Mondee Tilley | The News
Josephine Norman, left, and her cousin Eldine Noah relax in front of the Rockford General Store Saturday afternoon after enjoying sweet potato confections at the 15th annual Rockford Sweet Potato Festival.
Mondee Tilley | The News
The front porch of the Rockford General Store is lined with visitors to the Rockford Sweet Potato Festival on Saturday.
Mondee Tilley | The News
Penny Thomas, right, looks through old photographs with her husband William and two sons, Colby, left, and Aaron, during the Rockford Sweet Potato Festival yesterday.
ROCKFORD — Beautiful weather, good food and music were the reason most people said they came out Saturday to enjoy the annual Rockford Sweet Potato Festival.
In its 15th year, the festival keeps on growing, according to Carolyn Carter, one of the owners of Rockford General Store, where everything sweet potato was being served up to guests. There was sweet potato pie, sonkers, fudge, cornbread, roll-ups and more on the menu along with other offerings such as chicken stew and the ever-popular Rockford steak sandwich, which is a thick-cut bologna sandwich.
Visitors lined the store waiting for a taste of the sweet potato confections. Vendors also were set up along the road that runs through town and music was being played on a stage set up in the bottom behind the store. Train rides also were offered for children.
Eldine Noah and her cousin Josephine Norman, both of Mount Airy, said they come to the tiny town often because they enjoy the atmosphere there so much. They both said they were having a great time at the festival.
Penny and Thomas Williams and her their two sons, Colby and Aaron, of Brevard enjoyed looking through old artifacts at a yard sale set up by Ray Floyd. She said they enjoy going to festivals and thought the Sweet Potato Festival sounded like fun.
Floyd, a Rockford resident, said there was a big turnout for this year’s festival.
“We’ve had a good crowd and have had a good time. The weather is great. There’s also good music and good food,” said Floyd.
Sherry and her mother Rosalee Holmes said they had never been to Rockford before, and had a hard time finding it, but were having a great time. Sherry said they tried the sweet potato sonker and chicken stew. They loved them both.
“Everybody here is so friendly,” said Sherry Holmes.
Tina and Blaine Bullington were enjoying themselves at the festival as well.
“The weather is absolutely beautiful. We just like getting out and doing things like this,” said Tina Bullington.
Reach Mondee Tilley at mtilley@heartlandpublications.com or at 719-1930.
Post a Comment
