The rain held off Saturday as Edenton welcomed the spirit of fall when the 51st annual Peanut Parade and Festival brought runners, tractors, colorful floats and families together for a day celebrating community and Chowan County's agricultural heritage.
Spectators settled into folding chairs, blanketed tailgates and gathered along Broad Street for the parade that followed the start of the 7:00 a.m. nut run start, award ceremony and peanut sack races. Kids of all ages took part in the sack races. Classic tractors and antique cars rolled past curbside spectators lining the street from the start of the parade at JAH to the waterfront.
The parade has become a signature town event since its rebirth last year as the town celebrates the crop that is not only grown, but processed here.
As is tradition, the tractors showed up. A bright green John Deere and a gleaming red Farmall carrying an American flag offered reminders of the farming traditions at the heart of the festival. A yellow classic Corvette with a black roof and flame accents added another splash of color to the procession.
Children brought their own energy and imagination. Young marchers in red, white and blue accompanied a patriotic entry featuring a large American flag. On the Team WOW float, children dressed as firefighters, medical professionals and other community helpers rode behind railings draped with peanut plants. Its message, "Empowering Our Future, Rooted in Our Community," connected the next generation with the agricultural roots being celebrated.
The returning Senior Center Line dancers were also part of the parade lineup, adding to a tradition that brings generations together along the downtown route.
Saturday's activities began well before the parade with the return of the Nut Run. The 10K was scheduled for 7 a.m., followed by the 5K at 8:30 a.m., with a 15K Challenge available to ambitious runners taking on both races. The courses highlighted historic downtown Edenton and the surrounding farmland, home to generations of peanut growers.
Runners gathered waterside in Elizabeth Vann Moore park for to receive awards before the parade, with participants sporting medals, first place winners carrying cans of peanuts while posing for photographs.
The Nut Run's 15K Nutty Challenge tested runners who completed both the 10K and 5K races, with their combined times determining the standings. Mark Cagle, 57, of Belhaven, captured first place overall in 1:04:31.46. Edenton's Ryland Elliott, 38, finished second in 1:06:33.52, followed by Stafford Beasley, 32, of Windsor, in 1:06:43.31.
Edenton's Jennifer Struchen, 54, led the women's division with a combined time of 1:23:30.95, placing eighth overall. Jill Moncla, 33, of Elizabeth City, took second among women in 1:24:48.24, while Julie Stutts, 52, of Rocky Mount, finished third in 1:35:43.81
This year also introduced five parade awards recognizing creativity, agricultural pride and community spirit. Categories include the Grand Peanut Award for best overall entry; the Peanut Butter Cup Award for sweetest entry; the Peanut Patch Award for best agricultural entry; the Nuttiest Entry Award for most fun or spirited entry; and the Peanut in the Rough Award for most unexpected entry.
Parade category results are still being tabulated, with winners to be announced Wednesday, Oct. 7.
Beyond the parade, the day's lineup offered activities throughout town. The Cupola Colonial Market in the Cupola Gardens featured artisan vendors, antiques, pewter and artwork.
Festival activities on King Street and the Courthouse Green included live music, while the waterfront offered opportunities to see Edenton from the water aboard the Albemarle Queen and Capt. Mark's electric launch, the Liber-Tea.
Broad Street's independent shops and the Edenton Farmers Market on North Broad Street provided more opportunities to browse, shop and meet local merchants, growers and vendors.
The afternoon schedule continued with the Battle of the Bands at John A. Holmes High School, bringing local and regional marching bands together for the 2 p.m. competition.
Sponsored by Main Street Edenton and Visit Edenton, the Peanut Parade carried a familiar tradition into its 51st year. From peanut plants woven into a children's float to classic tractors traveling Broad Street, Saturday's procession celebrated the connections among farming, family and community that give the festival its character.
The fall edition of The Edenton Social Light print edition, available in the little red boxes on Broad St. this coming Saturday, features one of Edenton's premier businesses, Hampton Farms.
