Guide to the North Carolina Potato Festival 2025

Few foods link Ireland and America together as tightly as the potato. All the way from famine fields in Connacht to North‑Carolina’s Albemarle Sound, the tuber has travelled oceans, and nowhere is its success toasted more enthusiastically than in Elizabeth City’s North Carolina Potato Festival, the official “Irish Potato Festival” of the state.

Festival at a Glance

Dates	Fri 16 – Sun 18 May 2025
Hours	Fri 17:00‑23:00; Sat 10:00‑23:00; Sun 10:00‑18:00(wtkr.com)
Where	Downtown Elizabeth City, North‑East NC (waterfront blocks of Main & Water Streets)
Cost	Entry free; pay‑as‑you‑go rides & food
Why go?	Carnival midway, three music stages, unlimited free chips (while they last), and a potato‑peeling showdown that would make any Irish mammy proud.

A Festival with Roots

First held in 1940 as the Albemarle Potato Festival, the event ran three decades before sprouting anew in 2001; by 2009 the state legislature crowned it North Carolina’s official Irish Potato Festival. Today it draws 50 000+ visitors and injects up to $2 million into the local economy each year.

2025 Highlights — Pick  &  Peel Your Day

Time	Friday 16 May	Saturday 17 May	Sunday 18 May
08:00		Tater Trot 5 km & 1 mi. Walk – Charles Creek Park	Recovery brunch stalls open
10:00	Midway & craft stalls open	Festival opens; Little Miss Tater Tot Pageant, Auto & Bike Show, National Potato Peeling Contest, free french fries until gone	Midway, craft & food courts open
11:00 – 23:00	Live music (Main Stage, Mariners’ Wharf)	Wall‑to‑wall concerts, Coast Guard fly‑overs	Gospel & blues sets
17:30	Opening ceremony & fry‑oil ribbon‑cutting
20:00	Street‑dance under the fairy lights	Saturday‑night Street Dance – beach‑music headliners	Farewell set & spud‑shaped fireworks at dusk

(Full, constantly updated schedule via ncpotatofestival.com).

Must‑Try Contests

• National Potato Peeling Contest – teams race to shave spuds for local charities; €230 prize to the winning non‑profit.

• Little Miss Tater Tot Pageant – pint‑sized couture and plenty of bows; surprisingly moving.

• Free‑Fries – 450 kg of locally grown Kennebecs fried and given away in three hours flat—queue early.

Getting There from Ireland

Leg	Typical Route	Notes
Dublin → Norfolk (ORF)	One‑stop via JFK, Charlotte or Atlanta; 11‑13 hrs	Norfolk is the closest gateway
ORF → Elizabeth City	88 km / c. 60 min by hire‑car on US‑17 S	Shuttle‑bus options limited; self‑drive best
Alternative	Dublin → Raleigh‑Durham (RDU) then 2 hrs 30 min drive	Pair with a Triangle city break

Car hire from €45/day; downtown parking is free but fills by 09:30—perimeter park‑&‑ride shuttles run every 15 min.

Where to Bed Down

• Waterfront Inns – cosy B&Bs like Culpepper Inn or Foreman House place you a five‑minute stroll from the stages.

• Chain Hotels on US‑17 – Hampton Inn & Comfort Inn offer family rooms under €140 including breakfast.

• Outer Banks Day‑Trip – base at Kitty Hawk (55 min) for beaches and Wright Brothers history, commuting in for the festival.

Adventures

1. Dismal Swamp State Park – paddle the canal where Union soldiers once hid; boardwalk birding trails.

2. Museum of the Albemarle – free regional history primer; look for the potato‑sack‑race exhibit.

3. Seven Sounds Brewing – riverside craft pints; try the “Red Russet Ale.”

   
   

Weather & Packing List

Mid‑May brings 23‑27 °C highs, evening sea breezes and the odd thunder‑shower. Pack:

• Light linen or quick‑dry tees (chip‑oil wafts are real).

• A fold‑up umbrella—sunshade by day, rain shield by late afternoon.

• A reusable water bottle; public refill taps dot the waterfront.

• Small euro‑to‑dollar cash stash—ATMs queue on Saturday night.

  
  

See you on Main Street—save us a cone of chips!

All details correct as of 12  May 2025; always reconfirm schedules before booking.