Ag Day returns to roots

Feb. 6—Now that January is behind us, it means we're one step closer to the always-popular Sampson Ag Day, and this year's edition is aiming to be bigger than ever.

Repeating last year, the event will again be hosted at the Sampson Expo Center, located at 414 Warsaw Road, Clinton. The event is set for Saturday, March 23, and runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and as it is annually, remains completely free to the public.

As one of the masterminds in planning the event, Sampson Cooperative Extension's Eileen Coite said that date for Ag Day is special.

"This is getting us back on our normal Ag Day schedule, which is the even number years in the spring," she said. "We got way off schedule because COVID, but we're back on now. The really neat thing about Ag Day this time is that it's going to fall on National Agricultural Week. That week runs from the 18th, I think, through the 23rd, Monday to Saturday. We're real excited about that because it'll be like the grand finale for us to celebrate agriculture."

The lineup for this year's Ag Day offers entertainment like never before — not to mention the return of classics and favorites, something Sheila Barefoot, executive director of Sampson County Tourism, was excited to share.

"The rundown about the lineup that we've got for entertainment, first of all it's free, family fun and activities for the kids," she said. "Our entertainment lineup includes North Carolina national recording artist Paige King Johnson. She'll sing until 11 a.m. with her own band. Then we have Carl Newton Review Band, they're a Motown band, they'll be here from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. and then we have The Pizazz Band that will be here between 2 and 4 p.m."

"They're really excited about coming to Clinton, Carl Review Band has never been here but I think Paige and the Pizazz Band have," she said.

That was just the live entertainment, so there will be plenty more happening both inside and outside, activities Barefoot also shared.

"Some of the events we've got lined up outside is the return of Hubb's barrel train and the pony rides. In Prestage Hall, we're gonna have barnyard animals and free ice cream. In Heritage Hall, we're gonna have arts for the kids given by Sampson Arts Council and we're gonna have a mechanical bull this year. That's going to be new. There's 'grow your own garden', where we'll give them seeds and teach them if you plant this, water it and take care of it, it'll grow into say a tomato plant."

"We're really excited about that, we've got all kinds of seeds that we'll be sharing that day."

For those with children or youth new crafts will be coming and a special one makes an appearance this year involving potatoes.

"Not sure how many remember Mr. Potato Head, but as we know we are number one for sweet potatoes in Sampson County," Coite said. "We have lots of potatoes around here that we can utilize and the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission has a craft box that they will provide with things to decorate the potatoes. With that kids can create their own Spencer Sweet Potato to take home with them; Spencer being the mascot of the commission. Spencer will also be on site for the kids to have their pictures taken with him.

"We've got a lot of crafts going on in Heritage Hall. We haven't really gotten them carved in stone yet, but there's gonna be some really fun things that kids are gonna be excited about that day," Barefoot added.

Ag Day just wouldn't be Ag Day without rows of equipment related to its namesake agriculture. Coite confirmed that the tractors, both new and antique, combines, and possibly sprayers and planters, will all be making a comeback. Also among the returning equipment is the popular corn sheller for the children.

Same goes for the vendors and exhibitors, which Coite noted are many already and they're still working to fill empty spots.

"I can tell you that just from looking at my notes we have inside space for 70 booths and outside for about 40," she said. "Of course there's some exhibitors, for instance a food truck, or farm equipment that's going to take up more than just a regular booth size, but we'll have all those spots filled in."

"We'll have more handicap access also and we're planning to have more handicap parking areas this time, than in the past, that was one of our suggestions from the community," Coite added."

Barefoot mentioned that the return of Sampson Area Transportation to remedy parking and travel demands.

"As far as parking, we got one whole section, that's gonna be where the stage and a lot of our tractors and stuff are gonna be set on," she said. "But, on the other side of the building, at Prestage Hall, will have parking. Then we have overflow parking, so we'll have a shuttle service that will go from here to across the stretch street, at the Roses and Tropicana parking lot."

"We'll be able to transport visitors back and forth from there so it'll eliminate people trying to walk on those busy roads."

For more information on how to get involved or attend Sampson Ag Day 2024, contact NC Cooperative Extension, Sampson County Center, at 910-592-7161. You can find the latest details on their website, at www.sampson.ces.ncsu.edu, or visit the Facebook page.

Barefoot also noted that for all registration needs to reach out to her at 910-592-2557.

"We do have everything listed on our website too so if there's anyone that wants to sign up as an exhibitor or wants to sponsor, they can get the information there," Coite said. "We do have some deadlines approaching, however."

"We'd like to have all of our sponsors lined up by Feb. 15, particularly if they're sponsors that want to be listed on our printed material," she said. "We've got to work on that, but of course, we'll take sponsors all the way up to the event. The exhibitor deadline is Feb. 23, so one month out, we need to have all of our vendors lined up so that we can map everything out and be prepared."

"We invite everybody to come out and to tell everybody about it," Barefoot added. "Post on their social media as well because it's just gonna be a great event. Hopefully the weather cooperates with us so we can all enjoy it because it's just gonna be a fun day. Bring your family!"

Reach Michael B. Hardison at 910-249-4231. Follow us on Twitter at @SamsponInd, like us on Facebook, and check out our Instagram at @thesampsonindependent.