April 2014: Celebrating All Things Potato at the N.C. Potato Festival

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact:

Elizabeth Evans

Cahoon & Cross

Phone: (757) 705-7153

eevans@cahoonandcross.com

 

Celebrating All Things Potato at the N.C. Potato Festival,

May 16-18 in Elizabeth City, N.C. 

(Elizabeth City, N.C., April 23, 2014) – Extra festival days, an expanded midway, more great music and plenty of spuds! The N.C. Potato Festival, May 16-18 along Elizabeth City’s downtown waterfront, is bursting at the seams with a family-friendly event that will please both your taste buds and your desire to have a good time. 

 What began as a simple tribute to the farmers that tend the state’s major potato-growing areas along the Albemarle Sound has grown to attract more than 27,000 celebrants annually for a weekend full of festivities. This year, festival organizers even added an extra day to the schedule to better accommodate all the activities—and the visitors.  

           

“Our slogan, ‘Come and Stay All Day,’ is truer than ever this year,” said Cindy Williams, a festival volunteer. “Arrive on Friday for the kick-off party, and then spend Saturday and Sunday enjoying the food, live music, arts and crafts, potato competitions and our new and improved midway with State Fair-quality mechanical rides!”

             

After festival-goers have whipped and twirled on the Typhoon, Super Shot and Orient Express (plus more!), they can take in live music, performed on three festival stages. Local entertainment is a hallmark of the festival, and homegrown bands Out ‘n the Cold, Million Watt Sons and 40 East are scheduled to perform, in addition to national recording artists Nantucket, Team Collective, Skinny Bag of Sugar, plus The Fort Eustis TRADOC Band.

           

And don’t forget the ‘taters. In addition to nibbling on home-cooked fries, festival-goers can sample the results of the "Anything But Fries" restaurant cook-off, watch the National Potato Peeling Contest competitors peel through bushels of spuds, cheer on the "Little Miss Tater Tot Pageant" contestants and shop and dine among arts/crafts and food vendors lining the Main Street thoroughfare. Visitors can also see antique and modern-day potato diggers and farm equipment in the festival’s featured tractor show.  

Mark your calendars and bring your appetite! It will soon be all things potato—all weekend long in Elizabeth City. The kick-off party is May 16 from 5 to 11 p.m., and festival runs May 17 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and May 18 from 12 to 5 p.m. Perry Auto Group, Alliance Nissan, Biggs and McDonald’s are premier sponsors of the event. For more information and a complete lineup of live entertainment check the festival’s Facebook page or visit www.ncpotatofestival.com.

About Elizabeth City

Elizabeth City is located in Northeastern North Carolina on the Intracoastal Waterway, halfway between Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks. Known as the “Harbor of Hospitality,” the city has six National Register Historic Districts and is home to the Museum of the Albemarle, The Center at Arts of the Albemarle, Elizabeth City State University Planetarium, Port Discover Hands-on Science Center and one of the largest U.S. Coast Guard air stations in the Continental United States. Nature-based travelers are drawn to the area’s proximity to Dismal Swamp and the abundance of outdoor recreational offerings. For additional information, call Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-866-ECity-4U (1-866-324-8948) or visit DiscoverElizabethCity.com. For up-to-the-minute info on happenings and events visit ElizabethCityHASIt.com.

Sidebar:  Potatoes Are Good For You!

Did you know that …

·                     The average American eats 142 pounds of potatoes a year, or almost 365 potatoes per person? That’s an average of a potato a day!

·                     Contrary to the common misconception, potatoes are not high in calories? One medium sized potato contains 110 calories, while a one-cup serving of rice has 225 calories and a cup of pasta has 155.

·                     One serving of potatoes provides 45 percent of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C? It’s also an excellent source of potassium, with one potato providing 610 mg.

·                     Potatoes should be eaten with their peels on? A wealth of vitamins, minerals and fiber are found in the peel. The peel also contains the flavonoid, quercitin, and chlorogenic acid – antioxidants that may protect the body against certain types of cancers and heart disease.

For additional information, visit www.ncpotatoes.org

December 2013: Downtown Vacant Commercial Property "Open House"

September 2013: Downtown Elizabeth City Community Survey

The Downtown Action Committee wants to know what you think. This downtown task force is working on a plan for making downtown Elizabeth City more active and vibrant. They recognize that you have valuable insights and would like you to share your opinions as part of a survey they are conducting. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey online by clicking the link (or copying and pasting it into your browser):  www.surveymonkey.com/s/DowntownEC  Please feel free to share the survey link with others. 

June 2013: New Children's Art Class - Fearless Kid with Tracy Whichard

  

Need more info- call us at 252.338.6455 or stop by The Center

 www.artsaoa.com 

June - August 2013: Summer at The Center

We hope you will join us for some of our summer programs at The Center!

JUNE 1     Taste of the Albemarle presented by Perry Auto Group.  Taste is from 6-8pm and Out n’ the Cold will begin playing at 8pm.  Camden County School children will have art on display and Northeastern art students will fill the street with art banners.  Purchase your limited edition 2013 Taste of the Albemarle Jaquelin Perry signed and numbered print at the event.  This will be a Taste to remember!  Tickets are on sale now! 
June 4Wine & Paint Night with Kelly Cameron 6:30pm – 9:00pm
June 7 First Friday ARTWAlk with our annual SPLASH show featuring work by beach artists, Holly Nettles, Rick Nilson and Georgia Dale Griffiths.  Showing new works in The 516 Gallery: Jaquelin Perry and Fred Saunders.  Special guest Nancy Rascoe will host a book signing of her new book, “The Sandy Banks Live On.”   Join us for our first After-ArtWalk Summer Concert with Nick Simmons in The Maguire Theatre.  Keep the party going!  $5 tickets and cash bar service.  Get your tickets in advance or at the door 
June 8 Fearless Kid Art Class with Tracy Whichard for kids ages 7-13 |  10am -1pm
June 8        2^nd Saturday Art Demo with a painting demo by artist Jeff Whelan outside or in the gallery from noon – 2pm.  Stop in The Center after the market!
June 17 – 20 Art and Clay Camps Begin
June 24 – 26 Theatre Camps Begin
JULY 5 First Friday ARTWalk with our annual Studio Show.  Join us as some of your favorite artists clean out their studios and make it available for you.  Join us after ArtWalk for the Summer Concert series with Phil Watson in The Maguire Theatre.  Keep the party going!  $5 tickets and cash bar service.  Get your tickets in advance or at the door
July 8– 20 Center Players’ Summer Showcase Camp begins
July 9Wine and Paint Night with Kelly Cameron 6:30pm – 9pm
July 13     2^nd Saturday Art Demo with a photography demo by area photographer Leah Simpson, owner of Artography. Stop in the Center after the market! 
July 19 -20 The Center Players present their annual Summer Broadway Showcase!
July 22 – 25 Art and Clay Camps for kids
AUGUST 2 First Friday ARTWalk featuring new work by Carol Trotman, Betty Haar-Salvo and Marcia Phillips
August 3  Welcome back Hurrah Players!  Get your tickets early for The Wiz. Show times are 3pm and 7pm
August 5-9 Acting Boot Camp
August 6 Wine & Paint Night with Kelly Cameron 6:30pm-9:00pm
August 10      2^nd Saturday Art Demo with a pottery demo by John Peel, owner of John Peel Pottery

For more information about our Summer at The Center programs, visit us at www.artsaoa.com or call The Center at 252.338.6445

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Need more info- call us at 252.338.6455 or stop by The Center

 www.artsaoa.com 

June 2013: Taste of the Albemarle, Saturday, June 1st

Good Food, Good Music and Good Art = A Good Time
And it's a fundraiser for AOA | Purchase your tickets today!



252.338.6455 | www.artsaoa.com

June 2013: Juneteenth Celebration Save The Dates

Junteenth 2nd Annual Golf Classic Tournament
DATE : Friday, June 7, 2013
TIME : Junior Golf Clinic 7:00 a.m.
Registration 8:30 a.m.
Tee-Off 10:00 a.m.
Awards Reception Immediately Following Tournament
LOCATION :
The Pines at Elizabeth City
1525 North Road Street
Elizabeth City, NC 27906
FORMAT : Captain’s Choice
AWARDS :
Prizes Awarded for:

• 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Place Finishers
• Closest to the Pin
• Longest Drive

POST TOURNAMENT : Raffle Drawings
FOR HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS CALL : HAMPTON INN at 252-333-1800
3rd Juneteenth Pageant
Saturday, June 8, 2013
FREE TO REGISTER AND ENTER
ECSU Fine Arts
3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Ages: Miss Junior Juneteenth
(10-15)
Miss Juneteenth
(16-22)
DEADLINE TO ENTER : MAY 31, 2013
TICKETS : $10.00
12th Annual Juneteenth Festival
Saturday, June 15, 2013
FREE TO THE PUBLIC
A Multi-Cultural Celebration
Waterfront Park
Elizabeth City, NC
12:00 noon – 9:00 p.m.
BOOTH RENTALS AVAILABLE : 10X10 - $75.00
DEADLINE TO ENTER : MAY 31, 2013
For more information please contact the
River City CDC
501 East Main Street
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
(252) 331-2925 (o) (252-331-1425 (f)
www.rivercitycdc.org

May 2013: 2013 Photography Show & Competition Winners Announced

2013 Photography Show & Competition Winners Announced



Honorable Mentions:

• "Loving Hands" Mary Crutchfield
• "Frozen North" Tom Brennan
• "Mountain Man" Vince Pollack
• "Autumn in Tuscany" Dustin Sims
• "A Day of Rest" Lloyd Griffin
• "Sphinx-like berg" Nancy Morewitz
• "Beauty's where you find it..." Darlene Tighe
• "Kudz a-comin'" Robert Ander
• "Kids being Kids" Martha Ann
• "Lunch in Certaldo" Dustin Sims

Congrats to all that entered!
The show will remain up until the end of the month.

252.338.6455 | www.artsaoa.com

May - November 2013: Museum of the Albemarle’s newest exhibit Post from the Coast Opens

MUSEUM OF THE ALBEMARLE

Post from the Coast opens May 11, 2013 and runs through Nov. 16, 2013
The Museum of the Albemarle’s newest exhibit Post from the Coast will open on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 10:00 am with related programming until noon. Postcards are often overlooked as valuable research tools and sources of information. Not only are they illustrative and tell a story, they also serve as markers of pop-culture. This exhibit highlights postcards from the collections of the Museum of the Albemarle and local collector Gary Cooper. Old and new, the examples chosen depict coastal North Carolina scenes of beaches, transportation, architecture, and fun. Adding to the experience, several cards have been enhanced for viewing with 3-D glasses provided by Biggs Cadillac Buick GMC and Tandem Incorporated. Learn about their development, and take in this diverse collection of posts from the coast.

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The Museum of the Albemarle is located at 501 S. Water Street, Elizabeth City, NC. (252)335-1453. www.museumofthealbemarle.com. Find us on Facebook! Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed Sundays, Mondays and State Holidays. Serving Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties, the Museum is the northeast regional history museum of the North Carolina Division of State History Museums within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities and the vision to harness the state’s cultural resources to build North Carolina’s social, cultural and economic future. Information is available 24/7 at www.ncculture.com.

About The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources (NCDCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s cultural resources to build the social, cultural and economic future of North Carolina. Led by Secretary Susan W. Kluttz, NCDCR’s mission to enrich lives and communities creates opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history and libraries in North Carolina that will spark creativity, stimulate learning, preserve the state’s history and promote the creative economy. NCDCR was the first state organization in the nation to include all agencies for arts and culture under one umbrella.

Through arts efforts led by the N.C. Arts Council, the N.C. Symphony and the N.C. Museum of Art; NCDCR offers the opportunity for enriching arts education for young and old alike and economic stimulus engines for our state’s communities. NCDCR’s Divisions of State Archives, Historical Resources, State Historic Sites and State History Museums preserve, document and interpret North Carolina’s rich cultural heritage. NCDCR’s State Library of North Carolina is the principal library of state government and builds the capacity of all libraries in our state; developing and supporting access to traditional and online collections such as genealogy and resources for the blind and physically handicapped.

NCDCR annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council and the State Archives. NCDCR champions our state’s creative industry that accounts for more than 300,000 jobs and generates nearly $18.5 billion in revenues. For more information, please call (919) 807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.
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Contact: Wanda Stiles, Curator
(252) 335-1453

June - July 2013: Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival 2013

Now in its 5th year, Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival 2013
continues to bring classic American films to the waterfront on Tuesday evenings
April 30, 2013—Since 2009, Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival has brought American classic cinema from the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s to the downtown waterfront and has continued to grow in size and popularity. This summer marks the 5th anniversary of the festival and the nine films featured—ranging from a western to a musical to drama to romantic comedies—will be screened on Tuesday evenings at 8:30 PM for the entire months of June and July.

“We are pleased to have Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival as one of our projects,” says Rebecca Cross, executive director of Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc. “This has become a much-anticipated, family-oriented event within our community and characterizes ECDI’s commitment to highlighting all the wonderful things our downtown district has to offer.”

Dates for Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival 2013 are as follows:

Tuesday, June 4
Tuesday, June 11
Tuesday, June 18
Tuesday, June 25
Tuesday, July 2
Tuesday, July 9
Tuesday, July 16
Tuesday, July 23
Tuesday, July 30

For complete details about Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival 2013 and the list of this summer’s movies with descriptions, please visit www.MarinersWharfFilmFestival.com.

For press inquiries, please contact Simone Cooper, Simone Cooper Public Relations, at
(646) 567-6951 or at SCPR@aol.com.

May - June 2013: Port Discover Events

What’s Up at Port Discover

• 1st Friday Kids Art-In:
  • Children must be age 5 - 12-years-old to participate. Space is very limited and reservations are encouraged. Cost is $10 for first child and $5 for each additional child (per family). Port Discover Membership is Required (Yet you can purchase a membership at the door)
    • Friday, May 3, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
    • Port Discover offers Kids Night-In during the First Friday Art Walk. Parents let your children come to Port Discover to create some kid-friendly art and watch a movie, while you enjoy an evening on the town.
• Cuatro de Mayo:
  • Grown-ups learn about the science of beer-making!
    • Saturday, May 4, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
    • Join Dr. Casey Nekl as he demonstrates the fascinating process of fermentation during “Quatro de Mayo,” Port Discover’s adult-only event. Tickets to “Quatro de Mayo” are $25 per person and seating is limited. Tickets can be purchased at Port Discover or on-line at www.portdiscover.org.
• Science Café - Topic: The DRS in?
  • It's a science program just for the local adult community in an informal, casual restaurant setting, participants will be able to add to the conversation and ask questions. This program is FREE to attend.
  • Located at La Fogata’s, 109 S. Hughes Blvd.
    • Thursday, May 9, 7:00 pm
    • Come explore new and upcoming aviation projects with Don Davis from DRS Technologies, Inc.
• Second Saturday Science:
  • Second Saturday Science is Free. Reservations are required.
    • Saturday, May 11, 11:00 am : Science Roast
    • Join Dr. Victor Adedeji Professor of Physics from ECSU and learn how energy is transferred from one object to another object. We will be cooking up some yummy science you don’t want miss.
• Toddler Time:
  • A science program just for preschoolers, ages 3 – 5. Cost for the program is $5 per child and reservations are required. Parents or guardians must accompany the child.
    • Thursday, May 16, 10:00 am : Six Legged Friends
    • It’s a buggy world out there. Learn about the characteristics of insects and even examine some up close. Participants will make their own ant models from recycled products.
• Afterschool Science:
  • Drop into Port Discover for some afterschool science—featuring a different theme each month. The program is Free and made possible thanks to the City of Elizabeth City.
    • Thursday, May 23, 4:00 pm : Egg to Chicken
    • We will take a close up look at chicken eggs as they begin to develop into little baby chicks. Mason Lawrence from the 4-H will be teaching an exciting class on embryology.

Mark Your Calendars!

• Science of Beer
  • Tickets can be purchased at Port Discover or on-line at www.portdiscover.org.
  
• Sprouting Scientists & Hands-On Historians CAMP
  • June 17-21, 8:30 am - 12:00 pm, Admission: $100/Non-Members $90/Members
  • Ages: 5 to 8-year-olds & 9 to 12-year-olds
  • Children will discover all the science and history in their own backyards! Reserve your child’s spot in this popular day camp, registration open now! Campers enjoy hands-on science experiments and history explorations.

For more information about these events and more from Port Discover please call 252-338-6117 or go to www.portdiscover.org.

May 2013: Join us: Creative North Carolina Connects

RSVP by calling 252.338.6455 or click here to register on facebook.

The North Carolina Arts Council is hosting Creative North Carolina Connects, a series of public meetings across the state to share ideas about how partnerships between the state and local communities can ensure the arts remain essential to North Carolina’s future.

A series of public meetings have been scheduled in Charlotte (April 16), Morganton (April 17), Chapel Hill (April 23) and Elizabeth City (May 2) so that both citizens and the arts industry can talk with board members and the N.C. Arts Council about the arts industry.

The Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Cultural Resources, receives funding from the state and the National Endowment for the Arts. Funds are dispersed so that every county in North Carolina has access to arts programming. The Arts Council is currently preparing its 2014 – 2018 Strategic Plan and public meetings are one way citizens can provide input into the plan.

“We want to hear from citizens about how the arts should be developed and utilized for the well-being of our communities,” said Wayne Martin, executive director of the N.C. Arts Council. “We know the intrinsic value of the arts in our lives, and we can document the role of the arts in creating jobs, revitalizing downtowns and bringing visitors to our state. The arts make North Carolina a better state in which to live but we must think creatively about how to sustain and support the arts for the future.

All meetings are from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm and will include a presentation by Arts Council and staff. The Arts Council has requested that attendees consider the following questions:

1. What are the key issues in your community and your work?
2. How are the arts a solution in your community?
3. What can we do together to position the state’s arts industry as essential to North Carolina’s future?

Thursday, May 2
Arts of the Albemarle, The Twiford Room on the 3rd Floor
The Center
516 E. Main Street
Elizabeth City, N.C. 27909
252.338.6455

Free and open to the public.

Need more info- call us at 252.338.6455 or stop by The Center
www.artsaoa.com

May 2013: Almost time for the market!

Hello Vendors and Friends~

It's almost that time! We are so excited to open the 6th season of The Downtown Waterfront Market on Saturday, May 4th! We have quite a few new vendors lined up, so we're sure to have a great season! If you haven't sent in an application yet and would like to be a vendor on May 4th, please email or call me ASAP. We are filling up fast for the first date. I am working on the map and list of vendors and would like to include everyone when promoting. We also have the updated Non-Profit Application on the website. If you know of any church, civic organization, etc, that would like to participate, have them fill one out and call me.

*VENDORS: If you have NOT heard from me via an email, Facebook message or phone call then you are all set to be a vendor at the market this season. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.

Looking forward to seeing you all at the market!

Courtney Birdsall, Coordinator
Downtown Waterfront Market
405 E. Main Street, Suite 4
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
office 252.338.0169
cell 252.267.8329
DowntownWaterfrontMarket.com

June - August 2013: Summer Camp sign up is underway!

Summer ART & CLAY Camp
Summer Theatre Camp

Click here to download all camp registration forms.  Sign your children up today!





Need more info- call us at 252.338.6455 or stop by The Center

www.artsaoa.com

May 2013: AOA - Margie Sawyer 2-day Plein Air Workshop

An incredible creative opportunity!
2-day Plein Air Workshop with one of Eastern NC's proclaimed Plein Air Artist, Margie Sawyer
Monday & Tuesday - May 20 and 21
Fee: $100
Supply list and details below, beginner to advanced
Sign up today, space is limited - 252.338.6455



Need more info- call us at 252.338.6455 or stop by The Center

www.artsaoa.com

June 2013: International Cup Regatta Cancelled

The Carolina Cup Regatta Inc. regrets to announce that the International Cup Regatta which was scheduled for June 1-2, 2013 in Elizabeth City, NC has been cancelled. The committee is unable to make the event happen in 2013 due to a financial cut backs by several local supporters and the time required to coordinate the event. We thank everyone for their support in the past and plans are beginning made for June 7-8, 2014.


Shirley Gray Outlaw
Secretary of Carolina Cup Regatta, Inc.
www.carolinacupregatta.com

May 2013: "Beauty and The Beast" and "Tea with Belle"

Get your tickets today!

Need more info - call us at 252.338.6455 or stop by The Center
www.artsaoa.com

April - August 2013: Spring Break Clay Camp

Spring Break Clay Camp
Click here to download all camp registration forms. Sign your children up today!








Need more info - call us at 252.338.6455 or stop by The Center
www.artsaoa.com

March 2013: DWM Vendor Interest Meeting

To - Downtown Waterfront Market Vendors, Prospective Vendors, & Friends,

Can you believe that in just two short months we will be celebrating the opening of the 6th season of the Downtown Waterfront Market?? Saturday, May 4th will be the first day of the market. A Vendor Interest Meeting will be held at the Knobbs Creek Recreation Center on Thursday, March 28th from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. This meeting will be a potluck dinner.

We will go over an updated version of the 2013 vendor application. The new application will be available on the website and DWM Facebook page next week. You will also be able to pick up an application at the meeting if needed. Looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones! If you have any questions before hand, please email me at courtney@downtownwaterfrontmarket.com or call 252-267-8329.


Courtney Birdsall, Coordinator
Downtown Waterfront Market
405 E. Main Street, Suite 4
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
office 252.338.0169
cell 252.267.8329
DowntownWaterfrontMarket.com

April 2013: Lecture & Book Signing of “The Sandy Banks Live On” with Author Nancy Rascoe

Contact: Lori Meads, Educator, (252) 335-1453

Lecture & Book Signing
“The Sandy Banks Live On”
Author Nancy Rascoe
The Museum of the Albemarle will host Nancy Rascoe on Sunday, April 14, 2013 at 2:00 pm in the Gaither Auditorium. Mrs. Rascoe, author of “The Sandy Banks Live On,” will present a lecture and sign books.

Mrs. Rascoe has written a book titled “The Sandy Banks Live On” as part of her desire to pass down the history of Old Nags Head and its neighboring villages. She shares stories passed down from one generation to the next. Stories center around the people who came to “The Banks” to fish the sea, to rescue those in distress, to farm the land, and pioneered the island for all to enjoy. Through her book, Mrs. Rascoe wants the stories told “as if they had never, ever, been told before!”

Mrs. Rascoe is well known for her Southern culture. Every summer her home, 1812 on the Perquimans Bed and Breakfast Inn near Hertford, becomes Miss Nancy’s Manner Camp.

For More Information Call 252-335-1453.

The Museum located at 501 S. Water Street, Elizabeth City, NC. www.museumofthealbemarle.com. Find us on Facebook! Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed Sundays, Mondays and State Holidays. Serving Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties, the Museum is the northeast regional history museum of the North Carolina Division of State History Museums within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities and the vision to harness the state’s cultural resources to build North Carolina’s social, cultural and economic future. Information is available 24/7 at www.ncculture.com.
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