Thanksgiving Arrives -- Complete with Oyster Stuffing and Fig Cake!

Capt. Rob and daughter Caroline at the Ocrafolk Festival Thanksgiving Fundraiser.
"It's all part of being a pirate!"


As Ocracoke brims with visitors and residents happily stumbling to the nearest couch, we applaud yet another successful Thanksgiving weekend. Thursday’s feasting on Ocracoke usually features a mix of traditional American fare accompanied by a groaning sideboard of seafood delights. Oysters and grilled fish rest happily on the plate next to turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce . . . shall it be apple pie or fig cake for the finale?

On Friday, the Ocrafolk crowd worked off Thanksgiving dinner with the production of the annual Ocrafolk Festival Thanksgiving Fundraiser. Rest your weary stomachs and read more below. . .

On Ocracoke Island
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NCCAT Job Fair

On Thursday, November 17, the Ocracoke branch of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching held a job fair at their site at the old Coast Guard Station (next to the Cedar Island Ferry Terminal). Positions open for application ranged from PhD fellows positions to maintenance and housing staffing at the facility.

Although much needs to be done before the Ocracoke center will be ready to house and feed visiting teachers, NCCAT hopes to have the site fully functional within the next year and a half. During the recent renovation, a newspaper dating from WWII was found within the walls. The paper headlines the meeting between Roosevelt and Churchill at Casablanca to outline Allied Strategy towards winning the war. The station was a year old at the time of the publishing (www.nccat.org/News_Items/Archives/2005/050426%20ocracoke.htm)

NCCAT programming began this last year on Ocracoke. Next year's courses include "Salty Dogs and the Lore of the Sea,"" I Must Go Down To the Sea Again: Writing from the Deep,”” Island People, Island Culture,””Songs and Tales of Whales and Sails,” and “Leadership, Creativity, and Change.” NCCAT mission is to reenergize North Carolina public school teachers by providing free educational retreats in the mountains and on the coast in a variety of subjects. For more information on NCCAT visit their website at www.nccat.org.

Ocrafolk Festival Fundraising Concert


Jule Garrish takes the lead, backed by Lou Castro, Marcy Brenner,
Jackie Willis, and Martin Garrish


On Friday, November 25, Molasses Creek help host the Ocrafolk Festival Thanksgiving Fundraiser at the Ocracoke Community Center. The house packed out with standing room only to see a myriad of performers including Molasses Creek, Coyote, Martin Garrish and the Ocrafolk Opry, Donald Davis, Cheryl Roberts & Jamie Tunnel, John Golden, Roy Parsons, Jule Garrish, Maya Wilkins, Katy Mitchell, and Capt. Rob and Sundae Horn. The evening of music, storytelling, and fig cake auctioning raised just short of $3000 for the 2006 Ocrafolk Festival. Thanks to all the performers, bakers, and volunteers! Keep tabs on the festival at www.ocrafolkfestival.org


Sundae Horne and Capt. Rob





NC Coastal Land Trust Conservation Party

On November 19th, Molasses Creek and Coyote performed for an on island party for the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust. Ed and Susan Norvell hosted an evening of food, music, and preservation education at their Ocracoke home. The NC Coastal Land Trust works in association with the Conservation Trust of North Carolina, and has been the driving force behind efforts to preserve Springer’s Point on Ocracoke from development. Thanks so much to Ed and the NCCLT for inviting us to be a part of their gathering. For more information on the NC Coastal Land Trust and how you can become a part of the effort to preserve Springer’s Point on Ocracoke, visit www.coastallandtrust.org/pages/current_campaigns.html


Molasses Creek’s “Strangest Dream” and John Golden’s “Hatteras Memories” are now available!



Molasses Creek’s 8th release, “Strangest Dream,” has arrived hot off the press and in time for the holidays! Also available now through Soundside Records is John Golden’s new release “Hatteras Memories.” For more information and to order albums visit the Soundside Record’s Website at www.soundsiderecords.com. For Christmas mailings, please order early (preferably by December 16th for Christmas delivery).



Off Island
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Molasses Creek, Katy Mitchell, Coyote, and Noah Paley Travel to Arts Market

November 13-15 the Ocrafolk Opry Road band traveled to High Point, NC for the NC Arts Council Arts Market. The Arts Market brings together presenters and performers from across the region for workshops, showcases, and potential bookings. Molasses Creek, Katy Mitchell, Coyote, and Noah Paley showcased on Monday morning for around 80 representatives of Arts Councils, and theaters in North Carolina and beyond. Showcases ranged from all sorts of music, to dance, juggling, and theater.