State Peanut Festival - Dublin Peanut Festival

by Amy Kemp, Government & Heritage Library, 2017.

See also: North Carolina State Symbols and Official Adoptions main page

In 2013,  the General Assembly adopted the Dublin Peanut Festival as the State Official Peanut Festival (Session Laws, 2013-313).

Selection as State Peanut Festival

The bill to select the Dublin Peanut Festival as the official State Peanut Festival was introduced by Rep. Bill Brisson of Bladen County. Met with little opposition, and was passed in the House of Representatives with a vote of 117 to 0.

About the Dublin Peanut Festival

Dublin, North Carolina, sometimes called the 'peanut capital of the south' is the home of the Dublin Peanut Festival. In the 1992, the city needed a way to raise funds to build a gymnasium for Dublin Elementary School. They decided to hold a peanut festival to both earn money and honor their agricultural heritage. The festival was held in September of 1993. It was successful and became an annual tradition, now always held on the third Saturday of September and drawing crowds of over 3,000. 

The Peanut festival's many notable events include a parade, a car show, a barbecue plate sale, kiddie & women's tractor pulls, a corn hole tournament, a cake sale, a peanut-themed cooking contest, and a scholarship pageant. The festival also boasts many craft and food vendors, live music, and games. The Cape Fear Valley Medical Center holds a blood drive in concurrence with the festival. 

North Carolina Session Laws

Excerpt from SESSION LAW 2013-313

HOUSE BILL 917 

AN ACT ADOPTING THE DUBLIN PEANUT FESTIVAL AS THE STATE OFFICIAL PEANUT FESTIVAL.

Whereas, Dublin, North Carolina, is the official home of the Dublin Peanut Festival; and

Whereas, the community of Dublin has celebrated the Dublin Peanut Festival on the third Saturday in September for over 20 years; and

Whereas, the community festival began on September 18, 1993, as a way to help build a gymnasium/multipurpose building for the community and the Dublin Elementary School; and

Whereas, the goal of the festival is to make the community and local schools stronger; and

Whereas, the Dublin Peanut Festival provides family-oriented activities, such as a pageant, parade, games, entertainment, food vendors, craft shows, and firemen's competition; and

Whereas, it is estimated that the Dublin Peanut Festival brings in over 2,000 visitors annually; and

Whereas, staging of the festival could not be accomplished without the support of the Dublin Peanut Festival Committee, Committee Chair, volunteers, local businesses, Dublin's governmental officials, and the community; Now, therefore,

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Chapter 145 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 145-47.  State peanut festival.

The Dublin Peanut Festival, held the third Saturday of September of every year, is adopted as the official peanut festival of the State of North Carolina."

                                                                    s/  Pat McCrory
                                                                         Governor

Approved 6:18 p.m. this 18^th day of July, 2013