(June 16, 2016) Gone but not forgotten, the annual Cypress Festival will be succeeded this year by the “Summer Kickoff on the River” to be held this Thursday through Saturday at Cypress Park.
“Circumstances of the old festival changed, so we couldn’t do what we’d done before,” Pocomoke Chamber of Commerce Director Michelle Hickman said. “We changed the name to let people know it’s not going to be exactly the same as they remember.”
For starters, admission is set up differently. Hickman said in the past the festival sold tickets to rides, but this year will see admission tickets as well.
“Visitors can either pay $2 at the gate or $8 for unlimited access to all of the kids’ rides. Children under the age of 2 are free,” she said.
The kickoff is managed by the chamber, and is scheduled from 5-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 2-9 p.m. Saturday.
The carnival rides will not be returning this year, Hickman said, because the company that supplies them dissolved.
However, replacements have been found. Hickman said a company from Chincoteague would be providing an inflatable obstacle course and a bounce house. They will also provide a climbing wall and giant slides, she said.
Also, a donut-eating contest will take place each day. On Thursday and Friday the contest is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., and on Saturday it’s expected to take place at 2:30 p.m. Competitors in three divisions will race against the clock to eat a set number of donuts.
The person with the fastest time will win a prize pack of Shorebirds tickets, Mar-Va theater tickets and a gift card from competition sponsor Dunkin Donuts.
Kids 0-6 and 7-12 will need $5 for admission to the contest, and those in the final division, 13 and up, will pay $10.
New this year is also a barbecue contest, though only judges will be sampling dishes. Competitors can still sign up, Hickman said, but the deadline is rapidly approaching.
“It’s possible to have more entrants — I think we can make it happen,” she said.
Currently, four entrants are vying for four awards: pork, ribs, chicken and grand champion.
Food vendors, craft sales and exhibitors will all be on hand all weekend long.
“The food vendors are a big draw. They’re all nonprofits and this event is generally how they make their money for scholarships. Most of the vendors we usually have are back this year,” Hickman said.
Each day of the festival will also feature live entertainment. Thursday will begin with Keith White and Neil Helgeson. Friday will feature Heroes 4 Sale, and Saturday has two acts planned: Neal Hooks from 2-5 p.m. and Route 13 from 5-9 p.m.
Saturday will be the day to have more in the way of feature events. Members of the Antique Car Club of America’s Accomack branch will have a classic automobile and truck show in the parking lot.
Hickman said she didn’t know how many cars should be at the event, but said the club is advertising trophies in 42 different categories, so she’s expecting quite a few.
Depending on the tide, but around 4 p.m. the annual duck derby is scheduled. Numbered rubber duckies will be unleashed upon the Pocomoke River, and the first one across the finish line will net the person with the matching number half of the total buy-in, and Hickman said the winner doesn’t need to be present to win.
Capping off the event on Saturday are fireworks sponsored by the town. The show will begin at dusk.
“Circumstances of the old festival changed, so we couldn’t do what we’d done before,” Pocomoke Chamber of Commerce Director Michelle Hickman said. “We changed the name to let people know it’s not going to be exactly the same as they remember.”
For starters, admission is set up differently. Hickman said in the past the festival sold tickets to rides, but this year will see admission tickets as well.
“Visitors can either pay $2 at the gate or $8 for unlimited access to all of the kids’ rides. Children under the age of 2 are free,” she said.
The kickoff is managed by the chamber, and is scheduled from 5-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 2-9 p.m. Saturday.
The carnival rides will not be returning this year, Hickman said, because the company that supplies them dissolved.
However, replacements have been found. Hickman said a company from Chincoteague would be providing an inflatable obstacle course and a bounce house. They will also provide a climbing wall and giant slides, she said.
Also, a donut-eating contest will take place each day. On Thursday and Friday the contest is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., and on Saturday it’s expected to take place at 2:30 p.m. Competitors in three divisions will race against the clock to eat a set number of donuts.
The person with the fastest time will win a prize pack of Shorebirds tickets, Mar-Va theater tickets and a gift card from competition sponsor Dunkin Donuts.
Kids 0-6 and 7-12 will need $5 for admission to the contest, and those in the final division, 13 and up, will pay $10.
New this year is also a barbecue contest, though only judges will be sampling dishes. Competitors can still sign up, Hickman said, but the deadline is rapidly approaching.
“It’s possible to have more entrants — I think we can make it happen,” she said.
Currently, four entrants are vying for four awards: pork, ribs, chicken and grand champion.
Food vendors, craft sales and exhibitors will all be on hand all weekend long.
“The food vendors are a big draw. They’re all nonprofits and this event is generally how they make their money for scholarships. Most of the vendors we usually have are back this year,” Hickman said.
Each day of the festival will also feature live entertainment. Thursday will begin with Keith White and Neil Helgeson. Friday will feature Heroes 4 Sale, and Saturday has two acts planned: Neal Hooks from 2-5 p.m. and Route 13 from 5-9 p.m.
Saturday will be the day to have more in the way of feature events. Members of the Antique Car Club of America’s Accomack branch will have a classic automobile and truck show in the parking lot.
Hickman said she didn’t know how many cars should be at the event, but said the club is advertising trophies in 42 different categories, so she’s expecting quite a few.
Depending on the tide, but around 4 p.m. the annual duck derby is scheduled. Numbered rubber duckies will be unleashed upon the Pocomoke River, and the first one across the finish line will net the person with the matching number half of the total buy-in, and Hickman said the winner doesn’t need to be present to win.
Capping off the event on Saturday are fireworks sponsored by the town. The show will begin at dusk.