns for any areas that need attention. He also advises to scan trees and shrubs for diseases and dead limbs.

If you are looking to try a hearty shrub in your yard, White suggests holly.

White also recommends looking at the white plant tags when you purchase a plant at a nursery or plant store. The tag will often provide valuable information about the plant — how large it will grow, for example — as well as how to care for it.

With spring soon to arrive, White also recommends adding mulch or pine straw to plant beds. Just be careful not to add too much.

“Don’t put more than three inches of mulch,” said White, noting that adding more than that can result in problems with mold.

White said one plant trend for this season are pollinator friendly plants. They are plants that are attractive to bees and butterflies.

Another plant White likes to utilize in his landscape designs is Abelia.

“I love the different varieties of Abelia,” said White. “It is going to get blooms throughout the summer.”

When he’s landscaping for clients, Adams prefers to use plants of different textures while also adding in color.

Adams said he likes to do a client showcase in the spring. With his clients’ permission his takes photographs of their yards in bloom that he then posts on his Facebook page.

Adams said people can get ideas for landscaping from photos from his showcase. There are also a lot of neat ideas on social media sites like Pinterest as well.

White, who says he likes “working with my hands and being outside,” is also a talented wood sculptor, transforming wood into detailed sculptures and custom pieces. A member of the Albemarle Craftsman’s Guild, White uses a chainsaw, grinders and chisels to turn wood into everything from Christmas trees to Star Wars’ Ewok characters.

White also serves as the chairman of the Urban Forestry Commission in Elizabeth City, an organization he’s served for more than nine years.

For more information about Adam’s Landscaping & Lawn Care, visit its Facebook page, website at https:// www.adamslandandlawn.com, or call (252) 562-1000.

“I can express my background in art with landscape design.”

Adam White, owner of Adam’s Landscaping and Lawn Care

Top: Adam’s Landscaping and Lawn Care workers work to beautify a client’s lawn. Bottom: The landscaping company installed this water feature as a yard focal point on a client’s property last year. All photos courtesy Adam White

DIY spring home improvement requires diligence, calling an expert for difficult jobs

Boyd, Stanley provide repair, paint services for bigger jobs

By Kesha Williams - Correspondent

Chirping birds aren’t the only sound that signals the arrival of spring.

There’s also those sounds coming from the garage — the buzzing and whirring of electric sanders, chop saws and cordless drills — as do-it-yourselfers get started on spring home improvement projects after a dormant winter.

When those projects are likely to take longer than a few hours to complete, handyman Rick Boyd and painter James Stanley stand ready to take on the job.

Boyd, whose professional title is “historic home repair specialist,” has a host of repair suggestions for both new homeowners and those who’ve owned their home awhile.

Boyd got his start in home repair after Hurricane Isabel slammed the area in 2003. After neighbors saw him making repairs to his own home on Main Street, they sought his advice and guidance on their own home repairs. Their needs and his knowledge sparked formation of his Traveling Tool Guy home repair business that’s still going strong two decades later.

Every spring brings a few challenges to maintaining your property, so it’s important for a homeowner to plan ahead, Boyd says. The first thing he recommends is grabbing a clipboard and a notepad.

“Winter is tough on houses,” Boyd said. “When the wind was blowing 22 mph in February, shingles were blowing off roofs. Note on that clipboard list where

Sooner or later the weather will affect the wooden rails of your porch, requiring either replacement or a touch-up job. Rick Boyd, a local historic home repair specialist, improves the front porch rails at a client’s home in Elizabeth City.

Photo courtesy Kesha Williams

shingles are supposed to be on your roof and the number of replacements you will need.”

One of the biggest drivers of home damage is water, Boyd said.

“Determine if it’s coming through a window, through the plumbing or an opening in the roof,” he said. “Schedule an experienced person to make those repairs unless you commonly do that kind work well.”

One thing you can do yourself is go up in your attic and check for leaks to the roof. By the time water drips through your attic’s insulation to make a stain on your interior ceiling, you could face a hefty repair bill.

A common spring improvement project is replacement of builder grade doors, door knobs, or wall coverings installed when your home was built.

“There are different kinds of things you can do as a DIY project or you can just hire a carpenter,” Boyd said. “There are pre-made kits for wainscoting that might make the small projects easy for you to do while the hired help takes over the bigger projects.

“If you are installing shelves in the garage, you can buy a whole kit,” he continued. “Follow directions carefully and first thing you know this project will be finished.”

Whether it’s adding crown molding or replacing plumbing fixtures, it’s good to have a reasonable timeline for your project, home improvement experts say. Some projects may be less stressful if completed earlier rather than later. Also, when selecting replacement products be sure to consult everyone in your household. Not everyone has the same taste.

Stanley’s paint business cards are thumbtacked to home cork boards across Elizabeth City. Clients call him to rescue them from labor-intensive projects ranging from painting interior halls and closet doors to bedrooms.

Many clients are surprised to realize how quickly an annual maintenance list can expand, he said. He recommends their home improvement list include for regular wear-and-tear.

Too often, Stanley said, homeowners don’t think about the rubber boot that surrounds their bathroom vent pipe. The rays of the hot summer sun do real damage to the

rubber boot, causing it to crack and allow water leaks that eventually lead to stained interior ceilings. That’s why they should be replaced after 16-20 years.

If your spring improvement list includes a new paint job to your home’s interior, Stanley suggests making an appointment with a professional painter to talk over what the job will entail. You’ll need to know not only how many coats of paint are required, but things like where you and your pets can step while the painters’ work is underway.

Experienced painters can also explain the reasons one type of wall paint — semi-gloss, high gloss, textured finish or super matte — is recommended for the bathroom and another paint for rooms where kids are active. Determine the painter’s projected cost for the entire job. Resolve whether you or the painter will supply the paint, Stanley said.

“If the painter supplies the paint his invoice should state the cost of paint plus the cost of the painting service,” he said. “You should ask and know all the other supplies that are needed to complete the project, such as caulking that may be needed around the door.”

It’s also critical to understand that natural lighting from undraped windows — or the lack of natural lighting from them — can affect your perception of a paint color. The time of day that natural light is available also influences your perception of a paint color on the wall.

The colors on wall paint sample cards may look like the perfect shade of paint while you are standing in the aisle of a well-lit home improvement store. But that color may appear different inside your home depending on the availability or the lack of natural lighting.

Don’t be surprised when your newly painted walls trigger new questions about your home’s light fixtures and whether you have right wattage bulbs. There’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint, after all, to change your perception of the rooms inside your home.

“Schedule an experienced person to make those repairs unless you commonly do that kind work well.”

Rick Boyd, historic home repair specialist

Ross’ online ‘Gardening According to the Bible’ explores life as a garden

Edenton resident’s online guide shows how gardening can lead to a better life

By John Foley - Bertie Ledger-Advance

With spring in the air, area garden centers will soon be stocked with small potted plants, seedlings and vegetable plant starters.

Garden enthusiasts who love to dig in the dirt to create floral extravaganzas even better than last year’s know what it takes to grow beautiful blooms. But for the rest of us, it wouldn’t hurt to thumb through “Gardening According to the Bible.” The online

guide to gardening and a full bloom life was written by Bill Ross of Edenton and explores life as a garden. According to Ross, the catalyst for “Gardening According to the Bible” was his unsuccessful search for a book highlighting lessons from the Bible on how gardening can help one to lead a better life.

It was the spring and summer of 2013, when Ross, a semi-retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, was volunteering as a landscaper at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Greensboro. During his time helping the church, Ross built numerous gardens and beautified the church grounds.

“I wish I could do nothing else for the rest of my life but take care of OLG,” he recalled recently. “Like the city of Greensboro, OLG has a very special and peaceful feeling to it. I have often been amazed at how vibrantly I could get things to grow there.”

Ross, who says he grew up “a poor kid from New Jersey,” said he inherited his love of gardening from his mom. Later on, gardening would become the perfect pastime during his high-stress career as an Air Force intelligence officer.

One day while volunteering at Our Lady of Grace, Ross said he was struck by the idea that he’d never heard of “an entire book that was focused on the lessons learned from the Bible on how to garden.”

“There is no greater feeling than being in the sunshine on a beautiful day and getting dirty and muddy and hot and sweaty as you nurture and encourage your plants and vegetables to thrive and grow. Remember that they, too, are enjoying life as much as you are so it becomes a cyclical harmony that you will develop with your garden.”

Bill Ross, author, Gardening According to the Bible

The seed for what became “Gardening According to the Bible” was planted. Ross would go on to produce 163,000 words and more than 400 pages of informative and inspirational thoughts and tips on forming life’s blooms.

Ross said he “purposely resisted” writing GAB as a “technical document.”

“We wanted GAB to reflect the variations, blessings, and hardships of the garden of our lives,” Ross explained. “Like the most beautiful of gardens and on the richest of farms, GAB is more of a feeling and a warm journey for our souls and hearts as we understand how Jesus loved the garden and used so, so many examples of the garden to teach us how to be good human beings.”

In his online book, Ross urges gardeners to “know your property and land.” He also suggests making adjustments to your gardening plan as circumstances change. Other parts of the book focus on dirt, mud, water, light and weeding.

“There is no greater feeling than being in the sunshine on a beautiful day and getting dirty and muddy and hot and sweaty as you nurture and encourage your plants and vegetables to thrive and grow,” he says in the book. “Remember that they, too, are enjoying life as much as you are so it becomes a cyclical harmony that you will develop with your garden.”

“Gardening According to the Bible” is free and available for download by anyone with an internet connection. Ross just has one request of those who download it.

“I only ask that if you download and print it and send it to friends that you put some extra money in the church and denomination of your choice’s collection plate,” he said. “Like a summer day at the seashore, we hope that your walk in the GAB will bring you happiness, joy and understanding.”

“Gardening According to the Bible” can be dowloaded at: bit.ly/3IpE0K1.

Shown is one of the gardening beds Edenton resident Bill Ross worked on when he was a volunteer gardener for Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Greensboro. Ross is the author of the online book, “Gardening According to the Bible.”

Photo courtesy Bill Ross

Georgeanne Midgette stocks her Small Town Trendz shop in Elizabeth City’s downtown with spring garments like this Simply Southern T-shirt. Simply Southern is an apparel brand of vibrant, catchy T-shirts and clothing that was founded in Greensboro over a decade ago.

Photo courtesy Kesha Williams

Spring is in: Clothing shops prep for customers ready to cast off winter wardrobes

Small Town Trendz, Sunny Cove Boutique stock up with spring fashions

By Kesha Williams - Correspondent

On a recent February day at Small Town Trendz near the close of business, two customers were pondering several loosely fitted tops on display.

Georgeanne Midgette, who had been watching from a nearby aisle, suddenly flashed leopard print and floral print swimsuits in front of their eyes.

Liking those options better, the customers made their choices and headed to the register to check out.

As they left, Midgette smiled and waved and moved to close the store. She then returned to the area near the cash register where she tapped the top of three-foot-tall brown boxes chock full of spring merchandise.

Inside are cold shoulder tops, T-shirts, and tote bags — all of which are expected to sell well this spring. The rear shelves of Small Town Trendz are full of floral garden flags complete with images of the state bird, the cardinal. Richly colored, packaged jars windsock, external door mats, and mailbox covers hang nearby.

Midgette knows that compared to some parts of the country where residents are still snowbound, northeastern North Carolina residents can’t complain too much about the weather. But cold is cold. By March, area residents are already ready for sunny, warm walks along the waterfront and lunch appointments at the beach. They’re also ready for new fashions in vibrant colors.

“I’ve been busy setting and changing the two front display windows from season to season but I really love seeing the new spring merchandise come in,” Midgette said. “We’re a Simply Southern preferred dealer and customers like knowing they can find many of the same items here and in the Hertford store that they see on the Simply Southern website.”

Simply Southern is an apparel brand of vibrant, catchy T-shirts and clothing that was founded in Greensboro over a decade ago.

One block down the street, at 613 Main, Alyson Stephenson is arranging the new spring merchandise at Sunny Cove Boutique. She’s already receiving positive feedback from customers who are ready to kick those winter wardrobe blues and embrace spring’s shades of orange, violet and teal.

While Sunny Cove offers customers some basic clothing pieces that do not contain patterns, some contain trendy floral designs. One floral garment that’s trending are kimonos.

“Kimonos are a simple, statement piece that you

can easily throw on and pair with your favorite basic top and jeans,” Stephenson said. “For a more casual and comfy look you can always pair our kimonos with a pair of basic leggings, as many love to do.”

She welcomes customers to purchase Sunny Cove’s merchandise online. Customers who shop online have the option of picking up items at the store or having them shipped to their home.

“Our mobile app, Sunny Cove, has been a huge hit for us,” Stephenson said. “Most of our customers prefer to shop online as we have ‘New Arrivals Releases’ every week starting at 7 p.m.”

Both Midgette and Stephenson say their shops allow customers to add new, trendy items to top the leggings, capri pants, denim pants and shorts in their wardrobe. But best of all, their shops’ offerings of trendy spring clothing

Alyson Stephenson, owner of Sunny Cove Boutique, assures customers that this spring’s trending garments will make great additions to the leggings and capri pants that they tucked away last fall.

Photo courtesy Kesha Williams

Sew Much Work

Spring is the busy season for seamstresses, garment makers

Kee makes, alters prom dresses; Cherry designs, makes children’s clothing

By Kesha Williams - Correspondent

Miranda Duncan, owner of In Stitches at 607 East Main Street, receives a lot of requests from customers for specially made items during the spring. The Easter season also brings waves of customers seeking specialized items for children, especially babies. Stuffed animals, particularly bunnies, are popular.

Photo courtesy Kesha Williams

Shoppers buy millions of dollars of ready-made apparel each spring, very little of which is guaranteed to fit the customer. So what to do when size adjustments are needed?

Call on the small number of people in town who do their best work with sewing machines.

One of those people is Dorothy B. Kee. Her business name pretty much tells you what she does: At the Machine Alterations and Sewing.

For the last 40 years, Kee has delighted countless customers with her expertise. Walk in her home shop at 712 Harney St., Elizabeth City, and she’ll greet you with a warm smile before rising from her sewing machine to examine the item you need altered.

Kee said most of her alteration and repair work is to clothing. But her pile of completed work also includes curtains and pillows.

Spring is the time of year when requests for alterations increase, Kee said. Customers who want something made for special occasions also frequently call during the spring. She’s happy to accommodate them but notes there is a script they’ll need to follow.

“Most prom alterations start in March,” Key said. “If a customer wants me to make their clothing, I get their measurements first. They have to supply the pattern, fabric, threads, buttons and zippers. They have to be available for fittings to make sure it fits properly.”

Kee, who describes herself as a seamstress, said she keeps up with the latest sewing techniques through sewing books, magazines and educational classes. She recommends clients call to make an appointment at (252) 619-6959.

Mary Cherry shares Kee’s joy of working hours on end with fabric. She has been sewing since age 7. She’s also been collecting garment patterns, catalogues and fashion magazines for decades. Yet, she doesn’t consider herself a seamstress.

“I don’t consider myself a seamstress because I am not a jack of all trades,” Cherry said. “I think most people sewing for customers these days specialize in the things that they do well.”

Cherry said she can design and sew all types of clothing but she primarily designs children’s clothing.

“I can look at a child and make custom clothing. With adults that requires a lot of fitting,” she said.

Cherry’s work over the years has included making costumes for theater productions, garments for religious ceremonies, attire for wedding flower girls and dresses for kindergarten

graduation ceremonies. She’s made so many christening gowns for babies that she is now serving second-generation customers. Part of the fun for Cherry is hearing children talk about their new garments.

“I love kids. It’s funny to see them because they have definitive ideas about what they like,” she said. “I have clients who live all over the world, and still hear from some I met years ago while I was living and sewing in

“I have clients who live all over the world, and still hear from some I met years ago while I was living and sewing in California.”

Mary Cherry, garment designer and maker

Dorothy B. Kee of At the Machine Alterations and Sewing holds up a dress she recently completed for her 5-year-old granddaughter at her home shop at 712 Harney St., Elizabeth City. Spring is the time of year when requests for clothing alterations increase, Kee said. Customers who want something made for special occasions also frequently call during the spring.

Photo courtesy Kesha Williams

California.”

Cherry credits the internet with expanding the craft of sewing to the current generation of young people who like to work with a sewing machine. Arts and craft websites and fabric store websites are steadily drawing sewing enthusiasts of all ages, she said.

Networking with peers who live in different states is also easier now than years ago when they primarily saw each other only at trade shows, Cherry said. If a customer calls and requests a service she can’t provide, Cherry often can relay the contact information of someone who can.

Cherry says sewing allowed her to do the work she cherished while being available for her kids when they were young.

Cherry is delighted to see more newcomers not just discovering sewing but being able to accommodate customers who want something custom made. These days, garment makers have a lot in common with theater costume designers, she said. If you can dream it, someone

one can create it.

“There are artisans you can call on, highly specialized people who’ve developed a niche market for quilts, some blankets, hats and more,” she said. “It’s amazing to see all you can learn to do with the new sewing machines, catalogues and online lessons.”

Miranda Duncan, owner of In Stitches at 607 East Main Street in Elizabeth City, receives a lot of requests from customers for specially made items. Many are seeking everything from screen printed items to embroidered items. The Easter season also brings waves of customers seeking specialized items for children, especially babies. Stuffed animals, particularly bunnies, are popular.

“We’re keeping busy decorating baby baskets, towels with items that show kids’ names or a grandparent’s favorite nickname for the child,” she said. “There are a lot of items people associate with spring — egg hunts, items needed for baby nurseries, St. Patrick’s day items. Yes, the spring shopping season is here.”

“We’re keeping busy decorating baby baskets, towels with items that show kids’ names or a grandparent’s favorite nickname for the child. There are a lot of items people associate with spring — egg hunts, items needed for baby nurseries, St. Patrick’s day items. Yes, the spring shopping season is here.”

Miranda Duncan, owner of In Stitches

Be our guest: Variety, location help drive rise in short-term rental use in EC

Bed and breakfasts, short-term rentals accounted for 11% of room-tax collections in 2021

By Anna Goodwin McCarthy - Correspondent

With COVID-19 now in the rear-view mirror, visitors are again returning to Elizabeth City in large numbers. And when they come, many are choosing to stay shortterm vacation rentals.

Whether it is a bed and breakfast or a homeowner renting out space for short intervals, many people are choosing to use short-term vacation rentals.

According to data provided by Visit Elizabeth City, the city’s tourism agency, occupancy tax revenue collected for bed and breakfasts and short-term rentals increased by 194 percent from 2020 to 2021.

“That is what the consumer wants,” said Corrina Ruffieux, Visit Elizabeth City’s executive director.

The data clearly show that. In 2018, occupancy tax collections from bed and breakfasts and short-term rentals totaled $17,368, or 3 percent of the $665,983 in overall occupancy tax revenue collected in Elizabeth

City and Pasquotank County that year.

In 2021, occupancy tax collections from bed and breakfasts and short-term rentals totaled $95,156, or 11 percent of the $887,448 in overall occupancy tax collections.

That’s not to say visitors aren’t staying at hotels and motels. Occupancy tax revenues collected from local hotel-motel stays have also grown over the past four years, despite slipping in 2020 because of the pandemic.

In 2018, occupancy tax revenues from hotel-motel stays totaled $648,615. In 2021, the total was $792,292.

The tax revenues from the 6 percent local occupancy tax enables the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Tourism Development Authority to promote area tourism. Funds go toward the purchase of things like signs that promote destinations in the area.

Ruffieux said short-term vacation rentals are having a

Kelly Boyd and her husband, Rick, opened their bed and breakfast, The Pepperberry Inn, in their home at 313 West Main Street six years ago. They use Airbnb for all The Pepperberry Inn’s rentals. Kelly Boyd said visitors to the bed and breakfast pay for their stay through Airbnb and Airbnb deposits the funds directly to them through direct deposit.

Photo courtesy Kelly Boyd

“positive impact” on the tourism industry.

Many short-term vacation rentals are available within walking distance of downtown Elizabeth City. That’s one reason why they’re seeing an increase in use, according to Ruffieux. Another reason for their popularity is their variety — they give visitors more choices when planning their stay.

There are several apps people often use to book shortterm vacation rentals. They include Airbnb, Booking. com and Vrbo.

Kelly Boyd and her husband, Rick, opened their bed and breakfast, The Pepperberry Inn, in their home at 313 West Main Street six years ago.

The Boyds had decided on the house when they first moved to Elizabeth City because it was within walking distance from all the attractions in downtown.

After becoming licensed as a bed and breakfast, Kelly Boyd decided to use Airbnb for all The Pepperberry Inn’s rentals.

“I am extremely pleased with using Airbnb,” said Boyd.

Boyd said visitors to their bed and breakfast pay for their stay through Airbnb and Airbnb deposits the funds directly to them through direct deposit.

Airbnb collects and pays the appropriate taxes for hosts which is an added benefit, said Boyd.

As homeowners have started to use short-term vacation rental apps to rent out their homes or rooms in their homes, Boyd said it is created competition for bed and breakfast businesses like hers.

Boyd said with events like the Coast Guard Marathon and the Hot Chocolate Crawl and the support of Visit Elizabeth City, many people are choosing to visit Elizabeth City and use bed and breakfast and other short-term vacation rental options.

“Tourism has done an incredibly efficient job putting us on the map,” said Boyd.

During the last six years, Boyd said she and her husband have enjoyed meeting their guests.

Boyd said some guests are out-of-towners attending a wedding, special event or here on business. Others live close to the area but are looking for a “getaway” where they can enjoy a brief vacation away from their home. Still other visitors are tourists headed to the Outer Banks who are looking for a place to stay while en route

to the beach.

Boyd said her busiest season renting out the four rooms at her bed and breakfast is between the beginning of March until Thanksgiving.

Boyd said she believes more people are choosing to use bed and breakfasts and other short-term vacation rentals because they see the option as more personal.

“We want you to come into our homes,” said Boyd. “You are treated like family we have not seen in a long time.”

Visit Elizabeth City has a list of bed and breakfasts on its website at https://visitelizabethcity.com along with lists of events and places to go, restaurants and places to shop.

The tax revenue from short term vacation rentals goes towards funding for things like signs that promote destinations in the area.

For more information about The Pepperberry Inn, visit its website at https://www.thepepperberryinn.com, The Pepperberry Inn Facebook page or call (252)3401431.

Visit Elizabeth City has a complete list of bed and breakfasts on its website at https://visitelizabethcity. com, along with lists of events and places to go, restaurants and places to shop.

Kelly Boyd (right), proprietor of The Pepperberry Inn bed and breakfast in Elizabeth City, poses for a photo with her husband, Rick Boyd.

Photo courtesy Kelly Boyd

Jasvinder Pal Singh, MD, FACP, FCCP, FAASM BOARD CERTIFIED IN SLEEP MEDICINE, PULMONARY

Return to tradition:

Edenton Pilgrimage

to showcase Chowan’s historic buildings

17 historic structures to be featured in two-day event April 14-15

By Tyler Newman - Chowan Herald

Every two years the Edenton Woman’s Club puts on an extravagant showcase of historic preservation and community spirit it calls the Edenton Pilgrimage of Historic Homes.

This year is no different, as the event returns in April for its 74th year after being moved to October last year because of COVID concerns.

The 2023 Edenton Pilgrimage of Historic Homes will take place Friday and Saturday, April 14-15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. So far, 17 historic buildings are designated for the tour, including Warren Grove Missionary Baptist Church.

Pilgrimage Chair Carlette Pruden said people at the church may be dressed in period costume to give tourgoers a more immersive experience.

In addition, author Susan Harrell Birckhead will be signing and selling copies of her newly released book, “Across the Field,” at the church. The book details Warren Grove Missionary Baptist Church’s history.

Other local favorites from past Pilgrimages, such as Pembroke Hall and Wessington, both located in Edenton’s downtown, will also be part of this year’s tour.

The Iredell House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, may also be open this April during

the tour, and types of food that would have commonly been on an 18th century dinner table may be served to guests.

Local potter Dick Heiser is also expected to be on hand in downtown Edenton during this year’s event, giving demonstrations on historic pottery.

Over at the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse, lunch will be provided to anyone stopping by. Other places to eat during the tour include West Albemarle Street, where the Fannie A. Parker Woman’s Club will hold a fish fry, and St. Anne’s Catholic Church, which will be holding a spaghetti dinner.

Each site on the tour is expected to have an iconic Edenton teapot out front, designating it as part of this year’s Pilgrimage.

“This will be one of the most diversified pilgrimages we’ve had,” Edenton Woman’s Club member Anne Rowe said. “Nine of the homes this year have never been on the tour.”

Noting that new residents to the region may not know about the Pilgrimage or Edenton’s history, Pruden suggested this year might be a great year to take the tour.

“So many new people are moving into the area.

Members of the Edenton Woman’s Club and others are shown dressed in Colonial-era costumes during a past Edenton Pilgrimage of Historic Homes.

Photo courtesy Chowan Woman’s Club

Finding out there are so many interesting things with these homes and who built them can be exciting,” Pruden said.

According to Rowe, the idea for the Pilgrimage arose in the late 1940s as a way to save the Penelope Barker House, which today serves as Edenton’s official welcome center, the headquarters for both the Edenton Historical Commission and the Historic Edenton Trolley Tour.

“Ms. Elizabeth (Moore) and some of the other ladies who lived here (in the 1940s) decided to save the Barker House and I think that was the core of what started the Pilgrimage,” Rowe said. “But also, in 1949, people were trying to get back to living a normal life after World War II and they wanted to save these old properties in town. But how do you do it?”

Moore and other women came up with the idea of a house tour, with all money raised used to benefit local historic properties and encourage preservation efforts. The Barker House was later moved with the help of the Woman’s Club in 1952, when the Pilgrimage became a biennial event.

“Some people at the time realized that this (Pilgrimage) would be a way to put Edenton on the map,” Rowe said. “This is one of the only towns left in North Carolina with original homes not destroyed during the Civil War.”

Profits from the event, now totaling over $1 million since 1949, have been used for numerous local causes and preservation projects. Monies from the Pilgrimage were used, for example, to renovate Historic Hicks Field. They also helped the Shepard-Pruden Memorial Library digitize back issues of the Chowan Herald newspaper.

“We’ve given money to Kadesh (AME Zion) Church to help restore their stained glass windows,” Pruden said. “We’ve also given to Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, … the Barker House, the Cupola House and other churches throughout the community.”

Money from the proceeds has also gone to restore both the historic visitor center and the historic Bandon Kitchen at the Iredell House, the Boys & Girls Club of the Albemarle, local senior centers and environmental causes.

Proceeds from the Pilgrimage have also been used to aid disaster recovery efforts outside Chowan County. According to Pruden, proceeds were sent to western Kentucky in late 2021 in the aftermath of devastating tornadoes. They also went to help victims of Hurricane Dorian on Ocracoke Island in 2019.

Old clippings of the Chowan Herald document the Pilgrimage’s long history. For example, at the inaugural event in 1949, the newspaper described crowds

EDENT ON, NC •T OUR OF HISTOR IC PRIVAT EH OME S&S IT ES

PI LGRI MAGE

SPECIAL EVENTS

Historic Cooking •Hearth and brick oven cooking demonstration in the 19th Century Bandon Kitchen on the Iredell Family Homesite.

Book Signing •SusanHarrell Birckhead signing her book, Across the Field,alook at thehistory of the Warren Grove Missionary Baptist Church.

Pottery Demonstration • RichardHeiser, Edenton Bay Clayworks demonstrating early wheel techniques and hand molded clay creations.

FOOD Southern FaretoShare

Enjoy aboxed lunch in the Historic 1767 Chowan County Courthouse

Friday &Saturday •11- 2pm

Advance Tickets needed.

Spaghetti Dinner at St. Ann Catholic Church Parish Hall, Friday •5-8pm

Bob-B-Q at Colonial Park

Friday &Saturday •11- 3pm

FOR MORE INFORMATION &T ICKET S: edentonpilgrimage.org

“This is one of the only towns left in North Carolina with original homes not destroyed during the Civil War.”

Anne Rowe, Edenton Woman’s Club member

numbering over 5,000. Then-Chairman Mrs. Jimmie Earnhardt said that people drove privately, took buses or came down by the Norfolk-Southern Railroad. Some came as far as Massachusetts for the event, she said.

Decades later, an April 1977 newspaper’s front page was splashed with photos from yet another successful tour: lines outside Homestead on East Water Street; local artist Laney Layton debuting new paintings; a crafts show at Colonial Park; a handmade doll sale at the local library.

In 1999, a “Founders Tea” commemorated the 50th anniversary of the tour and the women who began it. Rowe organized the event.

Throughout many Pilgrimages, high school students from John A. Holmes High helped serve as tour docents. Nearly 75 Holmes students assisted the Women’s Club with the 1955 Pilgrimage.

The two-day Pilgrimage typically is a tourism boon for Edenton. Restaurants book are booked up, bed and breakfasts fill up, and merchants welcome good out-of-area crowds.

More information about the Pilgrimage and tickets to the event can be found at www.edentonpilgrimage. org.came as far as Massachusetts for the event, she said.

Decades later, an April 1977 newspaper’s front page was splashed with photos from yet another successful tour: lines outside Homestead on East Water Street; local artist Laney Layton debuting new paintings; a crafts show at Colonial Park; a handmade doll sale at the local library.

In 1999, a “Founders Tea” commemorated the 50th anniversary of the tour and the women who began it. Rowe organized the event.

Throughout many Pilgrimages, high school students from John A. Holmes High helped serve as tour docents. Nearly 75 Holmes students assisted the

Women’s Club with the 1955 Pilgrimage.

The two-day Pilgrimage typically is a tourism boon for Edenton. Restaurants book are booked up, bed and breakfasts fill up, and merchants welcome good out-ofarea crowds.

More information about the Pilgrimage and tickets to the event can be found at www.edentonpilgrimage.org.

A horse-drawn carriage rolls past a historic home on a previous Edenton Pilgrimage of Historic Homes tour.

Photo courtesy Chowan Woman’s Club

711 N. HUGHES BLVD.ELIZABETH CITY,NORTH CAROLINA 27909

Calendar SPRING 2023

MARCH EVENTS

MARCH 24-25

Harry Potter Extravaganza

The two-day Harry Potter Extravaganza will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sheperd-Pruden Memorial Library at 106 W. Water Street in Edenton. Call 252-482-4112.

MARCH 25

Breakfast for Blind

The Edenton Lions Club will hold its Breakfast for the Blind fundraiser from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Edenton United Methodist Church at 225 Virginia Road in Edenton. Cost is $10.

APRIL EVENTS

APRIL 1

Perquimans Dog Festival

The Perquimans County Chamber of Commerce will host its first Dog Festival at the Perquimans County Recreation Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The festival, which will feature various dog contests, each with prizes, is a fundraiser for the Chamber, AWARE, the Tri-County Animal Shelter, and the SPCA of Elizabeth City.

APRIL 5

Food Bank Anniversary

Food Bank of the Albemarle will host its 40th anniversary celebration from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 109 Tidewater Way in Elizabeth City. The event is opportunity for the public to see the food bank’s new expanded facility, plus other activities. Free admission. Visit www. afoodbank.com.

APRIL 8

Easter Bunny Breakfast

A community breakfast with the Easter Bunny will be held at the Historic Edenton State Historic Sites Visitor Center at 108 N. Broad Street from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. $2.50 per person.

The two-day Harry Potter Extravaganza will be held March 24-25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sheperd-Pruden Memorial Library at 106 W. Water Street in Edenton.

Photo courtesy Chowan Herald

The Perquimans County Chamber of Commerce will host its first Dog Festival at the Perquimans County Recreation Center April 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The festival, which will feature various dog contests, each with prizes, is a fundraiser for the Chamber, AWARE, the Tri-County Animal Shelter, and the SPCA of Elizabeth City.

APRIL 14-15

Pilgrimage of Historic Homes

A self-guided tour through the heart of Historic Edenton and the surrounding countryside that highlights homes with architecture spanning two centuries will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Purchase tickets at edentonpilgramage.org. Call Edenton Women’s Club at 484-883-7108.

APRIL 15

TarWheel Cycling Event

The TarWheel Cycling Event will be held from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with route options of 33 miles, 62 miles and 100 miles. Ride starts at Riverside Avenue and Water Street in downtown Elizabeth City.

APRIL 21

Open Door Fundraiser

A fundraiser for the Open Door of Perquimans County’s new building will be held in the parking lot of Hertford Baptist Church on Market Street from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Cost is $10. Tickets available by calling 331-3724 or 334-7152.

APRIL 22

15th Children’s Festival

The Chowan/Perquimans Smart Start Partnership will host the 15th annual Week of the Young Child Children’s Festival at the Perquimans Recreation Center, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Event will include petting zoo, games, car seat checks. Contact: 482-3035.

5K Run for Hope

The John A. Holmes High School Herren Project Club will host a 5K run/walk in downtown Edenton starting at 9 a.m. Register at runtheeast.com.

Monument Dedication

The Lawrence/Patience Monument in Edenton’s African American Cemetery will start at noon at Providence Burial Ground at 300 State Road 1234 in Edenton.

Dine Drink & Dance

Historic Hertford Inc. and the Hertford Rotary Club will host the annual Dine Drink & Dance event on the marine dock in Hertford from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Purchase tickets at www.historichertfordinc.org

Rocky Hock Opry

The Rocky Hock Spring Opry Concert will be start at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at John A. Holmes High School at 600 Woodard Street. Call 252-482-4621.

5K run

Run for Hope 5K starts at Charles Creek Park at 719 Riverside Avenue at 9 a.m. Event raises money for Albemarle Hopeline and is for runners, walkers, is stroller-friendly and dogs on leash welcomed. Admission fee $30 for adults.

Legends & Lore

The first-ever Legends & Lores event will be held in Elizabeth City’s downtown from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will be a mix of Ghost Walk, murder-mystery dinner theater, and scavenger hunt. The focus will be on the Nell Cropsey murder in 1901.

APRIL 25 Vehicle Day

The Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce’s annual Vehicle Day for White Oak Elementary gives students in pre-K through second grade the chance to see the different kinds of trucks, tractors, cranes and other vehicles used by workers. The school is located at 111 Sandy Ridge Road.

Photo courtesy Dreamstime/TNS

APRIL 29

Bocce, Beer & Bites

The Albemarle Area United Way will host the 5th annual Bocce, Beer & Bites fundraiser at Waterfront Park from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Teams can sign up for $200 through April 14 or until all 48 spots are sold out. Each team member, and spectators who purchase a $30 ticket, receive two craft beers, a barbecue plate and a Kona shaved ice. Meal-only tickets for $20 will be available. Visit aaunitedway. org/bbb.

APRIL 30

Albemarle Chorale concert

The Albemarle Chorale will present the first performance of its spring concert, “An English Spring,” featuring a number of songs by English composers, at Edenton United Methodist Church, 225 Virginia Road, Edenton, at 4 p.m. Its second concert will be Sunday, May 7, at 4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, Elizabeth City. Admission to both concerts is free.

MAY EVENTS

MAY 6

Battle Scarred Golf Tournament

Battle Scarred Outdoors will host a Benefit Golf Tournament at The Pines of Elizabeth City starting at noon. Tournament is for four-man teams at $100 per golfer. Dinner included with registration. Contact: bsoatthepines@gmail.com.

MAY 11 Chamber Golf Tournament

The Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce will host its annual golf tournament at The Links at Mulberry Hill at 1101 Sound Shore Drive in Edenton. Details to be announced. The rain date is May 16.

The first-ever Legends & Lores event will be held in Elizabeth City’s downtown April 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will be a mix of Ghost Walk, murdermystery dinner theater, and scavenger hunt. The focus will be on the Nell Cropsey murder in 1901.

Photo courtesy ECDI

Chamber Golf Scramble

The Perquimans County Chamber of Commerce will host its 3rd annual Golf Scramble Tournament at Albemarle Plantation in Hertford.

MAY 12-13

‘Murder By Indecision’

Carolina Moon Theater will present the play “Murder By Indecision” Friday and Saturday, May 12-13, at 7 p.m. and May 20-21, also at 7 p.m.

MAY 19-20

Albemarle Rock Fish Festival

Clear Living Waters’ 3rd annual Albemarle Rock Fish Festival will start at 9 a.m. at the Edenton Marina on W. Queen Street. For ticket information, visit clearlivingwaters.com/event-information.

MAY 19-21

NC Potato Festival

The NC Potato Festival will be held in downtown Elizabeth City May 19 from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; May 20 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and May 21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The three-day free event will include food, arts and crafts, contests, live entertainment and a midway of games and amusement rides. There will be a cost for the amusement rides.

JUNE EVENTS

JUNE 2-4

Year of the Trail

Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc. and Visit Elizabeth City will host a Year of the Trail event Friday through Sunday, June 2-4, at noon. Event will feature hiking, biking, kayaking and history trails.

Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival

Elizabeth City Downtown Inc. will host the free Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival at Mariners’ Wharf Park each Tuesday between June 6 and July 25 at 8:30 p.m. nightly.

Calendar events compiled from events listed at the websites of Visit Elizabeth City, the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce and Perquimans Tourism Development Authority.