Brunswick County will proudly host the North Carolina Rice Festival in 2024 from February 28 to March 2. Attendees are promised “four days, four events, and four locations” where they will have fun and learn about North Carolina’s history and culture.
The introductory night of the festival will take place February 28 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the WWAY-3 headquarters in Leland. This event is perfect for newcomers to the festival, as it features not one but two documentaries locally produced by festival organizers that detail the significant role of rice in North Carolina History.
February 29th is the ancestry reveal from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Navassa Community Center. Thanks to African Ancestry, a DNA-based ancestry tracing company, black community members can have their DNA tested to discover their connections with West African ancestors. Navassa, North Carolina, like much of the state, is rich in African American history. Many communities within Navassa were founded by Gullah Geechee, who survived slavery on North Carolina rice plantations. Activists in these communities have been instrumental in establishing the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, which is dedicated to preserving and raising awareness of the Gullah Geechee’s cultural and historical contributions.
Day three honors the Gullah Geechee, a community formed from the descendants of enslaved peoples from West Africa in the American southeast. From 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm on March 1st, The Brunswick Center at Supply will host a dinner of Gullah Geechee-inspired cuisine with a menu by award-winning chef Keith Rhodes of Catch Restaurant, one of the first African American family-owned casual dining restaurants in North Carolina. Rhodes’ culinary career is inspired by the support and respect of his community and peers. Attendees will also enjoy entertainment from Gullah Geechee performing artists, hear from several guest speakers, and have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction.
Finally, the festival will go out with a bang on March 2nd at Historic Brunswick Town. Founded in 1726, Brunswick Town is a local landmark of the time period in which the history of rice plantations was shaped. The site was home to a bustling port that shipped products derived from the local longleaf pine. Long after it was destroyed by British troops in 1776 during the American Revolution, the site was used by Confederate troops in the Civil War to construct Fort Anderson in 1861. On the final night of this year’s North Carolina Rice Festival, the site will be cast in a positive role in black history for the second year in a row. From 10:00 am – 5:30 pm, community members are encouraged to come have fun with art and food vendors, demonstrations, children’s entertainment, and historical and cultural presentations taking place on three separate stages throughout the event.
