Ocean City Jazz Festival

This episode of Topsail Insider is co-hosted by Leah Norman from Topsail Talk and highlights the Ocean City Jazz Festival with special guest, Mr. Kenneth Chestnut. As a resident and the son of one of the Ocean City’s founders, Kenneth shares the history of Ocean City and explains how the Jazz Festival started and why it’s “jazz with a higher purpose”.

The Ocean City Jazz Festival has Grammy-nominated performers and promises unique activities, including a history walk, a bourbon tasting, and a jazz mass under the tent.

Don't miss this episode, a blend of history, culture, and music that showcases the enduring legacy of Ocean City and its jazz festival.

Website: https://oceancityjazzfest.com
Mailing Address: PO Box 1207 Sneads Ferry, NC 28460-1207
Phone: (910) 459-9263

Follow them on their Social Media accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OceanCityJazzFestival
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ocjazzfest/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oceancityjazzfest

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Transcript

Topsail Insider Intro and Coming Up!

Speaker 1 0:01

Welcome to Topsail Insider, where you can hear all about the businesses and events in the beautiful coastal towns in the greater Topsail area of North Carolina.

Speaker 2 0:13

Hello everyone, this is Leah Norman from Topsail Talk and I'm co-hosting today with Krista on Topsail Insider. We have a special interview with Mr Kenneth Chestnut. We have a special interview with Mr Kenneth Chestnut. Kenneth Chestnut is the son of one of Ocean City's founders and he is here to share the rich history of Ocean City and give us an inside look at the Ocean City Jazz Festival North Topsail's premier cultural event that features Grammy-nominated jazz musicians. Learn how this vibrant event has become a cornerstone for jazz enthusiasts and a celebration of cultural heritage. You don't want to miss this insightful interview today on Topsail Insider.

Sponsor - Surf City Line

Speaker 1 1:01

Experience a new level of luxury on Topsail Island at Saltwater Suites in Surf City, north Carolina. With no nightly minimum, you can enjoy short getaways or an extended stay. Each suite features luxury bedding, full kitchens with dining tables and dishwashers, and all suites other than the three ADA suites have full-size washers and dryers. And don't forget about those beautiful ocean views. 24-7 self-check-in provides a hassle-free and seamless experience. Saltwater Suites is the perfect choice for your next beach getaway. Book your next Topsail visit at saltwatertopsailcom or call 910-886-4818. Saltwater Suites Topsail Island's premier luxury hospitality experience. Come on out to Surf City Line for the best made-from-scratch beach and bowls on Topsail Island. Treat yourself to their delicious bowls with shrimp steak, fish, chicken or pork, or enjoy their peel-and-eat shrimp, beach break salads and more. They offer a full bar serving handcrafted cocktails, incredible margaritas and they proudly serve North Carolina craft beer. The line boasts the biggest deck on the island with three levels for listening to live music, relaxing in the sun, or head on up to the top deck to enjoy your meal with ocean views. Visit SurfCityLineNCcom for their full menus. The best service and beach vibes on the island await you at 2112 North New River Drive, whether you're a local or visiting from out of town, celebrating a special occasion or just soaking up the sun with family and friends. It's always a great time at Surf City Line.

Speaker 1 2:54

Hello everyone and welcome to Topsail Insider. My name is Krista and I am your host. And today's co-host is the fabulous Leah Norman from Topsail Talk. Welcome, leah. Thank you so much for having me. Today we're talking with Mr Kenneth Chestnut. He is a second-generation resident and the son of Mr Wade Chestnut, a founder of Ocean City. Welcome, kenneth. Thank you for joining us today.

Speaker 3 3:22

Well, thank you, it's really a pleasure to be here and I look forward to this.

Speaker 1 3:25

It's going to be fun. I feel very honored that you're coming here and sitting with us today.

Speaker 3 3:29

It's a privilege of mine, thank you.

Speaker 1 3:30

We have a lot to cover. We're going to talk about the history of the Jazz Festival and the logistics, but first I want to talk about the history of the Ocean City Beach community in North Topsail.

Speaker 2 3:47

City Beach community in North Topsail. Yeah, it's so important to know the history, and I came to know it when I was introduced to the festival. Then I had the pleasure of meeting Mr Chestnut and he is just a wealth of information and I'm still learning. But I'm so excited to bring this information to you guys, and so I'm going to now pass the mic on to Mr Kenneth, who was going to tell you about the founding of it and how it came to be.

Speaker 3 4:09

Thank you so much, leah. I always enjoy telling this story, and when I look back and think about the founding of Ocean City, it's just constant excitement and it's so important to tell the story. I believe that the story of communities like Ocean City very often do not get told or they get erased, and so part of our mission is to continue to tell the story so people are aware of this long and rich history.

Speaker 1 4:36

I will say that when I first moved here, Kenneth, I did not know the history. I didn't even know where Ocean City was on the island. And it wasn't until I interviewed the ladies from the Missiles and More Ocean City was on the island, and it wasn't until I interviewed the ladies from the Missiles and More Museum that I heard about it and I learned about it. That's right.

Speaker 3 4:51

And the Missiles and More, and the Topsail Historic Society have done a great job. We just last month opened a new exhibit featuring Ocean City, so we're excited about that and again it's an opportunity to tell the story. Well, we have a couple of things coming up. One is we're celebrating the 75th anniversary of this community we call Ocean City, and then the second thing that's a part of that is we're having the 14th annual Jazz Festival. So let me just talk briefly about the history of the Ocean City community. It was founded in 1949. History of the Ocean City community it was founded in 1949.

Speaker 3 5:30

Prior to that, Topsail Island was a part of Camp Davis, which was a military base during World War II. In Holly Ridge they had an operation on the entire Topsail Island. It was called Operation Bumblebee, and so if you're traveling on the island, you'll notice some towers, typically a three-story concrete tower that survived storms, hurricanes, everything, and they're still standing. Some have been converted into different buildings, homes, retail shops and so forth, and so the cornerstone of the Ocean City community was a tower, if you will. But after World War II and Camp Davis closed, the whole island was open for redevelopment. There was a gentleman from Wilmington his name was Edgar Yao I-O-W, and he and his brother were very prominent lawyers in Wilmington. He was a mayor, in fact, in the mid-40s. Edgar Yao was in.

Speaker 3 6:23

Wilmington for a term or two and his brother was city attorney, mr Yow, was able to develop a large segment of Topsail Island, primarily in Sur City going north, and for some reason he had this vision of African Americans being able to own oceanfront property on Topsail Island. Now where that originated I never knew, but he had this vision of this occurring and you have to remember the context of the time we're in. We're in 1949, which is 50 years, essentially from 1898, some 20-plus years from Shell Island at Wrightsville Beach, and so in this environment in the South, he had this vision and he decided to do something about it. He knew a Dr Samuel Gray, who's originally from Jamaica, who had a very prominent medical practice in Wilmington, and so he talked to Dr Gray about it. Dr Gray said he was busy with his medical practice, didn't have time, but he knew someone that may be interested. And Dr Gray knew my was busy with his medical practice, didn't have time, but he knew someone that may be interested. And Dr Gray knew my dad and his brothers. They had an automobile repair shop on the north side of Wilmington and they had a very good business. They had wreckers and did a lot of automobile repair, I think at the height they had maybe 12 mechanics working for them.

Speaker 3 7:43

But my dad? The vision resonated with him and so he left the family business and devoted his time to developing Ocean City, and his brother, robert, was the first president of the corporation. And my dad was one of the founders and committed the rest of his life to this development, and so a corporation was formed. Mr Yow was a part of that, this development, and so a corporation was formed Mr Yow was a part of that A couple of other gentlemen, my dad and his brothers to develop this one mile stretch, and so they had a map made and plans made of an area that would be carved out for retail and business area, and then the rest were residential. And so once they did a map and divided it into roads and lots and so forth, they went about trying to sell these lots. They would go around to different medical organizations where doctors would be or lawyers would be and promote Ocean City, and so at the time the lots on the ocean were $500. Wow, the lots won.

Speaker 2 8:45

If you can believe that, Did it just burn you.

Speaker 3 8:47

Yes.

Speaker 3 8:48

And the lots off of the ocean were $100. Incredible. But that was again in late 40s, early 50s. I remember my dad talking to a lady who wanted to buy a lot and he said, well, don't worry about the money, just give me a down payment to buy a lot. And he said, well, don't worry about the money, just give me a down payment to hold your lot. And she said, well, can I put a down payment on the down payment? I think she was a school teacher, yeah, and so the concept of it was to be a residential community where people could feel safe and own property and enjoy the beach and so forth. And then the tower became a rose, converted into a restaurant, expanded and converted into a restaurant. Oh, and it was called Ocean City Terrace.

Speaker 1 9:33

Interesting. I've never heard that before.

Speaker 3 9:36

And then the restaurant was expanded so people could look out over the water and enjoy their meal, and then there was a terrace above where people could look out at the ocean. It had music and so forth, so it was really a nice community when you look back at some of the old photographs of families on the beach enjoying it. And later a fishing pier was built. This was in 1958. And the fishing pier was one of the best locations for fishing on the island, and so a lot of people would come and fish on this fishing pier was one of the best locations for fishing on the island and so a lot of people would come and fish on this fishing pier, because if the fish were just biting and particularly in the fall when spots are running then people would be shoulder to shoulder catching fish, and so people would come there from all walks of life and their focus was on fishing. So it didn't matter their background, their race or where they were from. They wanted to catch fish.

Speaker 1 10:27

I love that.

Speaker 3 10:28

And so that was the focus. During that time, my dad managed the fishing pier and the restaurant, and so as a kid I grew up working for him. So whatever he wanted me to do, whether it was picking up trash or on weekends, I'd sell snow cones whatever it was, you started early.

Speaker 1 10:44

Oh yeah, how old were you? I was 12 years old when I started and you loved it. Oh yeah, I did. I bet you did. I loved growing up on the beach and my friends and so forth.

Speaker 3 10:54

But that was the whole concept of Ocean City and that's what made it thrive, Because people just didn't have the opportunity to enjoy that kind of environment and the beach and so forth. And so Blotts started to sell our house that my mom and dad built. And let me take a second about my mom. She was an educator. She taught school in New Hanover County for over 30 years.

Speaker 1 11:17

Wow and is well known.

Speaker 3 11:19

I still run into some of her students today. Oh my gosh, but she was very active in the community. She was on the board of the hospital, new Hanover Hospital and president of the YWCA in Wilmington. When they merged, when the Phyllis Wheatley, which was the black Y, merged with the white Y, how about that?

Speaker 3 11:37

She was president of that and later received a Lifetime Achievement Award for that. So she was very active in the Episcopal Church as well, which is a church a family were members of in Wilmington, and so we would be on the beach during the summer. My brother and I would be working, just busy supporting the business, but we'd have time off to swim and fish and all that. So it was a great childhood and a great time to be growing up. But the first house was built in 49. And then there were some other people that built homes there. For example, next door was Mr Rogers who owned a funeral home in Fedville. Next to him was Mr Millett, who had a cleaning business in Wilmington. Dr Nars, who was a dentist in Durham. Mr Ms Williams, a cleaning business in Wilmington. Dr Norris, who was a dentist in Durham. Mr Ms Williams, who taught school in Wilmington and he worked for the Coastline Railroad. And then Dr LW Upperman, who's a very prominent physician in Wilmington.

Speaker 1 12:37

That you can remember all this is amazing. Now, these were people who were buying.

Speaker 3 12:40

They started buying the lots and building their and they built their homes. They're not considered the founders Well, not the founders of the corporation, but some of the original homeowners.

Speaker 1 12:49

Gotcha yeah Okay.

Speaker 3 12:50

There were some others, that Dr Cowan, who was a physician from Wilson, so I'm just trying to paint a picture of people that came from all over. Carla Torrey's dad, Mr Eton, was a prominent builder. In fact, he built 30 homes on the island. All these homes he built. So they were one of the early families and so things were moving along. In 50, 51, 52, and then in 54, Hurricane Hazel came and it was just devastating. It wiped out almost all of the homes, maybe except for a couple.

Speaker 3 13:24

That's terrible, but the pier wasn't built at that time the pier came in 50. Not at that time, so you, took a blow. We took a blow.

Speaker 1 13:31

Pretty early on.

Speaker 3 13:32

That's right it was a severe blow and I admire those founders and early home builders for the tenacity of building back.

The Wade Chestnut Chapel and Camp Oceanside

Speaker 3 13:40

Oh, they did I often say they could have given up and say, well, we tried, it didn't work. But they had the tenacity to build back and built back smarter. And so the house that we currently have, the family home, was built in 55 after Hazel. And so houses continued to be built then, and then, in 57, a chapel was built. The corporation decided to carve out a portion of land on 210 and donate it to the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina. The pier was built in 58, the first pier oh, the first pier. Yes.

Speaker 3 14:17

Okay, the first pier was built in 58. And that was a corporation of homeowners, and some of the people that built homes there invested in the corporation. My dad was a president of it, but there were a lot of investors the Yowls were among those and some other business people in Wilmington that invested in this pier, so it was a multiracial ownership of the pier.

Speaker 3 14:41

Along with that, the church in Wilmington was St Mark's Episcopal Church that we were members of. The rector there was a Father Curtin. Father Curtin would come to the beach and have Sunday service in our living room, just for a few residents that wanted to go to church, so he'd have a service there. And then that took some traction and more and more people started coming and so the chapel was built. This land that the corporation donated to the diocese became the location for the chapel.

Speaker 1 15:11

Nice.

Speaker 2 15:12

Which is still here today. It's there now. Okay, do you know which chapel? I haven't seen it.

Speaker 3 15:16

Okay, it's the Wade Chestnut Chapel. It was rededicated and named after my dad in 62. There's some pictures that Leah's referring to that show the first service. Carla's dad, mr Eaton, built this chapel and so there were folding chairs and so forth for the first service, because people were just anxious to get into it. It was first called St Mark's Chapel and then, after my dad died, it was rededicated in his honor.

Speaker 3 15:43

The other connection with the Episcopal Church was. Father Curtin had this idea of a camp, a camp for African-American kids, Episcopal kids or really any denomination, but a place where they could go and have a camping experience. The first camp was at Pawleys Island in South Carolina. That was destroyed after Hazel and he talked to my dad about setting aside a certain segment of time during the summer for kids to have the camping experience there in the restaurant where they would meet and have activities and then have beach swimming and things like that. And then the motel was built about the same time as the pier and so the kids would stay in the motel, and so that happened for about three years I went to that camp.

Speaker 1 16:34

You did. Yeah, oh yeah. I wish listeners could see the smile on his face actually right now.

Speaker 3 16:41

In fact there's a lady who lives on the beach that would tease me, because I'd have my little bag walking from my house over to the camp. Oh, my goodness.

Speaker 1 16:50

And she said I was so serious, you know, about going there.

Speaker 3 16:52

Love that. But that camp touched so many kids. I did an article on the history of Camp Oceanside is what it was called and once it started really getting some traction, the dormitories were built, activities building and dining hall was built and it could accommodate maybe 60 kids and they would have different sessions. The priests from this diocese would come and take their vacation very often and devote their time to a particular area of the camp. One may be a Bible study or arts and crafts or oceanfront activities and so forth. But the growing people today fondly talk about the camp and the impact it had on them. It was typically a two-week session for kids and they did just have fond memories because they would have not had the opportunity to have a camping experience like that otherwise, and so it was just it was, and so there are pictures of kids and just having fun and all these activities planned for them.

Speaker 1 17:52

Is it still happening today?

Speaker 3 17:54

No, because in 1985, the camp closed. What occurred was integration, so was one thing that occurred well before then. But then the diocese decided to build a new camp this Camp Trinity is on Emerald Isle and so there was a white camp called Camp Leach, and then there was a black camp, camp Oceanside that I'm referring to, and so those were closed and the new camp was Camp Trinity, which is at Emerald.

Speaker 1 18:25

Isle Okay.

Speaker 3 18:26

One of the important things, particularly for my mom was on the board, very active on the board was for kids to have a neutral place to go. She taught school. She saw what happened during integration when black kids went to white schools and they were rejected or had difficulties.

Speaker 3 18:39

Black kids went to white schools and they were rejected or had difficulties, and so her big focus was persuading the diocese let's close both camps. And then they started a neutral camp, and so that's what occurred, and so it's a thriving camp. Camp Trinity, it's a conference center Still going on today.

Speaker 1 19:01

Oh yeah, oh, that's wonderful.

Speaker 3 19:03

My son went there, my grandson went there in fact for a couple of sessions. But to keep Oceanside from becoming a camp again, the dormitory was torn down, and then one of the buildings was torn down, and the buildings that are currently there, which is a chapel, the community center and a cottage, currently serve the Ocean City community.

Speaker 3 19:24

Okay, and so church services occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day every Sunday, and there are different priests that rotate in and out, and so people come from all over. Some are residents, some are on vacation, and they see it on the website or Facebook page and it's very casual, and so there's a wide range. Each Sunday there's a different person conducting service.

Speaker 1 19:51

I feel like this is kind of a dumb question, but do you see a real uptick in attendance during the high season, the summer months?

Speaker 3 19:58

Oh, yes, and we're only open during the summer months.

Speaker 1 20:00

Oh you are. So it's only open from.

Speaker 3 20:02

Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Speaker 1 20:04

Okay, yeah, okay.

Speaker 3 20:05

And so it's active in the community center which was the activity center for the camp still standing, and it serves as a community center for the Ocean City community today. In fact, the proceeds which we'll get into the jazz festival help support these buildings.

Speaker 1 20:23

The upkeep of the historic building. That's right.

Mr. Yow in the Jim Crow South

Speaker 3 20:27

That's an important part of the community this chapel, the community center and so forth but it originated as a camp. I mentioned there was a motel built. It was like 12 units there, one-story motel.

Speaker 1 20:42

Is it still there?

Speaker 3 20:43

No, it was demolished, well, actually destroyed. In 1996, we had two major hurricanes, hurricanes Fran and Bertha. Right right, right and they wiped out the pier and the motel and several buildings. I mentioned that the first pier was built in 58.

Speaker 3 21:06

There were a series of hurricanes that damaged the pier. It would have to be rebuilt, and so it was a long pier, had a kind of a bulb on the end of it where people could fish, but hurricanes would destroy it. It would build back, destroy it and build back, until it got to the point that it was not financially feasible to continue to do that and you could not get insurance on it. I'm thinking of one occurrence where my dad and I were at the pier and a storm was coming and the waves started coming over the end of the pier and he said son, I think it's time to go home.

Speaker 2 21:45

I said yeah, dad, I agree. Oh gosh.

Speaker 3 21:48

So we went to Wilmington and then the next day we came back down and we could only get as far as the North Topsail line, coming north on 210, where it goes from Surf City to North Topsail. There was a store there. It was called the Mermaid, currently it's called the Lion. It's there now, but we could get with cars, get as far as that. And then there were Jeeps that would shuttle us back to sea, because people wanted to know how their homes were. They would always call my dad, how much damage is it? And of course that was well before the concept of cell phones.

Speaker 1 22:26

Right, right yeah.

Speaker 3 22:28

The next morning, after this hurricane, my dad and I were coming back to check, and so we were standing there in the parking lot waiting for a Jeep to take us down, and Mr Yao was there, and so I was about 12 years old, and so Mr Yao asked me if I wanted a soda, and I said, no, monsieur, I don't want a soda. And he said, yeah, don't you want a soda? I said no, and I didn't want a soda because I knew I couldn't get served in that location.

Speaker 1 22:55

Oh really.

Speaker 3 22:56

Yeah, that was just the way it was. It was the Jim Crow era that we're in, and so it was against the law, typically for anybody to serve.

Speaker 1 23:04

Oh, it was not the line at that time. It was the Mermaid. You're talking about the store that was there. That's the Mermaid. Yeah, All right.

Speaker 3 23:09

So I could need a Woolworth's lunch counter for example so that was the environment that we're in in Jim Crow South. And so he said don't you want to? I said no, it's yeah. So I said no, it's Yao. So he insisted and took me in and he told the gentleman there, give him a soda. And the guy looked at him but he gave me a soda. He didn't have to do that, but that's something that stuck with me. It told me what kind of man he was. So when nobody's looking, nobody really cared.

Speaker 3 23:38

He spoke for who he was, and so that's always resonated with me. Yao was, as I said, a prominent attorney. He loved hunting. He would have a station wagon with his hunting dog in the back and he'd steal a streak of tobacco along the side of his car. But that's just who he was. He and his wife had a house not far from there in Sneets Ferry area.

Speaker 1 24:00

Okay.

Environmental Threats

Speaker 3 24:01

But that's who he was, and so I tell that story just to get a picture of who Egea was. And so he and my family, his wife and family, became good friends of ours and we knew their son and so forth. And then, as we moved forward, the community started to get some traction and we were upholding the timeframe of dealing with some threats to the community primarily environmental threats, I'll call it. And so we have sea level rise, we have hurricanes, and we have a different type of hurricane, in that the previous hurricanes were mainly wind events and so they would pass through in a day or so and be gone. Usually it was a day and primarily high winds and some rain, but in recent years we've seen hurricanes at a huge water event.

Speaker 1 24:55

So they'll just hover and dump water inches and inches and inches of water.

Speaker 3 24:59

And so that's another threat, and then the other is erosion, which we're seeing all up and down the East Coast, and so, with sea level rise, erosion, hurricanes, all the coastal communities are threatened by this environment that we're currently finding ourselves in. I'm currently very active with the North Carolina Coastal Federation. It's a nonprofit that really works to protect the environment and protect the coast. I'm on their board and so I've driven to that because I've seen over the years the impact on the coastline.

Speaker 2 25:33

What happens in the future to the community.

Speaker 3 25:36

There are steps being taken to move sand up on the beach. It's called their beach nourishment projects. You see those all up and down the coast. Every community is dealing with that.

Speaker 1 25:48

What about is it called seagrass? What is this? Seagrass helps to stabilize Are y'all doing that specifically in Ocean UR.

Speaker 3 25:54

We've been doing that for years, and years.

Speaker 1 25:56

Oh, okay, yeah, for yeah.

Speaker 3 25:58

But in spite of putting the sand, sometimes it's pumped up from the ocean or hauled in. I just finished a segment of the Project Phase 5 this spring and the sand has been hauled in. But over the years what I've observed is Mother Nature will say well, come and reclaim her sand. And so you do this, and then the sand will go back out and then people will put, but I don't know how sustainable it is. It's very costly, and so there's always a debate as to who pays for it.

Speaker 3 26:31

Certainly the local governing authority, whether it's a town or they have only a limited amount of money. They rely on Raleigh or federal funds to help support that. And then there's a debate to help support that. And then there's a debate are we really helping those homeowners or are we helping to restore and make available this resource for the whole state of North Carolina that people can use? So there's a debate about that. But that's the effort being made and then, once the sand is up, definitely stabilizing it with a lot of different methods. Seagrass is definitely one of those.

Speaker 1 27:02

I got to say and I'm not there on the front lines and I don't see it right. I'm over here, I'm in Hampstead, so I feel like I see pictures after the hurricanes. I see the nourishment happening in the news or in photos online, but then another storm comes and it feels like it's just. It becomes like a little cliff, like it's washed off. That's exactly right cliff like it's washed off and it just goes out as quickly as it took a long time to get it nourished.

Speaker 3 27:24

That's right.

Speaker 1 27:25

And then it goes out so fast and it's heartbreaking and I know that's got to cost a lot of money. I know it costs a lot of time. Have you seen homes washed away?

Speaker 3 27:34

Oh, absolutely, you have Absolutely. One of the streets on Ocean City community is Ocean Drive. If you go north on Ocean Drive, the street continues, but there were houses on the ocean side that are no longer there. It's just a dune now. So over the years those houses were destroyed.

Speaker 1 27:53

There were houses there.

Speaker 3 27:54

There were houses there that were destroyed, and this goes all up and down the coast.

Speaker 1 27:59

I mean, if you think about Cape Hatteras, the lighthouse that had to be moved some years ago, kenneth, I was in the third grade when they were, we collected money in our classroom to contribute to moving that lighthouse. Yeah, yeah, it's been going on a long time.

Struggle to Maintain Character of Community

Speaker 3 28:15

So that's a part of the threat that we're dealing with. The other threat is I mentioned that the whole concept of Ocean City was to have a family-oriented community, with pressure for vacationers to have access to the beach. We're seeing some large homes I call them mini hotels very often but multiple bedrooms being built where people would come, have no awareness of the community, use the ocean and leave. If you have too much of that, then it destroys the character of the community, and so we try to do what we can to keep it as a low-density, family-oriented community.

Speaker 1 28:55

That's got to be a battle.

Speaker 3 28:56

So there's some balance with that and so if you look at the Outer Banks and you see all those many hotels there, that's what we're trying to stay away from. But there's obviously pressure because more and more people are moving to the coast or to this part of the state really all up and down the state of North Carolina, south Carolina, etc. There's more pressure for people to have access to the ocean and vacation. Some of that's okay, but if you get too much of that then it destroys the character of the community, the history of it.

Speaker 1 29:26

That's right. Is there nothing in place to protect? It's a historical mile.

Speaker 3 29:31

That's an excellent question. We try to do a couple of things. One is we first of all have signs that were built last year that mark the location of Ocean City. Ocean City signs on each end of that mile stretch so people know when they're of Ocean City. Ocean City signs on each end of that mile stretch so people know when they're entering Ocean City. Years ago, the city helped us dedicate street signs that has the Ocean City logo on them so you can know when you're in the community. And then in 2011, we were made a part of the African American Trail for Onslow County.

Speaker 1 30:04

Nice.

Speaker 3 30:05

And so there's a plaque and photographs and so forth in front of the chapel that note that. And then in 22, we were named a part of the Civil Rights Trail by the state of North Carolina. We were number four in the state. They're doing 50 locations, and so we were number four, they're doing 50 locations, and so we were number four, and the Secretary Wilson, from Raleigh and State Natural and Cultural Resources once we had to make our case and do the application which Carla just did, a fantastic job about the history.

Speaker 3 30:34

So we have a historic marker noting that as a historical community.

Speaker 1 30:40

And tell me about Carla.

Speaker 3 30:42

Carla Torrey is William and Octavia Eaton's daughter, and so she's second generation. She is past president of the community Ocean City Community Citizens Council and she's the chair and organizer she and her husband Craig of the Jazz Festival.

Speaker 1 31:01

Okay.

Speaker 3 31:02

You know, and they just do an incredible job. They really dedicate their lives to Ocean City and applying for grants and helping to organize the Jazz Festival. So whatever they ask me to do, I'll do, like today, you know.

Speaker 1 31:17

Is that the only reason?

Speaker 2 31:18

you're here.

Speaker 3 31:19

Yeah, I'll tell you.

Speaker 1 31:21

Well, thank you, carla, I appreciate it.

Speaker 3 31:23

Yeah, carla, you're a tremendous couple and they really dedicate themselves to everything that we're doing. So a lot of these things that I'm talking about, carla and Craig have initiated and we have these events and recognitions to help make people aware of the community and the history of the community. Community and the history of the community. And so, going back, krista, to your question about preservation, then we talked to the state historic preservation about that. But we have such a mixture of architectural types now that we really didn't qualify, and some of that's because of hurricanes, and so there's a certain style of house that was built in the 50s and 60s. Primarily it's a flatter roof, maybe two stories, and then there's a mixture of homes that have been rebuilt or new homes built.

Speaker 3 32:13

And so it's such a mixture of types of architecture. It wasn't consistent enough.

Speaker 1 32:18

And there's no way to control. No, that's right. Yeah, that's unfortunate though.

Strong Sense of Community and Togetherness

Speaker 3 32:22

That's right. And so Ocean City started as a community. It's still a community. When it started there was no North Topsail. North Topsail didn't come into being until the late 80s and there was a road, there were power lines, water lines, but the houses that were built early on were on septic tanks. I mentioned Dr Upperman being one of the early homeowners and very prominent physician in Wilmington and Upperman Center at UNCW. He funded that upon his death. His daughter still lives in Wilmington but he would collect money from the homeowners to pay for streetlights, for example. None of that was there, oh wow. So it was just really a road and then, if you went further north, even ran out of electric lines. But let me just take a second and describe the sense of community that I mentioned and what would happen. There are some photographs of the men getting together. They play cards or whatever, and the ladies would get together, but one of the favorite things for the ladies to do would be to go crabbing. They would go crabbing at the—.

Speaker 1 33:29

I did not expect to hear that. I'm sorry.

Speaker 3 33:31

They would go crabbing at the inlet and they'd catch these, I mean just bounties of crabs, and they had it down to a science they knew when to go when the tide was beginning to turn. How about that? My mom would say, and others would say that you go when the moon is rising, not on a waning mood, because the crabs have more crab meat and so being a smart kid. I said is that right?

Speaker 3 33:55

Probably yeah, it was right, and so what they would stage was the ladies would get together, drive to the inlet and then us kids would tag along to help them to carry the baskets and the nets and everything, because you had to walk about a half a mile to the inlet, and it's the North Topsail Inlet, and so that was a big event. I remember one particular day that a couple of friends and myself and my brother were going along with them and they were just catching crabs. I mean, they had a bushel basket, a couple of them full of crabs, and they didn't want to stop. And so they told us well, take your jeans off. We had one of our swimming trunks under it, and they would tie it up to the ends of our jeans and put crabs in there.

Speaker 1 34:42

Yes, oh, my goodness. So they were very innovative. So innovative, smart ladies.

Speaker 3 34:46

And when they would come back, they would make all these dishes that they would share with each other like a crab casserole and devil crabs Love that and they would share with each other like a crab casserole and devil crabs. Love that and they would just go house to house, just sharing the fruits of their labor, if you will Strongs as a community. I love that so much and so there was a cookbook developed in the 80s. It captured these recipes. It's been a new version of that with additional recipes.

Speaker 1 35:11

Still available? Yeah, that's available on the website Amazon. Where do we get that? On additional recipes Still available? Yeah, that's available on the website. On the website. It's on the website. Ocean City website.

Speaker 2 35:21

I didn't know that Every time. What's amazing about it is that every single time he talks about it, I learn new things. It's amazing.

Speaker 3 35:25

And so a lot of those recipes are captured. But that's a sense of community. If someone was going to Surf City to get a paper or to get something, they would blow their horn as they went down the street. Do you need a paper? Yeah, Can. I get you something, and so forth. So that's the environment that we were in.

Speaker 2 35:47

Before we move on to all things Jazz Fest, let's continue with history a few minutes more. How did the Ocean City Jazz Festival get started?

Speaker 3 35:56

Thanks, Leah. What we try to do in the Ocean City community is have events that continue that sense of community, and so, for example, on Labor Day weekend we have a block party, so we block off two blocks on Ocean Drive and we have a DJ and food hot dogs, hamburgers.

Speaker 1 36:15

This is Labor Day.

Speaker 3 36:16

This is Labor Day weekend, and so anybody that's in the area can come, and so you never know who's going to show up or how many, but it's just a fun time Line dancing in the street.

Speaker 2 36:28

Wow, You've got to come to the next one.

Speaker 3 36:30

Krista, please do. We have a video game truck for kids. So this just continuing to have a sense of community where people can get together, no admissions, no, you just show up. Wow, about 15 years ago we were looking at what else could we do to continue to have that sense of community and draw different people to Ocean City. There was a gentleman, a resident. His name was Dr Griffin. John Griffin was from Fedville, was principal of a school there and went on to become the superintendent of schools there in Cumberland County.

Speaker 3 37:06

But, he was a resident. So we were trying to brainstorm and he mentioned a jazz festival and he knew there were a son and his dad who played saxophone in Fedville, the Codgitons. And he said, well, why don't we start that? And so at the community center there's a porch on the side of the building, and so that's how it started. So the very first one, the Codgitons, were there, the saxophones, we had a couple of 20 by 20 tents, maybe even one at that time, and folding chairs on the concrete slab which is a basketball court. And so that's how it started.

Speaker 1 37:43

Just playing out on the porch.

Speaker 3 37:44

On the porch? Yeah, exactly. And then the next year we got the Frog Project, which is a group in Wilmington, and some others, so it started to grow. And then there's a lot on the other side of the cottage near the chapel and so we expanded into that and would put a tent there and did that for a few years and it continued to grow. And then we decided to move across the street because there's a large undeveloped lot there and we would have a pavilion tent and so we would transform this lot into the Jazz Festival and we started getting more and more interest, more and more people coming. They loved the environment. The venue was was pleasant, had a nice ocean breeze coming, they were under the tent protecting them from the sun and any rain, had the stage set up with the folding chairs, and then it started to really get more traction as a festival. So we got food trucks, for example.

Speaker 1 38:48

When did it turn into a pay event like you could buy tickets to?

Speaker 3 38:52

About nine years ago. Okay, about nine years ago.

Speaker 1 38:55

about nine years ago.

Speaker 3 38:56

Okay and so this is our 14th, and so it was about nine years ago. We were interrupted by covet, so we didn't have it one year in 20 and then in 21 we did it remotely. So we did it at a event. It was a center or theater in Clayton that we did remotely.

Speaker 1 39:15

How did that work out? Not too well, Not too great yeah.

Speaker 3 39:19

Because people like to congregate, be around the musicians and performers and get to know each other. So it becomes an event where people see each other from year to year and we have vendors that come there. Some may sell arts and crafts. We have a good artist base. We'll commission a poster to be designed and then sell prints of that.

Speaker 1 39:44

I was reading about that.

Speaker 3 39:45

And then we have other artists coming to display and sell their art, and so that's what helps create this festival with the vendors and food trucks and so forth, and so it's continued to grow and get traction. The name's expanding and becoming more widespread. One of the people that's been with us for years is John Brown. John Brown is a jazz musician. He has a big band group like the traditional, traditional big bands, like Benny.

Speaker 3 40:16

Goodman and so forth, and he's done concerts all over with a big band. But he's a professor of jazz and heads up the jazz department at Duke University.

Speaker 1 40:26

Oh, that's so good.

Speaker 3 40:27

Hi, john, if you're watching, john is from the East Arcadia area, which is just west of Wilmington, regalwood. It's a community. That's where he's originally from. His family is there, but he's provost of music and culture at Duke University.

Speaker 1 40:45

How about that?

Speaker 3 40:46

And so he's an incredible person and he has for us. He's a big influence. We call him our house band or artist in residence, and so he's just tremendous. He's also a Grammy nominee. We call him our house band or artist in residence, and so he's just tremendous. He's also a Grammy nominee. Yeah, we love John Brown.

Speaker 1 41:01

You have several Grammy nominees. We do.

Speaker 3 41:04

We do, and so, as we move forward, this just continued to become an event and we try to deal with responding to feedback from surveys and, for example, just providing access so it's easier for people that may not have the capacity to walk on sand, so we roll out a mat for them. One of the big hits, believe it or not, are our portable toilets. People love it because and we've been doing this for years because it's an air-conditioned trailer.

Speaker 2 41:36

Oh, that's wonderful. It's not a porta potty.

Speaker 1 41:39

It's not a porta potty so much better yeah.

Speaker 3 41:42

And so especially the ladies complimented and said I just love that.

Speaker 2 41:46

You know the ladies appreciate that it's hot and uncomfortable and they really made it yeah.

Speaker 3 41:51

And so we tried to respond to that. We've been very fortunate in that we have the support of North Topsail. If you think about it, north Topsail is primarily almost uniquely a residential community, and so this is the biggest thing going at North Topsail. So they really support us in terms of helping with security, police officers, public works and so forth.

Speaker 3 42:18

So, we're really fortunate that they really support us and we definitely recognize them, and so, for example, this is our as I mentioned earlier our 75th anniversary. So we'll get a proclamation from the town of North Topsail, as well as as Onslow County, on Friday July 5th, recognizing our 75th anniversary.

Speaker 1 42:38

That's awesome.

Jazz with a Higher Purpose

Speaker 3 42:39

Yeah, and so when we received our civil rights marker, the mayor was there, spoke on behalf of the town, as well as the representatives from the state of North Carolina. So we're fortunate that they endorse and support us. And then there are our sponsors. That are just tremendous. We have corporate sponsors that really support us and the state cultural arts as well as Onslow County Arts Council. As people see the success and the quality of the performers, how it's organized and run, then they support it. And then, as we look at the performers how it's organized and run then they support it. And then, as we look at the performers, it's interesting to follow because, based on someone of John Brown's caliber, he's talking to someone about this and said, oh yeah, I want to be a part of that, you know, and particularly because we call it jazz with a higher purpose.

Speaker 1 43:31

I saw that. Explain that to me.

Speaker 3 43:33

What that means is it's jazz, and we gather around this American music we love, called jazz, you think about it? People again, from all walks of life, all races. They come and enjoy this jazz under this pavilion tent, and so for me, I draw on the fishing experience at the pier, where the same thing occurred.

Speaker 1 43:56

Oh yeah.

Speaker 3 43:56

It's a part of, I think, the DNA, if you will, of Ocean City where people just come together without regard for where you're from or your race or socioeconomic position, and so for this case, it's around jazz.

Speaker 1 44:14

So initially it was the pier. Everyone came to shoulder to shoulder. Anyone of all ethnicities welcome to the pier to fish. And now you've got we don't have the pier anymore, unfortunately. But now you've got the jazz festival. Love it.

Speaker 3 44:27

That's right, and so people just love jazz, and some people will come because they follow their musicians. And so they'll say well, there's a musician, not related, called Cyrus Chestnut, incredible jazz pianist. So they'll say where is he playing?

Speaker 3 44:42

Well, he's going to be in Ocean City, so if they live in the area they'll come to follow him or Marcus Anderson or whoever their performers are, and artists like it because of the venue and they have access to their fans. Fans love it because they have access to their artists, so they can go walk up to a performer and get their autograph.

Speaker 3 45:05

Very intimate and so both parties like that environment so it's not huge or in a large auditorium or venue where they can't get access and the fact that they're supporting this nonprofit entity that's going back to jazz with a higher purpose, and so the proceeds from the jazz festival help support the community and the community buildings and the chapel and the markers and the events that we're having, and also it gives us a chance to tell the story of Ocean City. So I remember last year, maybe the year before last, a lady came up to me during the jazz festival and she says well, why are we having it here at Ocean City? And I said I'm glad you asked, and so I get the chance and they get to learn about Ocean City.

14th Annual Jazz Festival - Bigger and Better! (July 5-7)

Speaker 3 45:54

So they'll drive them to our website or they can ask questions and there are plenty of residents around and available to share and talk to them about the history of this community we call Ocean City and so, looking at this year, it's going to be bigger and better than ever. Again it's under a pavilion tent with a stage, excellent sound system, folding chairs, comfortable seating, nice breeze, food trucks, etc. Beverages, and so we have Nina Freelon, who's an incredible vocalist from Durham, a Grammy nominee, who's coming. We've been trying to get her for years.

Speaker 3 46:30

We have Gerald Albright, who's a well well-known saxophonist, again Grammy nominee at least, if not received an award. So you look at some of these names that are coming this year. It just takes us to a whole new level.

Speaker 1 46:48

Just to mention, you did mention John Brown's Little Big.

Speaker 3 46:51

Band earlier.

Speaker 1 46:51

Yes, yes you got the Braxton Brothers.

Speaker 3 46:53

Yes, yes.

Speaker 1 46:54

Fred Wesley and Lynn Roundtree.

Speaker 3 46:57

Yes, they will all be there. Felicia Ray, pj Scroggins is the drummer Just top-notch performers.

Speaker 2 47:05

Quality yeah, quality yeah, even if you don't like jazz, you'll love it. It's also kid-friendly. Right, I've got four little ones, five, and they all they ask me mom, when is the festival?

Speaker 1 47:16

I can't wait to take my t-shirt.

Speaker 2 47:19

They love it and also your child can volunteer. My 14 year old is 12 this time.

Speaker 1 47:24

Yep, is 12 old enough to volunteer? Um no probably 14 is 14.

Speaker 2 47:29

Okay, in a couple of years we'll be there okay, so it's just great to expose them to it. I mean, they had a blast.

Saturday Morning History "Hike & Learn" and Sunday Jazz Church Service

Speaker 3 47:37

The other part of that is we started last year. It's really Craig's concept, craig Torrey, we have a history hike.

Speaker 3 47:45

Oh yeah, it's really not a hike. It's kind of a history walk and so on a Saturday morning we'll walk the community and talk about the history of the community, who lived where. Again, I mentioned that two years ago we received the Civil Rights Trail plaque and so a lot of that history was based on residents there at the time and so forth. So we'll talk about the camp and the fishing pier and have images of what that looked like back in those times, as well as some of the residents. So it's an interesting walk. So don't be intimidated by the word hike.

Speaker 1 48:23

Yeah.

Speaker 2 48:24

It's really a flat slow stroll. It can be great.

Speaker 3 48:28

We do that, which is very interesting.

Speaker 1 48:30

I do want to say the logistics of that hike. So the jazz festival itself is July 5th. That's a Friday through a Sunday. It's July 5th through the 7th. So this hike is Saturday morning, July 6th.

Speaker 3 48:45

That's correct.

Speaker 1 48:46

And it's called the Learning Hike. It's free.

Speaker 3 48:48

It's free.

Speaker 1 48:49

yes, the registration is at 745 in the morning.

Speaker 3 48:52

That's right.

Speaker 1 48:53

And this is at 2649 Island Drive and the hike starts at 8 am.

Speaker 3 48:58

That's correct.

Speaker 1 48:59

Bring water and snacks, wear appropriate clothing and the hike is rated easy like you said, do it for easy going.

Speaker 3 49:06

That's right.

Speaker 2 49:07

That address is actually the chapel, the chapel. They're actually meeting at the chapel. Okay, I think you can also show up, even if you don't register.

Speaker 1 49:14

Yeah, okay. So we really want to push that we want to encourage people to register. Yeah, if you want to register, you can register online at OceanCityJazzFestcom or you can call with any questions about the hike or registration. It's 910-549-9263, and this information will be in the show notes.

Speaker 3 49:32

And one other thing I just wanted to mention is that Sunday morning we'll have church service under the tent. I mentioned the chapel and the church services through the summer.

Speaker 1 49:41

Yeah.

Speaker 3 49:42

Because of the large attendance, the large crowds, we do it under the tent, okay, and so that's where the church service occurs.

Speaker 1 49:50

What time does that start?

Speaker 3 49:50

It's 11 o'clock on Sunday morning. Okay, this year, as it was last year, we're at the church of St Ambrose with Reverend J'mon Taylor, and he'll have a jazz ensemble from his church there. So it's a jazz mass, if you will.

Speaker 1 50:04

Okay, yeah, I love that.

Speaker 3 50:06

It's fun. People just love it. It fits right in. I'm glad you brought that up.

Speaker 1 50:09

So we're Glad you brought that up.

Friday and Saturday, 2pm Bourbon Tastings

Speaker 3 50:10

I have to have him. So those are the events we're looking at having a bourbon tasting a couple of days at 2 o'clock and so it's just a lot of activities.

Speaker 2 50:21

You like bourbon, Krista.

Speaker 1 50:28

I'm not a drinker, but my husband will be sitting there for sure. Okay, so that bourbon tasting. So that's Friday and Saturday. That's correct, correct and what time does that start?

Speaker 3 50:35

That starts at 2 o'clock.

Speaker 1 50:36

Okay, my notes here are that there's going to be four different premium bourbons.

Speaker 3 50:41

That's correct.

Speaker 1 50:42

This is hosted by the Black Bourbon Guy. Yeah from Durham what can you tell me about him?

Speaker 3 50:46

He's from Durham and puts on these events all over the state. Okay, so I've not attended one before, but I've talked to people that have and they just think it's wonderful.

Speaker 2 50:57

So, we're looking forward to him being there.

Logistics: Weather, Transportation, Accommodations, Tickets

Speaker 1 51:00

So the tickets for the bourbon tasting are $40 per person.

Speaker 3 51:04

That's right.

Speaker 1 51:04

All of this happened. All of this, from beginning to end, is rain or shine. Is that right? Exactly Okay.

Speaker 3 51:10

That's right. The only thing that would stop an event if there's a lightning and then we had a brief interruption last year. We went to the chapel, or people went to their cars and then came back.

Speaker 1 51:23

So let it pass and come right back and pick the party back up. That's right, exactly.

Speaker 3 51:27

Love it, and so we have a parking. That's in the beach access number two, about a mile away. We have the trolley. Okay, that will shuttle people back and forth. Okay, there is parking adjacent to the venue for people that need handicap accessibility.

Speaker 1 51:43

Okay, and you can get that full schedule online at the website, right? I urge people to go to Ocean City.

Speaker 3 51:48

Jazz Fest F-E-S-T dot com and get all the information For the parking and the shuttle Parking, and shuttle.

Speaker 1 51:55

Talk about accommodations a little bit. Where are you recommending people go for their stay?

Speaker 3 52:00

I would urge people, first of all, to get their tickets soon, immediately and, if they've not made arrangements for accommodations, to do that right away as well. We have a partnership with Blue Water Inn, which is just across the bridge on North Topsail, before you get to Sneets Ferry.

Speaker 1 52:17

Right.

Speaker 3 52:18

It was under another brand before.

Speaker 2 52:20

That's new this year and it's so close. You guys, blue Water Inn and Sweets reached out to us and it's less than 10 minutes. It's so convenient. Yeah, I highly recommend that one.

Speaker 3 52:32

And so a lot of people will do that. There's a Hampton Inn and other places in Steeds Ferry. We have a partnership with a hotel in Jacksonville because we have an event package. People could ride the bus from Raleigh-Durham.

Speaker 1 52:48

Oh, we're going to talk about that and come here, let's go ahead and talk about that and so forth.

Speaker 3 52:53

Yeah, real quick, let's go ahead and talk about that, and so forth Real quick.

Speaker 2 52:56

we also have the partnership with Lewis Realty. Oh yes, If you don't want to be in a hotel. They have beach rentals, which are amazing.

Speaker 3 53:02

Like rent the whole home.

Speaker 2 53:03

Yeah, they have so many.

Speaker 1 53:04

But if you want to get a beach rental, then you can go through Lewis Realty Lewis Realty for your beach rental, that's right and. And it's the Blue Water Inn and Suites and the Hampton Inn and Topsail Shores Inn which I didn't realize was in Sneeds Ferry.

Speaker 3 53:17

Topsail Shores Inn is there as well, and so if people want to stay closer, then those are some very good options.

Luxury Bus Travel Package from Raleigh!

Speaker 1 53:22

Otherwise in Jacksonville it's the Hampton Suites and Home to Suites. That's exactly right Awesome.

Speaker 3 53:26

Okay.

Speaker 1 53:27

All right, this bus ride. There's a bus ride from Raleigh and it sounds like so much fun. I want to actually drive to Raleigh, get on the bus.

Speaker 3 53:36

That's my line Come down.

Speaker 2 53:37

That's what I want to do.

Speaker 1 53:38

Like it sounds amazing, You're partying from Raleigh all the way here, getting really in the mood.

Speaker 3 53:45

That's right.

Speaker 1 53:46

That package includes staying somewhere in Jacksonville, if I'm not mistaken. That's right, it's a great deal.

Speaker 3 53:50

That's right. So you get the transportation, you get to stay in jazz and you get the tickets for the jazz festival. So it's a tremendous package.

Speaker 1 53:58

And that's your transportation to and from the jazz festival each day.

Speaker 3 54:01

That's right.

Speaker 1 54:02

And then back to jazz. Yeah, that just sounds amazing.

Speaker 3 54:05

Yeah.

Speaker 1 54:07

I'll meet you guys in Raleigh, that's what I said I would do, I would love to do it.

Speaker 3 54:11

Got to do it one year we also have a relationship with North Carolina Central in Durham. They'll advertise for us, but also they'll come and may do a live stream from the Jazz Festival.

Speaker 1 54:24

Oh, that's cool. One or two days yeah.

Speaker 3 54:26

And they have a program there where a lot of their students will be involved in the. Jazz Festival, so it gives them exposure as well.

Commissioned Festival Art Poster - Rene Dickerson and Past Artists

Speaker 1 54:35

Okay, Well, again, go to the website to see these travel packages and to see the hotels and Lewis Realty and all that. The festival artist that you mentioned earlier, Renee Dickers, is that right? I did have a chance to look at some of the artwork there and it's amazing. Do you know a little bit about the history of Renee?

Speaker 3 54:56

I don't. I know that very well-known artist. There's just some incredible work that's really eye-catching, and so we're fortunate to have that artist at the festival this year.

Speaker 1 55:07

I will say that the art poster that was created for the OC Jazz Fest it is that there's going to be a limited paper edition that's going to be signed with numbers on the art and those can be purchased right there at the event. That's right, and there's also a canvas edition that's also going to be sold there as well. It's hand embellished with 23 karat gold leaf on the horns. It's pretty cool.

Speaker 3 55:30

It is, so be sure to check that out. Yeah, and so that's a part of the culture of the jazz festival is to have artists that have all different medias of their work.

Speaker 1 55:40

Do you have a new artist each year with a new poster? Is that something new? You do.

Speaker 3 55:45

Typically we do, yeah, we've had like Barton Hatcher, who's a very well-known artist in Wilmington and some others. We've had some young people Joseph Jarrett, who's a young artist, he's in school. He was there last year, yeah he's in school at the North Carolina School for the Arts for example. So we try to every so often introduce amateur and young people as well.

Speaker 1 56:09

So great. Give them some exposure.

Speaker 3 56:12

But we typically commission an artist. There's a lady, sherry, from Sneets Ferry, that did it early on, and so there's a commission of different artists each year for this.

Speaker 1 56:23

What a wonderful collection.

Speaker 3 56:25

And I do have that.

Speaker 1 56:27

I imagine you do. I'm running out of room.

Speaker 3 56:29

But that's a nice problem to have. And then there are other artists who may not do the jazz poster, but they just come and display their artwork.

Speaker 2 56:39

There's as a vendor. Yeah, we had a local artist, amy Fowler, shores of.

Speaker 1 56:44

Seaside Topsoil.

Speaker 2 56:45

Photography. She was there last year. She was interviewed here. She was one of my very first ones.

Speaker 3 56:50

She was amazing. Yeah, she is Awesome. She's been there.

Speaker 1 56:54

Just to talk about more logistics and I apologize for all the details. But the jazz music itself, that's Saturday and Sunday, july 6th and 7th. The gates open at 4 pm. The show starts at 5 pm. The show starts at 5 pm. The tickets for Saturday and Sunday only, it's $120. And if you want the two-day ticket it's $230. I did get that off of your website.

Speaker 2 57:15

There is Jazz Friday the kickoff party. Oh, the kickoff party, and you can also buy just that ticket for $65.

Speaker 3 57:21

That's right, and so I would urge people to, come Friday, get started.

Speaker 2 57:25

Tell us about the kickoff party.

Speaker 1 57:26

That's pretty fantastic. People who've never been. Yeah, it's also the ultimate white party. That's right All right, you better dress to impress for this people. This is no joke.

Speaker 3 57:36

And so the focus is to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Ocean City community. That's our focus on Friday at the kickoff party. So again, there'll be a proclamation from the town of North Topsail Beach.

Speaker 1 57:49

Nice.

Speaker 3 57:50

As well as a proclamation from Onslaught County.

Speaker 1 57:52

Yeah.

Speaker 3 57:53

And then there's this fun, there's music, there's an after party and celebration after the proclamations are done.

Speaker 1 57:59

So that starts at five.

Speaker 3 58:00

That's right. Starts at five, that's right.

Speaker 1 58:02

And you said Felicia Ray. Yes, she's the vocalist, am I right?

Speaker 3 58:06

That's correct.

Speaker 1 58:06

And PJ Spragans is the drummer, Drummer yeah, Drummer yeah, all right, anything else to say about that kickoff party?

Speaker 2 58:16

No, it's going to be fun, make sure you dress in your white.

Speaker 3 58:18

Seriously Great last year, all right.

Speaker 1 58:19

Oh, it was a white party last year as well.

Need Vendors, Volunteers, and Sponsors

Speaker 3 58:21

Yeah 75th.

Speaker 1 58:30

That sounds amazing. We're going to talk about your future plans, some final thoughts and give out that contact information. Is there anything else that we need to talk about with regard to the festival itself?

Speaker 2 58:40

We are still looking for vendors. So not food trucks, but we are still looking for vendors. So if you're an artist, if you're selling a product and you want to set up, we are still looking for vendors. So if you're an artist, whatever, if you're selling a product and you want to set up, we are still accepting vendors.

Speaker 1 58:53

What about do you need more volunteers? We?

Speaker 2 58:55

do? Carla just told me that we needed more volunteers.

Speaker 1 58:58

How do you sign up? Can you go online? Yeah, there's a link online.

Speaker 2 59:03

Yeah, Ocean City Jazz Fest Are you still looking for sponsors?

Speaker 3 59:06

Oh, yes, always.

Speaker 1 59:08

So vendors, volunteers and sponsors, so go to the website, sign up or give a call to the numbers listed.

Speaker 3 59:16

That's right, okay, various levels of sponsorship they'll find on the website.

Speaker 1 59:21

What can you tell me about any future plans for either Ocean City itself or the Ocean City Jazz Festival?

Speaker 3 59:27

future plans for either Ocean City itself or the Ocean City Jazz Festival. Well, the plan is to continue to enjoy the festival, let it grow, make it available to more people, make them aware of the Ocean City community, because it's just a great place to be and come in and enjoy the environment and the history and just have a wholesome good time.

Speaker 1 59:46

And I would say, go check out the Missiles and More Museum and you can get a very good visual history of what's happening. I did see it for the first time just recently, Me too. It was at a chamber event and I stopped in briefly to go in and check it out because I knew it was there, but I didn't have time to go thoroughly. So you and I are going to hit that up together, Leah.

Speaker 3 1:00:05

For sure, and going forward, we'll have the Labor Day block party In February. We're on the program for the Topsail Historical Society to talk about the history of Ocean City at one of their meetings. Okay, cool. So we've had a long relationship with Topsail Historical Society who did the exhibit, but I'll be there in February meeting to talk about.

Speaker 1 1:00:30

Ocean City as well. You're the speaker. Yes, okay. What about Our State Magazine? Wasn't there something recently?

Speaker 2 1:00:36

about that. It's an interest piece.

Speaker 3 1:00:38

Yeah, we had a preliminary interview with Our State Magazine. They're looking forward to what to include in their future publications. We're not sure if we've made the cut yet or not, because they were looking at several other locations. Yeah, and so hopefully they'll consider us and come back and really include us?

Speaker 1 1:00:56

I sure hope so. That would be exciting.

Speaker 3 1:00:58

I mentioned to the senior editor that was there that about five years ago they had a feature on Topsail Island and they did not include Ocean City.

Speaker 1 1:01:08

How dare they? I said here's an opportunity you called them out.

Speaker 2 1:01:11

Did I call them out? You did. I said here's an opportunity to redeem yourself.

Speaker 1 1:01:18

So what's happened has?

Speaker 3 1:01:19

happened, but here's an opportunity, so we'll see what happens.

Speaker 1 1:01:23

I look forward to hearing about that.

Speaker 3 1:01:25

And then we're sometimes on Topsail Magazine. We've had articles that Pat has written on Topsail Magazine about Ocean City.

Speaker 2 1:01:34

They covered us too, and really quick. The artist who did the missiles and more. They actually reached out to me, so I'm planning on going to visit them soon. One of the guys' name is AJ Mangwa I hope I'm pronouncing your name right, but in any case, they're here and they're local, and I can't wait to meet them.

Speaker 1 1:01:51

Yeah the exhibit. Yeah, they're here at.

Speaker 2 1:01:54

Jeff Wenzel's studio, so hopefully we'll get to meet them soon.

Speaker 1 1:01:59

Nice, okay, so for final thoughts on Tops of Lens. I always like to just finish off with this. The one thing, the one thing that you want the listeners to take away from this conversation. So is there anything that sticks out that you just want the listeners to know about Ocean City itself, or about the jazz festival, or both?

Speaker 3 1:02:18

I want the listeners to really know about this rich history of this community that we call Ocean City. Too often the history of communities like Ocean City are either stories are not told or they are erased, and so we have an opportunity to come together and have fun and to learn about this history, this unique history that happened 75 years ago, and then to also just have a good time and get together and enjoy the ocean breeze and the music and camaraderie, and it's just wonderful of all these components coming together and people just enjoying themselves. So we call it jazz with a higher purpose, and so that's what hopefully people will come and see and find out for themselves.

Speaker 1 1:03:04

I'm sold Good and I hope everyone listening to this is so let's go ahead and get that contact information Awesome, so you guys are mailing addresses PO Box 1207, sneed's Ferry, 28460.

Speaker 2 1:03:17

You can give us a call at 910-459-9263. Make sure, you guys, that you are following us on our socials. Facebook, we are Ocean City Jazz Festival. We are also on TikTok. We're not on, I see, twitter, but we are on TikTok at OC Jazz Fest and Instagram. So please follow us and share, share, share. The key to us growing is you guys sharing and engaging with us, inviting your friends, sharing our contact. And then our website is everything A to Z. We've got a great website, oceancityjazzfestcom, where you can buy tickets, volunteer. Every single thing we talked about, including the history, is all on our website.

Speaker 1 1:04:01

Wonderful, thank you. If you missed any of that information, you can always look at the show notes. We will have all of the contact information there, along with clickable links to the websites and all the socials for easy access. So thank you, listeners, for joining us today. I appreciate you tuning in each week and supporting Topsail Insider, and thank you again, leah, for being my co-host today, and thank you, kenneth, for being on Topsail Insider and telling us all about Ocean City and the Ocean City Jazz Festival. Thank you both.

Speaker 3 1:04:30

A pleasure, thank you. Thanks for having us.

Speaker 2 1:04:33

We'll see you in the summer.

Speaker 1 1:04:36

Hey, if you enjoyed today's episode of Topsail Insider, please show your support by clicking the follow or subscribe button on your favorite podcast listening platform. You can also follow us on Facebook, instagram, twitter and YouTube. Please also go to topsoulinsidercom and join our mailing list by clicking on the Make Me a Topsoul Insider button. While you're there, you can click the Send Me a Voicemail button and let me know exactly what you're thinking. Your message just might be on an episode of Topsoul Insider, might be on an episode of Topsail Insider. You can email me at Krista at TopsailInsidercom, or call or text me at 910-800-0111. Thank you for listening and supporting Topsail Insider and our local businesses and nonprofits. These are our neighbors and our friends, and together we build a mighty and a beautiful community I'm super proud to be a part of. I'll see you around Topsail.