Nothing Common about Happening

W. TERRY SMITH
Editor

May 09, 2008 01:07 pm

— Don't look now, but the 37th annual Happening on the Common is next weekend.
"We'll be ready," said Carol Banks of the Edgecombe County Cultural Arts Council who has coordinated the event the last two years.
The town's annual all-day spring festival draws crowds who come to see the art and crafts, listen to the music or enjoy the variety of food.
It's a cooperative effort between the Town of Tarboro and the Arts Council.
"We couldn't do it without the volunteers," said Banks.
Included among the volunteers this year is Cub Scout Pack 226 of Sunset Church of God in Tarboro. The boys' parents will be selling food, and the Scouts will stick around to help with the cleanup.
Fifty-seven artists and crafts people will surround the Town Common with displays of everything from art work of every type to beading and pottery, Christmas ornaments, soaps and lotions, jewelry, walking sticks, painted t-shirts, baby quilts, glass, gem stones, james and jellies, calligraphy, bird houses, scented candles, embroidery, dolls, pocket books and much, much more.
John Amero of Pittsboro, who was just in town for the Garden Symposium will be back with his metal works.
“We’ve had a lot of people ask if he was going to be here,” Banks said.
Wheelchair-bound Gary Reid of Tarboro will cut portraits in wood.
"We will have more hands-on things this year," Banks said, noting artist Sue Winstead of Wilson will be on hand with her clay in the Arts Council tent.
Popular bootmaker Oscar Cruz will demonstrate his leather craft. Actually, there will be 18 arts and crafts demonstrators.
The popular inflatables (Jurassic Park, Extreme basketball, etc.) will be back with a new addition: A rock climbing setup especially for teenagers.
Tickets for the inflatables are $2 and $5 for the rock-climbing adventure.
Tickets for the a ride on the trackless train are also $2.
Official Happening t-shirts (“Got Culture?”) in a rainbow of pastel colors will be on sale for $10 each.
There will be 17 food vendors. The menu includes pork rinds, roasted nuts, cotton candy, hamburgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, soft ice cream, sno cones, pizza, funnel cakes, ribs, barbecue and Lorenzo and Addie Carmon's man-pleasing smoked turkey legs.
There will be a picnic area for those that want to sit and eat.
For entertainment, the acts on stage begin at 10 a.m. with the Perfect Rhythm Jazz Ensemble. This lineup include the Tar River Children's Chorus, Sara Dew, Gospel Singers of Faith, Ballet Folkoria Espiritu Sonto, Kristin McAvoy, Amanda and Amber Rudd, Dr. Pete Temple and the Tar River Boys and the North Carolina Youth Tappers from Chapel Hill who will wrap up the day from 4 to 5 p.m.
"It's all community-orientated," Banks said. "We include all parts of our community – not only Edgecombe County residents but others, too.
“We want people to just have a good time."

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