Community Profile
A Calendar Full of Festivals
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Johnston County's Tourist Appeal
Important links:
Johnston
County government
Johnston County schools
Greater
Smithfield-Selma Chamber of Commerce
Benson Chamber of Commerce
Clayton
Chamber of Commerce
Tourism
spending pumped $540 million into the economy of Johnston
County in 2000, the latest year for which figures are available. And
so far as Donna Bailey-Taylor can tell, it’s blue sky from here on.
Says the executive director of the Johnston County Visitors Bureau:
“We believe the development of the tourism product in Johnston will
make us more than just a stopover destination on I-95 and I-40 (as)
more and more travelers are discovering about what we have to
offer.”
Contributing to the tourism-related hubbub are annual events,
including a plethora of festivals that celebrate community and the
area’s agricultural heritage.
Commemorative Living History Program: Weekend closest to the dates
of the original Battle of Bentonville (March 19-21),
the largest Civil War land battle to take place in North Carolina.
The program highlights the evolution of military field medicine. A
hospital is recreated at the historic Harper House. Bentonville is
located off I-95, exit 90.
Greater Cleveland Community Strawberry Festival: Last weekend of
April. Parade, vendors, strawberries for sale, shortcakes, ice cream,
carnival rides and games. Cleveland area, near I-40 and N.C. Highway
42.
Smithfield Ham & Yam Festival: First Friday and Saturday in
May. Arts and crafts and
commercial vendors, carnival, dances, activities for children, live
entertainment, and a 5K run including a hog trot and a piglet
stampede. Ham and yam recipes are judged, and there’s a ham and yam
supper. Downtown Smithfield.
Brookhill Steeplechase: First Saturday in May.
Sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association, the
nation’s top steeplechase horses compete for prize money on the
grounds of Brookhill Farm in Clayton.
Four Oaks Acorn Festival: Third weekend in May. The town of Four
Oaks celebrates its namesake with a golf tournament, parade, live
entertainment, arts and crafts exhibits, a barbecue cookoff and street
dance.
Benson Singing Convention: Fourth weekend of June. Downtown Benson
hosts the oldest Southern gospel convention in the nation. Includes
amateur and semi-professional singing competitions.
Tobacco Farm Life Museum Anniversary: Last weekend in June. A
variety of special demonstrations, exhibits, refreshments, carnival
games, clogging, and bluegrass music at the Kenly museum.
Clayton Harvest Festival & Arts Fair: Second week of
September. Features a golf tournament, live entertainment, street
dance, arts and crafts, food vendors, carnival rides, clowns, and
classic car show. The Cultural Arts Center in Clayton also hosts an
Arts Fair.
Benson Mule Days: Fourth weekend in September.
A 50-year tradition, this four-day festival honors the beast of
burden with mule pulling contests and rodeos, a street dance, a mule
and horse parade, a barbecue cookoff, arts and crafts exhibits, and
live entertainment, including bluegrass music and clogging.
Selma Railroad Days Festival & Antiques: First weekend in
October. A 10K race, carnival games, arts and crafts exhibits, parade,
food, live entertainment and antique shopping.
Meadow Lights: Throughout the holiday season. Lights display
scenes of the Last Supper, the Nativity and Old Glory. Seven miles
south of Benson, off U.S. Hwy. 96 on Godwin Lake Rd. in Meadow.
American Music Jubilee Christmas Show:
Mid-November each weekend through the week of Christmas.
Matinees and evening shows at the Rudy Theatre in Selma.
First weekend in December.
Costumed re-enactors decorate the historic Harper House in Four
Oaks with Victorian era Yuletide decorations and serve goodies.
First weekend in December. A
country-style Christmas with old-fashioned decorations and
refreshments.
Month of December. More
than 25,000 Christmas lights, nativity scenes, candy cane lights, and
a Christmas Village at the college’s Smithfield campus.
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