2022 Johnston Now Fall Guide

By Randy Capps

I should start with a confession. I usually skip fall celebrations.

My Christmas tree went up on Labor Day. So we tend to transition straight from summer to the holiday season at my house.

That being said, aside from football, there are fall events locally that I really enjoy.

The return of the International Food Festival (Oct. 1) has been circled on my calendar for a while. The event, like many others, has been affected by COVID in recent years, but it’s always one of my favorites. Even if there wasn’t a silent auction and live entertainment, the food alone would be worth the trip over to St. Ann Catholic Church.

To give you a taste of what you might expect — see what I did there — here’s some of what they had on offer at a recent festival: Crepes (France), poulet roti (roast chicken, Haiti), egg rolls (Philippines) and our family favorite, empanadas from Venezuela. And that’s barely scratching the surface.

After you get your fill of culinary delights from around the world, you can chug on over for the 47th annual Selma Railroad Days Festival (Oct. 8-9). Yes, that’s another pun, but what’s not corny is the jam packed schedule of events going on in Selma that weekend.

Of course, there’s the parade, the My Kid’s Club 5K Run/Walk, the Selma Firefighters Association BBQ

Cookoff (Friday, Oct. 7), food trucks, entertainment, bounce houses and way too many other things to list here.

Visit selma-nc.com/programs/parks-rec/ railroad-days-festival or check out their ad on Page 8 to learn more.

If that sounded like a bountiful cornucopia of festival fun — last pun, I promise — then the Clayton Harvest Festival will serve up more fun on the last weekend of the month. The middle of this edition serves as the official festival guide, and as you can see, there’s a ton to see and do in Clayton on festival weekend.

The same can be said for Johnston County in the month of October. Read on, and see what I mean.

Festivals

SATURDAY, OCT. 1, 11 A.M.

International Food Festival St. Ann Catholic Church, U.S. 70 Bus. W, Clayton St. Ann Catholic Church will host the annual International Food Festival Saturday, Oct. 1 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. There will be food from many countries, a silent auction, entertainment and more. For more information, contact Dan Smith at 919-255-0285 or by email at dtsmith333@ yahoo.com, Anna Martinez at 919-437-5047 or visit www.internationalfoodfestival.net.

OCT. 7-9

Ava Gardner Festival Ava Gardner Museum, Market Street, Smithfield The Ava Gardner Museum hosts an annual festival in honor of the extraordinary life of the legendary actress, fashion icon and humanitarian Ava Gardner. This years festival, scheduled for October 7-9, will include a multitude of exciting events. Join the museum staff and board as they unveil new exhibits, conduct heritage tours, host special film and video presentations and much more to celebrate the Ava 100th Centennial. Admission fees apply for the museum and heritage tours. Tickets for the concert, A Musical Tribute to Ava Gardner at The Clayton Center on Friday, October 7 will be available only through the ticket office at the Clayton Center.

OCT. 7-9

Selma Railroad Days Uptown Selma Follow the tracks to the 47th Annual Selma Railroad Days Festival! This unique festival allows rail fans of all ages to see, learn and celebrate the history of the railway and its importance to Selma. Rail fans can shop til they drop on Raiford Street, chew chew until their engines are full at the food trucks and dance the day and night away with live entertainment for all three days and more. Events will include a parade, the My Kids Club Annual Railroad Days 5K Run/Walk, the Selma Firefighters Association BBQ Cookoff, little engineers stations, the Chew Chew Food Truck Rodeo, many vendors, the crowning of Miss Hispanic Heritage Johnston County, inflatables, live entertainment, a community stage, model trains and much more.

SATURDAY, OCT. 15, 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M.

Town of Princeton Fall Festival Center Street, Princeton Enjoy arts and craft vendors, shopping, food and fun. Visit www.myprincetonnc.com for more details.

OCT. 27-30

2022 Clayton Harvest Festival Downtown Clayton The 2022 Clayton Chamber of Commerce Clayton Harvest Festival is a free, four-day event that incorporates a midway full of carnival rides, a classic car show, a Latin American Festival, the Squealin on the Square BBQ cook off, a 100-booth vendor fair, and other community-focused events, food, music and fun. On Thursday, Oct. 27, the event will include Family Night at Town Square, midway rides and games and a movie night featuring Hocus Pocus at 6:30. For more information, visit www. claytonharvestfestival.com.

SATURDAY, OCT. 29 4 P.M.

2022 Pine Level Community Fall Festival U.S. 70-A, Pine Level Don’t miss trunk-or-treating, games, inflatables, food trucks and more. This event is presented by the own of Pine Level and Playmates Child Care and Development Center.

SATURDAY, NOV. 5

Bentonville Battlefield Fall Festival Bring the family and celebrate fall at Bentonville Battlefield. Planned activities include wagon rides, old timey kids games, music, townball (19th century baseball), historic demonstrations and more! Bring a blanket or chair and listen to live music. For more, visit www.fb.com/ BentonvilleSHS/events.

Venues

Clayton Fear Farm — When the sun goes down, things get pretty scary. There’s a haunted hayride, and several other attractions designed to send a chill down your spine. To learn more, visit www.claytonfearfarm.com.

Sonlight Farms — Head on over to Kenly (any Saturday this month) to check out a corn maze, hayride, playground, concessions and more. For costs and other information, visit www.sonlightfarmsnc.com.

Halloween

Princeton — Town approved trick or treat hours are Oct. 31, 6-8 p.m.

Benson — Hallofest Trunk or Treat, Main Street, Friday, Oct. 28 6:30- 8:30 p.m. To register to participate with a trunk full of candy or to print

out a registration form, visit www. townofbenson.com. Also, Benson Parks and Rec Movie Night in the Grove and Black and Orange Egg Hunt are set for Friday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.

Smithfield — Trick-or-treating within town limits will be held Oct. 31, 5-8 p.m.

Clayton — Downtown Clayton Trick or Treat, Horne Square, Oct. 31 5-7 p.m. Walk down Main Street as local businesses hand out candy.

Selma — 2022 Trunk-or-Treat Event, Selma Civic Center, Friday, Oct. 28, 6-8 p.m. Free event with candy, games, etc. Costumes are welcome. For more information, call 919-975-1411.

Things to do

SATURDAY, OCT. 1, 7 P.M.

Austin Irby “Unplugged” Rudy Theatre, Selma Enjoy Elvis tribute artist Austin Irby, backed by The Spin-Outs Tribute Band and special guest Dwight Boseman. For tickets, visit www. rudytheatre.com.

SUNDAY, OCT. 2, 6 P.M.

The King’s Messengers Praise Sanctuary Church, Barden St., Princeton The King’s Messengers, a southern gospel music ministry based in Pikeville, will perform at Praise Sanctuary Church on Sunday, Oct. 2. The King’s Messengers have been traveling and performing for 44 years.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5, 12:30 P.M.

Fall Nature Play Days Howell Woods, Four Oaks Come play with Howell Woods staff in their Nature PlaySpace! This free program will include extra materials to play with, from bubbles to sand toys and more. For more information, call 919- 938-0115 or email jtastoske@johnstoncc.edu.

FRIDAY, OCT. 7, 8 A.M.

Eighth Annual Live2Lead The Clayton Center The eighth annual Live2Lead event is coming to Clayton as a live simulcast event being broadcast from a stage in Atlanta and shown in hundreds of locations around the globe. In this event, Dr. John C. Maxwell and other world-class leaders will teach practical lessons designed to help individuals in all spheres of influence grow to their maximum potential. The Live2Lead experience is being brought to The Clayton Center Friday, Oct. 7 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. by Eric J. Schmieder, a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team member. This year’s speaker lineup includes Maxwell, Patrick Lencioni, Eric Thomas, Dr. Tim Elmore and Doris Kearns Goodwin. At The Clayton Center, the event will include a livestream connection between attendees in Clayton and an event sponsored by Clive Harding, an MLCT member in Winter Haven, Fla. Attendees on site in both locations can share experiences and participate in two bonus leadership sessions. For more information, registration and tickets, visit www.l2lclayton.com.

FRIDAY, OCT. 7, 5 P.M.

2022 Monster Truck Throwdown GALOT MotorSports Park Monster Truck Throwdown returns to GALOT Motorsports Park in Benson. Don’t miss Monster Truck Throwdown superstars Avenger, Brutus, Virginia Giant and more! To learn more, visit www. galotmotorsportspark.com.

FRIDAY, OCT. 7, 6:30 P.M.

A Musical Tribute to Ava Gardner The Clayton Center Billed as A Musical Tribute to Ava Gardner, concert goers will experience a celebration of Ava’s life through music! Ava truly loved music from the big band sounds of her second husband, Artie Shaw, to the torch songs that Frank Sinatra was so famous for singing following their breakup. Enjoy this musical tribute to Ava with the N.C. Revelers Orchestra from Raleigh and featuring Broadway actor and singer John Arthur Greene and opera and jazz singer Angelique Alexander. This collaboration also includes Jonathan Levin, founder of The Clayton Piano Festival, with a medley of Ava’s movie songs and much more. Tickets are only available through The Clayton Center box office or online at www.theclaytoncenter. com. For more information, email dbtaylor@johnstoncountync.org or call 919-989-8687.

FRIDAY, OCT. 7, 7 P.M.

Fall Family Movie Night Clayton General Store Come out and welcome the Fall Family Movie Nights at the Clayton General Store. This will be movie night No. 3 of the series featuring “Hotel Transylvania.” There will be a food truck on site as well as the store will be open serving your favorite ice cream and goodies. Learn more at www. fb.com/claytongeneralstore/ events.

SATURDAY, OCT. 8, 9 A.M.

Selma Saturdays Arts and Crafts Market Gather with friends and enjoy live local entertainment and browse local artists and craftsmen. Shop local and support small businesses. The market is held on North Raiford Street on the second Saturday of the month. For complete information and/or to set up a booth, contact Selma Parks and Recreation department at 919-975-1411.

SATURDAY, OCT. 8, 1 P.M.

Third Annual Thornetoberfest Double Barley, Hwy. 70, Smithfield The 3rd Annual Thornetoberfest is set for Saturday, October 8 at Double Barley Brewing! To kick off the day, Proton Jones will be playing from 1-3 p.m. with his soulful voice and laid-back vibes. Gypsy Railroad will follow with an entertaining mix of classic rock, pop and country songs that will get your toes tapping. Finally, Kings of the Highway will be rocking the stage from 6-10 p.m. with an energetic show and great music from artists ranging from Queen to Lady Gaga. There will also be amazing German food including schweinebraten (German roasted pork), German sausages (bratwurst, weisswurst, knackwurst, bauernwurst), German potato salad, spaetzle (egg dumplings), red cabbage and pretzels with beer cheese (made with Double Barley beer). Of course, Double Barley will have a great selection of beer for purchase. This year, the event will help to raise funds for The American Cancer Society. For more details, visit www.fb.com/ DoubleBarley/events.

SUNDAY, OCT. 9, 2 P.M

OC Fest 2022 Downtown Clayton The inaugural OC Fest 2022 in Downtown Clayton is open to the public. Enjoy Christian music including I Am They and others. Family-friendly activities include inflatables, face painting, vendor booths and food trucks. Reserve your free ticket today at www. onecompassion.org/oc-fest. THURSDAY, OCT. 13, 6 P.M. Sundown in Downtown - Liquid Pleasure Benson Singing Grove Liquid Pleasure will take the stage to close out the 2022 Sundown in Downtown schedule. To learn more, visit www.benson-chamber. com.

FRIDAY, OCT. 14, 8 P.M.

Kathy Mattea & Suzy Boggus “Together At Last” The Clayton Center Country and folk music legends, Kathy Mattea and Suzy Bogguss, join forces to share their celebrated music and personal chemistry on stage in their new show, Together at Last. The tour features both artists on stage for the entire performance, swapping songs and stories, singing harmony and playing guitar on each other’s biggest hits. For tickets, visit theclaytoncenter.com.

SATURDAY, OCT. 15, 8 A.M.

McGee’s Crossroads Mustang Stampede 5K McGee’s Crossroads Middle School McGee’s Crossroads Middle School will be hosting its second annual Mustang Stampede 5K. Help support this school fundraiser while enjoying an adventurous run. All ability levels are welcome, and participants can walk or run. All proceeds will help fund the school library and technology needs, along with teacher resources, student incentives, etc. For more information, visit McGee’s Crossroads Mustang Stampede 5K on Facebook.

SATURDAY, OCT. 15, 9 A.M.

Feel the Burn 5K & 10K Princeton Volunteer Fire Department The 13th Annual Feel the Burn 5K/10K, the largest fundraiser of the year for Princeton Volunteer Fire Department, will be held Saturday, Oct. 15 beginning at 9 a.m. The 5K is certified by USA Track & Field. The 10K will consist of running the certified 5K twice. New this year, thanks to Run the East LLC, both the 5K and 10K will be chip timed. Registration will be $30 for the 5K and $35 for the 10K. First and second place for the 5K and the 10K will be awarded in several age divisions. To register, visit www.runsignup. com/Race and search for Feel the Burn 5K & 10K.

SATURDAY, OCT. 15, 9:30 A.M.

Fall Nature Play Days Howell Woods, Four Oaks Come play with Howell Woods staff in their Nature PlaySpace! This free program will include extra materials to play with, from bubbles to sand toys and more. A Play Day will be held Saturday, Oct. 15 from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. For more information, call 919-938-0115 or email jtastoske@ johnstoncc.edu.

SATURDAY, OCT. 15, 10 A.M.

Costumes and Pony Rides at West Olive Pasture Pals Equine Rescue, West Olive Rd., Clayton Pasture Pals Equine Rescue will host Costumes and Pony Rides Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Pony rides, groom a pony, go out in the pasture with a volunteer and pumpkin carving and decorating will cost $5 each, petting zoo treats will be $1 and drinks and baked goods will be $1 each. For more information, email PasturePalsER@aol.com or visit www.pasturepalser.com.

SATURDAY, OCT. 15, NOON

Fall Fun Vendor Event Archer Lodge Community Center Come out and enjoy the Fall Fun Vendor Event on Saturday, October 15. They will also be selling Brunswick Stew, homemade ice cream and hot dogs. To learn more, visit www. fb.com/archerlodgecc/events.

SATURDAY, OCT. 15, 1 P.M.

Fall Leaves Howell Woods, Four Oaks Join Howell Woods staff as they celebrate the autumn season Saturday, Oct. 15 from 1-2 p.m. They will discuss why leaves change color, look at some common species and then go on a leaf hunt to make leaf sculptures and art. This program is suitable for ages 5 and up and costs $5. For more information and to register, visit www.johnstoncc. edu/howellwoods.

SATURDAY, OCT. 15, NOON

Oktoberfest Deep River Brewing Company, Clayton We love a good Weisen to party! Oktoberfest at Deep River Brewing Company is scheduled for October 15 from noon until 10 p.m. There will be food trucks, entertainment, live music and, of course, beer. Learn more at www.fb.com/DeepRiverBrewing/ events.

SATURDAY, OCT. 15, 7 P.M.

Remembering Red, a tribute to Red Skelton Rudy Theatre, Selma Brian Hoffman of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., performs Remembering Red, A tribute to Red Skelton. One show only. For tickets, visit www.rudytheatre.com.

TUESDAY, OCT. 18, 4 P.M.

Mamm & Glam Smithfield Ambulatory Imaging, N. Brightleaf Blvd., Smithfield Is it time for your annual mammogram screening? Come out from 4-6 p.m. Registration is required. No walk-ins available. Screening events include a combination of breast health information, blood pressure screening, a complimentary chair massage, refreshments and a swag bag. Call 919-938-7749 to register for an appointment.

THURSDAY, OCT. 20, 1 P.M.

Community Science: Fall Series Howell Woods, Four Oaks Join Howell Woods’ staff as they introduce a variety of citizen science projects this fall. The October project is ebird. Each project will focus on collecting data of the natural world and can be done anywhere. This program is suitable for ages 5 and up. The cost is $5. For more information and to register, visit www. johnstoncc.edu/howellwoods.

SATURDAY, OCT. 22, 7 P.M.

Allison Radcliffe Rudy Theatre, Selma Allison Radcliffe is a new country music artist who just signed with Iron Gate Records in Tennessee this year. She’s a hometown gal from N.C. who enjoys the simple things in life. Her first single, “That’s My Mama,” dropped May 1. For tickets, visit www. rudytheatre.com.

SUNDAY, OCT. 23, NOON

Food Truck Rodeo Deep River Brewing Co., Clayton A few of your favorite things: family, friends, food, music and brews — all in one place! Prepare to bring camping chairs and/or blankets if you’d like to hang in the field. Parents: drink your beer, socialize and supervise. Overflow parking is located across from the brewery on Moore St. Outside alcohol is not allowed on site. For more details, visit www.fb.com/DeepRiverBrewing/events.

MONDAY, OCT. 24, 6:30 P.M.

Owl Safari Howell Woods, Four Oaks Join Howell Woods’ staff as they search for the elusive Barred Owl. They will introduce raptors, visit the Birds of Prey exhibit, and then take a truck ride to search for these nocturnal creatures! This program is suitable for ages 5 and up. The cost for this program is $5. For more information and to register, visit www.johnstoncc. edu/howellwoods.

THURSDAY, OCT. 27, 7 P.M.

Classics at the Barn with Sheng Cai Twin Oaks Barn, Garner Described as having an inner passion paired with Rubinstein’s nonchalance by German newspapers, Canadian pianist Sheng Cai has embraced the keyboard tradition which epitomizes the greatness of the romantic virtuoso. Set in the rural beauty of the rustic Twin Oaks Barn, Sheng will present an exciting program of timeless classics, sure to thrill classical enthusiasts and newcomers alike. To learn more, visit www. claytonpianofestival.com.

FRIDAY, OCT. 28, 6 P.M.

Third StrEATery featuring Blazin’ Keys, Dueling Pianos Downtown Smithfield Come downtown with your family, meet up with your friends, get takeout from a downtown restaurant and visit Third Street to hear live music, shop from local businesses and have a beer or glass of wine! Afterward, catch a movie or enjoy drinks at one of the local restaurants or bars. The 100 block of S. Third Street will be closed, and tables and chairs will be set up in the street. North Carolina’s premier dueling pianos show, Blazin Keys, offers a high energy performance, a variety of musical selections, and they’re sure to get the crowd involved! For more, visit www.fb.com/ DowntownSmithfield/events.

SATURDAY, OCT. 29, 10 A.M.

Trunk or Treat Vendor Event Clayton General Store Come out for the annual Clayton General Store Trunk or Treat event vendor style. They will have more than 20 vendors, food trucks and all your fall and holiday decor on site. Bring the kids dressed in costume and let them trick or treat with the vendors and store. For more, visit www. fb.com/claytongeneralstore/ events.

SATURDAY, OCT. 29, 5 P.M.

Holt’s Pond Church Annual Auction Progressive Church Road, Princeton The Holt’s Pond Church of God of Prophecy Annual Auction is planned for Saturday, Oct. 29. Hotdogs will be served beginning at 5 p.m. and the auction will begin promptly at 6 p.m. Everyone is invited for a night guaranteed to be filled with a lot of laughs and fellowship. Gently used or new items can be dropped of at the fellowship hall.

SATURDAY, OCT. 29, 7 P.M.

Mountain Highway bluegrass band Rudy Theatre, Selma With a style all their own, Mountain Highway is an authentic young family band steeped in traditional bluegrass and gospel music originally made famous by icons like Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs and Ralph Stanley. The band is comprised of four sibling singers who play banjo, fiddle, mandolin and guitar with their father playing upright bass. The group is often heralded for its tight family harmony. For more, visit www.rudytheatre.com.

SUNDAY, OCT. 30, 10:30 A.M.

The King’s Messengers Selma Original FWB Church The King’s Messengers, a southern gospel music ministry based in Pikeville, will perform at Praise Sanctuary Church on Sunday, Oct. 2. The King’s

Messengers have been traveling and performing for 44 years.

MONDAY, OCT. 31, 9 A.M. Howell Woods Fall Day Camp Howell Woods is pleased to offer day camps full of outdoor fun and adventure this fall. A day camp will be held Monday, Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The camp is for ages 8-12. The cost of this camp is $25. For more information please contact Howell Woods Director Jordan Astoske at 919-938-0115 or by email at jtastoske@johnstoncc.edu. To register, visit www.johnstoncc. edu/howellwoods.

MONDAY, OCT. 31, 5:30 P.M.

St. Paul A.M.E. Church Trunk or Treat 300 N. Gardner Ave., Kenly St. Paul A.M.E. Church will hold Trunk or Treat Monday, Oct. 31 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. There will be fellowship and lots of candy! The public is invited to participate.

THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 4 P.M.

DeWayne’s 19th Christmas Open House Open House is back! Join them Thursday, Nov. 3 for the store’s official kickoff to the Christmas season. Enjoy samples from Hinnant Winery, grab dinner from local food trucks, register to win door prizes and sing along with The Victorian Carolers from 5-8 p.m. To learn more, visit www. fb.com/ShopDeWaynes/events.

THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 6 P.M.

GriefShare for the Holidays Beulah Hill Christian Church, Keen Road, Four Oaks Beulah Hill Christian Church would like to offer a place of rest and preparation for the upcoming holidays. They are making their facility available for this GriefShare Surviving the Holidays Group Workshop to help in this difficult time. Workbooks will be provided at no cost on the night of the group event. To learn more, visit www.beulahhill.com/ surviving-the-holidays.

SATURDAY, NOV 5, 9 A.M.

JWL’s 7th Annual Touch-A-Truck Downtown Smithfield Play. Learn. Explore. at Touch- A-Truck! JWL’s 7th Annual Touch-A-Truck is a unique and interactive fundraiser that allows children to see, touch and safely explore their favorite big trucks and heavy machinery, as well as meet the personnel who protect, serve and build Johnston County communities. Trucks on display will include emergency vehicles, tractors, machinery, construction equipment, farm equipment, service and delivery trucks and more. For more information, visit www.jwlsmithfield.com.