Heritage Cultural Farm hosts Festival on the Farm, a celebration of African American heritage and culture in Warrenton, NC.

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Mark your calendars for a day filled with celebration, community spirit, and family fun at the First Annual Soul City Homecoming on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

The festivities will kick off at 10:00am with a parade in the “Heart of Soul City,” in the Green Duke Village at what is now known as The McKissick Soul City Civil Rights Center.

Scheduled parade highlights include the Warren County High School Pep Band, a car show, and the Soul City Fire Department. The parade will conclude near the corner of Liberation Road and Soul City Boulevard.

The show will begin at 11:00am at the “Entertainment Tent” with Baba Felix and the Jimbe Drummers. Local poets and musicians including Jasme’ Kelly, and also a DJ will perform throughout the festivities.

Along with entertainment, attendees can enjoy free food, door prizes, and games for both kids and adults. Several community and civic organizations will also be present to connect with festival goers.

This event will also serve as a time to reflect on the history and legacy of Soul City.

Neighboring communities such as Manson and Ridgeway are invited to come together to commemorate the founders and members of Soul City, to honor their contributions, and to keep their memories alive.

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Darren Fleet has come a long way from walking the halls of Warren County Schools and posting hilarious videos on YouTube. Nowadays, he’s traveling the country hitting comedy clubs, appearing on improv shows, and sharing his comedic pop culture rants to his fan base of over 2 million followers!

If you’ve been waiting for him to appear on a stage near us, you’re in luck! Fleet’s bringing his brand of standup to Goodnights Comedy in Raleigh on Wednesday, October 30.

From the website:
It doesn’t take long to fall in love with Darren Fleet’s humor. Fleet is making waves in the comedy world and if you’re smart, you’ll want to ride this one. He has performed live with the likes of Rickey Smiley, Karlous Miller, and the cast of “Wild ’N Out,” among others. Fleet has been performing comedy for 5 years now and has graced stages throughout the U.S. He has performed and headlined at several comedy clubs including The Funny Bone, The Improv, Stardome, Comedy Zone, and Punchline Comedy Lounge.

Fleet has been fortunate enough to showcase his talents at the “BET Awards,” Essence Festival, CIAA All-Star Weekend, and Bronner Bros Hair Convention. If comedy isn’t enough to keep him busy, he has thrown his hat into acting as well. This fall, he will premiere his television show, “What Behooves Me,” which will air on ICTV. Fleet has built a following of more than 2 million followers on social media alone through his Instagram and Facebook with his humorous rants on various aspects of everyday life.

Reserved tickets are $37 and general admission is $27.

For tickets to catch Darren Fleet live, visit the Goodnights website at https://www.goodnightscomedy.com/shows/278945.

Goodnights Comedy Club is located at 401 Woodburn Road in Raleigh, NC.

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The Front Porch Grocery Co-op, in partnership with Turner Brothers Media LLC and Pink with a Passion, hosted “Catering to the Community,” a street food festival and voter registration drive on Saturday, September 7th in the parking lot of the forthcoming Mag’s Marketplace in Warrenton, NC.

Attendees gathered at the festival to enjoy a variety of vendors selling everything from made-to-order fry bread, Indian tacos, and fried fish dinners to assorted desserts and also candles. Children kept busy with cornhole, a bouncy house (Sisterly Dreams Co.), and face painting.

In addition to the delicious food, attendees were also provided with voter information from various political parties, encouraged to register to vote, and offered voter identification cards if they did not have a proper ID, courtesy of the Warren County Board of Elections who were on-site.

It’s important to note that voters will be required to show valid identification to vote in this year’s election.

For more information about The Front Porch Grocery Co-op and how to get involved, visit them on Facebook @TheFrontPorchCoop.

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The third annual Dinner Off Main ushered in the Labor Day weekend with food, music, and fellowship — all for a great cause.

Patricia Jones Crosson, a Warren County native and owner of BriCie Events, introduced the idea of Dinner Off Main as a way to thank her supporters for donating to the Virginia Levister scholarship. The scholarship was named in honor of a former guidance counselor at John Graham High who encouraged and financially supported Crosson when she was a student and credits her for the trajectory of her life.

This year’s recipients of the Virginia Levister scholarship were: MacKenzie Stallings (UNC-Wilmington); Clariza Ramirez (UNC-Chapel Hill); and Gabriela Vela-Leos (East Carolina University), all which received $450 to use towards their studies.

Not only did the name of the scholarship hold meaning for Crosson, but also the location: South Bragg Street. Crosson’s father, Frank Jones was a fireman for the Plummer Hook and Ladder Fire Department. As a child, she attended Warrenton Baptist Church and when she returned to Warren County to work, she lived in the house next door to the church.

If you missed this year’s Dinner Off Main or want to relive the moment, peep the photos below:

Thank you, Patricia Jones Crosson for creating a unique dining experience while assisting college-bound students in Warren County!

To learn more about Patricia Jones Crosson and her inspiration behind Dinner Off Main, watch the video below:

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Homecoming weekend is approaching, and the alumni from Warren County High School will be celebrating in a major way!

From a meet and greet to after-parties and of course, the Homecoming game , this weekend is loaded with entertainment and good vibes only!

Check out what’s happening and experience what will go down in history as the Greatest High School Homecoming on Earth!

Click the event name for details

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

WC PRE-HOMECOMING
The Deck Entertainment Complex @ 6pm
Homecoming celebrations are starting early with food, drink specials, and hookahs!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

HOMECOMING PARADE
Downtown Norlina @ 4:30pm
Come out and support Warren County Schools for the WCS Homecoming Parade.
The parade starts at the Norlina CarWash at 4:30pm. Don’t miss it!

WCHS ALUMNI MEET AND GREET
Warren County Courthouse Square @ 6pm
Get acquainted with fellow WCHS alumni at the Meet and Greet in Warrenton. Vendors and food trucks.

HOMECOMING BASH
Warren County Armory Civic Center @ 8pm
Music by DJ Lux Luther and DJ Dooley. Sponsored by Time Out Sports Bar.

SOARING IN THE WEEKEND
The Deck Entertainment Complex @ 8pm
Hosted by Nino the Gentleman with DJ Reece, and special guests Lamar Brace and Tia Catillia.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

WCHS HOMECOMING TAILGATING
Warren County High School @ 9am
What’s a football game without tailgating? Join local vendors and food trucks to get you ready for the Big Game! Plus, a raffle sponsored by 4-H W.A.Y. (Warren Advocating for Youth).

WCHS HOMECOMING GAME
Warren County High School @ 2pm
Our mighty Eagles will be taking on North Edgecombe High. Don’t miss former (but forever in our hearts) band leader Taylor Whitehead and the VSU Trojan Explosion Band! Get your tickets here!

WARREN COUNTY’S DUBFEST
Warren County Armory Civic Center @ 4pm
Join DJ Mike Dub, DJ Paul of Fame, The Wax Bully, and special guest DJ Brian Dawson for a dynamic DJ performance! Shop with local vendors and get a bite to eat with food trucks while enjoying both indoor and outdoor accommodations.

WCHS ALUMNI + FRIENDS TAKEOVER
The Deck Entertainment Complex @ 6pm
Following Saturday’s game, unwind and enjoy drink specials at The Deck in Norlina.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

WORSHIP SERVICE
Coley Springs Baptist Church @ 11am
Alumni are invited to worship service with the Coley Springs congregation.

WCHS HOMECOMING BRUNCH
Southern Charm Event Center @ 11am
Hosted by Demond Jordan, enjoy line dancing, food by Whut A Wing & More, music by DJ In$trumental and Randall McCall Bullock, and more!

SUNDAY DINNER
Smashd @ 1pm
Complete Homecoming weekend with a home-cooked meal at Smashd.

HOMECOMING: A STAGE PLAY
McGregor Hall @ 3pm
Writer/Director Jametrice Alston-Jones returns to the stage with her latest production from Rock and Fortress Productions.

Let us know in the comments which class you rep! Ahem… C/O 2002

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In its third year, Dinner Off Main has become the perfect precursor for the Labor Day weekend.

Taking over South Bragg Street on Saturday, August 31st, the proceeds from Dinner Off Main benefit the Virginia Levister scholarship for college-bound high school students in Warren County, NC. Tickets are $50.

Warrenist TV met with Patricia Jones Crosson of BriCie Events to learn more about Dinner Off Main, the woman who changed her life’s trajectory, and why the party’s location carries such personal significance for her.

To purchase tickets, send her a message at: https://www.facebook.com/trish.jones.3914 or visit Bragging Rooster in Warrenton, NC.

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Artists, community leaders, and familiar faces gathered inside The Fruit in Durham on a Sunday afternoon to catch a sneak peek of a documentary focused on local quilter, Jereann King Johnson.

In the 10-minute preview of “Not I, But OUR: Jereann King Johnson, a Life of Art, Activism, and Community Building,” the video featured Johnson hosting the Warren County Schools New Staff and Teachers tour, arriving at the Kindred Spirits Quilt Conference, and in her element, piecing together a quilt.

Following the film trailer, director Courtney Reid-Eaton spoke with the star in an informative yet lighthearted Q&A.

For more information about the documentary, read “Jereann King Johnson the Focus of Forthcoming Documentary.”

This film project is being made possible by the Resource Center for Women and Ministry in the South, Inc.

To donate to the project, visit RCWMS.org/donate and click “Jereann King Johnson Film Project” in the dropdown menu.

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Pastry chef Gerald Hawkins, Jr. is so close to winning the NCRLA Chef Showdown, he can taste it!

A native of Norlina, Hawkins has made a name for himself in the dessert world, particularly in the southern part of North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. Currently, he’s making tastebuds swoon at the Beach Shop and Grill in Topsail Beach, NC and The Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, NC.

At 31, his overall cooking experience in traditional and New American cuisine spans over a decade while his focus on pastries has been about eight years.

His take on desserts shows his love and admiration for local ingredients and is steeped in Southern tradition and African-American heritage while elevated with modern techniques and savory elements.

Some of his favorite ingredients to work with include pawpaws, muscadines, Ocracoke figs, Bogue Sound watermelons, and he does not shy away from experimenting with nontraditional flavors, like country ham or sunchokes and turning them into your new favorite dessert.

Gerald Hawkins, Jr. at work / Credit: Robert Fitz

“My Aunt Lib would create treat bags for everyone in the family including favorite candies, fruits, pecans from her tree, and more,” Hawkins reflects. “As we grew older, she would include more of the things you liked and less of those you didn’t like. I try to consider that tailored-for-you feeling in my dessert offerings. I truly just want to create what the community likes and enjoys with a little spin on it to encourage people to think outside the box.”

As a finalist in the NCRLA (North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Assocation) Chef Showdown, he is no stranger to this competition. This is his fifth time competing, and as always, Hawkins stands out among North Carolina’s most talented culinary professionals. This recognition is not only a testament to his skill and creativity but also a nod to the rich culinary heritage of the Carolinas that he so passionately represents.

With the competition underway, the community is rallying behind Hawkins, hoping to see him take home top honors. Regardless of the outcome, his work continues to elevate the art of pastry and be the cream of the crop.

One of Hawkins’s creations / Credit: Robert Fitz

The 2024 NCRLA Chef Showdown Grand Finale is Monday, August 26, 2024, 6-8:30 pm at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham NC. For more information, click here.

To enjoy the visuals of his creations, follow Gerald Hawkins Jr. on Instagram: @geraldhawkinsjr.

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For over four decades, Jereann King Johnson has woven various fabrics with intricate details into her quilted works to share stories and traditions with the world.

Now, her own life story is being told in an upcoming documentary.

The Resource Center for Women and Ministry and the Black Feminist Film School are producing, “Not I, But OUR: Jereann King Johnson, a Life of Art, Activism, and Community Building,” (working title) a documentary film that will tell the story of the life and work of African American quilter, educator, and community organizer Jereann King Johnson.

A long-time Warren County resident, Johnson pieces together people, organizations, and resources into racial and social justice. For Johnson, quilting is a dynamic metaphor for living, community development, and creative expression; quilting involves putting together often-discarded pieces to make something new.

Using archival footage and interviews with Johnson and her colleagues and friends, they will create and distribute a one-hour (56:46) documentary film. Rafael Samanez and Leilani Clark of Elevate Media Films are working their magic as the filmmakers and producers.

When asked, Johnson stated that she “felt honored” that the women in her circle saw something in her that merited time and resources to tell a story. She continued. “And the story is more than just my story, it’s the story of many black women who emerged from strong communities that show them a way to muster up the courage to try and build better communities for everybody. I hope that my story reflects the stories of countless women who are inspired by the work of their hands and in my case, quilting and textile arts to step out of the box and work for social change.”

Jereann King Johnson has a legacy of artistic creation and working for equality. She assisted in launching two quilting groups: African American Quilt Circle in Durham and the Heritage Quilters in Warrenton, NC.

Johnson and her fellow quilters work to preserve and highlight African American quilting traditions; they also speak to the present moment by creating quilts that artistically portray historic and current events. One such quilt of Johnson’s is called “Hope in Impossible Odds.” Made with black and white cotton and red linen, it depicts a figure behind bars against a swirling black-and-white background.

In addition to quilting, the Heritage Quilters work directly in the community by leading community tours, working with the schools, and organizing a giving circle that funds scholarships and youth field trips.

In the film, the producers will document the many ways that Johnson has been a pivotal figure in her community and beyond, and show the ways she connects people, encourages artistic expression, preserves and contributes to a fiber arts tradition, and works for justice.

The Resource Center for Women and Ministry is hosting an exclusive sneak peek of the forthcoming documentary on Sunday, August 25, from 3-5 pm at The Fruit in Durham. Alongside Johnson, attendees will meet director Courtney Reid-Eaton and film editor Tamar Rachkovsky. To donate or for more information, visit rcwms.org.

The Fruit is located at 305 S. Dillard Street in Durham, NC.

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