2nd Annual Fig Festival & Fig Cake Bake-off
The Ocracoke community will celebrate the summer’s fig bounty with a fig cake bake-off, live music, dancing, and more!
The second annual Fig Festival in the historic Community Square will feature vendor booths offering fresh figs, fig preserves, local cookbooks, and other fig-tastic items. For kids, there’ll be face painting and crafts. Local fig expert Chester Lynn will give an informative talk about Ocracoke’s fig history and culture, and North Carolina food connoisseur Bob Garner will sign copies of his book, Foods That Make You Say Mmm-mmm, about the “traditions, venues, and recipes of North Carolina’s most famous tastes” – including Ocracoke Fig Cake!
The showpiece of the Fig Festival is the Fig Cake Bake-Off. Everyone is welcome to submit a cake in one or both categories, Traditional or Innovative.
"The Traditional category is for the Old Ocracoke style recipe," said the Bake-Off's founder, Robin Payne. "This way we stay true to the purpose of the Bake-Off, which is honoring Ocracoke culture and a much-loved dessert. Innovative is just that. Anything goes as long as it has figs in it."
The two panels of judges (including Bob Garner!) will choose their favorites based on measures of taste, texture, and figgy-ness. Ocracoke restaurateur Daphne Bennink will host onsite with a live broadcast on WOVV 90.1 FM (listen online at wovv.org) The Bake-Off winners take home a yard sign, a keepsake plaque, and a year’s worth of bragging rights. And the best part? Free samples for everyone after the contest!
Bring your dancing shoes (or bare feet in true Ocracoke-style) for the evening’s fun. The traditional Ocracoke square dance is easy to learn and fun for all ages. Everyone loves to "Dive for the Oyster" and "Dig for the Clam!" Enjoy the beautiful sunset from the Community Square docks as the Ocracoke Rockers take the stage to play classic rock-n-roll for your dancing pleasure.
During the week of the Fig Festival, island restaurants will offer fig-infused specials both savory and sweet!
The Ocracoke Fig Festival is sponsored by Ocracoke Civic and Business Association.
A schedule of events and a sample fig cake recipe can be found at www.ocracokevillage.com.
Where is the event?
