Tracy Koch called it a stroke of luck that she and her family chose Memorial Day weekend to visit the Aurora Fossil Museum.
The Southern Pines, N.C. residents were camping in the area and found themselves in one of the largest crowds the Fossil Festival has seen.
“We hit it right,” Koch said. “I’ve been wanting to bring my boys here for years. Now that they’re bigger than I am, I finally got them here.”
This year’s festival included everything from fossil digs to tractor pulls and attracted people from all over the state.
Rocky Mount resident Wayne Webb set up a garden full of his recycled metal sculptures. He said the festival is one of his favorites.
“I always do good here,” he said of sales.
Swansboro residents Karen and Paul Ramos visited the festival for the second time.
“I think more people should know about this. It’s great,” Karen Ramos said.
Salisbury resident Sandra Shelton said she loved the museum so much that she started volunteering in it. Shelton rode on the first float of Saturday’s parade then joined the crowds on the street to capture the rest of the parade on film.
“I like everything (at the festival). We have a great time,” Shelton said. “And you can’t beat the weather.”
A Shriner clown plucked Pamlico Beach resident Janet Melton out of the crowd and had her dancing in the streets during the parade. Melton said she comes to the festival every year.
“It’s just small-town fun,” she said.