SEVEN SPRINGS, N.C. — The streets of Seven Springs were filled with visitors, vendors, and the aroma of barbecue during the annual Seven Springs Old Timey Day celebration held May 9-10.
Festivities began Friday afternoon with the town’s first-ever barbecue cookoff, featuring nine teams from across the area competing in the overnight event. By Saturday morning, the smell of freshly prepared barbecue filled downtown as judges sampled entries and crowds gathered for the daylong festival.
Vendors lined both sides of the streets offering handmade goods, crafts, food, and other attractions as residents and visitors enjoyed a full slate of family-friendly entertainment.
The festival featured antique cars and tractors, Civil War reenactors, horse and buggy rides, food trucks, a petting zoo, and performances from the Shelton Show featuring magic and comedy acts.
The annual celebration traces its roots back to the vision of longtime resident Ola Mae Adams, who helped establish the event to draw visitors to the small Wayne County town. Adams owned a country store and the Seven Springs Restaurant until 1990 and remained dedicated to promoting the community until her death in 2013.
Seven Springs holds a unique place in Wayne County history as the county’s oldest community. The town was originally incorporated as Whitehall in 1855 and named after the home of planter William Whitefield, built in 1741.
During the Civil War, the nearby Battle of White Hall took place in 1862. The town was reincorporated as White Hall in 1881 before officially becoming Seven Springs in 1951.
Organizers said the annual festival continues to celebrate the town’s rich history while bringing the community together through food, entertainment, and small-town tradition.
