FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, JUNE 9, 2008

Got to Be NC Festival wraps up its first year

RALEIGH — The Got to Be NC Festival ended its four-day run Sunday, marking the first year for the event.
Highlights included hundreds of antique tractors on display, a bluegrass band competition, a food expo featuring North Carolina products and the N.C. Barbecue Championship Cook-off.

"I am very pleased with the first year of the Got to Be NC Festival, and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "The goal of this festival was to highlight our state’s agricultural heritage and locally grown products, and I believe we accomplished that goal."

Twenty-five teams competed in the barbecue cook-off, sponsored by the N.C. Pork Council. Down Home Cookers of Roanoke Rapids took first place. | Download photo

Eight bands picked and fiddled their way through the bluegrass competition. Nu-Blu, a quartet from Siler City, won. | Download photo of Nu-Blu

The following festival participants’ tractors took top honors in judging over the weekend:

• Model year 1930 and prior — Larry McDowell of Asheboro, 1918 Model C Heider; | Download photo
• 1930-49 — Ronnie Hockaday of Four Oaks, 1948 Ford 8N; | Download photo
• 1950-60 — Bob Voshell of Raleigh, 1958 Case 400 "B"; | Download photo
• Best original — Todd Jernigan of Dunn, 1959 John Deere 530. | Download photo

The primary festival sponsor was Kids’ Green Earth. Additional sponsors included Food Lion, Touchstone Energy, Kerr Drug, Quality Equipment LLC, Golden LEAF Foundation, Clearwater and Davi’s Guns.

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