VANCEBORO - Tradition and innovation combined to make the 28th annual Vanceboro Strawberry Festival one to remember for dozens working for civic and charity groups here on Saturday as hundreds played and made those efforts pay.

Strawberries from local growers were abundant this year and could be eaten on shortcake, in ice cream, on funnel cake or one berry at a time.

Saturday's festivities, after a Friday night womanless beauty pageant, began with a parade led by the town's new police chief, William Turner, who has been on the job for just three days. The 125-unit parade took a slightly new route this year, adding N.C. 43 to the typical Main Street procession.

 Winds were brisk, but mild temperatures and sunshine kept people coming until a mid-afternoon shower sent them away at about the time event planners had expected to wind down.

 Village Creek berries topped shortcake sold by the Vanceboro United Methodist Church youth group. By 2 p.m., they had served 500 folks and about half of the 200 pounds of strawberries members spent much of Friday capping.

"We may have a fund-raiser tomorrow and sell the rest," said Katherine Morris, one of the youth group leaders helping out.

Proceeds help finance the group's summer mission trip to Eastern Shore, Va., said Jonathan Gladson of Vanceboro, as he and Meghan Crews of Beach Grove plopped berries and whipped topping onto shortcake cooked by "the ladies of the church." 

 White's Farm strawberries were offered by the pound by Beach Grove Methodist Church Boy Scout Troop 97, which will also use its profits from berries and things like watermelon slices and popcorn to help send members to summer events.

Mike Smith, volunteer coach for the West Craven High School Hunter Safety group, said profits from their booth's sales of chili cheese fries, nachos and baked goods help pay to teach shotgun, .22 rifle and bow safety and compass skills.

"I think we've had a good day," said Amy Hudson, a Vanceboro Rescue Squad member and organizer of this year's event.

The festival included a new ride vendor, Ronnie's Funtime Amusements, from Sanford, and donated music by Juniper 5, a gospel group from Juniper Chapel FWB Church, and Scott Whitford, singing solo country, soul, gospel and rock songs.

She said the parade helped to showcase festival beauty pageant winners named last week. They include Joslyn Conner, Little Miss; Chastity Worley, Junior Miss; and Strawberry event queen, Tiffany Lewis.

This was the second year of the pageant, and next year the squad will attempt to tie the contest in with the Miss North Carolina contest and make it a scholarship event, Hudson said.

The rescue squad did not prepare its own barbecue for sale this year, typically its largest fund-raiser at the event, because its new headquarters building doesn't yet have pits.

Hudson said the squad found Roland's Barbecue, a regional caterer with a good reputation, and will raise some money for its needs. But she said some of the 45 working booths will make more. 

 "Just so we don't lose money, we're happy," she said. "Our goal was not as much about making money but more about making a great community day for area families."

Sue Book can be reached at (252) 635-5666 or sbook@freedomenc.com.