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WALLACE — Dating back to the early 1930s, the Carolina Strawberry Festival is a symbol of local pride and historied tradition. Today, it represents the heart and soul of Wallace, celebrating the town’s people and its agricultural roots. The festival has become a tool for giving back, a driver of economic and cultural vitality and a platform for visibility and growth in Wallace.
“I truly love the Carolina Strawberry Festival. It gives me, and I think a lot of other folks in the community as well as folks on our board, a real sense of pride,” said Charley Farrior, president of the festival board of directors.
The Carolina Strawberry Festival is a beloved tradition, but what makes it truly extraordinary isn’t just the strawberries or the music or the crowd—it’s the people behind it. At the heart of the festival is an army of dedicated individuals working tirelessly behind the scenes, each one playing a critical role in bringing the event to life.
With their quiet dedication, they manage logistics, solve problems on the fly, and provide a safe and family-friendly event that families, from near and far, look forward to year after year.
What began as a two-month sprint to organize has become a year-long labor of love, with a planning process involving monthly meetings that shift into weekly sessions six weeks before the event. This dedication speaks to the deep commitment of the core group—a board of 11 members, led by an event chairman.
“The officers of the board are on a rotation,” Farrior explained. “It keeps everybody excited and fresh and just ready to get in there and want to make things the best that they can possibly be.”
The group works tirelessly to ensure that the festival leaves a lasting impression on all who attend.
“It takes a lot of planning, but it truly is an event that we all take pride in. And I just think that it says Wallace up one side and down the other. It’s Carolina Strawberry Festival, and when folks hear that name, they think about Wallace,” said Farrior, adding that he hopes people walk away feeling happy after spending time among thousands of smiling faces.
Whether they left with fresh strawberries in hand, enjoyed delicious bites from the food vendors, or explored the wide variety of booths lining the streets, Farrior said they hope visitors were not only impressed by the festival itself, but also by the warm, welcoming spirit of Wallace.
The impact of the festival goes far beyond Main Street. With an estimated attendance of 25,000 people coming through Wallace over Friday and Saturday, local businesses—both downtown and even out on Highway 117—felt the ripple effect.
“A friend that has a business on 117 told me that she had seen a lot of traffic from the strawberry festival. So I hope it gave all the businesses in town a boost on that day,” said Farrior, explaining that he believes this was the largest crowd they’ve had. “We really had a boost in attendance last year, and I think we had even more than that this year… We had about 195 vendors, and that’s the most we’ve ever had.”
But the board is just the beginning. The real heartbeat of the festival comes from its volunteers, who help throughout the weekend—it’s about community pride, about neighbors coming together to create something beautiful for Wallace and its visitors. The town of Wallace itself stands as a pillar of support.
“To see the town staff, the police department, public works department, parks and rec, all work hand in hand with our community and our volunteers, is truly amazing,” said Farrior.
Parks and Rec manages the 5K run, which this year saw nearly 380 runners—the largest group ever, according to Farrior. Meanwhile, Public Works ensures the streets are clean and facilities are maintained in peak condition.
“Public Works did an incredible job keeping up with the pace of the festival,” said Police Chief Jimmy Crayton. “When the festival was over, by Sunday morning, you didn’t even know there had been a festival there. The streets were clean. They were swept. The trash was gone.”
According to Crayton, over 20 officers were on duty this year, including deputies from Duplin and Pender counties, with some arriving as early as 5 a.m. and staying until the very last tent was packed up. This is not just an extra shift—it’s three straight weekends of duty for many officers.
What makes all of this even more remarkable is that so much of it is done behind the scenes. Crayton, who served as president for three years, also praised the festival committee and the volunteers they bring in to help run the festival, adding that it’s a thankless and demanding job, but one done with care and purpose.
Proceeds from the festival are reinvested into the community through a small grants program, which caps at $2,500.
“The festival in 2023 was the first festival that had been financially successful enough for us to give money back to the community,” Farrior explained. That year, grants helped with projects like the Wallace Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas at Twilight and new permanent infrastructure for the Downtown Wallace Merchants Association’s iconic strawberry installation. The Wallace Depot Commission brought music and celebration to the community with their Downtown Get Down event, while Pet Friends received support for their Pet Day in the Park. Other grant recipients included the town of Wallace for the refurbishment of the Welcome to Wallace sign, the restoration of the historic Railway Postal Car, and the planting of trees at Farrior Park.
“In 2024, we gave away $15,000 in grants,” Farrior told Duplin Journal. The grants have served the community in meaningful, visible ways. From light pole banners that brighten the streets to food drives by Impact Church’s Helping Hands Outreach Ministry,
Whether supporting hurricane relief trips to Western North Carolina to help hurricane victims or upgrading the dog park, these funds are helping Wallace grow stronger, more connected, and more vibrant.
According to Farrior, grant applications typically open mid-summer and are carefully reviewed and scored by the board before awards are announced in the fall. The process is rooted in transparency and stewardship, guided by the festival’s financial reports to ensure that every dollar given back is used wisely.
The festival has become one of Wallace’s most defining events, significantly enhancing the town’s visibility and identity.
Farrior shared that as part of developing a Wallace Economic Development Strategic Plan—set to be presented to the town council soon—it was striking how often the Carolina Strawberry Festival came up as a key community asset.
“The lady that has guided us through this process is Samantha Darlington, who is a Community Economic Development planner for the North Carolina Main Street Center,” he explained. “It kind of is rewarding to know that all the effort that goes into the festival is being recognized not only by folks in Wallace, but folks on a state level as well.”
Farrior shared that this year, the festival layout got a refresh—vendors were spaced out more strategically to encourage visitors to explore not just the booths, but also the shops and businesses along Main Street. With a record number of vendors, the event expanded beyond its usual footprint on Main and Railroad Streets to include Raleigh and Bonney Streets.
“When you’re bringing that many folks in and you need to be prepared for them, it takes a great deal of planning. And that’s part of why it takes a year’s worth of meetings to get it all put together,” said Farrior.
Annual favorites like the Strawberry Princess Contest, dinosaur rides, and live bands create a draw across generations.
“My family was down there for much of the festival,” said Crayton. “I’ve got two little girls that had the time of their lives riding the rides and eating ice cream.”
The Carolina Strawberry Festival is not only a celebration of people and service but reflects the very best of Wallace, its hospitality, resilience and the spirit of small-town America.
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