The Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild is gearing up for its 32nd annual Core Sound Decoy Festival this weekend at Harkers Island Elementary School.
The festival is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 daily, children under 12 free. Sunday is Youth Day with all children under 18 free.
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The Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild works to preserve the waterfowl carving heritage of the Core Sound area in North Carolina. That past extends beyond the art of carving decoys and includes the people, duck calls, artists, photographers, folklore and collectors, according to the guild.
First held in 1988, the entire school is filled with decoy exhibits and vendors for the Decoy Festival. During both days of the festival, there will be retriever demonstrations, competitions including head whittling, children’s decoy painting and a decoy auction. Harkers Island Elementary School staff and volunteers provide food every year.On Youth Day Sunday, in addition to free admission, there are special door prizes, kids decoy painting, youth decoy competition, archery experience and more for the youth.
The 1 p.m. Saturday auction will include a collection of decoys and associated art and artifacts for collectors. Decoys by Core Sound carvers up for auction include Eldon Willis, Amie Paul, Alfred Gaskill, Lawrence Howard, George Washington O’Neal, Brother Gaskill, Jerry Talton and Curt Salter. The auction preview begins at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Saturday Schedule
- 9 .a.m. Show Opens, carving competition registration, youth archery, state Wildlife Resources Commission Safari Trailer
- 10 a.m. Competition Judging
- 10 a.m. Children’s Decoy Painting, all day
- 10 a.m. Auction Preview Begins
- 11 a.m. Retriever Demonstration
- 1 p.m. Decoy Auction
- 2 p.m. Retriever Demonstration
- 5 p.m. Show Closes
Sunday Schedule
- 10 a.m. Show Opens, Youth Day
- 10 a.m. Competition Judging
- 10 a.m. Children’s Decoy Painting, youth archery, state Wildlife Resources Commission Safari Trailer, all day
- 1 p.m. Head Carving Contest
- 1 p.m. Retriever Demonstration
- 3 p.m. Youth Prize Drawing fo rages 6-17
- 3:30 p.m. Awards Presentation, Announce 2019 Featured Carver/bird, and raffle drawing winners for the Shotgun, Decoy and Print.
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