The 2022 North Carolina Rice Festival

1212 Magnolia Village Way,Leland NC 28451

05 March, 2022

Description

This annual festival highlights the history of rice cultivation in coastal North Carolina and the Gullah Geechee culture that spawned it. This free, public, family-friendly annual event focuses on the rich history and cultural significance of rice production in southeastern North Carolina. Upwards of 60 rice plantations were located in coastal Brunswick County alone, and for over 200 years, enslaved Africans contributed more than just their labor to the success of rice cultivation in the Carolinas. Their descendants—known today as the Gullah Geechee people of the southeastern seaboard and offshore islands—have had a similarly profound impact on the culture and agriculture of the region. Through music, food, "edu-tainment," and community sharing, this event celebrates their significant victories in maintaining their cultural traditions and sharing an undying reflection of the ingenuity, pride, and perseverance of a people and their southern homeland.