Christina Henthorn stays as busy as the proverbial bee, and this weekend she and fellow bee enthusiasts are putting on a couple of events that will serve several purposes, not the least of which is to provide the community with some great entertainment.
Bring the family to a free event on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Highrock Farm, located just outside Oxford on Enon Road, for the inaugural “Bees and Boos.” This event features outdoor games and trick-or-treating for the children and more than 30 vendors and other activities sure to please. There will be a table set up where tickets may be purchased, which creates a carnival-like atmosphere, she said.
There will be freshly pressed cider and a do-it-yourself candy apple station, thanks to a generous donation of apples from Moore’s Produce in Stovall, Henthorn said.
The first part of the Saturday doubleheader is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., she told John C. Rose on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny!
The Lord Granville Association will bring its locally famous hit-or-miss ice cream maker and the Model A Car Club will wheel in some of its vehicles for folks to admire.
The second part of this double feature begins at 6 p.m. with a costume party and concert by Nashville recording artist Zach Top. This kicks off what Henthorn hopes will become an annual “Hum of the Hive” concert series.
Not interested in wearing a costume? No problem, Henthorn noted. “Costume or not, everyone is welcome,” she said. Honey Girl Meadery will bring their mead, which is like honey wine, and a local brewery will bring a beer made with Granville County honey.
“This is not a 21 and over show,” Henthorn said of the evening event, but ID will be checked at the door.
“All proceeds go to N.C. State’s endowment for honeybee research,” she said, adding that the university conducts world-renown research on the little pollinators. Beekeeper associations across the state are helping to raise funds to establish an endowment to ensure that NCSU continues its apiary work.
Can’t make it to the event but want to contribute? Again, not a problem.
“We want to involve everyone around the state,” Henthorn said. “If you can’t make it, you can buy a ticket for a veteran.” Any tickets purchased for veterans will be taken to a military history event being held at the Henderson-Oxford airport Saturday, where they will be donated.
The Granville County Beekeepers, known for its summertime Bee Jubilee, is branching out to create a fall event that focuses on the importance of bees in everyday life. The honeybee was named North Carolina’s official State Insect in 1973 because of its critical role in pollination of the variety of crops produced in the state.
“Raising awareness is just as important” as fundraising, Henthorn said. But she says this weekend’s emphasis is on the “fun” part of fundraising.
Visit Granville County Beekeepers Facebook or the Visit Granville County tourism page to find out all the details.
And visit https://www.ncbeekeepers.org/ to learn more about the endowment.
CLICK PLAY!