Sorghum Festival to delight

ROSEBORO — Saturday morning a country classic will be back in full swing — the Old School Sorghum Festival.

The long anticipated McDaniel Crossroads favorite had been put on hold with the pandemic, and met a few hiccups over the last few years, with hurricanes and such. Last year it was canceled because of COVID. The last one was in 2019.

“Our special exhibit in the auditorium of the Old School for the 2021 Old School Sorghum Festival is Home Sewing and other Domestic Arts,” said Annie Matthews in a Facebook post. “We hope that you will enjoy our display of vintage sewing machines and associated items, home sewn items and examples of embroidery, crochet and much more!”

“Our display this year will be sewing machines,” she said. “There will be old sewing machines, and patterns and things pertaining to sewing.”

But of course the highlight of the day will be getting the chance to try a tasty treat — sorghum syrup.

“We will be cooking the syrup that day,” said Matthews. “Our shop will be open.”

“And don’t forget to visit our Sorghum Man under the Sorghum Shed!”

Each year they set up the grounds at the old store, and have different rooms for viewing as well. The old school building houses antiques which the Matthews family sells when they aren’t doing the festival.

They love to go on treasure hunts, and every so often they will drive up to an estate sale, sometimes a few states over, and go picking for to bring back.

One year the focus was on fabrics like feed sacks, which were printed bags used for flour and then repurposed into clothing. Another year there were displays with vintage Raggedy Ann and Andys. Vintage wedding gowns were on display one time.

“There will be some things from the old timey way.”

In addition to the activities surrounding the sorghum, Matthews said that there will be vendors.

“We will have the usual vendors; most of them are local.”

Matthews said that they usually have some sort of kids craft or activity.

“These are hands-on,” she said. “One year they could make a rope.”

Attendees will have a chance to learn about the past, and the tradition of sorghum cooking. Other buildings on the premises will be open to tour as well, like the old country store. In there will be cold drinks and other treats. The old country store housed the Mintz Post Office from 1900-1939 and was located on the Wilmington Branch of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.

In the past the event has included shelling corn, the usual food and craft vendors, along with antique tractors, plus hit-and-miss engines. The train room will be open for tours as well.

The event started around 24 years ago, with folks coming out and just checking out the grounds. From there is has grown to be even more. The Matthews family had bought the old school house when it was falling apart, and have been working on it over the last few years.

The Old School at McDaniel Crossroads was built in 1925 and served elementary school students until 1949. The school is handicapped accessible.

The day of the Old School Sorghum Festival they start cooking the syrup, starting about 7:30 a.m. It goes from juice to syrup by about noon. The syrup is available to taste, as well as for purchase.

The school is located at 11233 Boykin Bridge Road, Roseboro. The event will be from around 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or so. Cash is preferred for payment for vendors as well.

Masks are required to visit the indoor areas.