Ocracoke's Fig Festival celebrates the island’s sweetest traditions.
The 4th annual Ocracoke Fig Festival kicks off Friday evening with a gathering at the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum, and continues all day Saturday with vendor booths, live music, and fun, fig-tastic activities in the historic Community Square. (See detailed schedule below.)
Friday’s events at OPS include a Traditional Ocracoke Square Dance, live music by Molasses Creek, an introduction to Ocracoke figs and fig culture with local expert Chester Lynn, and the sweet and delicious Fig Preserves Tasting Contest. Buy a tasting ticket for $3 and vote for your favorite! (All homemade fig preserves are eligible for entry! Drop them off at the OPS Museum anytime before 6pm on Friday.)
New for 2017 are two ways to win a piece of the Ocracoke Fig Festival! This year’s Fig Festival artwork is an original 18”x24” painting by local artist Mark Brown of a Fig Cake in the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Exhibit. Enter the raffle for a chance to take home this beautiful piece of Ocracoke art! The Fig Festival will also raffle off a gift basket of fig preserves and other fig items available at the festival. Raffle tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5.
Have you ever dreamed of being asked to gorge yourself on fig cake? Here’s your chance! The Fig Festival will choose two judges from the crowd for the first time this year. Entering your name is free; just stop by the Info Booth on Saturday. The drawing will be at 3:30pm and you must be present to win your place at the judges’ table!
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. “Traditional” honors Ocracoke’s classic fig cake recipe. “Innovative” is open to interpretation – just be sure to add figs!
Two panels of judges will choose their favorites based on measures of cake presentation, taste, and figgy-ness, and award a First Place and Runner-Up in each category. Ocracoke restaurateur Daphne Bennink will host onsite with a live broadcast on WOVV 90.1 FM (listen online at wovv.org). After the judging comes the best part – free fig cake for all!
Bring your dancing shoes (or bare feet in true Ocracoke-style) for the evening’s fun. Watch the beautiful sunset from the Community Square docks as the Ocracoke Rockers take the stage to play classic dance music and rock-n-roll until long after dark.
The Ocracoke Fig Festival is sponsored by Ocracoke Civic and Business Association, and supported by Occupancy Tax funds. Special thanks to the Fig Festival committee, Ocracoke Preservation Society, Ocracoke Foundation and the Community Square, Chester Lynn, WOVV 90.1 FM, Daphne Bennink, and all the many performers, artists, bakers, and volunteers!
2017 Fig Fest Schedule: August 18-19
Friday: 6-8pm @ Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum grounds
6–8pm Fig Preserves Tasting Contest in back yard (Enter your own preserves if you wish; purchase a $3 tasting ticket; vote for your favorite!) Free Fig Cake samples! Drinks available to purchase and local fig items for sale.
6-6:30pm Music with Molasses Creek
6:30–7pm “Ocracoke Figs” Porch Talk with local fig expert Chester Lynn
7–8pm Traditional Ocracoke Square Dance with Molasses Creek and caller Desiree Ricker
Saturday: 10am-11pm @ Ocracoke Community Square
10am–3pm: Bring your Fig Cake Bake-Off entry! Anyone may enter in either or both categories: Traditional (old-time Ocracoke recipe) or Innovative (anything goes, as longs as there are Figs!)
10am-4pm Vendor Booths with Figtastic wares (preserves, art, trees, photos, BBQ, gift items, crafts, tea, t-shirts, and more!) Free activities for children
10am–2pm: Live music with local performers: (10am: Kim France; 11am: Kate McNally; Noon: Ocracoke’s Young Musicians, Dancers, and Singers; 1pm: Coyote)
2pm: “Ocracoke Figs” Talk with local fig expert Chester Lynn
3-4pm: Fig Cake Baking Workshop (fee; sign up in advance at Info Booth; spectators welcome!)
3pm: Fig Cakes on Display! (Photo opportunity!)
3:30pm: Drawing for Fig Cake Bake-Off Guest Judge
4pm: Fig Cake Bake-Off Judging hosted by Daphne Bennink and broadcast live on WOWW 90.1 FM.
5pm: Fig-For-All! Free fig cake for everyone!
7pm: Awards Ceremony and Raffle Drawings
7–11pm: Dance Party with Ocracoke Rockers and Friends
